When he saw the Millelith drop to one knee, Baizhu's heart jolted.
The true master had appeared!
He hurriedly imitated their salute, bowing deeply toward the cloud bridge.
"Baizhu, a mere mortal, brings Qiqi in utmost sincerity to seek the immortals' mercy!"
Though he kept his head lowered, his eyes darted toward that misty bridge, sparkling with boundless joy.
Yes—this was the feeling he had yearned for!
That sense of warmth, of spring breezes, as though his sickly body had returned to its youthful health.
There was not a trace of elemental force within it.
Only the supreme might of heaven and earth, lofty beyond compare.
This—this was the immortality of his dreams.
Baizhu's heart burned hot.
He swore to himself that even if he had to kneel until death here in Jueyun Karst, he would not turn back.
He had endured enough of this short, pain-ridden mortal life.
He had healed countless others—why should he not be allowed to live in health, and longer?
Longevity was no sinful greed.
It was life's most natural instinct.
Yet after waiting a long while, no voice answered.
Only the bridge of cloud swayed gently, mist curling like a dream, transforming this place into a true celestial realm.
Fengyan and his soldiers exchanged glances, then looked back at Baizhu.
Their eyes carried envy. At last Fengyan sighed.
"It seems Sect Master is allowing you to ascend. Congratulations, Doctor Baizhu."
With that, they stepped aside, clearing the path. After a pause, Fengyan added with some awkward courtesy:
"Doctor Baizhu, please forgive us for barring your way before. It was only duty."
Baizhu pressed his lips together in a faint smile. His dream was within reach—what need had he to bear resentment?
"Captain Fengyan is loyal to his post, guarding Jueyun Karst. Why would I take offense?"
Relief showed on Fengyan's face. He smiled in turn.
"Then I thank Doctor Baizhu for his magnanimity. Please—do not let Sect Master wait. And when you stand before him, remember: show the utmost respect. Otherwise, not even the Geo Archon could save you."
Baizhu nodded gravely.
"Your warning, Captain Fengyan, I will never forget."
Unable to hold back any longer, he clasped Qiqi's hand and gingerly set foot upon the cloud bridge.
Soft beneath him—yet solid.
A surge of relief.
He turned back, bowed once more, then led Qiqi step by step upward.
Fengyan watched them go, eyes full of envy.
Only after the bridge dissolved into mist did he sigh.
"Once we meet again… perhaps Doctor Baizhu will already have entered the immortal sect. Then mortals and immortals will walk separate paths…"
The soldiers too could not help sighing in envy.
Yes, they had begun cultivating martial arts.
Yes, here in Jueyun Karst they breathed abundant spiritual energy, ate the flesh of spirit beasts, and grew stronger daily.
Fengyan himself had just broken through to the Seventh Layer of the Acquired Realm.
But cultivation of the martial way… was not the same as immortal cultivation.
They listened to immortal teachings each day. They knew full well what kind of beings immortals were.
Even the Geo Archon himself, upon joining Mount Shu, had been taken as a junior disciple. Strictly speaking, he too was but Sect Master's junior.
"When will we ever have the chance to cultivate immortality…" one soldier murmured.
Fengyan shook his head.
"First, train well in martial arts. Do your duty.
"Martial Dao itself is an unparalleled path created by the Geo Archon. To gain such fortune is already enough to make others envious.
"When Mount Shu opens its gates one day, perhaps our martial strength will help us rise faster than others."
Whether the men truly believed or not, they nodded, then returned to their hidden cultivation.
Immortality or not, martial cultivation was also a mighty path.
At the very least, mortals once scorned by gods now stood capable of fighting them.
Meanwhile,
Baizhu and Qiqi had reached the summit of Jueyun Karst.
They looked around—but saw no trace of any immortal.
And yet the cloud bridge had been real.
Puzzled, Baizhu feared perhaps his reverence had been lacking.
At once he bowed deeply again:
"Baizhu, a mere mortal, thanks the immortals' grace for allowing him to ascend Jueyun Karst. I beg guidance upon the path!"
Only the harsh winds howled in answer.
He was just about to call again when a voice drifted gently through the air.
"I am no immortal. Do not call me that."
Baizhu hastened to reply, voice firm:
"To me, and to most in this world, you are beyond doubt an immortal."
Seated at the entrance of the Nine Nether Secret Realm upon Longshou Peak, Jiang Yan could not help but smile.
Earlier, after withdrawing his spirit sense from Ganyu to conserve strength, he had instinctively swept across Mount Shu's surroundings—
and so discovered Baizhu and Qiqi below.
He was surprised.
Not by their talent—Baizhu's was merely a mid-grade wood root, just enough for an inner disciple.
But compared with the many peerless prodigies he had seen lately, it was unremarkable.
What drew his eye were Qiqi and Changsheng.
Qiqi had no spiritual root, yet her body was sealed by a dense deathly aura. She was no human, but a zombie. Jiang Yan knew her story, and pitied her. With her uniqueness, he thought, admitting her to Mount Shu would be worthwhile.
As for Changsheng—the white snake was a dual-root, water and wood, both high grade. Quite respectable.
Moreover, Baizhu's knowledge of Teyvat herbs and medicine was deep. With training in alchemy, he might surpass Lishu, the sect's half-baked pill master. His single-minded pursuit of immortality only strengthened the case.
And so Jiang Yan had summoned the bridge to draw them up.
Outside, when Baizhu heard no further response, he thought he had overstepped.
"Very well—if the title displeases you, I will not call it again."
Jiang Yan chuckled faintly, then asked:
"What is it you seek?"
Baizhu fell silent for a moment. His eyes sharpened, voice ringing:
"Besides healing others, my lifelong pursuit is longevity!"
"How frank," Jiang Yan nodded softly.
"But how can you be sure I possess the immortality you crave?"
"Because you are my last hope," Baizhu replied without hesitation.
"I have no other choice. I must wager everything.
"Surely you can see—I have little time left to live. But I do not wish to die.
No mortal does. Even as a physician, I cannot banish the fear of death.
"I want to live. I want to live longer. For myself, and for Changsheng.
"I know I have little value to offer.
But I swear before heaven and earth: if you grant me this chance, then in life after life I will revere you as my master, never to regret!"
Jiang Yan's gaze pierced through the secret realm, locking upon Baizhu.
That inscrutable stare made Baizhu's very soul tremble.
Changsheng recoiled at once, slipping from Baizhu's shoulder to cower inside Qiqi's medicine basket.
Cold sweat drenched Baizhu's back.
There was no malice in that gaze, no emotion at all—
yet it stripped him bare, leaving only the raw pain of being examined by a supreme existence.
His knees wavered, yet he clenched his teeth and stood tall.
This was his only chance.
Better to throw himself from the cliffs than falter now.
At last, the gaze lifted.
Before them, a dark, mysterious portal slowly unfolded.
"Talent, ordinary. Heart, outstanding. You may enter.
Step into the secret realm. Whether you find longevity depends upon yourself."
Joy erupted within Baizhu. He bowed low.
"Many thanks, Sect Master!"
"You are not yet of Mount Shu. Do not call me thus."
Baizhu froze—then nodded resolutely.
"Understood, Sect Master. But I have faith I will pass the trials and earn entry to Mount Shu!"
A faint chuckle drifted on the wind. Then silence.
Baizhu let out a long breath, secretly wiping his sweat.
That feeling—being laid bare by a supreme being—was worse than death.
Never again, if he could help it.
Without a word, he pulled Qiqi along and stepped toward the portal.
"Do we really… have to go?" Changsheng poked her head out, voice trembling.
"There is no choice." Baizhu's eyes blazed, fixed on the portal.
"Only two fates await me today:
Either I enter Mount Shu and gain immortality, or I die here.
"Hope lies before me. If I cannot seize it, I have no right to keep clinging to life.
"Do not worry, Changsheng—I will succeed."
Without giving her another chance to argue, he strode into the portal.
His time was almost gone.
So too Changsheng's.
Better to gamble their last breaths on this single chance.
Light bent, space warped.
Baizhu and Qiqi emerged upon a lonely crag above an endless sea of clouds.
All around—white mist stretching forever.
Only in the distance did seven towering peaks pierce the sky and earth.
He needed no guide. He knew where his path led.
Before him loomed a colossal gate, touching heaven and earth.
At its summit, two grand characters blazed:
Mount Shu.
Baizhu's eyes blazed as he gazed upon it.
"This… this is the Immortal Gate of Mount Shu!
One last step. I cannot stop now!"
"Enough of your grand words! Figure out how we even get across!" Changsheng snapped, peeking out of Qiqi's basket.
Even as she spoke, several white cranes burst from the cloud sea, circling before landing gracefully at their feet.
Changsheng blinked, then muttered in disbelief:
"Cloud-Retainer?"
One crane cocked its head at her, then suddenly lunged as if to peck.
Changsheng yelped and dove back into the basket.
"Curse it! You're no Cloud-Retainer!"
Baizhu only shook his head. He quickly understood—the cranes had come to bear them across.
He bowed respectfully.
"Then I must trouble you."
He carefully mounted one of the cranes.
Qiqi blinked blankly for a moment, then climbed up after him.
With a ringing cry, the cranes spread their wings and soared toward the Seven Peaks of Mount Shu.
As they flew, Baizhu and Changsheng finally had a moment to sense the air around them.
That strange, gentle, yet overwhelming power coursed ceaselessly through their bodies.
In a short while, Baizhu already felt his illness easing.
Hope for Mount Shu's immortal path blazed brighter than ever within his heart.
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