Chapter 242: Opportunity |
At the entrance to the dark path, Yu Ling kicked a pebble impatiently.
“That Chen Yin… he’s been gone for ages. Ugh, I’m so bored!”
She swatted a lurking monster, then lay down on the path, staring up at the sky.
“Come out and play with me! I’m bored!”
“Come out! Or I’ll throw a tantrum!”
Just as she was about to start rolling around on the ground, a tired voice came from above.
“If you’re going to throw a tantrum, keep it down. I’m tired too.”
Yu Ling looked up and saw Chen Yin standing there.
Unlike before, his eyes were now filled with exhaustion and a hint of emptiness, his usual cheerful smile gone.
“Whoa.”
Yu Ling jumped up and looked at him with a strange expression.
“Did you… get… used in there?”
“Big Sister, can’t you think of something more appropriate?”
Chen Yin shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
“Huh? Did you get taller?” Yu Ling asked, tilting her head slightly. His face also seemed less childish, his Adam’s apple more prominent.
Chen Yin didn’t answer, just smiled wryly.
He couldn’t tell her…
…that he had spent almost a year inside Ephemeral Mountain.
The Immortal Venerable, a true eccentric from ancient times, had devised countless methods, some reasonable, some terrifying, and some outright inhumane, to help him comprehend the Dao without losing himself.
It had been a year of hellish training.
Before agreeing to the Immortal Venerable’s offer, Chen Yin hadn’t realized just how many crazy ideas that small head of his could contain.
Fortunately, he had died before he could implement them all.
But it wasn’t a complete waste. After countless trials and tribulations, they had found a few methods that were both effective and relatively safe.
And Chen Yin’s understanding of the Dao of Life and Death had improved significantly.
More importantly, before he left, the Immortal Venerable had grinned and given him a token.
“This is a Mystic Immortal Token. Infuse it with spiritual energy, and you can enter Ephemeral Mountain anytime, from anywhere. It’s always open for you now~ And since time flows differently here, you can come and cultivate whenever you like~ And maybe we can find more ways to prevent… losing oneself, heehee…”
Even now, recalling the Immortal Venerable’s creepy smile, Chen Yin shuddered.
…He wasn’t planning on returning anytime soon.
Yu Ling looked him up and down, then scoffed.
“You might be taller, but you’re still a little brat.”
“Let’s go. The others might be back by now.”
Chen Yin nodded and followed her.
As they walked back, Yu Ling asked casually,
“So… did you encounter any danger in there?”
“Are you worried about me, Big Sister?”
Yu Ling blushed slightly and patted her chest. “As Big Sister, I have to care about my little brothers, right?”
“It wasn’t dangerous. But I didn’t find any opportunities either.”
No danger? That’s good. Yu Ling was relieved, but she quickly changed the subject, her voice slightly louder. “If something happened to you, I would be in trouble! Your swordsman father would come looking for me!”
Her cheeks flushed slightly, like a freshly baked cake.
“Are you scared, Big Sister?”
“I’m not scared!”
Yu Ling protested immediately. “Even if your father is a Dao Comprehending Sword Cultivator, we’d have to fight to see who’s stronger! I might not be able to defeat him, but he might not be able to defeat me either!”
“I just…” Her voice softened. “I would feel responsible if something happened to you. After all, you trusted me and followed me.”
Chen Yin smiled at her childish sense of responsibility.
But it was just like his Master.
That carefree and irresponsible loli granny always became surprisingly reliable and dependable when it mattered.
He liked that about her.
“Because you are reliable, Big Sister.”
“Really?” She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Yu Ling’s voice was cheerful, her steps lighter.
“Just a compliment is enough to make you so happy?”
“What?!” she glared at him playfully. “I’m a girl! Of course, I like being praised!”
Chen Yin chuckled and nodded.
“I know, I know… Ah, they’re back.”
The teenagers were emerging from the path.
“Hey! Big Sister! Chen Yin!”
Xiao Luo and Hu Li were running towards them, their voices filled with excitement. “We’re back!”
“No casualties, good,” Yu Ling nodded with satisfaction. “Any luck?”
The teenagers started talking all at once, their voices overlapping excitedly.
“One at a time!”
“Big Sister! We found something!” Xiao Luo said, his face beaming. “Something amazing! A great opportunity!”
“Oh, really?” Yu Ling’s eyes lit up. “What is it?”
Chen Yin stared at them, his mouth slightly agape.
…Impossible.
Both paths were dead ends.
There was nothing there.
How could they—
Xiao Luo was too excited to speak, so Hu Li continued,
“It’s something incredible!”
“It’s called… a Heavenly Dao Fragment!”