The strange rocks resembled leaping flames, frozen solid at a particular moment. And Mount Taixuan itself was like an entire blaze, stilled and coated in thick layers of grey and green—this thought sprang into Otto's mind as he stood atop Taixuan's peak.
Looking back, the steep and narrow path snaked downwards like a thin serpent, disappearing into the sea of forest at the edge of his vision.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, blurring his sight. Thin clouds surged forward like a tide, enveloping everything in a dreamlike haze.
Gulp—
Silence reigned, broken only by the wind's mournful sigh as it pushed the sea of clouds slowly forward. Because of this, the sound of Otto swallowing hard was remarkably distinct, and quickly spread—
Gulp—
Kallen followed suit, swallowing nervously.
Gulp—
The white-haired, violet-eyed girl holding Kallen's right hand did the same.
The journey from the Kipchak Steppe to Mount Taixuan had spanned countless miles, revealing wonders unseen in ordinary life. Yet, facing the vast sea of clouds on Mount Taixuan, they felt stripped of all language.
No words could describe the scenery before them, nor the thoughts constantly surging within. Millennia seemed to flash by like a fleeting glimpse, a distant, ethereal voice whispering endlessly in the depths of their hearts. But when they tried to focus, to see each moment of history clearly, to listen intently to each whisper within, they found nothing, heard nothing.
"Guard your heart. To avoid disturbance from the unworthy, the Immortal has set many illusions on Mount Taixuan. Visitors without malice and possessing some aptitude will fall into the Immortal's 'Heart-Searching Reflection,' just as you did moments ago."
The speaker stood beside Immortal Phoenix. She appeared roughly the same age as the Immortal, but to Kallen and Otto, who had witnessed the true Phoenix, this woman somehow seemed much older.
Though guessing others' ages wasn't polite, humans are inherently curious, fearing the unknown while simultaneously wanting to understand it.
However, asking directly would be rude and might embarrass the woman. So, Otto could only make some harmless mental speculations:
She looks about twenty. Considering Stigmata awakeners live longer, her actual age should be greater, perhaps in her thirties—Immortal Phoenix's disciples should mostly be Stigmata wielders, right?
"This is my first disciple, Zhaoyu. From today onwards, your food, lodging, and daily needs on the mountain will be under Zhaoyu's care."
Hearing Phoenix personally utter the words "first disciple," Lin Zhaoyu's eyes widened inexplicably, seemingly in joy, but a more complex emotion quickly surfaced. She lowered her head slightly, gazing at the smooth stone tiles beneath her feet, almost like a nod—if Otto hadn't noticed her rapidly changing expression, he might have thought so.
This brought a smile to his lips—whether in Europa or Shenzhou, Schicksal or Taixuan, humans remained humans, filled with various emotions: positive, negative; bright, dark; those shareable openly, those buried deep within...
So, how old is Immortal Phoenix?
Otto had an excellent memory. He recalled Phoenix's conversation with those two men on the Kipchak Steppe perfectly. They spoke almost openly before him, using not Shenzhou dialect, German, or Latin, but an older common tongue. Kallen and Eleanor might not understand, but Otto had encountered it in the Apocalypse family archives, studied it; understanding wasn't difficult.
Because of this, piecing together those fragments, Otto had made countless calculations in his mind. Combined with information leaked by the Void Archives, he had already arrived at what he believed to be the truth.
Unfortunately, he couldn't confirm it with anyone. His first instinct was naturally to ask the Void Archives, but since that day, it had fallen completely silent. No matter what Otto said, it only responded with long, drawn-out breaths.
As for Phoenix herself, Otto had tried asking, but before he could even open his mouth, she seemed to see through everything, answering preemptively:
"No need to ask. It is not a burden your era should bear."
Yes, although Phoenix had mercilessly denied his request for more knowledge, perhaps intentionally, her words inadvertently confirmed the accuracy of some of Otto's guesses.
"It seems those two men earlier, and Immortal Phoenix, are all from a much older era... That Kevin, what's his relationship with Adam, the founder of the Kaslana family? And what the Void Archives said about my ancestor? An Apocalypse ancestor, or... Schariac? But thinking about it, the Void Archives also seems like a relic from Immortal Phoenix's era... Wait, could this be..."
Otto abruptly looked up, meeting Phoenix's emotionless gaze.
"Um... Immortal Phoenix, I still wish to know, why did you insist on bringing us to Shenzhou? If, as you said, you consider us hostages, shouldn't you have handed us over to the Ming Emperor?"
Over the past few months, Kallen's Shenzhou dialect had improved rapidly; she could now communicate fluently.
Whether it was telepathy or something else, the question she asked was exactly what Otto had been thinking.
But Phoenix offered no response. She didn't even look at Otto again, simply turning silently and walking towards the deeper courtyard.
Lin Zhaoyu turned to the two—no, three, including Vera, whom Kallen insisted on bringing—Otto Vera.
She gave the three an apologetic smile:
"My apologies. The Immortal has transcended worldly emotions and is unfamiliar with mundane customs. Such behavior is common. That is why I am needed by her side, to fill in the gaps."
As she spoke, Lin Zhaoyu's smile showed signs of broadening, becoming more radiant. But for some reason, she suppressed it instantly, and a visible wave of sadness washed over her.
"Sigh..." she sighed - inexplicably.
"Ms. Zhaoyu... are you... alright?" Kallen tilted her head, asking with confusion.
But Lin Zhaoyu quickly shook her head, narrowing her eyes, making her expression unreadable.
"I just... remembered some sad things..."
She opened her eyes wide again, her gaze sweeping over Kallen and Otto. The white-haired girl clearly believed her explanation, but this blond Raksha...
Ripples spread across the lake of Lin Zhaoyu's heart. She knew she had made a grave error; she shouldn't have shown such emotion in front of outsiders.
Master bringing people back was completely unexpected. These three Rakshas had already become a huge variable...
But precisely because of that, she should have been even more careful not to reveal too much emotion before them...
But, but...
When the surface of the heart's lake is covered in ripples, need one even mention the undercurrents surging below?
"But... it doesn't matter anymore," Lin Zhaoyu thought, secretly shaking her head.
"It's just a slight variable. Although unexpected, for her, devising a targeted plan wouldn't be difficult, right?"
Lin Zhaoyu forced a somewhat stiff smile and said:
"Well then, please follow me, you three. Mount Taixuan is small, but we have a few guest rooms. How should I arrange accommodations for the three of you?"
The Immortal never dealt with mundane affairs. For over a decade, Lin Zhaoyu, as the senior disciple, handled almost all interactions between Mount Taixuan and the outside world.
Thus, while she wouldn't claim the same shrewdness as her second martial sister, Su Mei, years of dealing with people, the treacherous Jianghu underworld, and the fickle Imperial Court had honed her skills considerably.
Like now, with a simple sentence, she diverted the attention of the blond Raksha who might have sensed something.
He appeared outwardly calm, as composed and elegant as ever, but subtly tilted his face to the left. His long blond hair, tied back, rested on his left shoulder, allowing Lin Zhaoyu to clearly see the lobe of his right ear gradually turning red, a stark contrast to his exceptionally fair skin.
The Raksha girl, however, was surprisingly less flustered. Though her face flushed slightly, she just bit her lip, lowered her head, and said nothing, which actually surprised Lin Zhaoyu.
During their journey up the mountain, she had chatted briefly with them, learning they were childhood sweethearts, already engaged. Yet, based on their current behavior, it seemed...
"There seems to be some barrier between them too..."
Lin Zhaoyu didn't consider herself adept at reading minds, but having met many people, she had gained some insights. Seeing the deliberate two-fist gap between their shoulders, recalling their seemingly intimate yet verbally distant interactions, she sensed an invisible wall separating them. Their bodies might draw closer, shoulder to shoulder—that wasn't hard—but their hearts perhaps... It was just like that.
At this thought, the small sense of smugness and relief Lin Zhaoyu felt from her successful maneuver vanished instantly.
Yes... so what if they're childhood sweethearts? So what if they've spent countless days together?
Unless hearts are cut open, taken out, placed side-by-side, they can never truly touch. So-called mutual understanding is often just wishful thinking.
She smiled to herself, speaking just loud enough for others to catch:
"I understand. I will prepare two guest rooms for the three of you."
Then, she bent down, gently ruffled Vera's hair, and politely offered:
"This little sister has excellent potential too. If she wishes to learn martial arts, she can practice with us. Yanqing, Suyī, and Lingshuang aren't much older than her."
"Eh? Is that okay?" Kallen's eyes lit up. She nervously clutched the hem of her clothes and replied loudly, "Then we'll trouble Ms. Zhaoyu!"
Lin Zhaoyu's lips twitched rapidly. She suddenly remembered these were Rakshas from the distant West; they might genuinely not understand the concept of "politeness"...
She quickly turned to Otto, blinking rapidly twice. But this rather perceptive and shrewd man merely tilted his head, raising an eyebrow in confusion...
Alright, Rakshas will be Rakshas...
Just as she pondered how to politely decline Kallen's request, the latter continued:
"Um... um... Since this child has such potential, could we trouble the Immortal to take her as a disciple?"
This time, even Otto felt embarrassed. He quickly tugged Kallen's sleeve, gently persuading:
"Ehehe, um... Kallen, you're already Schicksal's Strongest Valkyrie. If Vera wants to learn martial arts, you can definitely teach her yourself... Right? Right, right?"
Kallen turned to Otto, a mix of emotions swirling on her face, suddenly becoming even more complex than Lin Zhaoyu's had been moments before.
But over the past few months, Otto had grown accustomed to Kallen's gaze. Some things... it was time to be honest about them...
Just not yet. Not right now, not at this very moment.
But... some things... some communication, does it truly require words? Looking into Otto's azure eyes, Kallen confirmed something.
Her lower lip jutted out slightly. Then, she forcefully turned her head away, her fishtail braid brushing against Otto's cheek. She bit her lip gently, closed her eyes, let her breathing steady, and said evenly:
"The so-called Schicksal's Strongest Valkyrie is nothing but a clown who couldn't even last one move against Immortal Phoenix."
Their exchange of expressions was entirely within Lin Zhaoyu's expectations. She shook her head. Her lips curled upwards in a smile that was neither mocking nor self-deprecating.
Otto touched the tip of his nose, the faint scent of Kallen's hair lingering there.
His gaze rested on the back of Kallen's head for a moment, then shifted to the clueless Vera. She was still young. Though Otto had taught her much Shenzhou dialect along the way, and her learning ability was indeed exceptional for her age, a child was still a child.
She might understand fragments of their conversation, but the exact meaning of each sentence, the underlying nuances, were completely beyond her grasp.
Otto offered Vera a gentle smile and continued trying to persuade Kallen:
"Besides, Ms. Zhaoyu also said, if Vera wants to learn martial arts, right? Maybe Vera doesn't like fighting and killing... hmm?"
Kallen didn't hesitate, immediately saying something to Vera in a language Lin Zhaoyu couldn't understand.
Vera blinked, then nodded vigorously.
This time, Otto was truly speechless.
Though Lin Zhaoyu didn't understand the words, she could guess what had happened. She had a feeling this Raksha girl named Kallen... her personality might be straightforward, but she wasn't clueless. If she initially took the polite offer as a genuine invitation, after Otto's two reminders, she couldn't possibly misunderstand.
Frankly, she was just using this pretext to vent the irrepressible sorrow that surged upon finally confirming the existence of that invisible barrier.
Lin Zhaoyu smiled. This time, her smile held no bitterness, no mockery. It was a pure smile, the muscles in her cheeks contracting upwards. She naturally raised her fingers to brush away a stray strand of hair from her forehead, but her hand trembled slightly, accidentally touching the crow's feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes from the smile...
"..."
So, she was already thirty-six.
Had she really followed the Immortal... followed Master... for thirty springs and autumns...?
As she smiled, her vision gradually blurred.
Actually, having Master take another disciple wouldn't be so bad.
Whether it was this girl Vera, or even Kallen, both their aptitude and temperament were one in ten thousand. If they had appeared a few years earlier, even if Master didn't want more disciples, she might have spoken up for them.
But unfortunately... alas, alas...
Alas! Alas! Alas! Alas! Alas!
"Do not speak of taking disciples again." Lin Zhaoyu shook her head slowly and firmly. "If Master intended to take a disciple, she would have informed you directly just now. Her silence means unwillingness."
"Is that so..." Kallen shook her head, showing little disappointment.
But Lin Zhaoyu smiled faintly again: "However, what I said earlier still stands. Although Master is unwilling to take disciples, and we disciples lack the qualification, martial arts practice forbids complacency. If you wish, you may spar and exchange pointers with us."
Having spoken, Lin Zhaoyu pressed her lips tightly together.
She realized she had made another mistake. Those last words... she shouldn't have presumed to add that unnecessary offer.
Forget it... forget it...
Let Second Sister deal with the headache caused by these three Rakshas.
A glint of cold light flashed in Lin Zhaoyu's eyes, though her smile remained unchanged. She turned slowly, her wide robes tracing a faint arc in the thin sea of clouds.
"Life and death are decreed by fate; wealth and honor are determined by Heaven."
A trace of pity flickered in her heart.
Followed by more... fragments from thirty springs and autumns.
Beneath her wide sleeves, her fists clenched tightly.
Enough...
Enough...
After settling these Rakshas...
I'll make one last effort...
Perhaps it will also be the last time I serve Master as her disciple.