#81: Retention

When Gongxin set off, the procession was grand, accompanied by many guards from the Divine Temple.

As Bian Lingyu saw him off, a group of Great Priests and Gongying, who had come to bid farewell to her grandfather, followed behind him.

The journey was urgent, and Gongxin was already old. As his divine power waned, his descendants’ strength gradually grew stronger. Yesterday, Gongxin had formally passed on his position as Great Priest to Gongying.

For others, it was just a year in the divine realm, but Gongxin would spend over three hundred years in the illusion. Thus, before departing, he had much to impart.

Gongxin first bowed deeply to Bian Lingyu in farewell.

Seeing his white hair, Bian Lingyu didn’t let him kneel further and personally helped him up.

“Divine Lord, while I’m away from the temple, please take care of yourself. Gongying is young and has just taken over as Great Priest. If she makes any mistakes, I hope you’ll be forgiving.”

Bian Lingyu acknowledged this.

Gongxin then went aside to give further instructions to his granddaughter—how to purify demonic energy, how to assist the Divine Lord, how to monitor disturbances in the Demonfall Pool, and even how to discipline her two idle grandsons…

He rambled on slowly, much to the growing impatience of the other Great Priests.

Would this ever end? They frantically signaled Gongxin with their eyes: Hurry up and leave!

Though Gongxin noticed their hints, he remained perplexed. He glanced at Bian Lingyu, who was watching him expressionlessly.

“When you’re done talking, depart immediately.”

Gongxin: “….” Don’t you feel any reluctance toward this old servant?

Gongying inwardly chuckled, knowing well what everyone was worried about.

The fated little empress of the Divine Temple, upon receiving the liuli fragment, had been eager to sprout wings and fly to the Northern Realm to visit her father.

If Houmi hadn’t dragged Shi Luoyi away to prepare items for her trip to the Northern Realm, perhaps she would have left with Gongxin along with the temple guards.

However, for the next year, Bian Lingyu couldn’t leave the divine realm for extended periods. He needed to maintain the purity of his divine power to forcefully open the Demon Extermination Grounds a year later. This meant that starting tonight, he would need to spend long hours in the sacred spring to cleanse the demonic energy.

The ministers had previously urged Bian Lingyu to be proactive, but they never expected his version of proactivity to differ so drastically from their understanding.

Knowing that Shi Luoyi was deeply concerned about her father far away in the Northern Realm, Bian Lingyu had obtained the liuli fragment she most desired.

Seeing the shocked expressions of those around him, Bian Lingyu pursed his lips and glanced at them: “Isn’t this what you advised—to be proactive?”

“…” The ministers were utterly dismayed. Being proactive didn’t mean doing this ! “Divine Lord, how could you just hand over the fragment to Miss Luoyi? Have you considered what might happen if she doesn’t return? Qingxuan is cunning. If he foresaw the possibility of being captured by the temple, why did he still carry the fragment? There might be a hidden scheme.”

Upon hearing this, Bian Lingyu’s expression turned cold as he slowly repeated: “She won’t return…” But didn’t she say she was his Dao companion?

“It’s not certain,” the ministers stammered. Think about it—how did Su Li come to be? You’re tongue-tied and don’t know how to charm women or sweet-talk them. For thousands of years, the Qilin lineage has been pure and steadfast, almost pitifully so.

What if another Xi Yao appears? Even if we can endure it, the Divine Lord surely cannot.

No matter how detached and indifferent the Divine Lord may seem, in front of the one he loves, he’s just an ordinary man. The previous Divine Lord had once been solely devoted to demon extermination and cultivation, but later descended into madness—what had that been like?

Seeing their evasive expressions, Bian Lingyu naturally understood what they were thinking.

He tightly pursed his lips.

But this was the only kind of proactivity Bian Lingyu knew. No one had taught him about love. From the moment of his birth, he had faced imprisonment and mistreatment. From childhood to now, the taste he knew best in life was loneliness.

Some of the Great Priests themselves didn’t understand love, yet they unconditionally defended the Divine Lords of every generation. Seeing Bian Lingyu’s expression, one solemnly consoled him: “It’s fine. If all else fails, no one can match your strength—you can always take her back by force.”

Upon hearing this, Houmi inwardly sighed: It’s over. So this was the disastrous advice given to the previous Divine Lord.

Even worse, Bian Lingyu glanced at that Great Priest and didn’t refute him.

Bian Lingyu’s eleven years of memories from his time in the mortal realm had been sealed away. Regarding matters of love, he was like a clean slate—capable of being as gentle as water or as fierce as the blazing sun.

Houmi couldn’t bear to watch any longer, fearing that their pristine slate would be tainted. He glared fiercely at that Great Priest and quickly turned to Bian Lingyu: “Divine Lord, don’t listen to his nonsense—it absolutely cannot be done. If you act like this, the empress will only despise you.”

Bian Lingyu said: “Let’s first see Gongxin off.”

Though Houmi had scolded the other Great Priests for giving reckless advice, he himself was also afraid that Shi Luoyi might leave with Gongxin today.

She had only spent a few days with the Divine Lord. If she left now, what if she hadn’t yet seen his good qualities and decided never to return?

Anyone in this situation would worry.

At the very least, they needed to delay her departure for a few more days. The Divine Lord would enter the sacred spring tonight to set up an array—a task requiring calmness and peace of mind as he aligned his meridians. If Shi Luoyi stayed, the Divine Lord’s heart would feel lighter.

After some thought, Houmi sent the other Great Priests to accompany Bian Lingyu to see Gongxin off, while he went to the temple to find Shi Luoyi.

He cautiously asked: “When do you plan to visit your father?”

Shi Luoyi didn’t hide anything from him: “The sooner, the better. My father is alone in the Northern Realm, and I don’t trust Qingxuan.”

“But what if the Divine Lord needs you by his side right now?”

Shi Luoyi looked at him in confusion and put away the liuli fragment: “Has something happened to Bian Lingyu?”

“No, not at all. I was merely making a hypothetical point.”

Houmi appeared strangely evasive, and though Shi Luoyi didn’t fully believe him, she assumed Bian Lingyu wasn’t in danger—otherwise, Houmi wouldn’t be so calm.

Shi Luoyi never expected that the old man who once disliked her the most would now actively offer to help her prepare her luggage.

Not only did Houmi arrange the most comfortable celestial carriage for her, but knowing she was a young sword cultivator from the mortal realm, he also volunteered to prepare spirit dew for her to consume during the journey.

The old man’s expression was solemn: “Spirit dew personally condensed by the Divine Lord’s divine power is the purest. Once he finishes preparing it, I’ll bring it to you.”

Shi Luoyi: “Alright.”

Thinking of Shi Huan’s soul repair, Houmi also instructed people to pack many useful divine artifacts from the temple.

“Take a look and see which ones you can use.”

These were indeed useful, and Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected Houmi to be so kind to her one day. Though unsure of his intentions, she sincerely thanked him: “Thank you, Elder Houmi!”

Seeing that she didn’t refuse, Houmi also breathed a sigh of relief: “You’re welcome, you’re welcome. Allow me to explain them to you, and you can choose at your leisure.”

Shi Luoyi naturally wanted her father to awaken as soon as possible, so she stepped forward to listen.

Houmi spoke neither too fast nor too slow, explaining the function of each divine artifact. From its origins of forging to its five-element attributes, he spent nearly half an hour discussing one artifact. Then he picked up another: “Now let’s talk about this Soul-Gathering Incense…”

Shi Luoyi suddenly felt as if she were listening to a scholarly lecture in the mortal realm.

By now, she had realized—Houmi was probably stalling for time.

If he kept talking, the old man could probably go on for ten days and nights.

But why was Houmi stalling for time? At this moment, the Divine Temple was nearly empty. Aside from the guards on duty, many of the idle divine attendants had gone to watch Gongxin’s departure to the Northern Realm.

After listening to Houmi ramble for a while, Shi Luoyi rested her chin in her hand and suddenly said: “Elder Houmi, thank you for taking care of all these things for me. I have something else to do right now, so I’ll listen to you explain another day.”

With that, she ran toward the outer hall.

Houmi, seeing Shi Luoyi heading toward Gongxin, grew frantic: “Divine Lord, old servant is useless, but you must find a way to keep her here…”

At least for a little longer, let her know that being with you can be a happy thing. That way, even if she goes far away in the future, she’ll remember to come back. You need to make the little empress grow more reluctant to leave you.

Qingxuan, who had been idly standing at the back of the crowd, watched as Gongxin finally prepared to depart. He raised his eyelids and glanced at the Great Priests from afar, a faint smile forming on his lips.

He was naturally perceptive. While the other Great Priests were frantically signaling Gongxin, who remained oblivious, Qingxuan understood their intentions.

To be honest, he wasn’t sure whether Shi Luoyi would follow them. After all, that was Shi Huan—a person who meant more to her than her own life. And Bian Lingyu certainly wouldn’t tell her that starting tonight, entering the sacred spring would bring him a different kind of pain than before.

At the very least, for now, Bian Lingyu wanted her to stay.

Qingxuan, who had been bored out of his mind, gazed across the vast expanse of the divine realm. Now, he straightened his posture and also turned his attention toward the temple.

Unfortunately, by the time the divine soldiers set off, there was still no sign of Shi Luoyi.

He withdrew his gaze, and the other Great Priests also breathed sighs of relief.

Finally, they managed to send them off.

Unexpectedly, just at this moment, a young girl’s voice rang out: “Master Gongxin, wait for me!”

Bian Lingyu turned his head and saw Shi Luoyi lifting her skirt, running past him and chasing after Gongxin at the front of the crowd.

She ran so fast that she didn’t even glance at him.

The concerns of the Great Priests seemed to materialize in this moment. If Shi Luoyi truly wanted to leave, neither he nor the Divine Temple had anything that could keep her here or make her return.

For the first time since his memories were sealed, Bian Lingyu felt the stirrings of love—but what he tasted first was a cruel, bitter flavor. A dull ache spread beneath his chest, suffocating and oppressive, prompting him to reach out and grasp Shi Luoyi’s arm.

Bian Lingyu’s grip was tight, and Shi Luoyi almost felt pain. She looked at him in surprise.

“Bian Lingyu?”

At this moment, Gongxin heard her voice and stopped. The Great Priests all lowered their heads, and an eerie silence hung in the air.

Shi Luoyi saw a pair of icy silver eyes. Since their reunion, this was the first time Bian Lingyu revealed such an expression—just like when he had been rejected by her in the past, pretending not to care about her while protecting the last fragile remnants of his pride.

But if she looked deeply into those eyes, she would have seen beneath the surface layer of frost, wounds buried deep within.

The man’s grip seemed to seep into her bones, yet Shi Luoyi, momentarily stunned by this familiar gaze, forgot to struggle. For a fleeting moment, she almost thought that Bian Lingyu had remembered.

She tried to pull her arm free, and Bian Lingyu, following her movement, shifted his gaze from her face to her arm. He loosened his grip slightly, but just as Shi Luoyi began to relax, in the next instant, Bian Lingyu tightened his hold again.

She couldn’t help but gasp softly.

Shi Luoyi heard him ask: “When will you return? I’ll come to fetch you.”

At that time, Shi Luoyi didn’t know that he couldn’t leave. In the coming year, Bian Lingyu would have to suppress the demonic energy for long periods. Yet, she somehow sensed the emotions buried beneath his seemingly stern words.

She paused, looking into Bian Lingyu’s eyes, and said earnestly: “I’m not leaving. I only want to ask Master Gongxin for a favor.”

The young girl took out the World-Seeing Mirror from her sleeve and showed it to him, her voice carrying a hopeful tone: “Can you activate it? I probably can’t go to the Northern Realm immediately, but I want to use this to check on my father.”

Upon hearing her words and understanding her intentions, Bian Lingyu almost immediately replied: “I can.”

“Then let go of me first, and I’ll go talk to Master Gongxin.”

Bian Lingyu slowly released his fingers and watched as Shi Luoyi caught up with Gongxin.

She implored Gongxin to check on her father’s condition once he arrived in the illusion.

In terms of cultivation, Shi Luoyi was naturally inferior to the Great Priest of the divine race. But over the days they had spent together, she had come to deeply appreciate Gongxin’s reliability and kindness. When it came to examining souls, Gongxin was far more skilled than she was.

After Gongxin agreed, Shi Luoyi finally returned to Bian Lingyu’s side.

He had been watching her the entire time.

The liuli fragment in her arms had already warmed from her body heat. Shi Luoyi smiled and extended her hand toward him: “Alright, let’s go home.”

He slowly took Shi Luoyi’s hand. Her palm was warm, enveloped by his cool, temperatureless hand. This time, she didn’t try to pull away, and Bian Lingyu didn’t apply any extra force either.

The pain in his heart had long dissipated, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar sensation—like the Phoenix Parasol Tree sprouting new branches in the spring.

The Great Priests hadn’t expected that Shi Luoyi wouldn’t leave.

From the moment she received the liuli fragment, Shi Luoyi had never intended to leave immediately. Bian Lingyu had been doing everything he could to make her happy, fulfilling her every wish.

Ever since Bian Lingyu fell into the mortal realm, she had repeatedly failed to appreciate and undervalued his efforts.

But not this time. Bian Lingyu had indulged her through two lifetimes. This time, Shi Luoyi wanted to stay by his side—to accompany the loneliest god in the world.

That night, Bian Lingyu and the Great Priests arranged an array around the sacred spring, which would channel the energy of the Sacred Birthplace.

Starting tomorrow, Bian Lingyu would remain in the sacred spring for seven days.

There were still two hours until dawn—the last time he could rest.

Bian Lingyu asked Shi Luoyi for an item imbued with Shi Huan’s essence, infused his divine power into the World-Seeing Mirror, and finally, Shi Luoyi saw her father.

Shi Huan was in a bamboo grove, peacefully resting in the illusion—it was also nighttime. Yuewu had transformed into a lump of mud spirit, cultivating outside the bamboo hut.

If not for the fact that this was an illusion, it almost conveyed a sense of tranquil, peaceful years.

Shi Luoyi knew that using the World-Seeing Mirror would consume Bian Lingyu’s divine power, and over the next seven days, he would need to expend it continuously. Not daring to look for too long, she gestured for Bian Lingyu to put it away.

Bian Lingyu said: “You can look for a long time. There’s still an hour and a half left.”

“But…” She looked at him and softly said, “An hour and a half can be used for other things.”

Things that wouldn’t drain his divine power.