Chapter 89

"What? Are even my words no longer effective?"

Zora: "..."

She was a bit dazed. Just dealing with the Emperor's reaction, she had already gone through five cycles, failing every time. The bone-deep pain meant that even after escaping the punishment environment, a faint, lingering ache remained inside her body—like an afterglow, or perhaps a profound hallucination produced by her mind.

Under the Emperor’s feigned majestic gaze, Zora pressed her arm, kneading the bone through the flesh where the phantom pain still throbbed.

"Valley Master Luo—" The Emperor seemed ready to unleash his wrath.

This time, Zora recalled the rhetoric Vane was best at. Following his pattern, she said, "No, I will certainly have them attend to your matters first next time."

The Emperor remained silent. Given a graceful way out, he reluctantly let the matter drop.

The moment Zora stepped out of the room, her vision went black again. She returned to the state of transparent air as Luo Jin exited the palace with a heavy expression.

In Zora’s era, medicine cultivators lacked significant martial prowess, but they were more than capable of handling ordinary people or cultivators with lower levels than themselves. However, the current Floating Cloud Valley was a valley of people who called themselves "healers." They studied poisons only to develop antidotes; they strengthened their bodies only to better immerse themselves in medicine and treat patients. They were unaware of the end of the cultivation path, and they didn't even know the concept of "ascension."

In some ways, they were still the weak in the eyes of the many commoners and the imperial family.

Zora watched as a somber Luo Jin returned to Floating Cloud Valley. Just before entering, she paused, the tension between her brows easing. When she moved again, she wore a relaxed expression.

"Sect Leader Luo!"

"Sect Leader Luo, those people didn't make things difficult for you, did they?"

"Sect Leader Luo! I found another way to enhance spiritual power!"

She answered them one by one, merging into the crowd of young and old dressed as healers.

During the course of Luo Jin treating patients, Zora "possessed" her several more times. She failed many times; she just couldn't grasp the logic. Her bones ached with the recurring pain, but she endured it all. Eventually, she vaguely grasped Luo Jin’s basic temperament, though she would still fail once or twice.

Understanding someone does not equate to agreeing with them. Zora never intended to truly stand in Luo Jin’s shoes to understand her; she would never do such a thing. Just like Vane—knowing the human heart so well didn't mean he was like that himself. Understanding and agreeing are two different things.

Zora relied on half-guessing and her immense vitality to survive the entire day. Although her perspective and character remained unchanged, she gained a deep understanding of human diversity. Previously, she wouldn't have spared a glance for the actions of such people, but this secret realm was different—to put it simply, her eyes were forced open.

For example, when dealing with a noisy patient, Luo Jin would comfort them gently rather than knocking them unconscious. When facing a wailing passerby, Luo Jin would—Zora thought for a moment and kindly tossed the passerby a piece of gold.

Then she plunged back into the environment of torture.

...

Luo Jin would stoop without a hint of disdain, helping the man up and questioning him as if he were a clean-clothed person coming to the valley for treatment, rather than a filthy, diseased beggar on the street.

When dealing with certain people who received her favors and then betrayed her, she would—

Zora paused, her brow furrowed, saying very reluctantly: "I forgive you."

As a result, she fell into darkness again.

Kill him.

Wrong.

Beat him.

Still seemed wrong.

Ultimately, she confiscated all the property given by Floating Cloud Valley, crippled his cultivation, and expelled him from the valley, never to return. The Valley Master was kind-hearted, but she also needed to be clear about rewards and punishments. Luo Jin walked on a tightrope; every step was precarious. She was soft-hearted and kind, possessing all the typical weaknesses of a healer. Sometimes, after punishing someone, she would pluck the leaves from a branch by the window while alone, asking herself if she was right. Was it too heavy or too light? She would always wonder.

Luo Jin was like her name; she lived in luxury as a child, but her family suffered a massive upheaval. she began wandering and was saved by a benevolent healer. After the healer died, she became a wandering doctor, helping others everywhere. The people currently cultivating are all those with bitter fates, forced into this path where no light or future can be seen. "Longevity" sounds nice, but for a person to enter a new path of cultivation and temper the body gifted by heaven is no different from creating a world from nothing; many give up in despair before even entering the gate.

Luo Jin had caught the tail end of immortality, and she caught others as well.

One moment Luo Jin was pondering rewards and punishments, and the next moment it was Zora plucking that branch bare of leaves. When there were no more to pluck, she looked around, stood on her tiptoes, and reached up to pull down a new branch. The dappled tree shadows fell on the girl’s pale, bloodless face. her lips had grown pale from cycle after cycle of torture, presenting a state of weakness.

Yet her eyes remained bright, as if the punishments were insignificant. In any case, it all led to death, and she wasn't afraid. Even with the ambition to grow stronger, the girl did not change her nature, being willful to the extreme. The look of ambition common in others became a normal, unwavering determination in her. If there is a desire, go grab it; risk your life to seize it, but do not become anxious, and do not change your face for the sake of that desire.

The System woke up once in the middle of her secret realm journey—it was Zora who called it an hour ago to ask what the herbs in her hand were for.

System: [They are poisonous.]

Zora immediately stuffed them into the mouth of a patient who was swearing, trying to hit people, and refusing to pay. The man died of poisoning, and Zora suffered the pain again.

System: [Are you an idiot?] Surely you'd know what Luo Jin would do by now?

But—the System thought again. The Host probably really didn't know. The second time she learned her lesson, but she wasn't tolerant enough, leading to another error. She could never immediately think of Luo Jin’s specific actions because they were two completely different people.

Fortunately, her soul had been tempered through cultivation, and her level could still withstand it. The System sighed in relief. She should be able to hold on, and the Host should be able to feel it too.

It watched for a long time, seeing the Host, face pale, standing on tiptoes to pull a new branch. The girl’s soft, sickly-looking face met the dappled sunlight, her amber pupils appearing even lighter. She was curiously pinching a leaf on the branch where a ladybug was perched. While casually mimicking Luo Jin's self-reflection, she stared at the beautiful red insect and blinked.

The System watched quietly. Bright sun and green trees, red insect and new branch—the tiny peach fuzz on the contours of the girl’s face was clearly visible, her pupils like glass beads. She blew the insect away, and the ladybug scurried off to another spot. Following its path, one could see the busy healers with sweat on their brows but smiles on their faces; these were the faces of the early cultivators.

Zora looked at them and suddenly understood why Luo Jin wanted to stay here. Because it was interesting; because of the vitality.

Whatever.

The System suddenly admired the Host’s dullness and endurance regarding pain—that was a temperament formed in the arena, born with a slowness toward suffering. It suddenly relaxed. The Host surely thought that since her brain couldn't fathom Luo Jin's specific thoughts anyway, there would be trial and error, so she remained unhurried, not bothering with internal drain.

She had an ability to make the atmosphere relaxed and people’s hearts settled. Even though her knuckles, gripping the branch, were uncontrollably trembling in the increasingly heavy phantom pain.

...

Luo Jin was exhausted after a day. The moonlight was cool. She was acquainted with Feng Chenting and Yuan Zhen; they frequently corresponded. Only Yun Zhang wandered everywhere, her silhouette impossible to find; it was only ever her coming to see them, never them finding her.

After sending letters to those two, she locked the door. As Luo Jin was about to head toward the forest, a girl dressed as a medicine boy ran past carrying a basket of fruit, her pigtails bobbing. Seeing Luo Jin, she broke into a cheerful smile and spoke like an adult: "Sect Leader Lord!"

"Just call me Sect Leader, why add 'Lord'?" Luo Jin said softly, approaching and picking up the girl's basket with a smile. "Where are you going?"

"To feed the fish!"

"It's on the way, let's go."

Zora followed them all the way to the center of the forest, where there was a clear pool of water. Suddenly, a child broke through the surface. Even at a young age, one could tell he would be exquisite in the future. He leaned against the bank, his lower body a fish tail, occasionally splashing the water, which shimmered with ripples.

This was the last remaining member of the Merman race. He had terrifying old scars on his body, looking pitiable. Zora cast a glance, but didn't recognize him at all as the young Chi Ting—the Merman Sect Uncle she had met at Floating Cloud Valley.

Luo Jin didn't stay long. After checking the Merman’s condition and giving a few instructions, she left quickly. She headed east through the forest, and an identical set of stone stools and a stone table appeared before her. Sitting there were two men, one dressed as a monk, the other covered in talismans.

"You should rest." Yuan Zhen opened his eyes slightly, his face gentle, appearing as if veiled in the moonlight.

"Exactly, why the rush? Initially, even if you gather a group together, it's still just the martial power of ordinary commoners. It’s better to go a bit slower to avoid trouble." Feng Chenting sat with a fishing rod over his shoulder, laughing.

Luo Jin gave a bitter smile: "How can I afford to slow down?" Once cultivation begins, it cannot be controlled.

The three chatted about everything, even about how that sword-obsessed Yun Zhang had reached a new, terrifying level, who she had challenged, who she had killed, and who she had intimidated.

Zora rubbed her arm and sat down by Luo Jin's leg, hugging herself and resting her head against the woman's thigh.

"It hurts so much."

A day had passed, and she still couldn't accurately guess Luo Jin’s actions in one go. It was a dull ache from the depths of her soul and bones. Zora hugged her knees, pinched her arm, and nuzzled against Luo Jin’s leg, listening to her heartbeat. It should be a cheerful frequency, soon settling down, seemingly discarding her worries briefly. But after listening for a long time, Zora still couldn't understand her thoughts and feelings.

Luo Jin was oblivious, continuing to speak with them with a smile on her face. The sky was dark and the air clear; the bright moon hung high and a cool breeze brushed their faces. Three people with the first hints of immortal grace chatted and laughed. The forest rustled, open on three sides, with the edge of a cliff not far away—ethereal and deep.

Beside the woman was a girl curled into a ball, leaning against her.

"It hurts so much."

Amidst the conversation of the three laced with laughter, a tiny girl's voice came through, her tone carrying a hint of confusion and complaint. No one noticed.

"How many more times do I have to possess her?"

"Is this the only trial in the Wave Husk Secret Realm? How much longer?"

"I don't understand you."

"Could Vane do it? He probably could if he were here."

Zora paused, not understanding how she had strayed into thinking of someone else—and Vane outside the secret realm at that. She reorganized her thoughts and seriously complained to Luo Jin again.

"I don't understand you."

"How can I understand you?"