When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 45

The most experienced healer from the Peifeng Sect was invited by Meng Wanqiu to temporarily stay at Luoxia Peak to help Lin Ji's mother recover her health. After acupuncture, medication, and using techniques to treat her, Lin Ji stayed by his mother's side until she fell asleep.

The healer told Lin Ji that his mother's illness would be somewhat difficult to treat in the mortal realm, but it wouldn't be a problem in the cultivation world. She likely suffered from excessive emotional distress and heartbreak, which led to her state of confusion. As long as she took a few more doses of the Qingxin Dan, she would be able to see Lin Ji clearly and realize that this moment was not a dream, and her heartache would gradually heal.

Hearing this, Lin Ji also wanted to take a few Qingxin Dan to see if this moment was a dream. After all, it had been many years since he had seen his loved ones who had long passed away, and their sudden appearance in front of him felt like a dream.

Lin Ji's mother, named Yu Rong, was the most renowned beauty in that city. She married into the Lin family at the peak of her youth, and it had been over twenty years since then. But now, her face was gaunt, her hands and face rough and wrinkled, looking more than twenty years older.

It had been a few years since the Lin family was wiped out, and Lin Ji couldn't bear to think about how she had survived and how she had ended up at the Peifeng Sect. He hurriedly sat beside her, holding her hands and calling out, "Mother, don't be sad. I'm still alive. This is all real, and we will never be separated again."

Meng Wanqiu returned after settling the healer and stood by for a long time before finally saying, "A Ji, don't worry. Now that you two have reunited, your mother's heartache will soon heal. You can stay by her side more and talk about the past between you two; it will help her mental recovery."

"I'll go to the Lianyao Peak and ask Elder Xiyun for a few bottles of beauty pills. Your mother's... appearance will also recover."

Indeed, without Xiaobai around, no one at Luoxia Peak could match Meng Wanqiu's emotional intelligence. He recalled how he had described Lin Ji's mother as being in her forties or fifties and wanted to bite his own tongue.

Lin Ji tucked in the blanket and got up. He initially wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but then he thought about how his mother had been beautiful all her life. If she woke up and found herself looking like this, it would surely be hard for her to bear.

In the end, Lin Ji could only bow and say, "Thank you, Master."

"What's this? Have you become distant with your master after reuniting with your mother?" Meng Wanqiu patted Lin Ji's shoulder. "You should spend more time with her these days."

In the following days, Lin Ji accompanied Yu Rong every day, repeatedly telling her that he was still alive. At first, when she couldn't see him, she would become agitated, but Lin Ji stayed by her side, serving her medicine and meals, helping her walk, and only leaving after she fell asleep.

Gradually, Yu Rong became calmer, and her once-dazed eyes began to clear up day by day. When she was able to answer some of Lin Ji's questions more clearly, he found himself at a loss for words.

His master had told him to share more stories from the past with his mother, but after thinking for a long time, Lin Ji realized he had very few stories to tell. When his mother was in a daze, he could be close to her, comforting her like a child when she was emotionally unstable. But as she gradually became more aware, Lin Ji could only sit at a respectful distance, feeling awkward and restrained.

He had also asked his mother how she had escaped the disaster and where she had been all these years. Yu Rong's account was somewhat disjointed, but she managed to explain the events clearly.

On the night the Lin family was wiped out, she had been attacked by a demon, falling down after being injured in the back. She pushed Lin Ji away, urging him to take the Jiaozhu and escape quickly, insisting he must get out. After that, she lost consciousness, and even the demon thought she was dead. But that night, it rained over the Lin family, waking her up.

She saw the blood flowing beneath her feet and screamed as she ran out. She intended to report the incident, but fainted on the way and collapsed in the grass behind a hillside. She was fortunate to be rescued by an old man who was passing by, who took her back to his farm.

When she woke up and tried to inquire about what had happened, news of the Lin family's tragedy had spread throughout the city, and the authorities were overwhelmed. Her gravestone had already been erected, and she had become a nameless person.

Lin Ji pieced the events together, realizing that his third uncle couldn't find their bodies and wanted to seize the family fortune. He likely took advantage of the situation, perhaps finding someone of similar stature to impersonate them, and held a grand funeral, solidifying the fact that Lin Ji was the only survivor of the Lin family.

"Your third uncle took control of the Lin family, and your mother didn't dare to return, so she could only stay with the farmers for now."

In the past, Lin Yu had to treat them, a mother and son, kindly for the sake of reputation. This disaster had given him the perfect opportunity to cut off the branches. If she had returned, it would have been certain death.

"It wasn't until Lin Yu disappeared that I dared to come out."

But Yu Rong and Lin Ji shared the same misunderstanding: they were unsure if the news of each other's deaths was true. Upon seeing her son's gravestone, Yu Rong thought he hadn't escaped and was heartbroken, leading her to remain in a half-dazed, half-clear state.

The kind old couple in the village continued to take care of her until one day, when she was lucid, they took her to the market to relax. There, she heard from others that the young master of the Lin family had died and come back to life.

"Mother wanted to find you, but you had already left. She didn't know where to look..."

As she spoke, Yu Rong began to sob, and Lin Ji quickly hugged her to comfort her. "I'm sorry, Mother. You've suffered..."

The news that her son might still be alive was the best medicine for Yu Rong's awakening. She also found the new residence using the special markings of the Lin family, but Lin Ji had left again.

Yu Rong remembered that Lin Ji might return to the old house in Yunzhou, so she made her way there but couldn't find him. Fortunately, she encountered an old friend of her husband's, Old Wang.

From him, she retrieved the longevity lock, but she lost track of Lin Ji again, leaving her in despair.

"Fortunately, Old Wang heard you mention that you had entered the path of cultivation and went to a place called Peifeng Sect..."

"I finally reached the foot of the immortal mountain, but no matter what, I couldn't get in..."

Meng Wanqiu, listening from the side, felt deeply moved. Yu Rong's journey to find her son was so convoluted it could fill a storybook. Moreover, she hadn't encountered any bad people along the way; to be honest, she was truly lucky.

Lin Ji, however, was taken aback. "But I didn't tell Old Wang."

Saying he was going to cultivate was almost like admitting he was crazy to a mortal. He didn't want Old Wang to know too much about him, only mentioning he planned to take the imperial examination.

"Ah..." Yu Rong was stunned, recalling for a long time before uncertainly saying, "It might have been your companion who mentioned it."

Companion...? The only companion he had was Lu Xiaobai!

Lu Xiaobai had been at the old house in Yunzhou and hadn't participated in his family matters. Only after that night with the poisonous weasel did he go to see Old Wang once with Lin Ji.

At that time, he was so angry he was dizzy, and when he said goodbye to Old Wang, he wanted to ask him to keep an eye out for the suddenly missing Boss Yu, and then he left Yunzhou.

But why would Lu Xiaobai bring up their real situation to Old Wang?

Lin Ji was busy taking care of Yu Rong and couldn't spare time for several days. Speaking of which, Lu Xiaobai hadn't left his cave for almost two months.

Putting other matters aside, such a big issue had to be communicated to Lu Xiaobai, and he should bring him to meet his mother. Although Lin Ji couldn't explain why he felt a surge of nervous excitement while planning this.

He watched Yu Rong finish her medicine and quickly got up. "Mother, I have some things to do, I’ll go first..."

"Not so fast." Unexpectedly, Meng Wanqiu held Lin Ji back. "You sit back down; we still have some things to understand."

Lin Ji had no choice but to sit back down, puzzled. "Master?"

Meng Wanqiu winked at him and used a secret sound transmission: "Don't worry, Xiaobai already knows. Do you think I could keep such a big deal from him?"

Lin Ji: "..."

If that's the case, why hadn't Lu Xiaobai come out yet? Did he really not want to see him again?

Seeing the sudden disappointment in Lin Ji's eyes, Meng Wanqiu sighed. "Give him some time."

"A Ji, Xiaobai is also an orphan. It's a good thing your mother is still alive, but hearing that news will surely complicate his feelings. He will come out to meet you when he is ready."

Meng Wanqiu continued to ask, "Madam, how did you find the Peifeng Sect?"

Lin Ji had to force himself to focus on the present. The immortal mountain was hard to find; without a connection to the immortals, an ordinary person might have heard of the Peifeng Sect but wouldn't know where it was.

Yu Rong pulled out a talisman hanging from her neck. "This item was left to me by A Ji's father. It can sense places with strong spiritual energy and also keep me safe."

With it, she learned the location of the Peifeng Sect and came here without hesitation, finally seeing her son.

Meng Wanqiu sincerely praised, "Madam Lin, your journey has truly not been easy."

But when Meng Wanqiu left, the time for the mother and son to be alone together arrived, and they faced each other, the atmosphere becoming tense.

After a long silence, Lin Ji finally spoke, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Mother. I couldn't keep your father's relics; I destroyed the Jiaozhu."

He didn't know how long it had been, but Lin Ji found himself in Yu Rong's embrace, feeling her movements were awkward and unnatural.

Yu Rong was now clear-headed, unlike when she was confused and acted on instinct. She sobbed and struggled to say, "The one who should apologize is me."

Lin Ji looked up, and Yu Rong reached out to touch his face. "The Jiaozhu being destroyed is no big deal; it wasn't a good thing. I finally understand that nothing in this world is more important than you being alive. Seeing you grow up and live in such a wonderful immortal realm makes me very happy."

"A Ji," Yu Rong said slowly, "I'm sorry."

Lin Ji stepped back from her embrace, feeling a bit at a loss. "No need, Mother, why do you say that?"

But Yu Rong insisted on apologizing. "No, there are things I must say. I can't avoid admitting my mistakes just because I'm your mother."

"I have always been lost in the sorrow of losing your father, regretting that I didn't treat you better back then."

"In the future, I won't do that anymore. I don't expect you to forgive me; I just hope we have a lot of time together so I can make up for the neglect and oversight in your upbringing."

After a long time, Lin Ji closed his eyes. "Mother, it's all in the past. What matters is the future."

Yu Rong quickly nodded. As long as they were both alive, there was always a chance to start anew.

Although Lin Ji found it somewhat ironic, feeling wronged for his past life. If only before the massacre, his mother had said such things to him and treated him like this, he would have no regrets even if he had died at that time.

The reality was that he had never received his mother's understanding before his death, carrying the obsession and guilt towards his family throughout his life.

Now that everything had been overturned and his mother was still alive, it was already the best outcome. What could he do if he didn't look forward?

As for the emotional knots from two lifetimes... forget it.

In the past few days, after recognizing each other, crying in each other's arms, and resolving past grievances, they now sat across from each other, both feeling a bit awkward.

They had gone from being distant to not very familiar, and now their conversations felt dry. After a while, Lin Ji suggested that Yu Rong take care of herself and decided to leave first.

Unknowingly, Lin Ji arrived at Lu Xiaobai's cave and found that the restrictions had disappeared; he had finished his closed-door training.

Lin Ji hurried inside, but Lu Xiaobai was not in the cave.

Lu Xiaobai was not making excuses; after hanging the closed-door sign, he had focused on his cultivation for forty-nine days, but he hadn't just stayed in the cave.

With Elder Shuhua's assistance, he had once again projected his primordial spirit out of his body, going to the back mountain of Luoxia Peak every day to absorb enough spiritual energy from the Yinjie Abyss before returning to the cave to infuse that energy into his meditating body.

Lu Xiaobai looked at his own body. "You better not hold me back."

As long as he broke through to the Golden Core stage, he could stabilize the time his primordial spirit left his body, forcibly using spiritual energy to open up his meridians and spiritual roots. By then, even if he couldn't find the third-tier spiritual herb to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill, he would still be able to successfully cleanse his spiritual roots.

Elder Shuhua floated nearby, looking at Lu Xiaobai, who was also a spiritual body, with great admiration. "You must be a reincarnation of an ancient powerful being to be so unique and extraordinary."

"You can already cultivate with your spiritual body, so what's the harm in practicing the Art of Affection along with it?"

Lu Xiaobai: "..."

Elder Shuhua was too enthusiastic, and Lu Xiaobai felt a bit reluctant. "Sigh, to be honest, I used to practice the Path of Emotionlessness."

Elder Shuhua: "Ah? I can't tell!"

Lu Xiaobai flicked his long, white hair. "This head of white hair is a result of practicing the Path of Emotionlessness."

Elder Shuhua: "Did it backfire?"

"..." Lu Xiaobai: "Didn't you say I was a powerful being reincarnated? I succeeded in my past life."

Elder Shuhua pondered for a moment, suddenly realizing that he had guessed correctly! But which powerful being was Lu Xiaobai reincarnated from? There were no records of anyone successfully practicing the Path of Emotionlessness in the history of cultivation; all were cases of failure.

"But you don't seem like someone who practiced the Path of Emotionlessness now?"

Lu Xiaobai shot him a glance. "Do you have a problem with your comprehension? Because I reincarnated, in this life, I follow my heart like the wind. It's not that I won't cultivate; when the time is right, I will make the best choice."

After Elder Shuhua understood, he was overjoyed and finally stopped urging him.

He gazed at Lu Xiaobai's primordial spirit absorbing spiritual energy in the Yinjie Abyss for a long time, suddenly exclaiming, "But Grandpa, your spiritual body truly resembles a divine being, exuding an ethereal aura."

Especially Lu Xiaobai's head of snow-white hair, flowing gracefully in the wind, was quite beautiful.

But Lu Xiaobai could only sigh at his head full of silver strands. In this life, he had to take good care of his hair; he preferred it to be long and black!

Lu Xiaobai continued his closed-door training for forty-nine days before he had time to listen to the sound transmission talisman that Meng Wanqiu sent in.

Before closing the door, Lu Xiaobai had gone to the library to look at the books on seal carving, and while helping Meng Wanqiu, he had casually mentioned:

"Old man, once I save enough capital, I want to buy a big house for my worldly cultivation. Even if I don't live there all the time, I definitely want to travel around and enjoy life. But everyone needs a home."

Meng Wanqiu scoffed and laughed, "With such little ambition, you at least need to reach the Nascent Soul stage to have enough lifespan to enjoy the life you want. You still have a long way to go."

Lu Xiaobai: "I don't care; that's my plan. Once I resolve the demon poison, you can come with me to enjoy retirement. Haven't you been at the Peifeng Sect for hundreds of years? Aren't you tired of it?"

Meng Wanqiu raised his book and tapped Lu Xiaobai on the head, but Lu Xiaobai dodged. "Who are you calling old?"

Meng Wanqiu lowered his gaze, a hint of suspicious redness appearing on his face as he muttered to himself, "I can't grow old; I still want to rekindle my past with the fairy who saved me back then! Even if I’m not at the Peifeng Sect, I will definitely travel around looking for her. How can I stay with my disciple all day?"

Meng Wanqiu thought Lu Xiaobai was just asking casually, and he was also speaking casually. As he imagined it in his mind, he had already begun to yearn for it. He turned to look at Lu Xiaobai for affirmation, only to see his disciple pause while organizing the books, his eyes downcast.

A fleeting expression crossed Lu Xiaobai's face before he quickly returned to normal. "Old man, if you maintain this mindset, you will never grow old."

After days of early rising and late sleeping for cultivation, Lu Xiaobai felt particularly tired and slept for several days. During the day, he sat in the tree in the back courtyard of the cave, zoning out.

Lu Xiaobai gently stroked the head of the Yan Yu Shou, seeing it tilt its head and nuzzle against him, and he chuckled softly.

But inside, he felt an immense emptiness, wanting to sigh deeply. The old man had always had a thought pulling at him, even though he didn't know when he would find the fairy, he was filled with anticipation and hope for the future.

Now that Lin Ji had a place to return to, no matter how far he went in the future, at least there was a mother waiting for him at home. No matter when he looked back, he wouldn't be alone.

Most people in the world had their own goals and places to return to, but he felt like he had nothing in his heart.

Lu Xiaobai asked the Yan Yu Shou, "Do you know how old I am? The body that confines me is not even twenty, but my heart has already grown old."

Lu Xiaobai chatted with the Yan Yu Shou to relieve his boredom when he suddenly heard footsteps nearby.

After spending a long time with the same person, he could even recognize their footsteps.

Lu Xiaobai looked up and smiled. "Congratulations."

Lin Ji had searched the cave and finally found Lu Xiaobai in the back courtyard.

It had only been a few dozen days since they last met, but seeing Lu Xiaobai's face again made Lin Ji feel a bit dazed, as if a long time had passed.

Lu Xiaobai jumped down from the tree and stretched. "I've been cooped up inside for too long; it's time to go out for a stroll!"

Lin Ji took the initiative to walk alongside him, tentatively suggesting, "Then I'll accompany you for a walk."

Lu Xiaobai: "Sure."

The two walked along Luoxia Peak for a long time, and the amount they talked was less than what they usually discussed in a single incense stick's time.

Lin Ji, however, was undeterred, finding topics to talk about and actively sharing recent events with Lu Xiaobai.

He realized that in a relationship, both parties needed to be proactive, or at least one person had to take the initiative to maintain the connection. Keeping the active person engaged with someone who wasn't inclined to be proactive was actually quite exhausting.

In the past, he had been the indifferent one, but now the roles had reversed.

Lin Ji asked, "How have you been lately?"

Lu Xiaobai crossed his hands behind his head and looked at him. "I just closed the door for a while; nothing much has changed. I'm still the same as before."

Lin Ji pressed on, "How's your cultivation going?"

Lu Xiaobai replied, "It's definitely improved a lot, though it probably doesn't mean much to you."

Lin Ji quickly explained, "I didn't think that. It's great that you can stabilize your cultivation and break through soon, but don't overexert yourself. Take care of your health first."

"…"

Actually, Lu Xiaobai was also a bit confused by Lin Ji.

He thought that after that day, they had torn off the facade, bringing all the suppressed words to the surface, and there was no need to continue pretending to be close.

At most, they would act in front of the old man, and privately, they could just be themselves.

After all, Lin Ji didn't have feelings for him. Even if he felt guilty for a moment, he could gradually return to the attitude he had when he first entered the sect, and that would be enough for both of them to feel comfortable.

So why did Lin Ji come to find him, talking about trivial matters and appearing to care about him?

Lu Xiaobai thought for a moment and raised his head. "By the way, do you know where your mother is staying at Luoxia Peak? As a guest, I should go pay my respects."

Lin Ji lowered his gaze. "There's no need to worry about that; just follow your heart. Even if you don't go, I will greet my mother on your behalf."

Lu Xiaobai looked at him in surprise.

Lin Ji suddenly met his gaze, tightening his fists. He felt there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Even his mother had apologized for how she treated him in the past; he was still young, so what was there to be ashamed of?

"Xiaobai, I've been reflecting lately. In the past, you always tolerated me while I only cared about my own feelings without considering your thoughts. I won't do that anymore."

After a moment, Lu Xiaobai changed the subject. "…Take me to see your mother."

Seeing that Lu Xiaobai's tone remained gentle but his smile didn't reach his eyes, Lin Ji knew he still cared.

But he had recently understood a principle: not everything needed to be clarified, and not every doubt needed to be probed to the bottom.

Forcing others to say what they didn't want to say or answer questions they didn't want to answer was also a form of coercion.

Lin Ji's actions indeed surprised Lu Xiaobai, and the pent-up frustration in his heart suddenly dissipated a lot.

But his recent behavior wasn't entirely a gamble on that day's anger.

He had suddenly realized something: he and Lin Ji seemed to be incompatible, not on the same path.

Whether in temperament or ambition, they were worlds apart. Lin Ji wanted to be the best in the cultivation world, while he only wanted to achieve success and retire, living a leisurely life.

Even if they reconciled and returned to how they were before the ruins, they would eventually part ways. If they couldn't walk hand in hand to the end, why create dependencies that would lead to later pain?

He would miss Lin Ji, which was why he felt that it was enough to be good fellow disciples in the future.

Even without that argument, they would eventually say goodbye. Neither of them was the type to compromise for others.

But upon hearing Lin Ji soften his stance, he felt a sense of reluctance beginning from that moment.

Yu Rong was staying in a guest room at Luoxia Peak. Recently, she had been in good spirits and felt embarrassed to just sit idly, so she often did some light tasks like watering the herbs and trimming branches.

Meng Wanqiu couldn't dissuade her, so he let her be.

When Lin Ji brought Lu Xiaobai to visit, she was just returning with a basket of vegetables and fruits harvested from the spiritual field.

Yu Rong had already regained her former appearance, looking like she was in her thirties now, with delicate features typical of southern women.

Lu Xiaobai realized why the old man had guessed the relationship between Madam Lin and Lin Ji so quickly; they really looked alike, both strikingly memorable.

Lin Ji hurriedly stepped forward to take the basket from his mother. Yu Rong wiped her sweat and smiled gently, but when she saw Lu Xiaobai, her pupils constricted.

She froze for a long time, and Lin Ji looked over in confusion, feeling a bit nervous. "Mother, what's wrong?"

Yu Rong shook her head. "It's nothing. This must be your senior brother, right?"

Lu Xiaobai stepped forward to greet her, and Yu Rong quickly responded, "Ah, A Ji, go inside and make a pot of tea for your senior brother. You mustn't forget the etiquette I taught you."

After Lin Ji went inside to brew tea, Yu Rong quickly invited Lu Xiaobai to sit at the outdoor table and scrutinized him a few times. "A Ji often mentions you to me. Seeing you in person is much better than hearing about you; you truly are a gentleman of great demeanor."

Lu Xiaobai humbly replied, "Auntie is too kind."

Yu Rong hesitated. "But I always feel like you look somewhat familiar."

Lu Xiaobai replied, "Perhaps I just caught your eye. I also find Auntie very approachable."

Yu Rong was delighted. "Is that so? You really know how to flatter."

When Lin Ji returned with the tea, he saw the two already chatting happily, picking vegetables and talking. Lu Xiaobai seemed to be more familiar with his mother than he was.

Lin Ji: "……"