Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Xixia City, Gem State.
This was a beautiful ancient city.
This ancient city was located atop a highland, and the sky was especially limpid and clear. There was no war here, and the folk customs were simple and unsophisticated. This city wasn’t extravagant, yet it was especially peaceful and tranquil.
To the west of the city was an endless stretch of sandy white desert. To the north was a plain that stretched for thousands of kilometers and on which spirit medicines grew. This field of spirit medicine continually emitted bursts of spiritual energy which improved the surrounding environment.
Moreover, colorful clouds formed by the setting sun could be seen here every night at dusk.
Xu Xiaolan wandered through the streets of this ancient city. She chose to spend the remaining years of her life in this beautiful ancient city.
As night fell, she stood atop the western city wall and dazedly gazed at the colorful sunset.
She remembered how she had enjoyed the setting sun in the Heavenly Court every day; she remembered how she and An Lin had joked and laughed as they lay on the soft cloud layer. They had also made a promise. That was, they would snap a photo together when the fabled seven-colored iridescent clouds appeared.
Those happy and carefree days were now long gone…
Before she knew it, tears had already caused the iridescent clouds in the sky to become blurry.
Xu Xiaolan stood atop the western city wall and gazed at the sun all the way until it set below the horizon. Only then did she go looking for an inn to rest at.
…
Candlelight flickered in the still of the night. Xu Xiaolan lightly stroked the magnificent immortal weapon in her hands—the Dragon Sparrow Sword.
Her cultivation base had already fallen to the Seventh Stage Dao Body. At this rate, she would become a mortal human who couldn’t cultivate in two days time.
Xu Xiaolan suddenly realized a problem. If she became a mortal human, then she wouldn’t be able to use her storage ring anymore. What was she going to do with the items inside? What was she going to do with the Dragon Sparrow Sword?
“I’m so silly… I should’ve left the Dragon Sparrow Sword and my storage ring with An Lin. It’s such a waste keeping these things with me.”
There was a look of regret on Xu Xiaolan’s face. After a moment, she shook her head and rid herself of these thoughts. She scolded herself in her mind. Why am I so weak? I’m still thinking of that male even now…
She wanted to sit down and meditate, yet she realized that she was unable to draw on the vital energy of heaven and earth. She suddenly came to her senses. She already couldn’t cultivate anymore.
Xu Xiaolan smiled bitterly. She put out the candles and lay down on the bed.
…
She had a long and sleepless night. She contemplated many things. She pondered over her future, and she pondered over what to do with the things inside her storage ring…
The next morning, Xu Xiaolan used some spirit stones to buy a relatively nice courtyard house. She also hired a few maids.
She wasn’t short on money. The tens of thousands of spirit stones inside her storage ring was enough for her to live the remainder of her life in luxury.
When she became lonely, she could also find a Mr. Right to marry. She could spend the remainder of her life as a mortal female…
No!
Xu Xiaolan shook her head firmly as these thoughts surfaced in her mind.
For some reason, she resented this kind of life. She already couldn’t accept another male in her life. Perhaps it would be better to spend the rest of her life alone…
Xu Xiaolan took the spirit stones out from her storage ring and placed them in a stone room in her courtyard house. As for the other items inside the storage ring, she would find ways to deal with them in the future.
She wandered through the streets slowly, and many passers-by glanced over at her. There was curiosity and wonder in their eyes.
She, a beautiful and refined female, had suddenly appeared in the ancient city. It was only normal that people would pay more attention to her.
Xu Xiaolan had already become accustomed to this attention. She didn’t hate it. She was currently thinking about carving out a career for herself. Although she was wealthy, what joy was there in doing nothing and awaiting death?
She quickly decided on what she was going to do. She was going to open a medical center!
Xu Xiaolan was an outstanding pill refiner of the Soul Creation Stage. It could be said that her grasp of medicinal knowledge was masterful. Even if she couldn’t utilize vital energy, she would still be able to diagnose patients and give prescriptions by drawing upon her wealth of knowledge. She would be able to help many needy people in this city.
There was an abundance of medicinal herbs in the herb field which stretched for thousands of kilometers to the north of Xixia City. Coincidentally, she could conduct some research there when she was bored. That way, her life wouldn’t be bland and meaningless.
There was another reason behind her choosing this career. That was, she would be able to attain a certain level of reputation through her expert medical skills. That way, she wouldn’t be an easy target for other ill-meaning forces and powers.
She understood her current situation very well. She wasn’t a prodigy of the Vermilion Bird Sect anymore.
Right now, she was simply a beautiful mortal female. She was a mortal female who was defenseless against outside powers… Under such conditions, she had to learn how to protect herself.
She would be able to help many people by opening a medical center in this ancient city. Looking at it from another perspective, the people that she helped would become the shield that protected her from external troubles.
Xu Xiaolan’s cultivation base had already fallen to the Second Stage Dao Body. Her perception of the surrounding environment gradually became dull and lethargic.
The once clear images had now become a bit blurry.
Her energetic and youthful body had also become weak and listless.
She knew that these were the after-effects of her vital energy draining away. I’ll probably become accustomed to it after a period of time…
M-hm, I’ll definitely become accustomed to it.
Xu Xiaolan purchased a large store and transformed it into a medical center.
The people of the city quickly learned that a female doctor was about to open a large medical center in a relatively busy section of the main street. According to word of mouth, she was a skilled and knowledgable doctor who came from a large city.
After dealing with the matters relating to her medical center, night had already started to set in. The sky was filled with the beautiful colors of the sun setting.
Xu Xiaolan didn’t go to the western city wall to gaze at this beautiful sight because her heart still ached whenever she watched the mesmerizing show of the setting sun.
She believed that this kind of feeling would weaken and disappear with the passing of time.
She would live the happy life of a mortal human in this city.
…
Another day past.
Xu Xiaolan woke up from her sleep.
Rays of sunshine filtered through the window and illuminated her room. These rays also brought with them traces of warmth.
She struggled to sit up in bed. Her slender fingers curled into a fist, then slowly unclenched. There was no power behind this grip. It was weak and feeble.
“Who knew that I would feel like this after becoming an ordinary human…”
Xu Xiaolan chuckled bitterly. The glint in her eyes gradually dimmed and disappeared.
She walked to her medical center. She issued orders to her servants and started organizing the stocking of medicinal ingredients.
The weather wasn’t hot, and she hadn’t done any hard labor either. However, her work left her drenched in sweat and feeling absolutely exhausted.
It took a day of hard work to finish stocking the medicine. The sun gradually set into the west.
Red and purple colors flitted across the sky as the sun descended. It was a beautiful sight.
Xu Xiaolan dragged her tired body back to her courtyard house. A long shadow was cast behind her as the last rays of the sun beamed down on her body.
She was still mulling over tomorrow’s schedule.
She was a busy person now, and she didn’t have the spare time to think about the other things weighing down on her mind. She didn’t have time to lament about her life.
Xu Xiaolan glanced at the distant sky as she walked along the cobblestone path of the ancient city. The colorful clouds were like a beautiful painting.
“So beautiful…”
She murmured to herself softly. She appeared especially lonely as the faint yellow glow of dusk bathed over her body.
This scenery was stunning, yet she wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it.
Xu Xiaolan turned her gaze back toward the cobblestone path. She saw a male standing not far before her.
She immediately stopped in her tracks. She stared at the male as if she was in some sort of trance.
His shadow is so similar to him… However, his hair is all white…
She felt that she was hallucinating due to her longing for him. She laughed bitterly and shook her head. Then, she continued walking forward.
The male stared at the jade-clothed female as he silently stood on the cobblestone path.
Xu Xiaolan finally saw that male’s face clearly. She faltered once again. She was unable to take another step.
That familiar face… That figure that she had tried so hard to forget yet couldn’t erase from her mind…
The two of them gazed at each other as they stood on the ancient city’s cobblestone path.
They hadn’t seen each other for several days.
Now, they met once again.
One had become a mortal human, and the other had his black hair turned snow-white.
