Chapter 17: Picking Flowers and Plucking Leaves

Su Yanwei and Yunxiao Sword Sovereign traveled to the legendary Shouyang Mountain in search of the Three-Day Red, an herb needed to cure her yet-unseen eldest senior brother of the Devouring Spirit Powder poison.

“South of Qingfeng Ridge, walk to the end of the land, cross the barrier between the human world and the beyond, follow the trail of the White Butterfly Flowers, and where the flowers lead, there lies Shouyang Mountain.”

She recited this passage from the Travels of the Mirror Lake Hermit, then explained to Yunxiao Sword Sovereign:

“According to my research, this Qingfeng Ridge refers to Xianglu Mountain in Min County, Zhuo Prefecture. In the past, Xianglu Mountain was once called Qingfeng Ridge. This area used to be inhabited by demon clans, but after they migrated to the demon realm, the mountains were left empty, and later humans settled here, renaming it Xianglu Mountain.”

“It’s said the mountain god here is very responsive,” Su Yanwei added, sharing a local legend. “Any prayer will be answered.”

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign made no comment; in truth, so-called mountain gods were often local spirits or cultivators who practiced the divine path, helping locals in exchange for incense offerings and faith.

“Head south along Qingfeng Ridge.” Su Yanwei sat on the spirit boat, pointing in the southern direction. “That way!”

Good-naturedly, Yunxiao Sword Sovereign followed her instructions and steered the spirit boat southward.

About half an hour later, they reached a stretch of ocean.

Endless, deep blue waters extended as far as the eye could see, where the sea met the sky.

The end of the land was the sea.

“I suppose this sea marks the land’s end,” Su Yanwei gazed at the vast blue ocean. “The sun is warmth; the moon is dark. At the moment when day and night exchange places, this world and the beyond briefly meet.”

“So we must wait until the sun sets and the moon rises!”

So Su Yanwei and Yunxiao Sword Sovereign sat together on the spirit boat, waiting. As the sun slowly descended in the west, its fiery glow painted the sea blood-red, like burning flames spreading across the waves so brilliant, it seemed as if flowers of fire had bloomed upon the ocean.

“It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed, legs swinging as she watched the sunset over the sea. “Is this the view that Mirror Lake Hermit once described?”

“Truly enviable!”

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign silently looked into the distance, then glanced down at her. “But aren’t you seeing this view now too?”

Su Yanwei looked up at him.

“There’s nothing to envy,” he said, gently ruffling the hair on her head. “You’ll see many more, even greater sights in the future.”

“You’re right.” Su Yanwei nodded with a smile, her spirit brightening again. “He had his path; I have mine!”

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign let out a small laugh and, unable to resist, ruffled her hair again.

“…If you keep ruffling, I’ll go bald!” Su Yanwei protested.

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign quickly pulled his hand back, though a faint look of regret flickered across his face.

Finally, when the last rays of sunlight faded…

The blossoms of fire on the sea were swallowed by the cold water, vanishing as quickly as they had bloomed.

A bright moon slowly rose from the horizon.

At the very moment day yielded to night, a white mist rose over the sea, light and ethereal, like smoke.

Within that mist, it seemed as if another world lay hidden.

“That’s it!” Su Yanwei shouted, her eyes lighting up. “Charge in!”

Even before she spoke, Yunxiao Sword Sovereign had noticed the anomaly. Without hesitation, he guided the spirit boat straight into the mist.

---

Inside the mist.

It was still an ocean, but different from the sea outside.

This was a drowning sea.

The spirit boat, which had flown through the air, now floated lightly on the water like a single drifting leaf.

“What do we do now? The boat can’t fly anymore, we’ve crashed!” Su Yanwei said, face full of worry.

“Instead of complaining, why not do something useful?” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign replied, tossing her an oar.

Su Yanwei: “????”

She looked at him, shocked. “Where did this come from?”

“One must always be prepared for unexpected situations,” he replied calmly.

“…”

Su Yanwei could only admire him, speechless. Even spirit boat oars? What have you been through before to make you so prepared?

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign picked up an oar himself and began to row, his movements so practiced it was surprising, as if this were completely normal.

Su Yanwei was left dumbfounded. He truly has no image to maintain at all!

“If you’ve got time to stand around staring, you’d better help row,” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign reminded her.

But I’m still a child! I don’t want to row!

Su Yanwei wore a pitiful expression as she slowly dipped her oar into the water, silently complaining: If I said that, would he throw me into the sea?

He probably would! He’s so cold and ruthless!

He must be doing this on purpose to get revenge for when I tricked him!

“That’s right. Your master is doing this on purpose,” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign replied without looking up, still calmly rowing. “It’s a test for you. As the saying goes, ‘Only through hardship does one rise above others.’”

“You must endure hardship. I’ll leave the rest to you, your master is tired and will rest now.”

“…”

For a moment, Su Yanwei wanted to smack him on the head with her oar.

Their fragile master-disciple bond was being tested and it nearly capsized right then.

True to his word, Yunxiao Sword Sovereign lay back on the boat to rest, leaving Su Yanwei alone to row.

She paddled quietly, like a child laborer, while he was the heartless boss exploiting her.

Yet she didn’t complain aloud, nor did she cry or whine. She stubbornly kept rowing.

“All right.” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign opened his eyes. “My turn now.”

He picked up the oar and began to row.

Su Yanwei shot him a look and gave a cold hmph inwardly. At least you still have a conscience.

The two of them rowed in turns, drifting along with the current.

Who knew how far they drifted?

Suddenly, ahead of them, a glowing ribbon of light appeared on the water.

Su Yanwei’s eyes lit up. She leaned forward, staring closely. As she looked more carefully, she realized it wasn’t truly a ribbon of light, but dozens of silver fish leaping playfully over the waves, glowing as they jumped. From afar, they looked like a ribbon of light.

Or like clusters of white butterfly orchids blooming on the water’s surface.

“…” Follow the trail of the White Butterfly Flowers, and where the flowers lead, there lies Shouyang Mountain,’” Su Yanwei exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “This must be the White Butterfly Flowers!”

“So they’re not really flowers, they’re fish!”

“Not fish,” Yunxiao Sword Sovereign corrected. “Look closely. They aren’t alive. They’re light.”

“They’re silver fish formed from light.”

Su Yanwei blinked and looked carefully. Just as he said, these were not living creatures, but phantom fish made of glowing light, shimmering with an ethereal glow.

“They’re beautiful!” she whispered.

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign said nothing, but began to row faster.

After that, he rowed the rest of the way alone without pause.

Following the trail of the White Butterfly Flowers, they finally emerged from the mysterious drowning sea and out of the mist into another endless blue ocean.

And there, rising from the sea ahead, lay a sacred mountain: Shouyang Mountain.

Time flowed differently here; it was now the hour when the moon set and the sun rose.

As the last moonlight vanished behind the clouds and the sun rose, Su Yanwei turned to look back. She saw the silver fish the guiding White Butterfly Flowers turn into silver foam on the water, slowly fading away.

Like a dream.

---

On Shouyang Mountain.

Su Yanwei and Yunxiao Sword Sovereign found the Three-Day Red herb.

It grew facing the sun, its flowers vivid and beautiful.

Green leaves, crimson blossoms; one flower with four leaves.

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign looked at the patch of Three-Day Red with awe. The flower itself was a deadly poison; its leaves were the antidote. Such wondrous plants could only grow in a place as mystical as this.

With reverence, he picked just a single leaf for the antidote.

After carefully placing the leaf in a spirit box, he turned and saw Su Yanwei had picked a whole handful of leaves…and even plucked a few blossoms.

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign: “…!”

“You!” A vein bulged on his forehead. “Why did you pick so many leaves? And you even took the flowers!”

Su Yanwei looked up at him innocently.

“Just to have extra, in case! What if someone else gets poisoned by Devouring Spirit Powder in the future? Then we won’t have to come back again and I don’t want to row that boat anymore,” she added, her voice full of complaint. “It was way too much trouble getting here!”

Yunxiao Sword Sovereign: Even though you have a point…

“Then why did you pick the flowers too?” he pressed, coldly suspicious.

Su Yanwei put on an even more innocent look.

“Just in case!”

“…In case of what?” A bad feeling rose in his chest.

“In case we run into the people who poisoned my senior brother. I can repay them in kind! I’m sure they don’t have the Three-Day Red leaves,” she said matter-of-factly.

“…”

Utterly outrageous!

At last, Yunxiao Sword Sovereign understood: This little disciple of mine… is truly wild!