From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 57 A tacit understanding

I turned around abruptly and saw Madam Chu standing behind me with a meaningful smile, holding a gold-embossed invitation in her hand. What was she doing here? Puzzled, I didn't show it, but simply asked calmly, "Madam Chu, what brings you here?"

Madam Chu did not answer my question directly. Instead, she handed me the invitation card, her tone carrying a subtle meaning: "This was specially instructed by my husband to be given to the Immortal Venerable. It seems that the Immortal Venerable is not here right now, is he?"

I took the invitation and understood the reason for it at a glance. It turned out that Sect Leader Qin had invited Wen Chen to a banquet the next day, saying it was to celebrate the acceptance of a newly gifted disciple. I sneered inwardly. When did Sect Leader Qin change his ways and actually invite Wen Chen? There must be more to this than meets the eye.

"Yao'er, don't pay any attention to her." A familiar voice sounded behind me, gentle yet powerful, with a hint of barely perceptible coldness.

I turned around and saw that Wen Chen had returned to my side at some point. His face was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, but the chill emanating from him made me realize that he was already angry.

"What the Immortal Venerable says is true. I was too talkative." Madam Chu's eyes sparkled, she covered her mouth and smiled, then bowed gracefully and turned to leave.

As I watched Madam Chu's departing figure, a vague unease crept into my heart. Wen Chen seemed to sense my unease as well, reaching out to pull me into his arms and softly saying, "Yao'er, don't worry, I'm here for you."

His embrace was as warm as ever, dispelling the chill in my heart. I nodded gently, rested my head on his chest, felt his heartbeat, and gradually calmed down.

"Yao'er, I'll take you somewhere," Wen Chen suddenly said, his tone tinged with mystery.

I looked up and asked curiously, "Where?"

Wen Chen didn't answer, but simply took my hand and flew with me on a sword.

Before long, we arrived at a valley.

As soon as I landed, I was stunned by the sight before me.

Before me, the valley was filled with wildflowers of every color: fiery red, rosy pink, snowy white, and golden yellow—a breathtaking sight, like a fairyland. What surprised me even more was that these flowers were all varieties I had casually mentioned before, varieties I liked.

I turned to look at Wen Chen in surprise, only to see him gazing at me affectionately, his eyes full of doting: "Do you like it? I prepared it especially for you."

My heart was filled with emotion at this moment.

"How did you know I liked these flowers?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Wen Chen smiled gently and reached out to stroke my cheek: "Silly girl, what don't I know about your affairs?"

My eyes welled up with tears.

We held hands and strolled through this sea of ​​flowers, enjoying this rare moment of time alone together.

"Yao'er, close your eyes, I have a gift for you." Wen Chen suddenly stopped, his tone tinged with mystery.

I obediently closed my eyes, my heart filled with anticipation.

"You can open your eyes now." Wen Chen's voice rang in my ears, tinged with a smile.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that he was holding a delicate jade hairpin in his hand. The hairpin was pure white and carved into the shape of a magnolia bud, with a few crystal-clear dewdrops on the petals, which shimmered beautifully in the sunlight.

"How beautiful..." I couldn't help but sigh softly, reaching out to take the jade hairpin and examining it carefully.

"Do you like it?" Wen Chen asked gently, his eyes full of anticipation.

"I like it, I really like it." I looked up at him, my eyes filled with emotion. "Thank you, Wen Chen."

He smiled, reached out and placed the jade hairpin in my hair, and said gently, "You look really good in it."

My cheeks flushed slightly, but my heart was filled with sweetness.

We continued our stroll through the sea of ​​flowers, inhaling their fragrance and whispering sweet nothings. Time seemed to stand still, and only the two of us existed.

"Yao'er, do you know?" Wen Chen suddenly stopped and turned to look at me, his eyes sparkling with tenderness, "Meeting you is the greatest luck of my life."

My heart skipped a beat, touched by his affectionate gaze. I couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his face, whispering, "Me too."

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly as if he wanted to meld me into his very bones.

"Cough cough..."

Just then, an untimely cough broke the silence.

I turned around abruptly and saw an old man in a blue robe, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, standing not far away, looking at us with an embarrassed expression.

"Qin... Sect Leader Qin?" I exclaimed in surprise.

Why is he here?

"Hehe, I'm so sorry to have disturbed your enjoyment, Immortal Venerable and Miss Xiao. I'm truly terrified." Sect Leader Qin chuckled awkwardly, cupping his hands in greeting. "I was just passing by and saw you and Miss Xiao here, so I thought I'd come over to say hello, but I didn't expect..."

"It's alright," Wen Chen said calmly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Seeing this, Sect Leader Qin didn't dare to say anything more. He simply took out an exquisite wooden box from his pocket, handed it to Wen Chen, and said, "Immortal Venerable, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

Wen Chen did not reach out to take it, but simply asked, "What does Sect Leader Qin mean by this?"

"Hehe, Immortal Venerable, you may not know this, but I have recently taken in a disciple with exceptional talent. I am thinking that once he has mastered his skills, I will have him become your disciple. I hope that you will not refuse, considering my sincerity," said Sect Leader Qin with a smile, his tone slightly ingratiating.

Wen Chen frowned slightly, seemingly somewhat displeased.

Seeing this, I quickly reached out and took the wooden box, smiling as I said, "Sect Leader Qin, you're too kind. We'll accept this gift, but let's talk about the apprenticeship later."

Seeing that I had accepted the gift, Sect Leader Qin breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Very well, then this old man will not disturb the Immortal Venerable and Miss Xiao any longer. Farewell."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

As I watched Master Qin's departing figure, I felt a mix of emotions.

The gift he gave me lies quietly on the stone table, but I have no time to pay attention to it.

As night fell and the stars twinkled, we flew back to my residence on our swords.

"Get some rest," Wen Chen said softly, giving me a gentle kiss on the forehead.

I nodded and watched him leave.

I closed the door and turned back into the room, only to suddenly notice that a delicate wooden box had appeared on the table...

I walked to the table and, by the candlelight, saw the patterns on the wooden box—it was the unique mark of the Kunlun Sect, an ancient and mysterious totem. My heart skipped a beat. Sect Leader Qin would actually give me something so important?

In my memory, Sect Leader Qin had always been critical of Wen Chen, feeling that he had stolen his limelight as the head of the immortal sect. As Wen Chen's beloved disciple, I naturally received his cold treatment as well. But now, he... I picked up the wooden box, my fingertips gently caressing its cool touch, my heart filled with mixed emotions.

I opened the wooden box, and inside lay an old book, its cover blank except for a few profound runes. As I turned the pages, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted out; the yellowed pages clearly indicated its great age.

"What is this?" Wen Chen's voice came from behind me. I turned around and saw that he was already standing quietly at the door.

“It’s a gift from Sect Leader Qin.” I handed him the book. “It looks like an ancient book, but I can’t understand the writing.”

Wen Chen took the book and began to read it carefully. His brows gradually furrowed, and his expression became serious.

"What's wrong?" My heart tightened. Could there be something wrong with this ancient book?

“The script on this is not any of the ones I am familiar with, but judging from these runes…” He paused, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, “This seems to be a script from ancient times, which has been lost for a long time.”

Ancient script? My curiosity was piqued. Could this ancient book hold some secret?

By candlelight, we began to study this ancient book together. With his extensive knowledge and powerful divine sense, Wen Chen deciphered the text bit by bit.

Time passed slowly, and the moon outside the window gradually began to set in the west. Finally, Wen Chen closed the book and let out a long sigh of relief.

"So? Have you cracked it yet?" I asked impatiently.

He nodded, a complex light flashing in his eyes: "This ancient book records a legend, a legend about the origin of the cultivation world."

My breathing quickened. The origin of the cultivation world? How ancient must that be, and what secrets does it hold?

"Legend has it that in the beginning of time, the world was rich in spiritual energy, far surpassing what it is today. At that time, there was a group of powerful cultivators who comprehended the Dao of Heaven and possessed the power to destroy the world..." Wen Chen's voice was deep and magnetic, drawing me into that ancient legend.

I listened intently, as if I could see those ancient, powerful beings draped in starlight, who could command the wind and rain and were omnipotent.

"However, this powerful group of cultivators eventually fell apart due to a power struggle, triggering a cataclysmic disaster. After the disaster, the world's spiritual energy was depleted, and the path of cultivation gradually declined..."

Wen Chen's voice gradually lowered, and my heart jumped.

"At the end of this ancient book, an astonishing secret is recorded..." He paused, gazing at me with profound eyes, "Those ancient powerful beings did not completely disappear; they sealed their power away, waiting for future generations to awaken them..."

A thunderous roar exploded in my mind, and an indescribable sense of shock swept over me.

"You mean, those ancient powerful beings might reappear in the world?"

He nodded, his tone grave: "This ancient book records a secret technique that can break the seal and awaken those slumbering ancient powers..."

I fell silent, my mind churning. If those ancient powerful beings truly reappeared in the world, what kind of changes would they bring to the cultivation realm? Would it be a blessing or a curse?

“We…” I looked up at Wen Chen, my eyes filled with determination, “We’re going to find those seals!”

“Okay.” Wen Chen answered without hesitation, as if he had already anticipated my decision. His deep eyes reflected the candlelight, making him appear even more determined. “The power of those ancient beings is too great. We must figure out their purpose before we can decide whether to awaken them.”

I nodded emphatically, a surge of pride welling up within me. This was not merely about unraveling an ancient legend; it concerned the fate of the entire cultivation world, and I had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility!

For the next few days, we studied that ancient book almost every step of the way. The secret techniques recorded in the book were obscure and difficult to understand, but fortunately, we had our knowledgeable master, Wen Chen, with us, and we gradually deciphered its mysteries.

“It seems that to break the seal, we need to find five divine artifacts.” Wen Chen pointed to a star map in the ancient book, marked with five twinkling points of light. “These five divine artifacts represent the power of the five elements. Only by collecting them can we open the sealed land.”

I gazed at the star map, my heart filled with both anticipation and unease. This was destined to be a thorny path, but for the future of the cultivation world, we had to forge ahead without hesitation.

"Let's not delay, let's set off now!" I stood up, a powerful force surging within me. This force did not come from spiritual power, but from the unwavering determination and courage deep within my heart.

Wen Chen smiled slightly, reached out and ruffled my hair, his eyes full of affection: "Yao'er, you've really grown up."

We left the sect quietly without alerting anyone. I knew that if the news leaked out, it would cause a huge uproar and might even attract the covetous eyes of those with ill intentions.

According to ancient records, we have arrived at a desolate desert in the westernmost part of the cultivation world. This place is covered by yellow sand all year round, barren of any vegetation, and is a dangerous place that cultivators avoid at all costs.

"Is this the burial site of the first divine artifact?" I looked at the endless desert before me, feeling a little uneasy.

Wen Chen nodded and pointed to a huge stone statue hidden in the sandstorm in the distance: "According to ancient records, the first divine artifact was hidden in that stone statue."

Braving the swirling sandstorm, we trudged towards the stone statue. Just then, a powerful surge of spiritual energy emanated from the statue, accompanied by a deafening roar…