C6 Separation

Chapter Six: Painful Farewells

A piercing howl echoed between heaven and earth, causing Ding Yue's ears to ring as he fought off dizziness and pain. His eyes searched the skies, landing on a massive black serpent, over a hundred meters in length, coiling above. Its palm-sized scales were edged in purple-gold, and atop its head, a solitary horn thrust into the heavens, wrapped in electric sparks and emitting faint rumbles of thunder.

"Descendant of the True Dragon Race, a Dragon Snake," Liu Wuya's voice reached him once more.

"At the dawn of the God Extermination, the Nagas were mighty; countless are their descendants who carry their bloodline."

A scream shattered the silence, jolting Ding Yue from his stupor as a snake tail dispersed a skeleton with a swift strike.

Connected in spirit, he spat out his lifeblood and hastily conjured a shield to guard himself, accelerating his movements.

The serpent looped through the air, its tail blazing with a brilliant golden light before delivering another vicious whip. The shield shattered, the man was wounded, and fresh blood sprayed forth once again.

"Old ghost Black Iron, provoke me further, and you shall meet your end," the Realm King's frigid voice forced Black Iron to choke back his retort. With a venomous glance at the figure in purple, he clutched his chest and retreated in disarray.

The Realm King, now in human form, still hid behind a veil, his eyes shifting with a mix of deliberate and accidental intent. His gaze swept over the spot where Ding Yue and another were concealed.

With a slight raise of his brow, he gestured for the four Evil Lords and the snowy peak to follow him deeper into the Black Water Forest.

In the half-walled Taoist temple, Liu Wuya sipped from his gourd, the subtle scent of fruit permeating the room.

Below, Ding Yue looked up at him with a questioning gaze. "Master Taoist Mu instructed me to take you as my teacher and then accompany you to the Fragrant Medicine Valley?"

"Mm-hmm," Liu Wuya affirmed, nodding and giving the gourd a shake.

"You ought to recognize this gourd, and the 'Hundred Fruits Wine' within. These are indeed cherished by your master."

"I'm aware of all that," Ding Yue replied. "What I want to understand is why my master himself isn't the one teaching me."

"First off, he's tied up and can't be here. Secondly, I'm able to teach you the last two moves of the 'Sky Seal's' first stance, 'Void': 'Space Attacking Fist' and 'Sky Shattering Fist.' How does that sound?" Liu Wuya said, brimming with pride.

Ding Yue's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Great! When do we set off?"

"No rush. Meet me at Fragrant Medicine Valley in ten days. I'll wait for three days, no longer."

The following day, a persistent drizzle lasted from morning until noon. Ding Yue and Steamed Bun Zhang were seated at the table, ready to savor Aunt Zhang's culinary delights.

Suddenly, a burst of footsteps and robust laughter came from outside.

"Crash!" The door swung open.

Qin Li burst in, his left hand clutching two aromatic lamb legs, his right hand wielding a large jar of wine. He exclaimed with gusto, "Qin Cheng, that rascal, has been taken in as a disciple by Immortal Master Huang Yang of Yellow Sand Valley, and he's been admitted directly to the inner sect for training."

"Oh," the three men at the table murmured, momentarily taken aback, then they burst into applause, with Ding Yue clapping the loudest.

Three bowls of wine later, Ding Yue and his companions' cheeks were tinged with a rosy flush. Aunt Zhang, having sipped only half a bowl, clutched her chest and coughed lightly.

Ding Yue gently thumped her back. "Yue'er, too much wine is bad for you," he cautioned, shooting a stern look at Steamed Bun Zhang and Qin Li, which only elicited a few sheepish chuckles from them.

"Sister-in-law, you must be pleased. Ding is like a son to me. I heard from Cheng Zi that Ding has been accepted into Fragrant Medicine Valley. I've also heard that the Valley Master is a skilled alchemist."

Qin Li, alone with his thoughts, lifted his wine bowl and took a hearty swig, sighing deeply before speaking. "It's a shame that I lack the innate talent, and my elemental attributes are a mess, making cultivation impossible for me. Luckily, during my travels in the Central Region, I once aided an injured immortal."

"As we parted, she gifted me a pill, instructing me to take it during the third month of pregnancy. It was beyond my wildest dreams that it would endow Cheng Zi with the rare sand attribute, along with a trace of the wind attribute."

His tone was filled with admiration, tinged with surprise and a deep nostalgia for past experiences. There was also an undercurrent of wistful melancholy for what he couldn't attain.

With a loud "smack," Qin Li abruptly slapped the table and rose to his feet.

He fixed Ding Yue with a stern look and declared, "In her spare time, that immortal taught me the 'Eight-Armed Ape Fist.' Cheng Zi has already mastered it. Brother Zhang, what do you think about Ding learning it?"

"Absolutely, the more skills, the better. Drawing from the strengths of many can create something truly unique," Steamed Bun Zhang replied, his eyes sparkling with interest.

Qin Li leapt into the courtyard, his figure shifting and arms waving, casting a series of shadows through the air. As he reached the pinnacle of the form, the falling raindrops were scattered in all directions by the force of his powerful punches.

Within five days, Ding Yue had mastered the "Eight-Armed Ape Fist," while Steamed Bun Zhang had only just begun to learn it. This naturally drew an admiring comment from Aunt Zhang, followed by a few teasing remarks.

Both men blushed—Ding from embarrassment and Zhang from shame. Yet, deep down, they were both genuinely pleased for Ding Yue.

During a bout of drunkenness, with Qin Cheng also present, Steamed Bun Zhang grasped Ding Yue's hand and confided, "Aunt Zhang may seem cold, but she has a warm heart. Her strictness is her way of pushing you to excel. She injured her meridians when she was young and can't have children. She's long considered you her own. Every night, while you're alone at the half-wall Taoist temple, she's secretly watching over you."

Underneath the bed of Steamed Bun Zhang and his wife, a secret mechanism revealed a hidden tunnel leading to the well in the Taoist temple. At the end of the tunnel was a meditation cushion. With a gentle push against the well's wall, one could sense everything happening inside the temple.

"At night, Aunt Zhang sits there in meditation," he explained.

Ding Yue's eyes welled up with tears, but he remained silent.

The following day, aside from a few scoldings, Steamed Bun Zhang's waist was forcibly twisted, eliciting a grimace of pain and a loud howl from him.

His exaggerated expression drew laughter from the group. In that moment, Ding Yue felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and belonging.

In the leisurely hours after tea and dinner, Aunt Zhang shared stories of her years of training, broadening Ding Yue's horizons and inspiring him to practice with even greater dedication.

In the afternoon, Ding Yue was diligently practicing the "Dragon Claw Hand." Every so often, he would flick his wrist, sending a sliver of light to strike the targets he had set up beforehand.

It was then that Qin Cheng came running over, reminding Ding Yue of his promise to visit Master Zhu's house. Zhu Baozhu had been accepted into the Heavenly Feather Sect, and several of her less fortunate friends had also joined other sects. Tomorrow, they would all embark on their journeys to the sects they had been admitted to.

Parting today, who knew when they would meet again, or under what circumstances? The path of cultivation was challenging, far from the ease one might imagine. These were the thoughts and sentiments that filled Ding Yue's mind.

In the Zhu family's backyard, a dazzling array of flowers swayed in the breeze.

Willow branches danced, while rockeries, clear ponds, and cool pavilions nestled among the verdant surroundings.

Upon entering, peals of laughter reached his ears.

A small smile played at the corners of Ding Yue's mouth. He felt completely at ease, his youthful vigor filling him from head to toe.

A group of young people sat in a circle, enjoying pastries and sipping on ice-cold, refreshing soy soup, eagerly sharing tales of the bustling recruitment events at their respective sects.

As they spoke of their sects, their cheeks glowed with pride and longing. Ding Yue watched with a smile, clapping and cheering them on. In this moment, he was a youth without a care in the world.

"Boom!" Thunder suddenly roared across the sky, followed swiftly by a downpour of fine rain.

A chorus of groans rose as people in groups of three or five scrambled to find shelter from the rain.

Zhu Lingzhu, clad in a flowing white dress, glided into the pavilion, her steps as light as a lotus.

She brushed aside a wet lock of hair from her forehead, a single raindrop tracing down her pale, slightly gaunt cheek, reminiscent of a white peony in the rain.

"Brother Ding Yue, you've joined the Fragrant Medicine Valley," her gentle voice, tinged with a hint of shyness, floated through the damp air.

"Uh," Ding Yue, who had followed Zhu Lingzhu into the pavilion, paused briefly before replying, "Ah, yes. Valley Master Liu and my teacher are close friends. He has passed his Dao Arts on to me, making me his disciple."

The pavilion was wrapped in a momentary silence before Zhu Lingzhu spoke again, "I wanted to thank you for your help that day."

Ding Yue scratched his head. "It's only right. Master Liu has provided for us, and we owe him our gratitude."

"Hmm, my father was fortunate to find someone with a good heart." Her words carried an enigmatic significance.

Ding Yue watched her retreating figure and wiped the sweat from the side of his nose with his index finger.

After a moment, he pulled a bottle from his chest and offered it to her. "Xue Yue, this cold bead is for you." He quickly added, "Please accept it as a token of our appreciation for Master Liu's generosity."

Zhu Lingzhu gracefully turned and accepted the bottle. With a soft smile, she said, "This bead suits me well; it has ice properties. Thank you, Brother Ding Yue."

Looking up at him, her eyes sparkled and her smile hinted at the thawing streams of early spring. In that instant, she outshone all the flowers.

Ding Yue's palms, damp with sweat, rubbed against his clothing as he gathered his courage. Meeting Zhu Lingzhu's gaze, he offered a radiant smile, his eyes shimmering like stars.

It felt like an eternity captured in a fleeting moment.

As evening fell and the rain ceased, Ding Yue led Qin Cheng to a half-walled Taoist temple. From several secret spots, he retrieved nearly a thousand Primal Stones he had saved over the years and pressed more than half of them into Qin Cheng's hands.

Qin Cheng clasped Ding Zhen's hand, his eyes brimming with tears, his voice choked with emotion. "Ding Zhen, take care of yourself."

"Cheng, the same goes for you. The path of cultivation is fraught with challenges; take care."

Ding Yue embraced Qin Cheng firmly. After a long pause, they walked shoulder to shoulder back to Sunset City.

To the west, the setting sun dipped low, casting the sky in a warm glow. Their close-knit shadows stretched out behind them in the lingering light.