Loneliness

When the last leaf on the Old Spirit Pagoda Tree was carried away by the cold wind, Long Qiqi's "favorite" season had long since arrived.

The biting mountain wind howled three times before "fluttering" snowflakes began to fall from the gray sky. They landed on the ground, the trees, and the water's edge, quickly transforming the world into a frozen, snow-covered realm.

By now, nearly half a year had passed since the sect's defensive battle. Lu Junxing's external injuries had finally healed enough for him to decide to leave Dan Peak and venture outside for a walk.

"Your body may have recovered, but you should still be careful if you plan to fight seriously," Qin Ran said to Lu Junxing in the lakeside pavilion, where seven or eight people were gathered around a hot pot. "So, personally, I advise against leaving the sect. It's too dangerous."

"If it weren’t dangerous, I wouldn’t go," Lu Junxing replied, using serving chopsticks to place meat into the pot. After emptying a plate, he continued, "I want to take this opportunity to train while my strength is still limited. Once I fully recover, going out won’t hold the same meaning."

As he watched the meat in the pot turn from bloody red to pale, his gaze grew distant, lost in memory. "The first time I left the sect, I was already unmatched among my peers. Out in the world, I was reckless, arrogant, and disdainful of everyone. If someone had even a shred of reputation, I’d challenge them with my sword. Plenty of people despised me too—sometimes, while drinking tea at a roadside stall, thirty or fifty people would suddenly appear, demanding a duel. That’s how it was. I fought my way all the way to the Land of Immortal Legacy without ever losing.

"But the stronger I became, the harder it was to lose, and the more I feared defeat. When I was weak, even facing formidable opponents, all I saw was victory. But then I convinced myself I was invincible—that I couldn’t afford to lose. I lost sight of my original self. That was fatal for me.

"Now, while my wounds are still healing and my strength hasn’t fully returned, I want to see the world from a different perspective. And… I want to seek out a defeat."

Qin Ran fished a piece of fish from the pot, placed it in his bowl, and watched as Li Shiyin picked out the bones for him. He then said to Lu Junxing,

"Cultivation, at its core, is about cultivating the heart. I never thought someone like you, Lu Junxing, would face such struggles. But since this journey is for your growth, as your physician, I’ll allow you to leave."

"Thank you, Uncle-Master!" Lu Junxing grinned from his seat, clasping his hands in a salute.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Qin Ran chuckled and pulled a jar of fine liquor from his Universe Bag, tossing it to him. "Now that you’re healed, whether you drink or not is no longer my concern."

"Hahaha…" Lu Junxing uncorked the jar, inhaling the fragrant aroma with delight. "Uncle-Master, this peach blossom wine is exquisite. I adore it!"

With that, he poured drinks for everyone present. "Come, let’s all drink!"

While the others raised their cups, he clinked his jar against them.

After the toast, he tilted his head back and gulped down half the jar in one go. "Gulp, gulp…"

"Ah, magnificent!" It was as if the wine were his soul, the very source of his vitality. The moment it touched his lips, his spirit revived, like a withered tree regaining life.

Healing his wounds wasn’t true recovery—only with wine did he truly come alive again.

"Once more, my deepest gratitude, Uncle-Master!" He raised the jar toward Qin Ran, saluting again. "Lu Junxing was a man on the brink of death, but you forcibly dragged me back to life. Your mastery of alchemy is divine—you deserve the title of Immortal Physician."

"We’re fellow disciples. Why speak such formalities?" Qin Ran frowned.

"You could have chosen not to save me. Since you did, it’s an immeasurable kindness," Lu Junxing replied. "I will remember it always."

Hearing this, Qin Ran retrieved two more jars from his Universe Bag—one for Lu Junxing and one for himself. He raised his jar solemnly and said, "You, Lu Junxing, are a dragon soaring through the heavens. How could mere gratitude bind you? You live freely, seeking joy and vengeance—what can’t be settled with a cup of wine?

"And if one cup isn’t enough, then a whole jar. Within this vessel lies the universe itself, capable of holding heaven and earth. Here—everything is in the wine."

"The universe in a jar?" Lu Junxing’s eyes gleamed. He popped the cork and clinked his jar against Qin Ran’s, laughing. "Uncle-Master, you truly are a straightforward man. It seems I was the petty one."

After the toast, both men raised their jars and drained them in one go.

Outside, the world was frozen, the lake’s surface coated in ice. They set down their empty jars, exchanged a knowing smile, and exhaled—their breath forming white mist that drifted into the dark sky under the pavilion’s lantern light.

"Uncle-Master, your capacity for drink is impressive!"

"Merely passable."

In the lakeside pavilion, some admired the snow, others warmed themselves by the fire, some feasted on meat, and others drank—cup after cup, jar after jar—until deep into the night, when all were thoroughly drunk.

After finishing the last jar, Lu Junxing tossed it aside, grabbed a wooden sword Qin Ran had carved, and slung it haphazardly at his waist. Staggering slightly, he trudged down the mountain through the hardened snow.

Qin Ran, swaying drunkenly by the fire, tried to tidy the messy table but collapsed face-first.

Luckily, Li Shiyin had been watching over him. She caught him just in time.

Cradling him in her arms, she carried him step by step through the snow, leaving deep footprints behind as she headed toward the small wooden house. Slowly, they vanished from the lantern light of the pavilion, swallowed by the darkness.

The darkness pressed against the light, the light pushing back—just enough to illuminate the pavilion.

Only a small white Profound Underworld Spirit Tiger remained inside. Leaning against a pillar, he sat sprawled like a human, one paw clutching a frozen pork knuckle and the other gripping an unfinished jar of wine. His bleary eyes watched as the others departed one by one, his muddled mind overcome with an inexplicable loneliness and sorrow.

His tiger mouth moved as if muttering, "Am I the only one left?"

The world outside was a vast expanse of white snow, surrounded by pitch-black darkness. Indeed, he was the sole Profound Underworld Spirit Tiger remaining.

How long had it been since Qin Ran last got drunk?

Since arriving in this world, he had never allowed himself to lose control.

Perhaps only someone like Lu Junxing was worth breaking that rule for.

But being drunk was unpleasant. It wasn’t that cultivators couldn’t get drunk—they had their own potent brews, and when they indulged, the aftermath was just as miserable.

Fortunately, his wife was a sword immortal of immense strength, not some delicate fairy. She carried him in a princess hold, his face nestled against her soft chest, his arms draped over her shoulders.

He mumbled incoherently, "...Shiyin... Shiyin..."

"Shiyin... where are you...?"

"Shiyin, your master is drunk..."

"...Hah, I’m not drunk..."

"Shiyin... Shiyin... Shiyin..." His voice faded, and for some reason, tears began to fall.

"Shiyin, Shiyin, where are you? Master is so scared..."

Li Shiyin carried him back to their room and gently laid him on the bed.

Kneeling beside him, she cradled his head and whispered into his ear, "Shiyin is here, Master. Shiyin is right beside you. Wherever you are, Shiyin will be there."

Qin Ran finally felt at ease, nestling in Li Shiyin's embrace before gradually drifting back to sleep.

"Shifu, be good, don't be afraid..." The cold glow of snow seeped through the window as she draped the blanket over her master, sitting on the bed with Qin Ran cradled in her arms. Gazing down at his face, she murmured in response, "You're the only one I care about."

"...You are my Sword Heart."

The next morning, Qin Ran woke with a lingering headache. Holding a steaming bowl of hangover soup prepared by Li Shiyin, he stepped out of the small wooden cabin and trudged through the snow to the riverside.

The river was thinly frozen over. His gaze traveled upstream, where a small pond had also iced up. A man stood by its edge, looking up at the frozen waterfall. The cascading ice mirrored the wild, untamed beauty of flowing water, a breathtaking spectacle of extreme artistry.

Beside the waterfall stood a woman in white, admiring the frozen marvel up close.

Sipping his soup, Qin Ran walked over to Dong Zhongyuan.

From where they stood, they could see Tushan Youyou's white dress. The hem of her gown framed her flawless calves, though her thighs remained hidden. The fabric also partially obscured her face, but her mesmerizing eyes—capable of enchanting the world—remained visible, lending her an air of elusive allure.

So this is the "simp's perspective," Qin Ran mused, nodding to himself in enlightenment.

They lingered there for a long while. By the time Qin Ran finished his soup, Tushan Youyou still hadn't spared them a glance, her attention fixed solely on the frozen cascade above.

"See? Being a simp gets you nowhere," Qin Ran remarked to Dong Zhongyuan, cradling the empty bowl in his hands.

"Huh?" Dong Zhongyuan blinked in confusion.

Qin Ran pointed upward. "If you stood atop the waterfall, even if she didn’t like you, she’d still look up at you. And who knows? Maybe she’d grow fond of you over time. But down here by the pond, even if she did like you, she’d only be looking down on you. And let’s be honest—she doesn’t."

"Ah!" Dong Zhongyuan's eyes widened in realization.

"Making a girl aware of your feelings is easy—a single glance can do that. The hard part is making her like you back," Qin Ran continued. "Why should she? Are you handsome? Rich? Talented? Kind? Powerful? Whatever it is, you need to figure out what she values and act accordingly. Staring and pining won’t cut it. You’ve got to move."

"What does she like?"

Qin Ran shrugged. "How should I know?"

Dong Zhongyuan fell silent, then suddenly bowed to Qin Ran. "Thank you, Little Martial Uncle. I’m leaving the mountain."

"Where are you going?"

"To find out what I truly like."

With a chuckle, Qin Ran patted Dong Zhongyuan’s shoulder. "Stay safe."

"Mm." Dong Zhongyuan turned and left Dan Peak behind.

Halfway up the mountain, Tushan Youyou crouched down, resting her chin on one hand as her enchanting eyes studied Qin Ran—without a trace of condescension.

"You’re quite the expert on love, aren’t you?" she asked.

Qin Ran met her gaze and grinned. "I was lying to him. Truth is, I know nothing. The only love I believe in is the kind that runs both ways—like what Shiyin and I share."

"Tch." Tushan Youyou let out an inexplicable scoff. After a pause, she asked, "Why didn’t you let me intervene during the battle earlier?"

"You’re Dan Peak’s trump card," Qin Ran replied. "If Dao Sword Sect falls, you’ll be the one to hold this place so the rest of us can escape."

Tushan Youyou accepted his reasoning with a nod before rising and returning to her cave abode.

Qin Ran took one last look at the snow-blanketed world, then carried his bowl back to the cabin.