Chapter 270 - Gathering in Kunlun

“Here you are.”

Ning Zhe had already known who was coming by sensing the aura. He didn’t need to look back.

“What’s your answer?” Leng Yueyan was being very straight-forward.

Ning Zhe turned around and looked at the beauty in a grey robe. Then he smiled and proposed, “Maybe we should go and enjoy some beautiful scenery here.”

Leng Yueyan didn’t refuse him. They took a walk in the Muni Valley scenic area. After they passed a waterfall, they arrived at the center of the place, which was called Erdao Lake.

This lake was the soul of this place. The peaceful water covering such a large area looked quite magnificent. Although it was just a place in the mortal world, the two felt like they were communicating with the abundant spirit aura around them.

Just like Jiu Zhaigou, this place had some faint aura flowing in the air, which wouldn’t help cultivators much, but it was abundant enough for ordinary folks to feel.

The two attracted the eyes of lots of tourists. The man folded his hands and wore beads. He looked like a monk, only with long black hair.

The beautiful woman behind him was in a grey Taoist robe, holding a horsetail duster in her hand. Judging by her look, she had to be a peaceful and lofty Taoist nun.

There were walking by the shore of the lake and enjoying the scenery without much talk. The place was well-known for its high mountains and lakes. Lakes shared the same word as “sea” in the local dialect.

Those colorful small lakes made up a big one. On some of the islands in those lakes, there were all kinds of exotic flowers. The two felt relaxed just by looking at them.

In the depths of the forest around Erdao Lake, there were ancient pines. Under those pine trees, there were several fabulous sulfur hot springs.

Legend had it that those fairies from heaven once used this place to boil herbs and refine medicine. Those pools were built to cure diseases. Those fairies also took baths here because the water could strengthen bodies.

Leng Yueyan wouldn’t buy it. She knew from observation that the water here had a special aura in it which even mortals could absorb. That was why some of them felt cured after a bath.

This Muni Valley looked so strange even for cultivators. The story of the fairies might have been created mainly because the famous Taoist, Huanglong, once lived here.

There were also lots of Buddhist stories and temples here. The two religions co-existed in this place.

The two stopped at a secluded place. The view here wasn’t as beautiful as other places, but it was very quiet due to those lush trees.

“We’ve walked for an hour, and this is where we’re heading?” Leng Yueyan asked.

“I thought there wouldn’t be many people here because it’s not tourist season, but there are still many more than I expected.” Ning Zhe apologized.

“Then what is your answer?” Leng Yueyan was expressionless. She didn’t want to waste any more seconds on this man.

Ning Zhe hesitated for a second. Then he turned around and said with his eyebrows furrowed, “I’m sorry, Yueyan. I owed you a lot in our last life, and I’ll pay you back in this one.”

“So you don’t want to give up Buddhism for me?” Leng Yueyan’s eyebrows furrowed tightly.

She could tell from his tone that the man was still unwilling to give up his religion. He was doing it to “pay her back”.

She slowly shook her head and smiled calmly. “You’re just trying to ‘pay me back’. It’s fine. You can end this life like how we ended our last one. We don’t owe each other anything. Hope our Taoist paths cross someday in the future.”

Ning Zhe shook his head when he heard what she said. “I want to stick to my religion, and I don’t want to let you down.”

“In that case, you should drop your religion. You let me down in our last life, isn’t that enough? Is my love not enough for you to give it up?” Leng Yueyan asked again.

“As the saying goes, ‘I’m in fear that our love would ruin my cultivation, and I would be guilty if I let you down again once going back to the mountain for cultivation. There’s no perfect solution for the contradiction, I’ll have to either let the Buddha down or disappoint you’.”

“I know there’s no perfect solution, but you have to make a choice. Me, or Buddha?” Leng Yueyan frowned and continued to ask.

“I…” Ning Zhe kept frowning.

He really didn’t know where to start. His heart was telling him to face reality and start a life with Leng Yueyan, which meant that he would leave his religion behind.

However, his mouth could not open because he didn’t want to turn his back on Buddha. He wanted to spend his whole life embracing, trusting, and following the Buddha. The contradiction was stirring his heart.

“Which one do you want? Or do you still believe that you can find the perfect solution? From now on, we won’t see each other anymore. You’ll walk beside the Buddha, and I’ll follow my Taoist way. Maybe we’ll meet on our way ascending to heaven.”

She couldn’t read Ning Zhe’s mind. The only thing she saw was his attitude. She felt they had no more to say, so she turned away decisively.

The moment she turned around, her slim arms were suddenly grabbed by Ning Zhe. He mumbled, “No, I already let you down in our last life. I won’t allow myself to make the same mistake in this life.”

“But you still don’t want to give it up,” Leng Yueyan said, giving him her profile.

Ning Zhe shook his head and said, “Bugui once told me something, and I finally understand it. The origin of Buddhism is Taoism. I’ll do it even if it’s wrong.

“I’ll practice Buddhism, and at the same time, try to learn Taoism. I’ll put those daily affairs aside. We’ll see how our last life set the tone for this one.”

Leng Yueyan’s body quivered. She turned around and said, “If you really want that, I’ll be with you. Our last life didn’t have a happy ending. We can’t let this life end in regret, too.”

Ning Zhe nodded. “OK. I’ll make up for my mistakes in our last life. You’ll be with me, and we’ll find the answer to our questions. We shall put an end to this.”

“Before I came here, Master told me about her story as well as the story of our Founder Master. We’ve considered a lot. The conclusion was that love never waits for anyone. It shall never be put aside for too long, or you’ll miss it.”

Leng Yueyan had learned a lot from the previous stories she was told.

“Yeah, love is like a flower. It takes more than a thousand years to sprout, and another thousand years to shoot buds. 3,000 years of growth all for a short blooming. Then it withers.” Ning Zhe sighed, shaking his head.

“You and I have been stalled for 30,000 years. We don’t need to be confused anymore.” Leng Yueyan smiled.

Ning Zhe nodded. “That’s great! The entanglements in our last life have given rise to our reunion in this one. Now that we’ve met each other again, we should put all other things aside.”

“Abandon all restraints, don’t let our love vanish like a transient blossom.”

“I’ll definitely go with you if you’ve made up your mind. We’ll be together wherever we go, even on our way ascending to heaven. I’ll be with you for my entire life!” There were stars in Leng Yueyan’s eyes. She was smiling.

Ning Zhe looked guilty. “Yueyan, you helped me become immortal in our last life at the cost of your life. That was not what I wanted. I regretted it so much that I decided to reincarnate.

“Should I be faced with that dilemma again in this life, I’ll stay with you and give up the chance to be an immortal.”

“No, in this life, we will become immortal together! The love between Fan Kong and Yu Zhu will be inherited by us!” Leng Yueyan laughed.

“Whatever you say. Let’s go back. I don’t want to keep them waiting for too long.” Ning Zhe nodded.

“Speaking of which, Bugui has helped us a lot. I would’ve left you if he hadn’t talked to me.” Leng Yueyan looked guilty.

Ning Zhe looked embarrassed and said, “We owe him a lot. We should thank him.”

“They had urged us for more than a month. Let’s go there now.” Leng Yueyan smiled peacefully.

The couple then headed for Kunlun Mountain. Finally, they had overcome the difficulties and decided to face reality in this life. They didn’t care where they were going as long as they wouldn’t be separated from each other again.

When they arrived at Kunlun Mountain, Yun Jinghong and Leng Shuangrong were sitting opposite each other and talking about tea.

“Oh! There you are! Just go to the Purple Waterfall now! We’ve already torn apart the dimensions for you.” Yun Jinghong laughed.

“It looks like you‘ve undone the knots in your mind.” Leng Shuangrong put down the teacup and smiled at them.

“Master, you…”

Leng Yueyan was both confused and surprised, as was Ning Zhe standing next to her. Their expressions were exactly the same.

“Oh, they say couples will look like each other after some time. I think you already do. How quick is that?” Yun Jinghong mocked the two.

“No, it’s nothing like that!” Ning Zhe denied it immediately.

“Uh!”

As soon as he denied it, Leng Yueyan pinched the flesh on his waist and twisted it. Leng Yueyan knew how to do this like just like any other ordinary woman.

“I… was wrong.”

The unforgettable pain made Ning Zhe beg for mercy.

“Let’s go.”

Leng Yueyan seemed unhappy. She saluted Leng Shuangrong and Yun Jinghong, saying, “We have to leave now.”

“Just go.” Leng Shuangrong grinned a smile and waved her hand gently.

Yueyan glanced at Ning Zhe indifferently and then left. Ning Zhe tried to catch up with her and kept apologizing.

They found the exact spot using their spirit mind when they arrived at the Purple Clouds Continent. Then they found many people cultivating on a mountain.

“Oh? You two are finally here.” Zhao Changge turned around and smiled.

“Wait a minute, you came together? Oh… I see…” Yu Wude said with a cheeky smile.

“You should stop if you don’t want to piss off Senior Xue again.” Lyu Hao warned them.

The two looked at Lyu Hao at the same time and smiled ear to ear. “It’s fine, he’s not preaching…”

“Boom!”

“Ouch!”

As soon as they said that, and when they were still laughing cheekily, a bloody hand smashed down from above, pressing the two into the ground.