Fighting? Gu Baiqing was shocked—Mo Xuanli wasn’t the type to casually get into conflict with a woman.
“Heh, knew it would turn out this way,” Jingcheng remarked. “Would you call this the grudges of the previous generation carried into the next?”
Gu Baiqing felt troubled. In the original text, they didn’t fight at all. Wasn’t it just that they happened to meet and acted together? Right—in the original, Mo Xuanli had always been friendly toward Si Chun, but she and her companions had stayed tense. No conflict arose. Later, Mo Xuanli, in order to obtain the Spotless Immortal Sprout, had ruthlessly used Chuixue Pavilion, but they had only suffered in secret without realizing.
Now that he thought about it, the demonic Mo Xuanli of the original must have known this backstory, so he pretended to be nice to lull them into complacency, then stabbed them at the critical moment. If he could even get jealous of Jingcheng, how much more so toward the woman who almost forced his master into marriage?
But the current Mo Xuanli had a purer heart, more straightforward in how he solved problems.
It wasn’t hard to guess—most likely the disciples of Chuixue Pavilion had spoken ill of him, and his own disciple was fiercely standing up for him.
He only hoped it wouldn’t delay the real matter—the Spotless Immortal Sprout was about to appear.
Inside the secret realm, beside the remains of the Greyrock Wolves, Mo Xuanli and Si Chun faced off—Foundation Establishment against Golden Core. But for dignity’s sake, Si Chun suppressed her cultivation to Foundation Establishment, so it was basically mid-stage versus late-stage.
As the senior sister of Chuixue Pavilion’s current generation, Si Chun’s strength was beyond doubt. Earlier, facing the Greyrock Wolves, Mo Xuanli had shown greater ability, but in her view, that was only in strategy. In a one-on-one duel, Si Chun still had confidence. Key was, for her master’s sake, even if it cost her dearly, she had to teach Gu Baiqing’s disciple a harsh lesson.
But she didn’t know that when facing the Greyrock Wolves, Mo Xuanli hadn’t gone all out. So when sword-light clashed and her spiritual techniques were utterly crushed, Si Chun’s expression changed.
She attacked with her spirit weapon, the parasol-sword, but her sword aura was broken by the opponent’s iron-slab sword. Nothing could be more demoralizing. Still, Si Chun didn’t lift her suppression, continuing to fight at Foundation Establishment level.
“Junior Brother Mo seems to have gotten stronger,” Nan Zhi frowned as she watched from the side.
The others nodded. “Yeah, why does it feel like he’s even stronger than when he fought the Red-Feathered Dragon yesterday…”
As they were speaking, Mo Xuanli’s sword suddenly drew up a blazing dragon of fire that charged at Si Chun. Si Chun blocked with her parasol as a shield, but to her shock, the edge of the parasol began to burn—that was a spirit weapon!
Si Chun’s face changed drastically. She had no choice but to put away the parasol and counter with magic power, straining to disperse the fire dragon. But right on its heels came countless blades of sword intent, wrapped in scorching flame, shooting down like a meteor shower. Si Chun moved with extreme speed, blocking them one by one, but her vision was obstructed. Suddenly, a surge of fire burst upward from the ground like a volcanic eruption. Only then did Si Chun realize—in the course of their battle, Mo Xuanli had already laid down a formation with sword intent on the ground. The spells she had just blocked had all fallen upon the formation, filling in its gaps, and now the array activated.
Si Chun was shocked beyond measure. Mo Xuanli had even anticipated how she would counterattack. He had actually mastered the sword techniques of Chuixue Pavilion. But they had never even crossed swords before—no, wait… when they fought the Greyrock Wolves earlier, Mo Xuanli had seen them. So… he memorized them on the spot? And then used them against her?
What kind of martial talent was this?
By the time Si Chun realized it, it was already too late. As the formation activated, Mo Xuanli combined it with spellwork, bringing his offensive power to its peak. Si Chun couldn’t withstand it and was blown away, even the ends of her hair catching fire.
The sisters of Chuixue Pavilion were horrified and flew forward to save her, but Si Chun was blasted away too fast. They couldn’t reach her—she was about to crash into a tree.
A violet-gray figure flashed. Mo Xuanli appeared in front of the tree first, blocking with his sword sheath against Si Chun’s back, pushing her back toward her junior sisters and sparing her from severe injury.
The disciples of Zixiao Sect watching couldn’t help letting out an “Ahhh,” sounding strangely regretful.
“What?” Nan Zhi asked, puzzled. “Junior Brother Mo fought brilliantly.”
The male disciples, faced with their senior sister, were too embarrassed to say it outright. But in that moment, shouldn’t Mo Xuanli have caught her in a warm embrace to save her? That would’ve been the perfect way to ease enmity. Who saves a girl by smacking her back with a sword sheath and shoving her away? Truly ruthless.
The battle ended—Mo Xuanli had won completely.
Surrounded by her sisters, Si Chun trembled all over with rage. Her sisters were furious too, shouting, “Let’s go at him together!” Previously, they’d gotten along well enough, and even had a favorable impression of Young Master Mo, but since he was Gu Baiqing’s disciple and had hurt their senior sister, all bets were off.
But Si Chun stopped them. Watching Mo Xuanli slowly descend, Si Chun gritted her teeth. “I lost. But I won’t give up so easily. One day, I will become stronger. You, and your master—I won’t let either of you off.”
Mo Xuanli’s face was cold. “There’s no need to trouble my master. Me alone is enough.”
The words stung, as if Si Chun could never beat him. Proud as she was, she nearly burst into tears of anger. Yet she had to admit—with Mo Xuanli’s combat ability, even if she used her full Golden Core strength, she might not be able to win for sure.
But Si Chun refused to accept it. She was unwilling. Her own master had suffered so miserably, while Gu Baiqing never once appeared, not even to say a single apology. Why should they be allowed to simply forget?
In Si Chun’s eyes, Gu Baiqing had given her master false hope, then refused to take responsibility, heartless and faithless. Fairy Ruiyao could have become the most outstanding female cultivator in the immortal world, but because she met Gu Baiqing, her life was ruined. Si Chun, as a child, had witnessed her master fall from the heavens, wretched and broken, nearly consumed by despair, almost falling into demonhood. That terror and resentment—she could only redirect it toward Gu Baiqing.
Thinking of her master still shut away in seclusion, Si Chun suddenly stepped forward, unable to stop herself from asking: “Since you are his personal disciple, I have one question.”
Mo Xuanli had already lost patience with them. He’d only fought to defend his master’s reputation. Now he wanted no more entanglement, only to continue deeper into the secret realm.
But Si Chun’s next question made him pause.
“Gu Baiqing… in all these years, has he loved anyone?”
Mo Xuanli froze, his expression subtly betraying him.
Si Chun, sharp-minded, caught on immediately. “You didn’t deny it. He has someone he loves? Impossible—how could such a cold-blooded, heartless man ever like someone?”
Mo Xuanli didn’t know whether to feel awkward or angry. “My master… my master is merely reserved in temperament, but he has his own principles in dealing with people and things. Why couldn’t he have someone he admires?”
“A man who doesn’t even have a heart—how could he love anyone? You’re his disciple, of course you’ll defend him. Ask the whole immortal world—he’s never taken anyone’s true feelings seriously. Because he has no heart, he doesn’t understand others’ sincerity. It’s not just my master, there are plenty of women he’s hurt!” Si Chun seemed unable to accept that Gu Baiqing might have liked someone else. To her, admitting it would be admitting her master’s utter failure.
Mo Xuanli’s face darkened. He said seriously, “That’s other people admiring my master. What has that to do with him? My master has a heart—his heart is burning, ardent, loyal, and pure. For the one he cares for, he can do countless things silently, unseen by others only because he doesn’t show it. He only ever gives his devotion… to one person.”
By the end, Mo Xuanli’s face was flushed. Comparing his master’s indifference to Ruiyao with how he treated himself, Mo Xuanli suddenly felt a strange swell of emotion… happiness? Pride? Or a touch of sorrow?
“Who! Tell me who it is! If Gu Baiqing could reject even my master, who else could he possibly love?” If Si Chun had been calmer, she would have seen the answer already written on Mo Xuanli’s face.
Mo Xuanli rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his skin burning hot.
“I don’t know who. Master hasn’t told me. But anyway… there is someone.” He looked like a man holding a secret close to his chest, unwilling to reveal it, yet unconsciously letting slip a corner of it.
“And let me be blunt—your hatred toward my master is unreasonable. Fairy Ruiyao misunderstood, that’s all. For my master, it was an undeserved calamity. Was it wrong to save people? Wrong not to notice someone’s feelings? Wrong to refuse another’s love? My master is a good man. Just because he’s not skilled at socializing doesn’t mean you can dump all the blame on him.”
Hearing this, Si Chun’s face turned green.
“You… you stinking men are all in cahoots! Do you know my master nearly fell into demonic deviation because of him? I don’t believe he bears no responsibility at all!”
The word “demon” pricked sharply in Mo Xuanli’s ears. “I believe in Master. Master would never do anything against his conscience. And as for a cultivator who falls into demonic ways because of personal feelings, failing to cherish the cultivation path gifted by the heavens—how is that not her own problem? If someone, unable to obtain love, forces themselves into madness and possession, then I can only say such love is truly contemptible. If you genuinely love someone, you should wish them well, wish them happiness—even if that happiness isn’t brought by yourself—not blindly seize, plunder, and possess.”
Just like what Master had done: always striving to treat him well, never once using force to demand, never once coercing with status. Of course, those thoughts that lingered in his head, those little gestures—that was just something he couldn’t restrain, and shouldn’t count.
Mo Xuanli spoke earnestly, and Si Chun was dumbstruck.
She carried a knot in her heart, believing that even if it was all a misunderstanding or accident, Gu Baiqing ought to shoulder responsibility. As a man, when faced with a devoted woman whose reputation was ruined because of him, shouldn’t he be accountable? Yet as she listened to Mo Xuanli’s words, she found them… undeniably correct. They stirred ripples in her heart, suddenly making her feel that this young man’s understanding of love was extraordinarily beautiful.
In an instant, the hostility in her heart dissolved.
If the water mirror could transmit sound, Gu Baiqing would definitely be coughing blood upon hearing Mo Xuanli’s words. Still have the face to say this? In the original story, what did Mo Xuanli do? Fall into demonic ways, deceive and swindle, seize by force, push possessiveness to the extreme! Love and not being able to have? Impossible. To that wayward disciple, loving someone meant they absolutely must be possessed, even if the other party was unwilling.
But outside the water mirror, what could be seen was only the two of them finishing their fight, with Mo Xuanli the victor. A bunch of people immediately mocked him for not knowing how to cherish beauty, saying it was exactly what one would expect from Gu Baiqing’s disciple. Sitting above, Gu Baiqing could clearly feel all the side-eyes cast at him.
What made his chest ache even more was—this kind of completely unromantic development was truly disheartening. Shouldn’t a handsome man and a beautiful woman fighting spark some budding feelings?
Ah, my disciple! When will you finally open your heart?
…
The two spoke in a way only they could hear. Everyone else could only piece things together from appearances.
In the end, Si Chun quietly returned to her sisters, while Mo Xuanli also headed back into the cave, preparing to lead everyone away.
After what had just happened, the two groups naturally wouldn’t travel together. But just then, a strange fragrance drifted over the area, carrying a scent like gardenias.
Yun Yue immediately exchanged a look with Mo Xuanli, then spoke: “Junior brother, this really is the scent of the Spotless Immortal Sprout. It has emerged.”
Mo Xuanli nodded and quickly explained the situation to Nan Zhi. Knowing this was what Mo Xuanli had been seeking, the others were glad to help too. After all, when the Spotless Immortal Sprout appeared, there wouldn’t be just one or two shoots—maybe they could pick up a windfall. Whether one could obtain it would depend on fate.
Following the fragrance, the group set out. At the same time, in Chuixue Pavilion, Zhinuo also caught the scent. The Spotless Immortal Sprout was a true celestial treasure, far more precious than the Deer Immortal Herb—naturally, she had to pursue it. Thus, in the end, both groups ended up heading in the same direction.
Before long, they arrived at a flower valley, filled with white blossoms. At the center stood a small mound of earth, bare of flowers, from which sprouted a single cluster of bright green shoots glowing faintly, brimming with immortal aura, irresistibly enticing.
At the valley entrance, the group stopped. Several people lay collapsed among the white blossoms.
“Dead?”
“No, asleep,” Mo Xuanli replied.
“These flowers are White Illusion Blossoms, likely drawn here by the spiritual energy of the Spotless Immortal Sprout. That’s why such a huge patch has grown. A few blossoms aren’t an issue—so long as your will is firm, nothing happens. But with a whole field like this, if you make any large movements and inhale too much pollen, then…” Yun Yue explained.
“Then just fly over!” someone blurted out.
As soon as the words fell, another person, greedy for the chance, immediately leapt into the air, flying by sword straight toward the sprout.
But just as he reached overhead, a sharp whoosh sounded—a vine shot out from the ground, so fast that all they saw was an afterimage. In the next instant, the flying cultivator was bound tight and smashed violently onto the ground, sending up a cloud of pollen. Already dazed from the fall, he was quickly dragged into illusion by the flowers and fainted.
“Ghost-Hand Vine?!” The one who had suggested flying hurriedly lowered his sword and looked at Mo Xuanli. “What now?”
Before Mo Xuanli could answer, two cultivators from Chuixue Pavilion charged forward. One held a flying umbrella, the other drew a sword to block the vines. Their strength was indeed higher than those earlier, but these Ghost-Hand Vines were unlike those outside. Nurtured by the energy of the Spotless Immortal Sprout, their power was multiplied tenfold—and their numbers tenfold as well.
So the two quickly could not hold on. Si Chun and another companion had to use Immortal Locks to pull them back, preventing them from falling in.
Now even Chuixue Pavilion had no solution.
Outside the mirror, the observers began debating how to break through this stage.
Someone suggested burning everything, but if spells were used, the pollen would scatter everywhere, making it extremely hard to resist. No one could guarantee they would stay clear-headed while surrounded by drifting pollen. If they lost consciousness then and were attacked by enemies or beasts, the outcome would be disastrous.
“What luck this is—or misfortune, who can say? Back when we ventured through this secret realm, we didn’t run into this nonsense. What do you think your disciple will do?” Jingcheng asked curiously.
Back then, they too had sought the Spotless Immortal Sprout, but the guardians beside it had been spirit beasts. Kill the beasts, and the path was clear.
Gu Baiqing thought for a moment. In the original story, Mo Xuanli had realized—after watching a few other cultivators fail—that although the Ghost-Hand Vines were formidable, their attack range had blind spots. Moreover, if you suddenly stopped moving, the vines wouldn’t strike on their own. So if you could map out the right path, you could slip through their range. And by carefully treading across the ground, avoiding contact with the White Illusion Blossoms, even if you brushed a little pollen, it wouldn’t be enough to trap you in illusion.
So he tricked the people from Chuixue Pavilion into acting as cannon fodder, sending them into the flower field to test the attack range of the Ghost-Hand Vines. Deceived by Mo Xuanli’s sincere and kind façade, they let their guard down completely, never once wondering why they had such terrible luck—why was it that they always ran into the fiercest attacks, while the places the disciples of Zixiao Sect passed through were relatively safe? Even if there was an attack, it was still manageable. What’s more, in truth, Mo Xuanli had already analyzed the safest path halfway through the plan, but deliberately directed the people of Chuixue Pavilion to the wrong route. In the end, all four of them collapsed unconscious in the flower field, not to mention even dreaming of collecting the Spotless Immortal Sprout. And afterward, they still had to be grateful to Mo Xuanli for carrying them out of the field.
When he saw that passage, Gu Baiqing truly wanted to give Mo Xuanli four words: “Ruthless Hand Crushing Flowers.”
But now… Mo Xuanli ought to resolve everything halfway through.
“Maybe he’ll send people to probe the attack range of the Ghost-Hand Vines.” Gu Baiqing offered his answer—only to be immediately slapped in the face.
In front of the flower field, everyone saw Mo Xuanli crouch down, take out a small sickle, and begin cutting the White Illusion Blossoms.
“Junior Brother Mo, what are you doing?”
“Once a White Illusion Blossom is severed, its pollen becomes useless. And without the flowers blocking the view, you can see the distribution of the Ghost-Hand Vine roots in the soil, so you can pull them out ahead of time,” Mo Xuanli explained.
“So… you’re planning to cut open a path?”
Everyone stared at Mo Xuanli, who looked for all the world like a flower farmer, utterly shocked.
“The distance in a straight line isn’t too bad. If we all work together, we can finish quickly. It’s much better than making everyone risk themselves. After all, others may show up here at any moment,” Mo Xuanli said with complete seriousness.
Everyone exchanged glances, then silently pulled out small weapons to help. The people from Chuixue Pavilion hesitated, but eventually stepped forward to lend a hand too.
This approach wasn’t flashy, but as Mo Xuanli said, it was indeed safe.
Yet in front of the water mirror, Gu Baiqing was dumbstruck.
D*mn it—so there was an even safer method all along! In the original story, you not only exploited Chuixue Pavilion, you even dragged along Zixiao Sect for your own convenience. Maybe also so you wouldn’t leave any easy path behind for those who came after.
Just as he was thinking that, he saw Mo Xuanli actually collecting the White Illusion Blossoms he had cut down. Everyone’s first reaction was—are White Illusion Blossoms for sale?
Probably not.
The people in the flower field were also dumbfounded, and asked.
“For cat grass.”
By now, Three Bean was already happily wagging his tail. The Tricolor Illusion Cat loved White Illusion Blossoms most of all.
What a frugal, diligent man.
“Looks like this hurdle won’t stop them. But the hardest part will be how to collect the Spotless Immortal Sprout,” Jingcheng said with a smile.
“What’s so hard about that?” Gu Baiqing gave a faint smile. In the original story, Mo Xuanli had picked it in one go. Heaven’s chosen, blessed with fortune.
“Did you forget? The Spotless Immortal Sprout examines the spiritual sense of the picker. There are conditions. Not many people outside know this, but back then we analyzed it—why only a few people could pick it, while you and I couldn’t even touch it.” At this point, Jingcheng’s expression turned subtle. “Even if you went now, you still couldn’t.”
Gu Baiqing froze for a moment, then suddenly jolted, his expression changing drastically.
That’s right—the picking conditions. In the original story, Mo Xuanli met them. But this little white-flower disciple of his absolutely wouldn’t.
Back then, he had even mocked it: what “Spotless Immortal Sprout”? More like a dirty, indecent plant full of lewd thoughts.
