A Woman of Such Age

Qin Jianghe and Liu Yunan’s close friends had no idea that the spirit stones in their pockets had been temporarily assigned to the “holes to be filled” category by Liu Yunan.

Later that day, when the financial hall staff responsible for managing the spirit stone mine arrived for their routine inspection, one of them discovered that a large section of the mine—which had been perfectly intact just the day before—had suddenly been emptied. Assuming it had been robbed, he hurried back to report the matter to Qin Jianghe.

Qin Jianghe rushed over as well. After confirming that the area where the spirit stones should have been was indeed completely bare, he assumed that someone from within the sect had secretly broken through its defenses and infiltrated the grounds. He immediately summoned the sect’s elders to explain the situation.

Fortunately, Liu Yunan learned of the matter and promptly clarified that the spirit stones had been used by the control console Lin Xiao had left behind to upgrade the Path of Inquiry. Only then was the misunderstanding cleared up.

As for the Path of Inquiry itself, although it had been upgraded, there appeared to be no change from the outside.

Yet people at the foot of the mountain continued to enter in an endless stream.

Those gathered nearby to watch the spectacle or accompany the candidates soon noticed that the people who had previously stood motionless the moment they entered the Path of Inquiry had suddenly become somewhat translucent.

Moreover, as the number of entrants increased, they seemed to overlap with one another.

By the time most of those who had come to take the entrance examination had entered, the figures inside had piled up layer upon layer.

From a single position, one could make out the outlines of many people.

The surrounding spectators had never seen anything like it and cried out in amazement.

As previously arranged with Sun Yigao, Tong Jialiang was led into the Path of Inquiry with Baojian holding onto him and following the flow of people.

The sun was already sinking toward the west.

The lively Xiushui Village, which had been bustling all morning, had finally quieted down.

Only the area at the foot of North Mountain remained surrounded by ring after ring of people, all there to gawk at the spectacle.

The academy had also given its students a holiday during this period.

For one thing, the area at the foot of North Mountain was bound to be noisy and crowded with people coming and going. For another, the students of Lingxian Academy all wanted to participate in Lingxian Sect’s recruitment event.

The academy naturally had no intention of stopping its students from seeking admission to Lingxian Sect.

Thus, the academy was now utterly silent, nothing like its usual atmosphere of students reciting their lessons.

Before long, people began appearing at the entrance to the Path of Inquiry—those who had been sent back out.

Seeing that these people had been driven out after only entering for such a short time, the spectators recalled that the immortals had announced that anyone who passed the examination could proceed directly up the mountain.

Then they saw that some of those who emerged lowered their heads in shame, raising their sleeves to cover their faces as they hurried away, while others left angrily, flinging their sleeves.

It was obvious that they had failed.

Someone in the crowd could not resist letting out a mocking hiss.

Although there were plenty of high-ranking officials and nobles among those hoping to join Lingxian Sect, who cared? There were so many spectators gathered here that those people could not possibly cause trouble for all of them.

Besides, this was right at the entrance of Lingxian Sect!

Some who were subjected to the jeers after coming out were so angry that they snapped, “If you have what it takes, go in and try it yourselves! Let’s see how long you can last. You don’t even dare to enter, yet all you can do is laugh at others. What a bunch of cowards!”

Of course, most people did not bother arguing with those who were merely there to watch the excitement and stir up trouble. They only wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

When night fell, the spectators who had been keeping watch saw a broad-shouldered, tall man supporting a hunched old woman as they approached among the people still entering the Path of Inquiry.

After confirming with someone that the Peach Blossom Mountain Road ahead was the entrance to Lingxian Sect, the two entered together.

“I can’t believe a woman that old still dreams of seeking immortality and pursuing the Dao,” someone in the crowd muttered to a nearby companion.

“Of course she does. The older people get, the more they want to live.”

…

The comings and goings at the Path of Inquiry continued until midnight.

At last, a faint curtain of light appeared at the entrance to the mountain road, completely blocking the entrance to the Path of Inquiry.

Lingxian Sect’s Path of Inquiry had become accessible only from the inside out, no longer allowing anyone to enter.

This signaled the end of the recruitment event.

From then on, all that remained was to wait and see how those who had entered the Path of Inquiry would perform.

Late that night, the people could no longer hold out. One after another, they headed home to sleep.

Only then did the foot of North Mountain grow quiet.

Occasionally, one or two night owls would wander over for a look.

Shen Yingzi opened his eyes to find himself in his own bedroom.

He felt as though he had slept for an extraordinarily long time, and his head was somewhat heavy.

He had already forgotten what he had been dreaming about. At that moment, he only felt parched, so he rose and poured himself a cup of water.

In his dazed state, he kept feeling as if he had forgotten something.

Then a servant’s voice came from outside the door:

“Are you awake, Young Master? Master said that if you’ve woken up, you should set out early. He’ll be waiting for you up ahead.”

Shen Yingzi was puzzled when he heard this.

Set out? Where was he supposed to go?

Was there something special about today?

After standing there blankly for a moment, he finally remembered.

That was right—today was the anniversary of his mother’s death. How could he have forgotten something so important?

He hurriedly set down his cup and rose from his seat.

“I know. I’ll be there shortly,” he called toward the door.

However, after washing and changing, when he went to the main hall, he discovered that an imperial summons had arrived, calling his father to the palace.

“Yingzi, if this succeeds, the Zhao royal family may yet have a chance to restore its kingdom. Go and visit your mother first. I’ll go to the palace and join you later.”

Shen Yingzi watched his father’s hurried departure and prayed silently that the Zhao royal family would restore its kingdom soon.

That way, his father would not have to run himself ragged every day.

He took a carriage alone to his mother’s grave.

The weather was not very good that day. Thick clouds covered the sunlight completely, casting a gloom over the world and making his mood dark and heavy as well.

Shen Yingzi knelt before his mother’s grave, incense burning in front of him as pale wisps of smoke curled gently through the air.

Clutching the bamboo flute in his hand, he spoke to the gravestone:

“Mother, I wrote several more pieces this year. I like them quite a lot. Shall I play them for you?”

Facing a mother he had never met, Shen Yingzi had never known what to say.

His father had told him that his mother had been a mortal—a gentle woman who had loved the sound of the flute.

While carrying him, she had often played the flute for the child in her womb.

So every time he came here, he played the flute.

He raised the bamboo flute to his lips and slowly lowered his eyes. His long, thick lashes concealed his expression as the clear, melodious notes spread through the dreariness of the overcast day.

“Yingzi… Mother is so sad…”

Amid the pure, flowing flute music, an extraordinarily gentle woman’s voice suddenly reached Shen Yingzi’s ears, carrying a trace of sorrow.

It seemed both very far away and as though it were right in front of him.

He opened his eyes and discovered that, above his mother’s grave, the faint outline of a young woman had appeared.