Gazing at Immortals City.
At the top floor of the tallest teahouse in the city, by the window, a moon-white figure stood quietly.
Zheng Xuanling gazed toward Li Family Village. There, the tribulation clouds had just dispersed, and sunlight was shining through again.
In his hand, he held a branch—a gift from Lin Tingwan fifteen years ago. At this moment, its leaves were faintly warm to the touch, as if heralding something.
Seeing the multicolored rays of light descend, Zheng Xuanling let out a breath of relief.
For these twelve years, he hadn't stayed in Shangqing Sect the entire time.
He would often take a distant look to confirm her seclusion was proceeding smoothly.
He had never shown himself, never disturbed her.
Today, sensing the fluctuation of heavenly tribulation, he had rushed to Gazing at Immortals City at the first opportunity, anxiously waiting there for an entire half day.
Only when he saw that final crimson-golden heavenly tribulation lightning blocked by the Incense and Prayer Power, and the wood core formed, did he truly relax.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Zheng Xuanling's lips. He put away the branch, turned, and descended the stairs.
It had been many years since he'd last seen her.
—————
Lin Tingwan opened her eyes and looked toward Li Family Village. The villagers were just recovering from their shock, one by one tilting their heads up to look at her, their gazes filled with awe.
Forty-nine years of karmic bond—today, it was time to settle it.
Lin Tingwan's voice reached each person's ears clearly: "The karmic bond between me and this place ends today. I hope all of you will take good care of yourselves from now on, do good deeds, and accumulate virtue."
With that said, with a sweep of her sleeve, her original body was collected inside, and she turned, transforming into an emerald-green streak of light that shot up into the sky.
The villagers below knelt in a sea of prostrations, their shouts rising and falling one after another.
After a long while, on the earthen slope where the locust tree had disappeared, only an empty clearing remained.
The villagers looked around in confusion, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity—
Without the Locust Immortal, would the village still enjoy favorable weather and bountiful harvests like before? Would as many children with spiritual roots be born?
Third Elder Uncle, leaning on his walking stick, tremblingly gazed at the empty earthen slope and let out a long sigh: "The karmic bond is over... Ah, it was obtained by force in the first place." The last sentence was spoken so softly it seemed he didn't want anyone to hear.
"Then what about later..." a young man asked nervously.
"Later on, we rely on ourselves." His eyes were firm, his voice resolute. "The Locust Immortal blessed us for many years. For the remaining time, we should depend on ourselves to make life good."
After speaking, a bout of coughing wracked him, as if he were a candle flickering in the wind.
But Lin Tingwan could no longer hear him. She flew higher and higher, soon disappearing into the clouds.
The karmic bond was settled, and a weight lifted from her.
The emerald-green streak of light wove through the clouds. Lin Tingwan turned her head to look back. Li Family Village had already become a faint speck amidst the mountain ranges.
She halted, hovering above the sea of clouds, and retrieved something from her sleeve—a miniature emerald locust tree, only palm-sized yet incredibly lifelike, every single leaf clearly visible. A gentle wood-type spiritual light flowed over its trunk.
This was her original body, now portable.
A Wood Core stage grass-and-tree spirit could store its original body in its consciousness sea for nurturing.
"From now on, wherever you go, I go," she murmured softly, gently stroking the tree.
Forty-nine years of time, all condensed into this one small tree.
Lin Tingwan pressed the locust tree to her brow. The tree transformed into a beam of green light that sank into her consciousness sea, hovering above the spiritual sea of consciousness like a green moon, radiating gentle waves of vitality, constantly nourishing her spirit.
After doing this, she once again looked toward Li Family Village. A complex expression flickered in her eyes.
With her original body taken away, the earthly energy of that land would gradually return to normal.
For forty-nine years, the locust tree had been rooted there, its roots reaching deep into the spiritual veins, constantly cycling spiritual energy and nourishing the land in return, benefiting Li Family Village and even the surrounding areas—
The vegetation had been exceptionally lush, crops had yielded abundant harvests, and the villagers had suffered no illness or disaster.
More importantly, over these years, most of the children born in the village had spiritual roots and could cultivate. Though their aptitude was mostly average, for a mortal village, this was an incredible blessing.
But now, all of this would change.
The wood-type spiritual energy in the earthly energy would slowly dissipate. Over a long period, the earthly energy would gradually lose its nurturing properties, becoming no different from other places in the Southern Province.
Newborn children might, as they had been forty-nine years ago, become mostly mortals without spiritual roots.
Li Family Village might slowly return to that ordinary village it once was, or perhaps, relying on the accumulation of these years, it could develop into a prosperous town...
But either way, it had nothing to do with her anymore.
The karmic bond was over. Their connection ended here.
"Take care, all of you," Lin Tingwan said softly. Turning, she once again transformed into a streak of light.
Below the sea of clouds, mountains and rivers rapidly receded behind her.
This time, she did not look back.
But what she didn't know was that the gardener who had painstakingly cultivated the rose was still waiting bitterly.
Look!
Lin Tingwan suddenly sensed something and turned her head toward the northern horizon.
A moon-white streak of light tore through the air, extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, it was right before her. The streak of light converged, and a figure descended gracefully, a moon-white Daoist robe fluttering in the wind, with faint thunder patterns swirling around him.
If it wasn't Zheng Xuanling, then who else could it be?
Lin Tingwan was slightly startled: "You... why are you here?"
Zheng Xuanling landed, his gaze lingering on her for a long moment. A flicker of longing passed through his eyes, but it was quickly hidden away: "Congratulations."
"I've been in the Southern Province all along," he said bluntly. "Sensing you were undergoing tribulation, I waited in Gazing at Immortals City."
Lin Tingwan was stunned. He had been... in the Southern Province all along?
"Why didn't you show yourself?" she asked softly.
"You were in seclusion; it wasn't the right time to disturb you." Zheng Xuanling looked at her, his gaze intent. "Now that you've successfully broken through and your karmic bond is settled, I've come at just the right time."
Zheng Xuanling took a step forward. Moonlight-like spiritual essence coalesced beneath his feet, as if he were treading on moonlight: "Back then, I said that if you didn't mind, you could move your original body next to my cave abode. Now, I'd like to extend that invitation again."
His voice was clear, but his tone carried an unusual solemnity: "Though Yunmiao Peak can't compare to the nine main peaks, its spiritual energy is still abundant, the scenery is breathtaking, and most importantly—I have the freedom to plan the mountain's layout and invite fellow Daoists to live alongside me."
Lin Tingwan's heart stirred.
He looked into her eyes, no longer hiding the adoration and anticipation he had harbored for years: "We could be neighbors, keeping each other company day and night.
In the morning, we could watch the sunrise over the sea of clouds together. At midday, we could discuss the Dao, practice formations and thunder techniques. In the evening, we could sit facing each other over tea, gazing at the stars and comprehending the Dao."
"The path of cultivation is long." Zheng Xuanling's voice grew softer, but each word was clear: "If there were a like-minded person to walk shoulder to shoulder with, exploring the wonders of the Great Dao together—wouldn't that be wonderful?"
This speech was nearly a confession.
Ahhh!
Someone really is courting a tree!