Extra — Those Later Days (5)
In the cultivation world, time has no years—flick of a finger, and a hundred years passed.
Over that century, due to the yin-yang circulation between the two realms, the lower realm’s space gradually stabilized, and spiritual energy surged. Countless cultivators who had been stuck between the Core stage and Nascent Soul stage broke through one after another, ascending to the other world.
Among them, the most legendary was Xiao Lingyu of Yuntian Sect. After his dao companion, Chu Mingwei—the chief disciple of the Yuntian Sect leader—ascended as the number one person of the lower realm, Xiao Lingyu entered seclusion and, in just five short years, at the young age of twenty-one reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage and successfully ascended, shocking the entire cultivation world. When the news first came out, it caused a huge sensation. While people were astonished by Xiao Lingyu’s talent, they also couldn’t help but sigh at the deep affection between him and Chu Mingwei. For a time, the entire cultivation world was filled with gossip about the two of them. Of course, Meng Fan taking advantage of this opportunity to sell exclusive news and make a huge profit was also to be expected.
After Xiao Lingyu, the Yuntian Sect leader Ling Xiaozi also soon left the lower realm. Although Meng Fan was unwilling in every possible way, he was still pushed onto the position of sect leader. On that day, all cultivators who came to Yuntian Sect to attend the succession ceremony witnessed the first sect leader in cultivation history who was restrained the entire time and only released after the ceremony ended. Likewise, this incident once again spread throughout the cultivation world and became one of the amusing anecdotes everyone talked about. As for whether Meng Fan profited greatly from it again, even Luo Shaohan and the others closest to him did not know.
As Meng Fan gradually settled into the position of sect leader, Yuntian Sect was managed by him in perfect order. All disciples devoted themselves to cultivation—traveling, secluding, or sparring—and the whole sect was peaceful. Of course, if not for Cang Ye, everything would have been even more perfect.
This thought had just flashed through Meng Fan’s mind when a disciple’s anxious voice came from outside the hall. “Sect Leader, something’s happened. Junior Sister Li from Haoyue Sect was just beaten by Senior Brother Cang Ye.”
Meng Fan’s heart skipped, his first reaction being, “Where is Junior Brother Luo?”
“Martial Uncle Luo entered seclusion this morning.”
Meng Fan sighed gloomily. Early seclusion, late seclusion—of all times, it had to be now. He summoned the disciple in and asked in detail, “Why did Cang Ye beat Martial Niece Li?”
The reporting disciple hesitated, looking at Meng Fan. It involved gossip about sect elders, and the disciple felt somewhat embarrassed to say it.
Seeing this, Meng Fan already guessed most of it and sighed again. “It’s fine. Tell it in detail so I can have a clear idea.”
Unable to avoid it, the disciple explained everything.
After listening, Meng Fan felt his temples throb, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. It turned out that the female disciple from Haoyue Sect had fallen in love with Luo Shaohan at first sight after a chance encounter and followed him all the way back to Yuntian Sect. Coincidentally, Cang Ye had gone to the upper realm some time ago and wasn’t by Luo Shaohan’s side, so the disciple didn’t know about him and kept showing concern for Luo Shaohan. Unable to refuse effectively, Luo Shaohan chose seclusion, thinking she would lose interest and leave. Unexpectedly, she decided to stay at Yuantian Sect and wait for him to come out of seclusion—and just happened to run into Cang Ye’s return. Thus, tragedy.
Listening to all this, Meng Fan thought of the many men and women who had suffered similar fates over the years and felt indignant. Luo Shaohan had grown better-looking over the years, yet his personality had also become increasingly strange and aloof. Still, so many people cried out wanting to become his dao companion. Meanwhile, Meng Fan himself was handsome, approachable, and even the sect leader—yet no one seemed to notice his merits.
These thoughts passed in a flash. Sect Leader Meng forced himself to focus and rushed to the scene.
At that time, outside Snow Condensation Peak where Luo Shaohan resided, Cang Ye looked disdainfully at the woman across from him whose face had been beaten into a swollen mess and lazily said, “Father is mine. Stop dreaming. If you’re sensible, leave now. Otherwise, next time I won’t be so polite.”
The female disciple glared at Cang Ye with hatred, her eyes blazing, wishing she could burn him alive, but her swollen mouth made speech impossible. The surrounding disciples felt pity seeing her state, and upon hearing Cang Ye’s words, all secretly complained, “This is what he calls polite?”
Seeing her hatred, Cang Ye sneered. “Don’t be unconvinced. In cultivation, you’re no match for me. As for looks?” He smiled mockingly. “You look like that and still dare to covet my father.”
Just as the disciple was about to be provoked into coughing blood, Meng Fan arrived in time. After persuading her and promising strict punishment for Cang Ye, he led her away. Before leaving, he shot Cang Ye a fierce glare, signaling him to stay obediently at Snow Condensation Peak and wait for Luo Shaohan to deal with him.
Cang Ye paid no heed, strolling back to the peak and sitting cross-legged outside Luo Shaohan’s closed-door chamber. His divine sense spread out, and he was satisfied seeing Luo Shaohan’s calm expression inside, unaffected by the commotion. A cold glint flashed in his eyes—fortunately, that foolish woman hadn’t rushed in to disturb Father, or it wouldn’t have ended with just a beating.
He habitually left a strand of divine sense on Luo Shaohan, then carefully took out two jade boxes. One contained the Immortal Ascension Fruit he had found in the upper realm, specially for Luo Shaohan. The other held a strange plant discovered by Chu Mingwei. Thinking of its peculiar effect, Cang Ye’s eyes darkened. Even Jing Zhan had Zhu Yuruan now—it was time for him to move faster. He had no patience to continue slowly like this with Luo Shaohan.
Inside, Luo Shaohan was also troubled by thoughts of Cang Ye.
Over the years, as Cang Ye grew older, his gaze became increasingly strange, and his possessiveness reached a terrifying level. Thinking of all the men and women crushed by Cang Ye, Luo Shaohan felt uneasy. Though he himself had no interest in forming a dao partnership, being blocked like this made everything feel odd.
He had once analyzed Cang Ye’s psychology with Meng Fan, wondering if it stemmed from a lack of parents in childhood. But before he could continue, Cang Ye appeared and interrupted.
Luo Shaohan wasn’t blind to the possibility that Cang Ye harbored feelings for him, but each time the thought arose, he avoided it. Now, he could no longer pretend.
Sighing, he wondered where things had gone wrong.
When Luo Shaohan opened his eyes, Cang Ye immediately sensed it. “Father.”
After some exchange, Cang Ye leaned close, breathing him in. “Father smells so good. I couldn’t sleep without you these days.”
Luo Shaohan flushed with anger, trying to push him away, but couldn’t move him.
Summoning courage, Luo Shaohan said, “I met someone I like.”
Before he could finish, a terrifying pressure surged and vanished. Cang Ye smiled deeply. “What do you mean, Father?”
Uneasy, Luo Shaohan changed the subject.
That night, Luo Shaohan opened the jade box under moonlight. A black mass sprouted into a small tree, blooming a fragrant green flower. The scent triggered a burning heat within him.
His body weakened; the box fell. Instead of hitting the ground, he fell into a warm embrace.
“Father, isn’t it nice that I’m holding you?” Cang Ye whispered.
From that moment, everything spiraled.
…
After that night, Meng Fan sensed something had changed between them. Before he could investigate, Luo Shaohan suddenly ascended.
On the day of his ascension, during Yuntian Sect’s recruitment ceremony, countless eager eyes watched.
Meng Fan smiled at those young faces, full of hope.
Watching Luo Shaohan vanish into the clouds, he felt as though his senior brother and junior brother were waiting above.
Smiling, he closed his eyes.
“Master, Senior Brother, Junior Brother—soon we’ll be reunited.”
The End