Chapter 14

Luo Han hesitated briefly at Ye Zinan’s eager request. “We'll see. Nothing’s decided yet. If there's another opportunity, we’ll let you know.”
Her response was a classic polite brush-off, similar to the standard phrase, "Let's have dinner together sometime." However, Ye Zinan took her words completely seriously. In a flash, he produced his own communication jade token, swiftly setting restrictions before enthusiastically placing it into Luo Han’s hand.
“This is my communication token! No matter where I am, even thousands of miles away, you can reach me instantly. Please, absolutely contact me if you're planning another expedition!”
Luo Han examined the jade token briefly, noticing the distinct Zhuque (Vermilion Bird) pattern etched into its surface, beneath which was Ye Zinan’s personal signature—a cultivation-world equivalent of a QR code. With a nod, she casually placed it into her spatial storage, replying politely, though clearly without much thought, “Alright, we’ll see you next time we have the chance.”
Ye Zinan hesitated slightly, somewhat hoping Luo Han would offer him her token in return. However, glancing nervously at the quietly standing Ling Qingxiao, his strong survival instinct quickly suppressed that thought. He wisely chose to give up, shifting instead to another question, “There’s still some time before the secret realm closes. Where should we go next?”
“I’m not sure,” Luo Han admitted, glancing upwards. The deep ocean barely allowed sunlight to penetrate, the faint rippling light above forming a surreal, mesmerizing scene that was both beautiful and dangerously mysterious.
“I don’t really like staying underwater,” she confessed. “Why don’t we head back to the surface? We can slowly make our way toward the exit, casually picking up whatever other spiritual herbs we find along the way.”
Ye Zinan eagerly agreed, and Ling Qingxiao enveloped Luo Han in his spiritual barrier, gently parting the water as they slowly rose towards the shimmering surface.
After leaving the ocean depths, they barely spent two days resting on land before the entire secret realm trembled violently. Clearly, the realm was becoming unstable and would soon close.
The three exchanged a quick glance. Ling Qingxiao immediately summoned his sword and flew towards the exit at maximum speed.
Ling Qingxiao’s full speed was astonishing. Ye Zinan, born from the Vermilion Bird Clan, also excelled at flight. Thus, their group became one of the first to exit the secret realm. Without pausing, they swiftly moved toward a secluded area.
Lingering near the secret realm’s exit was always dangerous. Those who survived a secret realm were invariably carrying precious treasures, making them tempting targets.
Luo Han activated her Heavenly Dao System and clearly saw some people attempting to tail them. Unfortunately for these pursuers, they couldn’t keep up with Ling Qingxiao’s speed. After realizing this, they reluctantly gave up and returned to the entrance, ready to ambush slower prey.
Luo Han scoffed softly and said to Ling Qingxiao, “It’s alright now. We’ve lost them.”
Ling Qingxiao, whose divine senses were exceptionally sharp, had noticed their pursuers long ago. Shaking them off had been deliberate. He gradually slowed to a stop, and Ye Zinan followed suit, hovering on his cloud some distance away, cupping his fists respectfully to bid farewell.
“All good things come to an end eventually. I’ll part ways with you two here. Thank you both—I truly hope we can team up again someday.”
Luo Han responded warmly, “Of course. Take care on your journey.”
Having already divided up the ten stalks of He Linglan earlier, they could now each go their separate ways. Before leaving, Ye Zinan solemnly presented Luo Han with a feather-shaped token.
Luo Han hesitated slightly, unsure, “This is…?”
“This is the Vermilion Bird Clan’s token, something we give only to our honored guests. With this, you’ll get a forty-percent discount at any Vermilion Bird-run business. Should you ever face any troubles, leave word with our local steward, and I’ll personally help you with all my strength.”
Ye Zinan spoke gravely. The bird clans were few in number, and though their combat prowess was not outstanding, they were famed for their loyalty. Most bird clansmen had only one partner throughout their lives; if their beloved died, they would grieve deeply, refusing food or water until they perished, their heart’s blood spent.
The bird clans’ devotion extended beyond romantic bonds—it applied equally to friendships. Ye Zinan might have lived frivolously, but he valued loyalty deeply. Knowing his two precious He Linglan stalks were thanks to Luo Han, he’d already decided to treat her and Ling Qingxiao as lifelong friends. Once recognized as friends by a Vermilion Bird, one could count on absolute loyalty—through fire or water, they’d be there at a moment’s call.
Luo Han, unfamiliar with the immortal realm’s customs, didn’t fully grasp the significance of this token. She hesitantly glanced at Ling Qingxiao, who lightly nodded. Only then did she feel at ease accepting the token.
“Alright. Thank you.”
Even ignoring Ye Zinan’s promise, a perpetual forty-percent discount was an exceptionally generous gift on its own. Ye Zinan cupped his fists again, and this time, unusually, Ling Qingxiao also acknowledged him politely, “Thank you. Travel carefully.”
Ye Zinan felt pleasantly surprised—his instincts were correct after all. Clearly, handing the token to Luo Han was indeed the right decision. None of them were sentimental types, so their goodbyes were simple and direct. Ye Zinan had already flown off some distance when he stopped abruptly, hesitating for a moment.
“Please, you two be careful. Crane Orchid is extremely precious—no one can know that you hold eight stalks. Also, you must take extra care in the coming days.”
Luo Han assumed it was a general warning and cheerfully waved him goodbye. Ling Qingxiao, however, immediately understood what Ye Zinan meant.
He was warning them to be cautious of Ling Zhongyu’s revenge.
Ling Zhongyu was the beloved heir whom Ling Xianhong cherished and whom Su Yifang and Bai Lingluan had risked their lives to protect. Now that Ling Qingxiao had personally severed his hand, how could they possibly let it go?
Yet Ling Qingxiao didn’t particularly care. After bidding farewell to Ye Zinan, Luo Han and Ling Qingxiao found another hidden location to refine the He Linglan.
They had eight full stalks. Even though each He Linglan was worth an astronomical price, Luo Han had no intention of selling them. She didn’t lack money anyway, and rather than risk drawing unwanted attention, it was best to use them all.
Initially, Luo Han intended Ling Qingxiao to refine all eight stalks himself, but he stubbornly refused, insisting on giving her half. Despite her protests—since Luo Han wasn’t even cultivating spiritual energy, rendering the He Linglan useless to her—Ling Qingxiao was unyielding.
Helpless, Luo Han finally agreed. They found a remote forest, laid down multiple barriers and arrays, and after carefully ensuring complete safety, Ling Qingxiao finally sat down in meditation, beginning to refine the spiritual medicine.
Once Ling Qingxiao started meditating, Luo Han—originally tasked with studying cultivation manuals—gradually relaxed. Initially, she found sitting too tiring, so she took out cushions from her storage space, then fruits, and eventually a soft bed.
Although lying down, Luo Han firmly believed she was still diligently studying...in her heart.
When Ling Qingxiao woke from meditation, this was precisely the scene that greeted him.
Luo Han lay sprawled across her soft couch, her long hair draped haphazardly, some strands nearly brushing the ground. Half a blanket covered her loosely, and her fingers held a jade slip precariously, about to slip from her grasp. Clearly, she was deep asleep.
This was apparently how she diligently studied his assigned manuals.
Luo Han had been sleeping peacefully, without even dreaming. When she finally woke, feeling slightly cold, she stirred lazily and slowly opened her eyes.
Still half-asleep, Luo Han sat up groggily and glanced at Ling Qingxiao, seeing him still meditating motionlessly in the same spot. Eyes closed, features perfectly serene, he looked exactly like a carved jade statue.
Assuming he was still refining the herbs, Luo Han stretched lavishly atop the couch, then flopped heavily back down. Her body was stiff from excessive rest, so Luo Han maneuvered herself to the very edge of the couch, dangling her head upside down to stretch her sore neck.
Ling Qingxiao—who had long ago awakened, suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and was a notorious perfectionist—finally could no longer endure this spectacle.
“Sit properly,” he snapped.
Startled, Luo Han almost tumbled off the couch. She scrambled upright in panic, discovering that Ling Qingxiao had long opened his eyes and was gazing at her helplessly.
Deflated, Luo Han meekly adjusted her skirts and obediently sat upright on the couch, timidly asking, “When…when did you wake up?” Couldn’t he have given her a warning?
Ignoring her question, Ling Qingxiao merely asked flatly, “I spent fifteen days refining the He Linglan. So, how much progress have you made with memorizing the cultivation manuals?”
Upon waking, the first thing Ling Qingxiao did was ask about her progress. Luo Han felt an instant headache coming on. "I really did study hard."
As for how well she studied—she didn’t dare guarantee anything.
Ling Qingxiao randomly tested her on several incantations. Although Luo Han managed to stumble through them, she was nowhere near his exacting standards of flawless memorization. He sighed faintly and said, "You're still far too slow. At your current pace, you won’t even finish chanting before the enemy lands the first blow. Continue practicing until the incantations come to you without thought."
Luo Han forced herself to maintain a polite smile. Seeing Ling Qingxiao's dead-serious expression, she had no choice but to painfully pick up the jade slip again and resume memorizing.
After a while, Luo Han began to relax again, slouching lazily against the divan. Ling Qingxiao cast a glance at her several times, finally unable to hold back, and reprimanded, "Sit properly. Cultivation requires discipline. How can you expect results with such lazy posture?"
Luo Han blinked in confusion, looking down at her legs. She wasn’t sitting properly? She’d only leaned slightly against the armrest. Forced back into a posture befitting a studious child, she endured for a few moments before finally giving in. "When are we leaving?"
Dear heavens, she’d been stuck in this wilderness for half a month! On the first day, she'd thought the seclusion was idyllic, filled with fresh air and chirping birds, a perfect hermit's retreat. By the third day, she was already half-crazed, desperate for the noisy and mundane mortal world.
Clearly, she wasn’t cut out for a refined life of solitude.
Unfortunately, Ling Qingxiao had established barriers around their campsite before entering seclusion, limiting her to short strolls nearby. With Ling Qingxiao in meditation, she’d been forced into silence, resorting to talking to flowers and grass by the tenth day. If this continued, she’d genuinely lose her mind.
Ling Qingxiao, still seated steadily in meditation, calmly responded, "Once you've mastered five incantations perfectly."
Luo Han took a deep, despairing breath. Ling Qingxiao—was he even human?
Finally reaching her limit, she snapped defiantly, "I don’t care anymore! I need to get out now!"
Sensing Luo Han's strong emotional fluctuations, Ling Qingxiao reluctantly opened his eyes. "You haven’t completed your task yet."
"Which matters more—cultivation or me?" Luo Han retorted dramatically. "I haven't spoken to anyone in half a month! If I stay any longer, I'll have psychological issues."
"It’s only been fifteen days," Ling Qingxiao replied, puzzled. "For cultivators, even hundreds of years of secluded training are commonplace. If half a month is unbearable now, how will you manage in the future?"
Hundreds of years in isolation...Luo Han shuddered at the mere thought. No wonder Ling Qingxiao was so cold; clearly, he’d been shaped by this extreme lifestyle.
At this point, dignity was already lost, so Luo Han threw herself onto the divan melodramatically and moaned like a dying fish: "Nope, I’m going out right now to eat in the city. I'm literally dying here."
Ling Qingxiao frowned deeply, rebuking sharply, "Never speak such ill-omened words again."
Luo Han realized she’d carelessly spoken like a modern person. While such phrases were casual slang in her original world, they carried serious weight here. The cultivation world deeply believed in karmic consequences, and casual talk of death was taboo.
Feeling awkward, Luo Han fell silent but still refused to move. "Nope, I insist on leaving."
Ling Qingxiao was utterly helpless. He'd never dealt with this type of tantrum before; he himself had always strictly adhered to his training regimen, and no other junior dared defy him like this. Finally, he conceded. "I'll take you, but you must still complete your tasks later."
Luo Han continued lying there motionless. After a long stalemate, Ling Qingxiao gave in completely, sighing deeply. "Alright. Just this once, never again."
Luo Han immediately shot upright, all signs of weakness vanishing instantly. Ling Qingxiao felt speechless, emphasizing sternly, "Only this one time. No exceptions."
Naturally, Luo Han nodded vigorously, making earnest promises.