I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 98: Chapter 86: Each Has Their Own Aspirations

In the small courtyard, Jiang Yuebai and Lv Ying stood facing each other. Tears welled up in Lv Ying’s eyes as she fixed her gaze on Jiang Yuebai.

”At that time, I didn’t call out to you. I was even glad that I wouldn’t be possessed, so now, I no longer have the face to meet you.”

Jiang Yuebai’s heart twisted into a knot. ”Lv Ying, I never blamed you. You tried to provoke me several times, but it was my own foolishness for not realizing your intentions. I know you truly cared for me, and I also know you have a kind heart.”

Lv Ying shook her head. ”No, I’m not as good as you think, Little Bai. I’m just an ordinary person, you see? In this vast world of countless fireflies, I’m just an insignificant speck.”

The cool breeze stirred their hair. Lv Ying looked down, withdrawing her gaze, her lips curving into a bitter smile.

”When we were young, you weren’t wrong. I befriended you on purpose, because you were weak. Being with you made me feel exceptionally powerful. But then you became radiant, and I felt utterly defeated. I was jealous of you and even harbored ill intentions, hoping you’d stumble and become like me, so we could be friends again.”

”But as the gap widened, it became insurmountable for me. No matter how hard I tried, I could never catch up to you. That sense of powerlessness and defeat was agonizing. So when Song Pei’er began to guide my cultivation and give me elixirs with all her heart, I was elated. That’s how I fell into her trap and found myself controlled by her.”

”I brought all this upon myself, yet in countless painful and fearful nights, I still blamed you, resented you. I thought if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have ended up like this. I tried to provoke you with words, hoping you’d leave, yet it was also a way for me to voice the dark and dirty thoughts in my heart.”

Jiang Yuebai’s brows furrowed tightly. Lv Ying looked up, her eyes full of desolation.

”Little Bai, do you know? There was a moment when I felt relieved—relieved that you came back, that Song Pei’er might shift her focus and spare me. Someone like me, how could I deserve to be your friend? How do I have the face to stay and rely on you? I would also feel indignant, indignant at being blinded by your brilliance, driven mad by jealousy.”

Jiang Yuebai walked up to Lv Ying, gently wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes, his gaze full of heartache.

”Then go, leave here, leave me, and live more freely and comfortably. Come back when you can face me as you like.”

Lv Ying burst into tears, choking as she asked, ”You... you really don’t blame me?”

Jiang Yuebai’s eyes were misty, and his lips curved into a gentle smile.

”I told you, I never blamed you. But I will not indulge you either. Chase after me if you can; if you can’t, then accept it. Just don’t let these trivial matters affect our childhood friendship, okay?”

”The cultivation realm values power above all, making emotions repressed among people. Towards close friends, I have never thought to act this way. Regardless of your cultivation level in the future or mine, when we meet again, you can call me ’Little Bai,’ and I’ll surely respond.”

Lv Ying’s tears flowed like a spring, and she nodded vigorously, ”Okay.”

Jiang Yuebai embraced Lv Ying, letting her lean on his shoulder to vent her sorrows.

”Ying, you know? At this moment, I envy you. You can abandon everything to pursue freedom and vastness, while I am trapped here by grudges. Help me see this world first, so that when I am free someday, you can be my guide, okay?”

Lv Ying was sobbing uncontrollably, feeling utterly ashamed in the face of Jiang Yuebai’s open-heartedness.

Half a day later, outside the gates of the Heavenly Interence Sect.

Lv Ying had taken an external task, and she wouldn’t be returning.

Jiang Yuebai handed Lv Ying a storage bag. Lv Ying resisted, but Jiang Yuebai forcefully pressed it into her hand.

”I’m lending this to you. Not having you owe me something leaves me uneasy, fearing you’ll run away and never come back to find me.”

Lv Ying clutched the storage bag tightly, her eyes reddening again.

”Your eyes are already swollen like peaches, and you’re still crying. I can’t lend you much apart from some spirit stones, talismans, spiritual wine, homemade array flags, and array plates. I also have the ’Five Flavors Collection’ Elder Lii gave me, though the first volume is stored elsewhere and not included. You can search for it yourself once you’re out.”

Lv Ying forced a smile, holding back her tears. ”In fact, I’ve already read many volumes of the ’Five Flavors Collection’.”

”Because of me?”

Lv Ying nodded. ”Yes, at first, it was because of you. Later, I genuinely liked it, so I decided to travel and tread Wuwei Mountain Man’s path, learning her Carefree Dao.”

”Good, no need for more words. It’s best to leave before nightfall. I’ll handle things within the sect, so you’re not pursued.”

Jiang Yuebai disliked farewells, so he turned and left first.

”Little Bai!”

Lv Ying called her, causing Jiang Yuebai to pause, slightly tilt her head back to hold back her tears, then turn around with a smile.

Lv Ying bowed deeply, then stood up with tears in her eyes and smiled. ”In the future, if I call you ’Little Bai’ and you don’t respond, I’ll spread all your childhood embarrassments, you know?”

Jiang Yuebai broke into laughter, ”Do only I have embarrassing stories? They were done with you, too.”

Lv Ying walked away into the verdant landscape of tall pines and green cypresses, toward the vast land.

Jiang Yuebai rode the wind with sword control, traversing the celestial mountains and jade pavilions, heading toward the vast sky.

This parting might mean they never meet again in this lifetime.

Only wish, you peace!

＊

In the Spiritual Beast Valley, multi-colored mists dispersed, the sun and the moon cast shimmering lights, flocks of white cranes passed through the sky, their clear cries echoing through the valley.

Jiang Yuebai entered the plain valley. Emerald lakes dotted the landscape, and everywhere one could see various gentle spiritual beasts gathered in groups, with several cultivators herding them.

The Heavenly Interence Sect was not specialized in beast taming. Most spiritual beasts kept were Crossing Goose white cranes for traveling, horned rhinoceroses for pulling carts, two-headed birds, spiritual beasts, and insects for farming, and poultry and livestock for the sect’s peaks’ dining halls.

Besides these, there were some personal pets of sect cultivators housed here, cared for and managed by specialized servants paid with spirit stones or contribution points.

Jiang Yuebai had heard of the farming spiritual beasts before but had never seen them. This was because most spiritual cultivators in Huaxi Valley were impoverished and didn’t want to spend spirit stones hiring spiritual beasts for tasks that human labor could solve.

”Excuse me, is Yun Shang in the valley?”

Jiang Yuebai softly asked after walking up behind a male cultivator feeding a horned rhinoceros.

The male cultivator didn’t even raise his head. ”She’s at the western mountain stream, not in the valley.”

Jiang Yuebai went to the west side to look for her, crossing through a herd of grazing green oxen, startling two fighting roosters with bright tail feathers, and was watched by spiritual rats poking their heads out of holes, munching on bugs.

”No wonder they’re spiritual beasts. Even the small rats look clever.”

A crane’s cry sounded, and Jiang Yuebai looked up to see a white crane flying gracefully, landing elegantly before her.

”Qingfong?”

Jiang Yuebai recognized Xie Jingshan’s mount. Qingfong spread its wings and cried out again, extending its neck for Jiang Yuebai to pet.

”Has Xie Jingshan gone to the Sword Tomb and left you here? Rest assured, he’ll come fetch you once he’s out of the Sword Tomb.”

As Jiang Yuebai turned to leave, Qingfong nudged forward, not allowing her to leave.

”Brother Xiao, you can’t do this. These earthworms were reserved by me first. You can’t take them all.”

”Get lost!”

Hearing the voice, Jiang Yuebai turned her head to see a grey-robed girl being struck by a palm from a blue-robed male cultivator, sending her flying and landing heavily not far in front of her.

Moo~~

The herd of cattle, startled, ran away in a frenzy.

The blue-robed male cultivator and the two burly grey-clad servants behind him looked up, recognizing Jiang Yuebai. He sneered contemptuously but quickly put on a respectful demeanor.

”Isn’t this the leader among our spiritual cultivation masters, Junior Sister Jiang from Huaxi Valley? You two, hurry and greet Junior Sister Jiang.”

”Greetings to Junior Sister Jiang.”

”She’s an inner sect disciple, kneel to show your respect!”

The enormous crane feathers shielded in front of her, and Jiang Yuebai signaled to Qingfong to soothe it, asking it to retract its wings.

Jiang Yuebai moved unhurriedly to stand beside the injured grey-robed girl.

The girl had blood at the corner of her lips. Seeing the inner sect disciple token at Jiang Yuebai’s waist, she hurriedly avoided Jiang Yuebai’s hand before bowing her head in fear and kneeling without daring to rise.

Jiang Yuebai frowned, placing her hands behind her back as she glanced at the opposite side. The blue-robed male cultivator stood while the two behind him knelt.

”If I’m not mistaken, you must be Xiao Ankuo from Purple Cloud Valley?”