The Young Lady Only Wants to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 45

A gust of wind swept across the wild grasses growing unrestrainedly on the plains. The grasses, swaying with the wind, brushed haphazardly against Gu Jingyang’s legs.
For the first time, she found the autumn wind irritating. These wildly dancing grasses were like chaotic tendrils scrambling through her heart, their sharp, thin tips poking at her wildly beating heart, on and off.
“F-u-t-u-r-e D-a-o C-o-m-p-a-n-i-o-n?”
She almost bit through her teeth, repeating A’Ling’s words one syllable at a time. She recognized all four words individually, but in the current context, she truly doubted if the phrase had some other meaning.
A’Ling had already closed her eyes as the gust of wind arrived, tilting her head back to enjoy the pleasant sensation of the autumn breeze brushing past her under the warm sunlight.
The sky was vast, the clouds leisurely, and the scent of green grass filled the air. It had been a long time since she had felt such ease.
She simply pulled Gu Jingyang down to sit on the grass with her, then lay back with her hand as a pillow.
Once she lay down, A’Ling turned her head to look at Gu Jingyang, who sat unmoving beside her, and smiled freely, “Yes, my future dao companion.”
She thought her idea was excellent, and her luck was also good. She had just entered the inner sect and already met Lan Fushang, who would later become a peak master.
Thinking of Lan Fushang’s future Soul Transformation realm cultivation, A’Ling smiled even more brightly. If they could dual cultivate together in the future, wouldn’t it yield twice the results with half the effort?
She truly was farsighted. Now that Lan Fushang was still just a minor cultivator, she would make her move. There were no competitors. Once Lan Fushang became a peak master, there would be many who wished to form a dao companionship with her.
How much effort would it take to make a move then? The more A’Ling thought about it, the more she felt her wisdom deserved such good fortune.
Gu Jingyang gazed at A’Ling’s figure nestled in the green grass, feeling the overflowing happiness from within her. Watching A’Ling’s lips, which had been curved upward since just now, the wild grasses tangled in her own heart seemed to be blown into question marks, one by one.
She wondered if she had missed something. Had she accidentally entered some barrier during her brief departure earlier, and it hadn’t been just a moment, but several decades?
Otherwise, how could A’Ling have made such a significant decision in such a short time?
And where did that Lan Fushang come from? Just now, seeing A’Ling’s overly attentive manner around Lan Fushang had been quite an eyesore.
Gu Jingyang shifted, turning to face A’Ling directly, looking as if she intended to get to the bottom of the matter.
“You’ve known that Lan Fushang for a long time?”
Gu Jingyang’s movement made some weeds near A’Ling’s head brush against her face.
A’Ling felt an itch beside her face. She casually pulled out the weeds there and found tiny, rice-grain-sized purple flowers on them, which looked quite pretty.
She sat up and realized there were many beautiful small wildflowers growing around where she had been lying.
A’Ling’s eyes lit up. She instinctively plucked these flowers, thinking she could give them to Lan Fushang later.
Hearing Gu Jingyang’s question, A’Ling replied while picking out pretty flowers, “Not really. Strictly speaking, we just met.”
In her previous life, she and Lan Fushang only had a brief encounter and never even exchanged names.
Seeing A’Ling’s nonchalant expression, Gu Jingyang felt her heart seize up. “You just met them, and you’re already going to become dao companions with them?!”
A’Ling tidied up a small handful of flowers, removing excess leaves. “Not exactly. We just met. If I were to tell her now that I want to be her dao companion, she might not agree. I just have this intention, and I’ll gradually work towards it.”
After speaking, A’Ling handed the bouquet to Gu Jingyang to see. “Look, do these mixed flowers look good? I plan to give them to Lan Fushang. Do you think she likes flowers?”
A’Ling looked at the bouquet in her hand, a little hesitant. She had only heard that Lan Fushang liked medicinal herbs, and she wasn’t sure if she liked these small wildflowers.
Gu Jingyang looked at the haphazardly colored wildflowers and the stray weeds peeking out from under her eyelids. She swatted them away and grabbed A’Ling’s other free hand.
As she activated a cultivation art, Gu Jingyang’s fingers firmly clasped A’Ling’s index and middle fingers. “Clear eyes dispel illusions, mind clear and vision bright, manifest!”
A golden light emanated from their fingertips, shining even more dazzlingly in the sunlight.
“I want to see what kind of demonic art that person named Lan has cast on you!”
To make A’Ling care so much after just meeting? Gu Jingyang didn’t know if Lan Fushang liked flowers, but she liked flowers, and A’Ling hadn’t thought to pick her a bouquet. What right did that person named Lan have?
Gu Jingyang swiftly drew a talisman on A’Ling’s palm.
A’Ling’s hand throbbed with pain, making her hiss and gasp, “Hiss, it hurts so much!”
She struggled to pull her hand free from Gu Jingyang’s grasp, but Gu Jingyang stubbornly held on.
After a good while, the talisman on A’Ling’s palm dissipated like smoke, leaving nothing on her empty hand. A’Ling still looked pained, and nothing unusual had appeared.
A’Ling knew Gu Jingyang had probably misunderstood. She forcefully pulled her hand back and clutched it to her chest, preventing Gu Jingyang from doing it again.
“What are you thinking? I’m not under any demonic art.”
A’Ling couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, not expecting Gu Jingyang to jump to such a strange conclusion.
Seeing that A’Ling wasn’t under a demonic art, Gu Jingyang felt a slight sense of relief, but she still couldn’t understand A’Ling’s rather outrageous idea. “If you’re not under a demonic art, then why are you talking nonsense? Do you even know what a dao companion is? How can you just casually choose someone like this?!”
A’Ling’s face was still twisted from the lingering pain. “Of course, I know.” And she definitely knew more than Gu Jingyang.
“Forming a dao companionship is like getting married in the mortal realm. The difference is that mortal marriages can be regretted, but a dao companionship is a soul contract. Unless one’s soul is dispersed, this contract remains eternal.” A’Ling paused here. “Of course, there are ways to dissolve it, but the cost is extremely severe.”
Gu Jingyang snorted coldly. “Since you know all that, how can you be so rash?!” Although she had always known A’Ling often had some outlandish and unreliable ideas, she never expected her to be this ridiculous.
The pain in A’Ling’s palm finally subsided. Hearing this, she felt a little indignant. She was clearly preparing for a rainy day, diligently planning for the future.
Before she could explain, Gu Jingyang asked with a serious expression, “Do you like Lan Fushang?”
A’Ling nodded. “Yes, I do.” Why else would she want to choose her as a dao companion if she didn’t like her?
Gu Jingyang was astonished. “You just met her, and you already like her? What do you like about her?”
A’Ling felt there was nothing she couldn’t tell Gu Jingyang. “She’s a good person, and more importantly, she’ll be very strong in the future.”
Gu Jingyang had just considered all sorts of possibilities in her mind, but never this reason. She narrowed her eyes and looked up at A’Ling, the light in her eyes like a field of grass swayed by the wind.
“That’s it?”
A’Ling looked confused. “Not enough?”
Gu Jingyang was even more confused than her. “Enough?!”
A’Ling nodded. “Enough.”
Gu Jingyang took a deep breath. She thought of the curses A’Ling often uttered, and she felt like cursing too. She even wanted to pry open A’Ling’s skull to see if it was filled with tofu brains, or perhaps the moldy kind.
She forcefully exhaled the breath she had taken in, staring directly into A’Ling’s eyes, her gaze filled with vexation.
“If that’s enough, then why didn’t you choose me?”
A’Ling’s eyes widened. Her hand, which had been reaching for the small wildflowers that had just fallen to the ground, froze in mid-air. She looked up at Gu Jingyang in confusion, seemingly not understanding what she meant by the question.
Gu Jingyang thought of A’Ling’s past words, how she had said Gu Jingyang would be very strong in the future. Surely, she couldn’t have lost out because she wasn’t a good person?!
“Am I not a good person? Or will I not be strong enough in the future? If those reasons are enough, then why isn’t it me?”
When Gu Jingyang asked this question, her face was taut, devoid of the usual gentleness and indulgence she showed A’Ling. She looked deeply hurt.
From the very beginning of their acquaintance, she had found A’Ling to be very special, and being friends with A’Ling was quite interesting.
During their time in the outer sect, they had discussed many things, but A’Ling had never mentioned any intention of seeking a dao companion.
Now, such an idea had suddenly appeared like a bolt from the blue, and a candidate had even been chosen.
Thinking of A’Ling revolving around that Lan Fushang, who had appeared out of nowhere, the wildly growing grasses in Gu Jingyang’s heart felt like tiny saws, cutting and grinding back and forth.
If A’Ling was choosing a dao companion based on just those two reasons, then why not her? Although she hadn’t considered it before.
She didn’t believe Lan Fushang was stronger than her. An inexplicably appearing person, whose intentions were unknown – by what right could she take away someone Gu Jingyang valued?
A’Ling looked at Gu Jingyang’s serious expression and was momentarily speechless. She detected the sadness in Gu Jingyang’s tone, and her heart tightened.
“It’s just… it wouldn’t be suitable, right?”
Gu Jingyang gazed deeply at A’Ling, insisting on an answer. “How is it not suitable? Am I not as good as that Lan Fushang?”
A’Ling quickly shook her head. “How could that be? You’re much stronger than Lan Fushang.”
She was speaking the truth. In every aspect, Gu Jingyang was very strong. In her previous life, the only person stronger than her was Shi Qingqian.
However, she wasn’t trying to pick the strongest person. More importantly, Gu Jingyang didn’t even need a dao companion.
For example, right now, she had loving parents. Gu Hongjue took meticulous care of Gu Jingyang, and Gu Jiangxue, through her own actions and example, had raised Gu Jingyang into a very outstanding child.
She lacked for nothing: she had friends, many people who loved her, her own hobbies, high talent, and considerable achievements in cultivation arts. Why would she need to find a dao companion?
She patted Gu Jingyang’s shoulder, knowing well that her current sadness was like a child’s jealousy, wanting to prove her importance in her friend’s heart.
“You’re great, and I like you too. You’re my best friend, someone very important to me.”
A’Ling’s expression was solemn, and she spoke very earnestly. She truly felt this way in her heart.
Since her reincarnation, meeting Gu Jingyang had been the start of her good fortune. Gu Jingyang was also her first true friend. A’Ling even secretly felt that Gu Jingyang was perhaps even more important than her future dao companion.
Gu Jingyang was someone with whom she had no contract, and she didn’t worry about her leaving.
Gu Jingyang lowered her eyes, looking at the cherished affection in A’Ling’s gaze. The discomfort in her heart eased considerably.
She watched the weeds by her legs gradually return to their original state after the wind stopped, each seemingly clinging blade of grass actually having its own place.
When she raised her head again, the smile on her face was the one A’Ling most commonly saw.
“You said it yourself. Don’t just have your dao companion in your heart later on,” Gu Jingyang said, feigning lightness.
A’Ling smiled. “Don’t worry, if you both fall into a river, I’ll definitely save you first.”
Gu Jingyang pursed her lips and smiled. She knew how to float, and why would a Golden Core cultivator like her fall into a river?
But that wasn’t the point. She thought of another question: “Does that Lan Fushang like you too?”
Seeing Gu Jingyang smile, A’Ling felt much lighter. “Well, I’m working on it, aren’t I?”
Proximity breeds affection; sooner or later, Lan Fushang would agree to form a dao companionship with her.
A’Ling thought that forming a dao companionship sooner would mean they could dual cultivate sooner, which would also help advance their cultivation sooner.
Thinking of dual cultivation, A’Ling’s mind uncontrollably recalled her dual cultivation with Shi Qingqian. If it weren’t for the tragic ending, the feeling before that had actually been quite magical. At this thought, A’Ling’s scalp tingled, and Shi Qingqian’s face, along with the alluring red mole at the corner of her eye, involuntarily appeared in her mind…
She quickly stopped her imagination, jumped up from the ground, and dusted off the grass clippings.
“I’m going to deliver the flowers. Do you want to come with me?” A’Ling asked, smiling as she waved the bouquet in her hand.
Gu Jingyang looked disdainfully at the handful of small wildflowers A’Ling held in her hand—the chaotic colors, the uneven stems, and the green leaves that were already somewhat overpowering the flowers.
She reached out her hand. “Give them to me.”
A’Ling: ?
Did Gu Jingyang want them too?
A’Ling hesitated for less than a second before handing them to Gu Jingyang. Since she wanted them, she could have them. On such a large open space, plucking another bouquet wouldn’t take much effort.
Gu Jingyang immediately knew A’Ling had misunderstood from her expression. “I wouldn’t want something you intend to give to someone else.”
As she spoke, she began to sort through the messy pile of small wildflowers in her hand, rearranging their positions according to flower size and color.
She also discarded many weeds with excessive leaves, leaving only a few to serve as accents around the bouquet.
In a short while, she handed the bouquet back to A’Ling.
When A’Ling took the bouquet back, it looked completely different from when she had handed it to Gu Jingyang. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she would have thought Gu Jingyang had picked her a new bouquet.
“It’s beautiful! Gu Jingyang, you’re so amazing! It’s so beautiful I almost don’t want to give it away,” A’Ling exclaimed exaggeratedly.
Gu Jingyang narrowed her eyes. “Alright then, you can keep it for yourself.”
A’Ling’s smile froze. She had overdone the flattery. But she wasn’t embarrassed. “Such a beautiful bouquet would be wasted in my hands. Of course, it must be given to someone who will appreciate it.”
Gu Jingyang let out a light snort. “And Lan Fushang is someone who will appreciate it?”
A’Ling thought about the future: one was her friend, the other her dao companion. They would surely have to get along, so she intended to establish a good image for Lan Fushang in Gu Jingyang’s mind.
“Exactly. She usually loves medicinal herbs, so she must like these flowers too. When I give them to her later, I’ll be sure to say you helped arrange them. She’ll definitely praise your good taste.”
Gu Jingyang didn’t want Lan Fushang’s praise at all. She would have to go inquire about this mysteriously appearing Lan Fushang later.
“Alright, you go ahead. I need to go find my mother too.”
After they parted ways, A’Ling went straight to the foot of Panyan Mountain, where medical cultivators cultivated medicinal herbs. A’Ling found Lan Fushang in an inconspicuous corner, picking up medicinal herbs from the ground.
A’Ling looked at the scattered medicinal herbs and the arrogant figure standing on them, and a fierce glint gradually appeared in her eyes.
Meanwhile, after bidding farewell to A’Ling, Gu Jingyang went straight to Warm Tower Mountain. Her mother had once been a disciple of Heng Qingyi, the master of Warm Tower Cave Abode.
As a Abode Master, Heng Qingyi’s cultivation had now reached the late Nascent Soul stage, and a further breakthrough would allow her to reach the Soul Transformation realm.
However, her five-hundred-year lifespan was nearing its end, and she showed no signs of a breakthrough.
Her life was now essentially on a countdown.
Cultivators were different from mortals. Mortals still had reincarnation after death, but for cultivators, death was simply the end. Thus, for mortals, cultivating to immortality was stepping onto a path of no return.
They could only continuously cultivate to seek breakthroughs. Otherwise, like fallen leaves, they would wither away, and nothing would remain.
Heng Qingyi was one of the more open-minded among them, feeling that five hundred years were equivalent to five mortal lifetimes, and she wasn’t overly fixated on breaking through.
As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart. Gu Jingyang felt a fondness for Heng Qingyi the moment she saw her, sensing that just looking at her serene face made her own mindset much more open.
She knew Heng Qingyi was nearly five hundred years old, yet the person before her looked no older than a mortal in their thirties. If not for the world-weariness and sagely wisdom in her eyes, Gu Jingyang would never have believed the person before her was over four hundred years old.
She felt respect in her heart and sincerely bowed to Heng Qingyi.
Heng Qingyi smiled as she looked at Gu Jingyang’s face, which resembled her beloved disciple’s. They had just been discussing Gu Jingyang, and seeing her now, she truly was an excellent junior.
“She’s talented, and her spiritual roots look good too.”
Heng Qingyi could tell at a glance that Gu Jingyang was talented and had a righteous gaze. Her future cultivation realm was surely destined to surpass Gu Jiangxue’s.
Perhaps even hers.
Gu Jiangxue was happy to hear her master praise Gu Jingyang, but she remained very humble on the surface: “Master, you flatter her. Talent isn’t everything. In the future, I must still ask for your continued guidance.”
Mothers always hoped their children’s paths would have fewer obstacles, and they would try to lay down planks over any pitfalls their children might encounter.
Gu Jingyang, too, was seeing her mother soften her stance like this for the first time, asking others to look after her more.
Although her mother hadn’t been strict with her before, she had always demanded independence, telling her to walk her own path. Even entering Hongjian Academy, she had relied on her own strength.
She hadn’t expected her mother to say such words.
Gu Jingyang’s heart felt a bit sour, but also warm, as if immersed in a hot spring.
How could Heng Qingyi not know her beloved disciple’s nature? To be a high-level demon subduer, her temperament was naturally more resolute than others.
She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Jiangxue truly is a good mother.”
Gu Jiangxue smiled faintly. “You are also a good master, always protecting us juniors. In my heart, I consider you like a mother.”
Gu Jingyang chuckled from the side, “Then doesn’t that make Abode Master Heng my maternal grandmother?”
All three burst out laughing.
After she stopped laughing, Heng Qingyi said softly, “After the Soaring Rainbow Tower Assessment in a month, once Jingyang passes, she can come here to me.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Jiangxue, along with Gu Jingyang, bowed to Heng Qingyi once more, her face filled with gratitude.
“Coincidentally, Crane Gate opens once every five years, and the Soaring Rainbow Tower holds an assessment once every three years for the twelve Cave Abodes to select disciples. This year, they all happen to coincide.”
Heng Qingyi nodded slightly. “Indeed, it’s that time of year again for new disciples to arrive at the Cave Abodes. I wonder if there are any new cultivators with excellent talent and spiritual roots among this year’s batch.”
She finished speaking and looked at Gu Jingyang. “Jingyang, have you met anyone more outstanding than you?”
Gu Jingyang nodded honestly. “In the outer sect academy, there was someone more outstanding than me.”
“Oh?” Heng Qingyi hadn’t expected there to be such a person. “What’s their cultivation level?”
Gu Jingyang wasn’t entirely sure. “Above the Nascent Soul stage.” Shi Qingqian’s spatial transfer spell would require at least Nascent Soul cultivation.
A flicker of shock passed through Heng Qingyi’s calm eyes. “Such talent!”
The reason the outer sect selection was set at the Golden Core stage was because it was already difficult for mortals to achieve Golden Core cultivation. In the past thousand years, those in the outer sect who reached the Nascent Soul stage could probably be counted on one hand.
Heng Qingyi continued to ask, “Do you know which path that person intends to choose?”
Gu Jingyang thought for a moment. “Likely the Sword Dao.”
Heng Qingyi couldn’t tell if it was regret or relief, “Then they are fated not to join our spiritual arts cultivation Cave Abode. You must perform well in the Soaring Rainbow Tower Assessment. In the future, Warm Tower Cave Abode will depend on you.”
Gu Jingyang solemnly assented.
Just then, a messenger from Spring Water Peak arrived, stating that the Peak Master was aware of the demonic beast anomaly Gu Jiangxue had reported. The Peak Master instructed Heng Qingyi to have the newcomers handle the matter after the Soaring Rainbow Tower Assessment, giving them an opportunity for practical experience.
After the messenger left, Heng Qingyi instructed Gu Jingyang, “You heard it. You must do your best in the assessment to get this chance to deal with the demonic beast anomaly. With this achievement, it will be easier to gain the respect of others in the future.”
After agreeing, Gu Jingyang asked Heng Qingyi if she could bring her friend along.
“If you form a team, you are free to choose your members. However, before that, you must tell your friend to keep a low profile and avoid drawing attention, lest it lead to unnecessary rumors.”
Gu Jingyang happily agreed. At this time, she still didn’t know that A’Ling’s name had already spread throughout Panyan Mountain.
After A’Ling understood that the cultivator bullying Lan Fushang at Panyan Mountain’s herbal pavilion was a habitual bully, she summoned Little Wandering and knocked the person down in a few quick moves.
She stepped on the hand that the cultivator had used to destroy Lan Fushang’s medicinal herbs, making an example of them, and also warned the other people in the herbal pavilion, telling everyone that if anyone dared to bully Lan Fushang in the future, they would be going against her.
Finally, she even whipped the ground a few times with Little Wandering. The weeds on the spot instantly turned scorched black, as if swept by a raging fire.
When Gu Jingyang found out, she didn’t know whether to say Lan Fushang was prone to trouble, or A’Ling loved to seek it out.
But no matter what, her dislike for Lan Fushang grew even stronger.
For the next month, A’Ling and Lan Fushang were inseparable, not only going to Soaring Rainbow Tower to cultivate together, but also gathering and processing medicinal herbs together.
Occasionally, they would even learn sword-riding together.
Gu Jingyang’s displeasure grew by the day, and her gaze towards Lan Fushang became sharper each day.
She missed Shi Qingqian. If Shi Qingqian were here, perhaps she wouldn’t be the only one feeling miserable.
She wondered what Shi Qingqian’s reaction would be if she knew A’Ling had found herself a future dao companion right after entering Mystic Crane Mountain.
Gu Jingyang narrowed her eyes. Thinking about it, she felt a strange flicker of excitement.
Shi Qingqian entered the inner sect on the very last day before Crane Gate was about to close.
On this day, Gu Jingyang, A’Ling, and the bothersome Lan Fushang returned to A’Ling’s dwelling together.
Gu Jingyang had been spending her recent days lingering at A’Ling’s place until A’Ling finally had to urge her to leave.
Firstly, she was indeed bored. Secondly, she was worried about Lan Fushang, who lived next door to A’Ling. During the day, they were almost like conjoined twins, so she hoped they wouldn’t stick together at night.
The three arrived at the dwelling by sword-riding. Just as Gu Jingyang was about to enter the house with A’Ling, she heard Lan Fushang exclaim in surprise, “It seems a new person has moved into the empty room on my other side.”
No sooner had her words fallen than Shi Qingqian, clad in white robes, slowly emerged from that room.