The Clue

A night of profound dreams.

Luochen carefully untangled herself from Su Yue’s embrace, where the latter had been entwined around her.

Massaging her slightly aching arms, Luochen cast a weary glance at the young woman, whose sleeping posture was rather audacious, a hint of exasperation coloring her expression.

‘It had been quite some time since she last shared a bed with her junior sister; how had Su Yue’s sleeping habits deteriorated so drastically?’

Opening the door, she found the world beyond her room enveloped in a profound stillness.

Even the occasional two or three birds soaring across the sky refrained from chirping, as if fearing to disrupt the serene calm.

A gentle breeze stirred the evergreen leaves of Zhu Qing Peak, causing them to sway with a delicate rhythm.

Their synchronized movement brought to mind the glow sticks wielded by fans at concerts in her past life.

As a singer would sway their arms while performing, the glow sticks below would dutifully follow the rhythm, swaying from side to side.

‘However, I am no celebrity, so I shall refrain from serenading you all.’

Amused by her own peculiar thoughts, Luochen turned and proceeded towards the kitchen.

Yet, the whimsical notion stubbornly clung to her mind.

‘If I were to conjure a gust of wind with my spiritual power, could I make the leaves sway in unison with my hand movements?’

‘What song would be appropriate for such an occasion? What could one possibly sing to a cluster of leaves?’

After genuinely pondering for a moment what to sing, Luochen lightly rapped her own forehead.

‘Stop it, Luochen! Are you truly contemplating making a cluster of leaves sway to your gestures and then serenading them?’

‘People would surely deem me insane.’

‘Perhaps it would be best to just go and prepare breakfast.’

Ten minutes later, a slightly guilt-ridden Luochen surreptitiously made her way back to the base of that very tree.

‘Just one song,’ she rationalized.

She then cast a simple wind manipulation spell.

Clearing her throat, Luochen began to sing, her voice soft and melodious.

“Circles etched into fingerprints,”

Her voice flowed like a mountain stream, each phrase sparkling like shattered jade.

As her hand gracefully swayed, the leaves, too, began to dance in joyful synchronicity.

“Alas, no one has ever joined me in this play.”

As the song concluded, a look of profound satisfaction graced Luochen’s features.

‘Surely no one saw me,’ she thought, turning her head.

Venerable Zhu Qing was squatting on the steps directly behind her, chin propped in her hands, watching her with an amused smile.

Upon realizing Luochen had turned, Venerable Zhu Qing immediately averted her gaze towards the heavens.

“I saw nothing. Ah, no, I heard nothing at all.”

“Master!!!!”

In that moment, Luochen desperately wished for a large truck to appear and transport her to another world once more.

“I’m off to catch up on some sleep. Wake me when breakfast is ready, alright?”

“Circles etched into fingerprints,”

Humming the very tune Luochen had just performed, Venerable Zhu Qing departed with a contented air.

Luochen took a deep breath, reminding herself that everyone encountered such awkward moments; the true challenge lay in one’s ability to deceive oneself.

Fortunately, her talent for self-deception had always been remarkably adept.

****

The water in the pot had already reached a rolling boil, and Luochen carefully lowered the dumplings into it, one by one.

‘Indeed, on the morning of Lunar New Year’s Day, dumplings were an absolute must.’

Gazing at the unused dumpling wrappers, Luochen let out a sigh.

‘These, she realized, were originally meant for Chen Ruan.’

‘Miss Chen, I wonder where you might be now.’

‘With the New Year upon us, have you managed to enjoy some delicious dumplings?’

A hint of melancholy flickered across Luochen’s face, but in the very next instant, she swiftly suppressed all emotion, her features settling into an impassive poker face.

For that woman had appeared.

“The flourishing of spring and autumn,”

Venerable Zhu Qing hummed her tune as she sauntered into view, affecting an expression of exaggerated surprise so theatrical that Luochen felt an urge to punch her.

‘My fists are clenching.’

“Happy New Year!”

Venerable Zhu Qing, with a facade suggesting this was their very first encounter of the day, smiled brightly as she delivered her New Year’s greetings.

“Happy New Year,” Luochen replied, knowing full well that she had no choice but to silently endure this particular humiliation.

‘One moment of audacious bravery had cost her a lifetime of introversion.’

“Happy New Year!”

Su Yue emerged, looking refreshed and energetic, clearly having enjoyed a good night’s sleep.

“Come here, come here,” Venerable Zhu Qing called out, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she beckoned to Su Yue.

Su Yue merely tilted her head in confusion.

“Your master here has recently learned a new song. Would you care for a listen?”

Venerable Zhu Qing then shot a teasing smile in Luochen’s direction.

“Counting the rings of time…”

‘Hold it in, hold it in! If I kill her, I’ll have no master left.’

Watching Venerable Zhu Qing revel in her antics, Luochen found herself frantically trying to brainwash herself into submission.

****

“Why isn’t this sun radiating any heat?”

“Indeed.”

‘Wait, I wasn’t talking to myself, was I?’

Luochen, who had replied instinctively, suddenly sensed something amiss. Her eyes flew open, revealing a grand cauldron standing conspicuously beside her.

‘This appears to be True Immortal Yun Qing’s Qiankun Cauldron (TL Note: Qiankun refers to Heaven and Earth or the universe). Has this cauldron gained sentience?’

Luochen was utterly bewildered.

“Inside, inside,”

The voice persisted from within the cauldron.

Luochen cautiously peeked her head over the edge, only to discover True Immortal Yun Qing reclining comfortably inside the Qiankun Cauldron.

Spotting Luochen, she offered a cheerful greeting, a smile gracing her lips.

“Happy New Year, Junior Niece Luochen!”

“Happy New Year, True Immortal Yun Qing,”

“True Immortal Yun Qing, what in the world are you doing lying in this cauldron? Would you like me to fetch you a chair?”

Luochen was utterly dumbfounded, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

“No, no need at all.”

A pair of snow-white hands emerged from the cauldron, waving dismissively.

“My cauldron comes equipped with a heating function; it’s quite comfortable in here,”

True Immortal Yun Qing’s languid voice drifted out.

‘That’s clearly meant for refining pills!’

“Your cauldron certainly boasts a multitude of functions.”

“Right? Right? I actually considered taking a bath in it, but I figured a cauldron used for bathing might be a bit unhygienic for refining elixirs.”

“I have, however, used it for cooking. I find that rice steamed in the cauldron tastes much more fragrant. I’ll let you try some next time.”

True Immortal Yun Qing grew increasingly animated, as if eager to enumerate eighty-one other uses for the cauldron beyond mere pill refinement.

Luochen, utterly resigned to True Immortal Yun Qing’s eccentric thought process, could only steer the conversation in a different direction.

“True Immortal Yun Qing, what brings you to my Zhu Qing Peak today?”

At her words, True Immortal Yun Qing seemed to finally recall the true purpose of her visit.

The Qiankun Cauldron slowly began to shrink, until True Immortal Yun Qing could comfortably sit upon it as if it were a stool.

“Ye Yuli, do you still remember her?”

Her languid tone vanished, replaced by a sudden seriousness.

“I do,”

That particular experience held immense significance for Luochen; it was something she could never forget, nor dared to.

“Ye Yuli, the leader of the burgeoning demonic sect, the Ghost Soul Sect.”

“Years ago, after ambushing and slaying the Sect Master of the Chiyun Sect, she fled, wounded. Later, in Moyang City, she enacted a Soul Refining Array, sacrificing the entire populace.”

“She was ultimately slain by the long-retired Sword God Li Wangsheng.”

True Immortal Yun Qing’s gaze fixed intently on Luochen’s eyes, and she suddenly lowered her voice, “Of course, we all know you were the one who eliminated her.”

She rose to her feet, shrinking the Qiankun Cauldron to the size of a bracelet and idly twirling it in her fingers.

“Having eliminated Ye Yuli, our immediate goal was naturally to eradicate the Ghost Soul Sect entirely.”

“Yet, strangely, apart from a few mid- and low-level disciples, we found nothing. Over a dozen individuals from the Ghost Soul Sect, those above the Sixth Revolution, simply vanished as if evaporated from the earth. Furthermore, the captured disciples had absolutely no knowledge of what their higher-ups were truly plotting.”

Luochen also straightened her posture. “True Immortal Yun Qing, by sharing this today, do you imply there has been some new development?”

True Immortal Yun Qing nodded. “Recently, two cultivators from my Feibai Sect met with bizarre deaths while abroad. Nearby villagers discovered their remains on a mountain and reported it to the authorities.”

“The bodies bore no external wounds, yet when probed with divine sense, their souls were nowhere to be found. This bears the unmistakable hallmark of the Ghost Soul Sect.”

“After years of dormant leads, we have finally uncovered their subtle traces once more.”

“You previously instructed me to inform you immediately should any intelligence regarding them surface, and so, I am here.”

Recalling the calamity that befell Moyang City, Luochen’s eyes hardened with a frosty glint.

“Do you intend to go?” True Immortal Yun Qing asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“They could have easily obliterated all traces of the bodies, yet they left them perfectly preserved for us to discover. This is nothing less than a blatant provocation, and I fear it might be a trap.”

For her own peace of mind, and for the sake of the departed residents of Moyang City, she knew she had to go.

Luochen exhaled slowly, her resolve now unwavering.

“I will go.”