Chapter Fifty-Five: Jian Yichen!

"Will you all follow me? Then, Master, I shall take my leave." The junior disciple bowed slightly to his master with cupped hands and paid his respects.

"Mmm, go ahead. And you, little boy, must cultivate diligently. Do not bring shame upon our Talisman Sect," the elder said slowly.

"What do you mean by that? Why do you people on Longwu Mountain always look down on those with ordinary talent?" Xingchenzi said slowly, looking as though he were ready to fight.

"Yes, and what of it? Come on up and hit me then," the elder said, a hint of disdain crossing his face.

Yufan hurriedly pulled Xingchenzi back behind him, glanced at the elder, tilted his chin up slightly, and said, "I'm sorry, Master. He doesn't know any better. If anyone is to be blamed, blame me instead!"

"Haha, how could I possibly lower myself to his level? You may withdraw now." The elder stroked his beard, placed both hands behind his waist, turned his back to them, and gazed into the distant scenery, immersing himself in the view.

"Please follow me, everyone," the junior disciple said seriously.

Fangyu squatted down halfway, placed her hands gently together, and said softly to Xingchenzi behind Yufan, "Xingchen, he thinks you lack talent, but do you really have none? Believe in yourself; you have a long path ahead of you, don't you, little Xingchen?"

"Yes, big sister," Xingchenzi replied softly. Whatever resentment remained in his heart slowly settled.

Yufan bowed slightly to the person before him and said, "Junior takes his leave."

He turned, grabbed Xingchenzi by the hand, and said, "Senior Sister, let's go! We mustn't keep the junior disciple waiting too long."

"Alright!" Fangyu, holding her sword, followed Yufan and the young disciple away from the area.

As the shadows along the winding path flickered slightly, time slipped quietly by.

"We have arrived, everyone. Though this little cottage is crude in condition, I hope you will not mind," the junior disciple recounted.

"Thank you, little brother. It is getting late, and by the way, what is your honorable name?" Yufan asked, staring intently at the person before him.

"My name is Xiaoshan. I am the last disciple of this sect; since you have arrived, I am now the fourth," Xiaoshan stated slowly.

"Well then, I shall take my leave," Xiaoshan said, expressionless.

"Understood!" The three of them standing opposite Xiaoshan nodded slowly. Xingchenzi turned his head slightly to look at the humble cottage.

"Oh right, everyone, your fellow senior brother lives here as well. He is the one you met today named 'Jian Yichen.' If you need anything, you can look for him."

"Very well!" Yufan and Fangyu nodded in agreement.

The disciple gradually walked away...

"Let's go inside!" They slowly entered the somewhat dilapidated cottage.

The cottage contained two straw compartments, and just at that moment, a strange rustling sound came from within.

Right alongside that sound, a new doorway materialized in the straw-thatched hut.

Presented before Yufan and the others was none other than the person who had been struck by the object from the sky.

Startled by the noise, Xingchenzi was taken aback, a look of fright crossing his face as he blurted out, "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Pardon me, everyone," the man said awkwardly.

"You must be... Jian Yichen!" Yufan slowly raised a hand, standing with his sword at the entrance of the cottage.

"Um—haha," Jian Yichen laughed awkwardly.

"What on earth are you doing?!" Yufan demanded.

"Please don't misunderstand, everyone. I am not a thief. I just thought this cottage was unoccupied and sitting idle, so I figured I might as well claim it, not knowing you were coming," Jian Yichen explained.

Jian Yichen's hands trembled slightly in the air; the straw he clutched tightly in his grip felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He offered an awkward smile, mixed with a hint of shyness and apology, his eyes darting restlessly about as if searching for a crack to escape the awkward atmosphere.

Yufan stood at the cottage threshold, his brow slightly furrowed, his gaze carrying both incomprehension and a trace of curiosity. He had never expected a senior brother who called himself "Jian Yichen" to pull such a stunt.

Xingchenzi wore a look of utter astonishment, his eyes widened into perfect circles as if trying to brand this scene permanently into his memory. The corners of his lips twitched upward involuntarily, making the spectacle seem both absurd and amusing.

He gently tugged at Yufan's sleeve and muttered under his breath, "This senior brother is certainly... one of a kind."

"I'll patch this right up—" Jian Yichen hurriedly hoisted the straw, dashed into the room, grabbed a needle and thread, and mended the tear until it was flawless.

Jian Yichen's room was connected to theirs. He bolted back into his own quarters, pressed a hand to his chest, and breathed, "Thank goodness, or my sterling reputation would have gone up in smoke!"

Jian Yichen stepped lightly and cautiously into his own modest cottage. The interior was crude yet tidy, with a faint, flickering candle flame casting a glow upon his slightly immature yet self-assured face.

He walked straight toward a mottled bronze mirror. Though the mirror's surface bore the marks of passing years, it seemed capable of reflecting the towering ambition within his heart.

He gently brushed the dust from the mirror's surface, staring intently at his own reflection, a smug smile gradually curving the corners of his lips.

Jian Yichen lightly smoothed the strands of hair across his forehead, as if preparing for an impending ritual of "self-admiration."

In the mirror, he possessed sword-like brows, starry eyes, and a straight bridge of the nose. Though dressed in coarse cloth garments, he could not conceal his innate heroic and untamed spirit.

As he spoke, Jian Yichen fished a delicate sewing kit from his tunic. Though small, the kit was inlaid with a few tiny gemstones that sparkled faintly in the dim candlelight, making it both practical and refined.

"These people are so annoying, arriving without notice and embarrassing me today. It's infuriating—thankfully I have my beloved needle," Jian Yichen muttered to himself.

He kissed the needle before carefully tucking it back into its pouch.

Jian Yichen tenderly slipped the exquisite sewing kit back into his robes, treating it as his most precious treasure.

He stood up, his gaze passing through the humble lattice window to look out at the tranquil night sky caressed by the moonlight.

The moonlight fell like water upon his shoulders, draping him in a layer of silver radiance.

He walked to the window, placed his hands behind his back, and let a faint smile touch his lips, though a hard-to-detect complexity lingered within it. Jian Yichen took a deep breath, as if wishing to let the night wind carry away this dissatisfaction and awkwardness.

Suddenly, his eyes brightened as he noticed a small wild flower resting unexpectedly on the windowsill, swaying gently in the night breeze and releasing a faint fragrance. He leaned down softly and picked up the flower with utmost care; its petals were soft and delicate, as though they could touch the softest part of his heart.

Without realizing it, Jian Yichen began to hum a tune from his hometown: "My home resides upon that mountain ridge, I am not from that mountain ridge..."

Jian Yichen's singing drifted softly through the quiet night, carrying a touch of homesickness and uninhibited spirit as it pierced the crude cottage and drifted into the distance.

His voice was deep and magnetic, every single note flowing as if straight from the depths of his heart, brimming with a profound yearning for his homeland.

In the moonlight, his silhouette was drawn out, weaving together with the mottled shadows of the trees outside the window to form a warm yet slightly melancholic picture.

He closed his eyes, as if able to traverse thousands of mountains and rivers to return to that small, smoke-wreathed village nestled among mountains and waters. In the song, the melody of "My home resides upon that mountain ridge, I am not from that mountain ridge..." echoed gracefully, containing both nostalgia for innocent days past and a helpless yet resilient acceptance of the present reality.

"Are you out of your mind?! That sounds so awful, I really want to hit him," Xingchenzi said angrily.

Yufan pulled Xingchenzi back and said, "Alright, alright. After all, we are relying on someone else's hospitality; lowering one's head is only reasonable."

Fangyu spoke softly and gently, "That's right, Xingchenzi. Try to understand."

"My mother is the mother across the way..." Jian Yichen stood by the windowsill, gesturing with an orchid-finger mudra as he sang at the top of his lungs.

Yufan's fury boiled within his chest, his fists clenched so tightly as if he might burst out of the cottage at any second to give Jian Yichen a "lesson."

Seeing this, Xingchenzi relied on a flash of quick wit, wrapping his legs tightly around Yufan like an agile monkey while counseling him, "Stay calm, stay calm! Senior Sister Yufan, we are cultivators, we must value harmony over everything and not lower ourselves to his level."

Fangyu appeared far more composed. She stepped forward lightly, her sword still unblades in its scabbard, and merely placed it horizontally across the doorway. This action simultaneously blocked any potential loss of control and silently preserved the peace within the cottage.

The moonlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a pale glow upon her serene countenance and adding an untouchable majesty to her demeanor.

Her gaze was gentle yet firm as she looked toward Yufan, as if saying, "Calm down, Junior Brother."

"Why must this lunatic do this?" Yufan halted his steps and asked.

"Very well, pay him no mind. I'll go take a walk," Fangyu said softly.

"Fine, I suppose," Yufan slowly pacified the anger in his heart. Xingchenzi stood up slowly and dusted off the grime from his clothes.

Fangyu took light, dainty steps as she walked outside.

Seeing her, Jian Yichen called out, "Beauty, where are you off to? Count me in!"

Xingchenzi picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it at Jian Yichen.

"Little brat, just you wait!" Jian Yichen yelled.

A surge of genuine vital energy coursed through Yufan's entire body as he shouted angrily, "Come on then! Come at me!"

Taken aback by the sight, Jian Yichen exclaimed in wide-eyed astonishment, "Temper, temper! Never mind, never mind!"

Jian Yichen bolted at full speed back into the thatched hut...

"We're leaving," Fangyu said, turning her head slightly.