Xianling Valley.
Chang'an was slumped lazily in a bamboo recliner, next to which were casually tossed several ancient books with faded covers and a teapot emitting wisps of steam.
For an ordinary person, facing a conflict that would affect the entire world eighty years later would likely cause sleepless nights.
But the lazy man's laziness lay in the fact that even in the final minute before something happened, he could break that minute into sixty seconds and enjoy fifty-nine of them.
At this moment, his entire being exuded a drowsy laziness as his vacant gaze followed a slow-moving cloud drifting across the sky. His fingers tapped the armrest of the recliner intermittently, as if the greatest matter in the world was pondering where that cloud would eventually drift.
Suddenly—
"Shizun!"
A hurried call, tinged with a hint of panic, shattered the tranquility of the valley. Accompanied by a figure as swift as the wind, he rushed in abruptly, startling several spirit sparrows by the stream into flight.
Chang'an's lazy eyelids lifted slightly. When he saw that it was his fourth disciple, Jiang Che, who was always steady and composed, someone who wouldn't even frown if the sky fell, a trace of imperceptible surprise flickered in his eyes.
What surprised him even more was that Jiang Che was actually carrying someone in his arms.
A woman.
A woman who, even with a face as pale as paper, eyes tightly shut, lips bloodless, and hair disheveled and dusted with dirt, was still so stunningly beautiful that she was unforgettable to all who saw her.
Jiang Che's breathing was somewhat disordered, clearly having rushed here without stopping. He hurried to Chen Chang'an's side, his usually stern face now filled with anxiety, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor: "Master! Please save her!"
Chen Chang'an's gaze swept across the woman's face, his brow twitching almost imperceptibly.
Out of deep trust and understanding for his disciple, he knew that unless the situation was extremely critical, Jiang Che would never have lost his composure so completely, nor would he have brought someone to ask for his help so readily.
Without a second thought, and not even bothering to ask "who is this" or "what's going on," the hand that had just been tapping the armrest lifted and gently pressed toward Xiyan's chest from across the air.
Without any visible preparation, an indescribable, gentle force that seemed to contain the most primordial vitality from the moment of creation's beginning flowed from his fingertips, gently enveloping Xiyan completely.
As the Immortal Venerant of this era, Chen Chang'an had already transcended the realm of ordinary immortals absorbing spiritual energy, touching upon some of the world's fundamental rules. For him, healing injuries and saving lives was often no longer a matter of using magical power, but more like a form of rule correction akin to "words becoming law."
That force surged into Xiyan's body, like a spring breeze turning into rain, silently nourishing all things.
Wherever it passed, that sinister and domineering Nether Sha Qi, which even Jiang Che had been helpless against, melted away like ice meeting the scorching sun. The severed heart veins were gently connected and nourished by an invisible force, the damaged organs were rapidly repaired by the vast life force, and the depleted qi and blood were revitalized.
In just a few breaths, Xiyan's breathing, which had been as faint as a thread and seemed about to cease at any moment, became steady and prolonged. A faint, healthy blush also visibly appeared on her ashen cheeks. Though she was still unconscious, anyone could see that she had been completely pulled back from the gates of death, and her condition was even slightly better than before she was injured.
Chang'an withdrew his hand and returned to his languid posture, as if he had merely casually brushed away a falling leaf.
Jiang Che stared intently at Xiyan's changes, and only after confirming that she was truly out of danger and the terrifying aura of death in her body had completely disappeared, replaced by flourishing vitality, did the taut string in his heart finally relax. He let out a long breath, only then remembering to thank his master as he bowed solemnly: "Thank you, Master."
Chen Chang'an waved his hand, indicating there was no need for such formality. He sized up Jiang Che; it was the first time in all these years he'd seen the boy look so flustered and at a loss, which was quite amusing.
His heart stirred slightly. Though not skilled in the art of deduction and calculation, at his level of cultivation, occasional thoughts could allow him to vaguely sense the threads of cause and effect. He did a quick calculation of this woman's origins.
Hmm... seems perfectly normal.
After confirming that this woman posed no hidden threat to Jiang Che or the Spirit Immortal Valley, a sly smile curved Chen Chang'an's lips. Looking at his disciple, who had always avoided matters of romance as if they were the plague, he teased, "What? Is she your beloved? Rare to see you so worked up and anxious."
Jiang Che froze at the question, seemingly having never expected his master to ask such a thing. He almost instinctively shook his head, his tone firm and resolute, carrying an almost primal rejection: "Master knows my past."
He paused, a flicker of profound pain and coldness passing through his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, though beneath that calm lay ice that had not melted for ten thousand years: "In this life, I have long given up any thoughts of love. I saved her only because she did me a favor. If not for saving me, she would not have suffered such grave injuries." He briefly recounted how Xiyan had pushed him away and taken that fatal blow for him.
The playful smile on Chen Chang'an's face slowly faded.
Right.
How could he have forgotten.
The betrayal of his past life had almost completely destroyed this disciple.
Those once clear and bright youthful eyes had since been left with nothing but hatred and ice.
Although he was later guided onto a path centered on protection and justice, that deeply painful betrayal had long since buried and frozen the part of his heart capable of "love."
He could be indignant at injustice in the world and draw his sword to fight for all living beings, but he could no longer develop romantic feelings for any specific individual.
Chen Chang'an sighed softly in his heart, a mix of pity and helplessness. He patted Jiang Che's shoulder, his tone much gentler. "It was my fault to speak out of turn. Let it be. Some things are meant to be—cannot be forced, nor... need be avoided."
Still, looking at the stunning face in Jiang Che's arms, now even more radiant with the nourishment of primal life force, and recalling Jiang Che's unprecedented display of tension just now, the spark of curiosity in his heart refused to die out completely.
This girl might just be the special stone that can break through that ice after all. After all, in all these years, she's the first female cultivator this Jiang Che has brought back and had him so worried he's practically jumping at his feet.
Hmm, interesting.
Chen Chang'an pondered this in his heart, but showed nothing on his face, returning to his usual lazy demeanor. He yawned, waved his hand, and started shooing them away: "Alright, alright, she's fine now, recovering nicely. Who knows, this might even be a blessing in disguise, making her foundation even more solid. Stop blocking my view, take her away quickly, don't disturb my sunbathing."
Seeing that his Master did indeed show signs of fatigue (though most of it was from laziness), Jiang Che quickly bowed again: "Thank you, Master, for saving my life. I'll take my leave now."
He carefully adjusted his hold, making Xiyan lie more securely in his arms, then turned and transformed into a stream of light, quickly leaving the Spirit Immortal Valley.
Chen Chang'an watched his disciple's retreating back, then glanced at the spot where the woman had just been lying, shaking his head and muttering, "Everything is fate, not a single thing is in one's control..."
After speaking, he lay back down on the creaking bamboo chair, reached for the teapot beside him, took a satisfying sip, and once again narrowed his eyes, looking up at the lazy cloud that had just drifted directly above the valley.
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