Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 35: Chapter 36 Bai Yu

"A white feather..."

Du Yunlong couldn't understand why a single white feather fell from the giant azure roc soaring above them. Wang Zihan, equally perplexed, gazed at it, her previous fear dissipating, replaced by a dreamy expression. "It's a white feather... It's more pure than a snow lotus from the Heavenly Mountains, more beautiful than anything I've ever seen. Truly... breathtaking."

"I don't know why it's white, but when I saw it, even though my body was so frozen I couldn't move a finger, I had this instinct... that the feather fell from that roc. It's so massive..."

She continued, "That feather must have been hundreds of feet long. I've seen the largest of the wild beasts, but nothing even comes close to this. It drifted across the sky, and I don't know why... but the sight moved me to tears. Then, all of a sudden, it began to grow larger, swelling with the wind."

Du Yunlong listened, fascinated. This was the most bizarre story he'd ever heard, yet somehow, he believed every word. "Soon, it was no longer just a feather but..."

"It became a mountain," Wang Zihan said after a moment's thought. "No, it was like a colossal jade monument, at least several miles high. The monument was split into two parts—one half glistening white, pure as untouched snow, while the other was as dark as ink, deep as the ocean. Its blackness drew the eye, even more mesmerizing than the finest jade I've ever seen. I wanted to move, to step away, but I couldn't move a muscle. I could only watch as the jade mountain slowly descended toward me."

She shuddered as she recounted the moment. "It was enormous, crushing down from the heavens, and again, I felt so small, so helpless. I thought I would be crushed into dust beneath that mountain. But just as I braced for it, the mountain turned back into that white feather, shrinking rapidly. By the time it hovered over my head, it was no more than an inch long."

Wang Zihan's tone still carried a trace of wonder, but her eyes had returned to the present. "The feather circled my head three times before a white light enveloped me. I even heard celestial music, real music from the heavens."

"You have to understand," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "My master's cultivation has reached incredible heights, and every time she plays her spiritual tunes, it's like a blessing for the soul, a cleansing. But compared to the music I heard then, her songs are just ordinary sounds."

Du Yunlong, though he hadn't experienced it himself, felt his heart stir as he listened. He asked, "What happened to the feather?"

Wang Zihan's expression grew sadder. She pointed to her ribs. "Then, with the white light and the celestial music still in harmony, the feather slowly descended, landing on my clothing here, near my ribs. And then... it vanished. I couldn't find a trace of it after that, and that's when the trials began."

Du Yunlong started to understand. "I believe every word you've said."

"But others didn't!" she exclaimed, her frustration surfacing. "I was completely lost, stumbling back from Yan Peak, trying to make sense of it all. But no one believed me. How could they not? That azure roc's wingspan must have covered thousands of miles! Yet, they all said nothing happened. That it was just an ordinary day!"

"No one saw it—not the ordinary folk, not the warriors, not even the cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage. Everyone insisted that no giant azure roc ever flew over Yuehua Mountain. And that's when my trials truly began."

Du Yunlong gently placed a hand on her shoulder as Wang Zihan grew more emotional, recounting the changes in her life. "After that, my appetite increased, and my once slender body gained several pounds. Even my waistline grew larger."

For a refined lady like her, this was clearly one of the darkest moments of her life. "Rumors spread that I was pregnant. At first, it was just some gossipy women from the Lin family. But soon, everyone was talking about it—claiming I was carrying some illegitimate child. Only Fire Uncle believed me... but the darkness was only just beginning."

"My spiritual power... it's gone. I'm a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but now I can barely gather any spiritual energy. I can sense the flow of qi around me, but I can't control even a shred of it. It's as if I've turned into a mere mortal woman."

For a cultivator who had once embarked on the path of immortality, becoming a mere mortal was a fate worse than death. And the blows kept coming, one after another. Wang Zihan's voice trembled as she continued, "I became a mortal, and so many people—those who once hid their true selves so well—took the chance to stab me when I was at my weakest. Even..."

She paused, struggling to speak, and after a long silence, she said, "Even the man I was once betrothed to. When I needed help the most, not only did he refuse to aid me, but he accused me of disgracing his family. He wouldn't even meet me in person; he just had someone send back the marriage contract and called me a shameless woman."

As she spoke, Wang Zihan rolled up her sleeve, revealing a small patch of red on her pale skin, like a single plum blossom in the snow. "I only had some swelling in my body. My chastity mark is still here, untouched. I'm still pure, but they all said I was pregnant. I never felt sick, never heard a heartbeat. I still possess the most precious thing a woman can, and I'm still a virgin. Until today, no man has even touched a single finger of mine."

The pain and bitterness surged within her, making Wang Zihan seem almost hysterical. After rambling on for a while, she finally said, "If it weren't for Fire Uncle... He was the only one by my side. At that moment, he was the best person in the whole world..."

Wang Zihan hesitated, searching for the right words to describe Fire Qianshu, before settling on a simple phrase: "The best man in the world... We decided to head to Yuanzhou to find my brother and return to my master, to figure out what was really happening. But after only three days on the road, the Pang family came after us. We barely escaped, and then... I met you."

By now, Du Yunlong had been swept up in Wang Zihan's emotions. He took her hand, looking at her slightly swollen face, and promised, "Don't worry. Like Fire Uncle, I'll make sure you get to Yuanzhou, even if it costs me my life."

"Thank you."

Wang Zihan clung tightly to Du Yunlong's strong hands, her tension slowly easing. She looked up at him and made a vow of her own, "Believe me, I am still the same Wang Zihan—the pure disciple of the Immaculate Spirit Nun, still in the Foundation Establishment stage."

Du Yunlong nodded, offering her a comforting smile, "This is just a small bump in the road. The sun will shine on you again. Trust me."

"Thank you." Wang Zihan allowed herself a rare smile as she withdrew her hands and leaned against the wall of the temple, side by side with Du Yunlong. "You're just as reliable as Fire Uncle."

"Yeah, Fire Uncle is a good man."

Wang Zihan sighed sadly, "He really is. Both of you hide your deepest feelings so well, never sharing them with anyone. I've just shared with you the most difficult and private part of my past, but now... can you tell me the secret you're hiding in your heart?"

"I..."

Du Yunlong froze. He hadn't expected Wang Zihan to ask him that, not at this moment. But her request was so reasonable, he couldn't refuse.

What he had just heard from Wang Zihan was her most personal and intimate story, and he believed every word, just as he believed in her purity. But he didn't know how to answer her question.

The air between them grew heavy with silence until Du Yunlong finally forced a smile. "Miss Wang, everyone has their own private space. I can promise you, though, that nothing in my heart will ever hurt you. Not even a little. I mean you no harm, just as I mean no harm when I use the technique Sky Sound Underworld Thunder."

Mentioning his mastery of Sky Sound Underworld Thunder did nothing to soothe Wang Zihan's growing frustration. She had shared her most private secrets with Du Yunlong, but he refused to open up to her. "I believe you," she said, "but do you know how foolish you made me feel, not knowing about your Sky Sound Underworld Thunder technique? Do you really want me to keep stumbling around, making mistakes because I don't know? No matter how hard it is to speak, I'll keep your secret safe. I won't laugh at you or tell anyone else."

"When will you tell me everything?" she pressed. "This isn't fair. If you can't say it now, will you say it in Yuanzhou? This might be the last time we see the light of day together. Don't you want to share the sweetness and bitterness of life with me?"

"Miss Wang, this is just a matter of personal principle," Du Yunlong replied helplessly, spreading his hands. "I honestly don't know when I'll be ready to say anything. Maybe I'll take these secrets to the grave. But I promised Fire Uncle that no matter how many obstacles we face, even if I have to give my life, I will see you safely to Yuanzhou. I've never broken my word."

"Fine, then." Wang Zihan finally gave up her questioning. "I won't ask anymore. Once we get to Yuanzhou, we'll go our separate ways."

A single tear shimmered in her eyes, ready to fall.