This was a desolate wilderness, the full moon shining brightly overhead. As far as the eye could see, the night was utterly silent, sending a chill creeping up one’s spine.
Where had everyone gone?
Shui Miao was still wearing his old clothes. He looked around, but could sense no presence nearby.
Could this be what they call “when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter”?
Shui Miao had always treated everyone with sincerity, regarding them as family and friends. He thought at the very least they would have set up camp here, waiting for his return. Yet, there was no one around, and even his spiritual sense could not detect anyone within a radius of several hundred meters.
Perhaps they had gone to a nearby town?
Also, why had his spiritual perception range suddenly shrunk?
While pondering these thoughts, Shui Miao began to walk down the mountain. But he had barely taken a few steps when a sudden gust of wind sounded, and a huge dark shadow landed beside him.
“Are you Shui Miao?”
The dark figure spoke—it was the Crow Girl.
The Crow Girl’s aura was very ordinary, just like a regular crow. Shui Miao hadn’t paid attention to it at first, focusing only on sensing for human presence.
“Yes, I’m back.”
Shui Miao’s heart stirred as he carefully examined the Crow Girl. He noticed she had become much thinner, her face transformed into a crow’s visage with a long beak. If not for her larger size and ability to speak human language, she would indeed be mistaken for an ordinary crow.
“Oh, thank goodness! Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you for half a year!”
The Crow Girl rushed forward excitedly.
Seeing a giant crow with tears in her eyes staring at him, Shui Miao felt a jolt in his heart. “What? Half a year!?”
“Yes, exactly one hundred and ninety-three days, not a day more, not a day less.” The Crow Girl paused slightly, then suddenly knelt on the ground. “Immortal, please help me! Change me back to my original form!”
The Crow Girl had stayed here all this time, waiting for her transformation.
“Alright!”
Seeing the Crow Girl who had waited for him so devotedly, Shui Miao was deeply moved and immediately nodded in agreement.
Looking around once more, Shui Miao led the Crow Girl into a cave, where they sat cross-legged facing each other.
Shui Miao didn’t act immediately. He carefully contemplated. His immortal energy now contained various types of power—soul-devouring energy, the essence of Feng Shui, and even the fundamental energy of nature. He calmed his mind, separated a thread of natural essence, and with the intention of restoring the Crow Girl, channeled a small stream of green light into her body.
As soon as this natural energy entered the Crow Girl’s body, she let out a pleasurable moan.
“How does it feel?”
Shui Miao was worried the natural essence might backfire on her, so he was especially anxious.
The Crow Girl nodded and said it felt very comfortable.
Then, Shui Miao watched as dark energy began to dissipate from her body. Her form exuded large amounts of black yin energy. Under the influence of the green essence, her black feathers fell to the ground, and her appearance began to change. About half an hour later, when the yin energy had completely dissipated, a young woman of about seventeen or eighteen stood before Shui Miao!
Not only had she regained her original form, she looked much younger.
Seeing the transformation, she was first overjoyed, then shy and uneasy.
In the quiet cave, facing a young, naked woman, Shui Miao—being a normal man—was momentarily stunned. After regaining his composure, he quickly turned his back to the Crow Girl, took off his coat, handed it to her, and softly said, “Put this on. I’m glad I could help you return to normal.”
“Thank you, thank you, Immortal!”
Blushing, the Crow Girl quickly dressed.
Shui Miao turned around and looked at her again. She was indeed a beauty, one in a hundred. He nodded and said, “I almost didn’t make it back, but you’re lucky. Now that you’ve returned to your original form, how about we go down the mountain together? On the way, you can tell me what’s happened over these past few months.”
“Alright!”
The Crow Girl nodded eagerly and began recounting as they walked. “After you suddenly disappeared, everyone was very worried and searched the area for you, especially two girls named Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi. They even secretly cried for you. Then, not giving up hope, they set up tents nearby and stayed. But not long after, a man named Hua Sheng left. Then others followed, big and small.”
“And what about the rest?”
Shui Miao understood. Hua Sheng and the others weren’t particularly close to him; it was natural they would leave.
“Then there were Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi. They were picked up by Lin Xue’s father, but they left their phone numbers with Jiang Zhihao, and also with your grandfather Xiong Ying and others.” The Crow Girl pouted. “About a month later, your disciple’s company seemed to have some trouble, and then Jiang Zhihao and the other two also left.”
Trouble—could all three disciples have had problems at once? Shui Miao sighed slightly. These three disciples were essentially businessmen, their relationship with him more transactional.
Shui Miao sighed again and asked, “What about my grandfather and my godfather Wang Yong? Oh, and there’s also Sister Rong…”
“Your grandfather fell ill, and they all went to the hospital. A few days ago, Sister Rong came back. She told me your grandfather has recovered and is now resting at home in Huanghai City, with Wang Yong looking after him. She said if you returned, you should go find them. Sister Rong is working at a restaurant in the nearby Xining town.” The Crow Girl looked at Shui Miao, blinking. “Immortal, why don’t I go with you to find Sister Rong?”
“With me?”
Shui Miao was slightly taken aback. Could this Crow Girl have feelings for him?
“I… My child has already been taken by his father, and he’s doing well. My house was sold by him too. I’m homeless now. You saved me, so I’m willing… willing to serve you in any way, do anything for you.” Her face turned as red as an apple. When she said “anything,” she naturally included her own body.
“This…” Shui Miao hesitated. “I think you should go back and see your child first. If you really decide to follow me, you can become my disciple. Then you can stay with Sister Rong. Besides, you both have pure yin constitutions, so cultivating the Dao should be much easier for you.”
“Alright… Alright! Disciple greets Master!!”
The Crow Girl immediately bowed formally.
Shui Miao quickly helped her up. “Have you already decided not to go see your child?”
“No need. He now has a mother, and that woman can’t have children. She treats my child very well.” The Crow Girl had already seen her child. If he hadn’t been doing so well, she wouldn’t have resolved to follow Shui Miao.
“Alright then.”
Shui Miao had nothing much to give the Crow Girl, so he gave her two soul-nourishing pills from his Holy Yuan Ring.
Through their conversation, Shui Miao learned that the Crow Girl’s name was Shen Yan. Her father was a traditional Feng Shui master, and she had loved the mystical arts since childhood. By chance, she had become Shui Miao’s disciple. But Shui Miao felt conflicted. Having such a beautiful disciple by his side—was it a blessing or a curse? One thing was certain—he would have to take care of her, a responsibility he couldn’t escape.
As Shui Miao was pondering, Shen Yan linked her arm with his.
Blushing, Shen Yan softly said, “Master, I’m a little cold. Let me get closer to you.”
…
Shui Miao felt awkward. Wasn’t this relationship supposed to be master and disciple? If someone saw them, they’d surely mistake them for lovers!
But then again, there was no one else around in the mountains…
Shen Yan was only wearing the coat, nothing underneath, while Shui Miao wore loose pants and a shirt—making them look like a pair of illicit lovers.
Suddenly realizing how indecent their appearance was, Shui Miao quickly activated his wood-element immortal energy, conjuring two gray outfits for both of them. He then asked Shen Yan, “Are you still cold?”
“Warm now!”
Shen Yan responded happily, but she clung to Shui Miao’s arm even more tightly.
For a woman, the greatest happiness in life is to find a man she can rely on.
“Oh, Shen Yan, you’re so cold. Why don’t you wait inside one of my magical treasures?” As he spoke, Shui Miao directly pulled Shen Yan into the Holy Yuan Ring. “Shen Yan, this is my Holy Yuan Ring. Rest here for now.”
“Woah, this place is amazing!”
Shen Yan looked around in astonishment. The ring contained stone tables, chairs, and beds, along with the sacred spiritual energy that once housed the White Phoenix. It truly felt like a paradise.
Finally settling her down, Shui Miao exhaled in relief. He activated his immortal energy fully, trying to use the Wind Riding Technique to travel.
But as he leaped, he was shocked to find he couldn’t jump at all!
“I’ve rebuilt my physical body, integrating a large amount of natural essence into it. I forced this essence into my inner elixir, but I haven’t fully mastered it yet. This must be why my ability to channel immortal energy has been affected, making it hard for me to control my powers freely! And that must also be why my spiritual perception range has drastically decreased. That must be it!”
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced. He hadn’t expected that integrating the essence of nature would not boost his power but instead restrict it! But after a moment’s reflection, he relaxed. The essence of nature contained various forces. To control them required long-term cultivation and familiarity. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.
“Anyway, I’m still young. I have plenty of time. I’ll just work hard at cultivation in the future.”
With a positive mindset, Shui Miao started running and soon reached the road.
But as soon as he stepped onto the road, he saw a large group approaching from a distance. Dressed in bright red and purple robes, with people playing suonas and carrying sedan chairs, they looked like an ancient wedding procession. Suddenly, Shui Miao saw the curtain of the sedan chair being lifted, revealing a woman in tears. Her face was strangely familiar!
“Ah! It’s Wang Rong!”
Shui Miao was shocked, a huge question mark rising in his mind. What on earth was going on here?
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