On the path to immortality, I can see destiny.

Chapter 127 Seeing Sun Yao Again

Zhao Fan clutched the jade pendant, his heart still pounding. He stood at the door of the wooden house, took a few deep breaths, and finally managed to suppress his excitement.

One thousand and sixty contribution points were enough to exchange for the "Spirit Nourishing Technique". He had waited a year and finally this day had come.

"Go change your cultivation method first, I'll stay here and look after things for you for half a day."

Seeing the excitement on Zhao Fan's face, the old man spoke softly.

Zhao Fan immediately nodded and clasped his hands in thanks.

Without delay, he quickly tidied up, put Xiao Er into his spirit beast bag, and hurriedly went down the mountain.

He walked very fast, almost running, and the bamboo on both sides of the stone steps rushed past him in his peripheral vision.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhao Fan arrived at the Sutra Repository.

The Sutra Repository still sits on the mountainside of the main peak, remaining serene and quiet.

The old man at the door was still sitting in the wicker chair, his eyes closed, as if he were dozing off.

Zhao Fan walked closer, slowed his pace, took a deep breath, and tried to make his voice sound calm.

"Senior, this disciple wishes to exchange for the Spirit Nourishing Technique."

The old man opened his eyes and glanced at him. His gaze was indifferent, as if he were looking at a naive child.

Are you sure?

His voice was hoarse, with a hint of indifference.

"I told you, this technique is incomplete, progress is slow, and the higher your cultivation level, the worse the effect. You are currently at the seventh level of Qi Refining, so practicing this technique will be twice as difficult and half as effective."

Zhao Fan clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice steady yet firm.

"I understand, but I still want to change."

The old man remained silent for a moment, then shook his head, took out a jade slip from his sleeve, and handed it over.

"One thousand contribution points."

Zhao Fan handed over the jade token, and the old man swiped it across. The token felt slightly warm, and he knew that his contribution points had been deducted.

He took the jade slip, his hands trembling slightly, and carefully put it into his storage bag.

The old man looked at him, hesitated, and finally just sighed and closed his eyes again.

Zhao Fan clasped his hands in a fist salute again, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave.

Sunlight shone on his face, and he squinted, a sense of peace welling up inside him.

After a year of hard work, he finally obtained this cultivation technique. Although the old man said it was an incomplete version and that progress would be slow, it was the only one he could obtain at the moment.

He doesn't care about speed; as long as he can improve, he's willing to do it even if it's a little slower.

He walked down the stone steps with light steps, and Xiao Er popped out of the spirit beast bag and trotted along beside Zhao Fan.

Zhao Fan patted its head, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

Just then, a voice came from behind.

"This junior brother looks familiar."

The voice was clear and melodious, not loud, yet it entered my ears clearly.

Zhao Fan's steps suddenly stopped, as if he had been nailed to the spot.

He recognized the voice, not because it was pleasant to hear, but because it reminded him of the dark cave, the stone steps he had used to explore, and the blocked exit.

That's Sun Yao's voice!

Zhao Fan's heart sank. He didn't know what Sun Yao's purpose was in stopping him, but he was very clear about one thing: he didn't want to have anything to do with this woman.

Last time in the Foundation Establishment Cave, she sealed off the exit without hesitation and left him there to die. If he hadn't had those eyes, he would have died there long ago.

He pretended not to hear, quickened his pace, and walked down the street without looking back.

"Zhao Fan."

The sound rang out again, this time closer.

Zhao Fan's heart pounded even faster. He was practically running, the stone steps rushing past beneath his feet, and the bamboo on either side was whipped up by the wind.

He dared not look back, nor even slow down.

He had walked this route from the Sutra Repository to Danfeng many times, but he had never felt it was so long.

He was panting heavily as he ran, with the waiter following behind him, seemingly puzzled as to why Zhao Fan was so afraid of the person behind him.

Finally, the gate of Danfeng came into view.

Zhao Fan breathed a sigh of relief. He had just slowed down and taken two steps forward when he suddenly saw a person standing in front of the mountain gate.

The man was wearing a black robe, the fabric of which was thin and fluttered gently in the wind.

He wore a black mask, revealing only his eyes. He recognized the mask; it was the one Sun Yao wore when he first met her.

Zhao Fan stopped completely. He stood on the stone steps, looking at the woman in black robes, a bitter feeling welling up in his heart.

I ran all the way, but I still couldn't escape.

The waiter also saw the woman in black robes, his fur stood on end, he bared his teeth, and let out a low growl.

Zhao Fan reached out and pressed Xiao Er's head down, pushing it back into the spirit beast pouch.

The little guy struggled a few times unwillingly, but he was still pushed in.

Zhao Fan took a deep breath and forced himself to move forward.

As he passed the woman in black robes, he kept his eyes straight ahead and his steps uninterrupted, pretending he hadn't seen anything.

But just as he was about to pass her, a hand reached out and blocked his way.

"Why are you running?"

The voice was still clear and melodious, with a faint hint of laughter.

Zhao Fan stopped and turned around to look at the black mask.

He tried to make his voice sound calm.

"Senior sister, do we know each other?"

The woman in black robes did not speak, but simply raised her hand and slowly removed her mask.

Beneath the mask was an exquisitely beautiful face, with skin as smooth as jade, eyebrows like distant mountains, and a pair of clear, watery eyes looking at him. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, carrying a smile that was hard to describe.

Zhao Fan looked at that face and fell silent.

"Don't you recognize me?"

Sun Yao tilted her head slightly, a hint of mischief in her clear eyes.

"You weren't like this in the Foundation Establishment Cave. You were very obedient back then."

Zhao Fan's heart sank to the bottom. He remained silent for a moment, his voice hoarse.

"What do you want?"

Sun Yao didn't answer, she just looked at him.

Her eyes were bright, as bright as two stars, yet it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

She looked at him for a while, then suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, almost imperceptible, but her eyes were bright.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you."

Her voice softened, carrying a rare gentleness.

"I just want to see what that kid I left in the cave all those years ago has become."

Zhao Fan remained silent.

Sun Yao's gaze swept over him, from his tattered collar to the jade pendant at his waist, from the waiter at his feet to the scar on his face that had not yet completely faded.

She looked at it for a long time, then nodded, as if confirming something.

"At the seventh level of Qi Refining, my spiritual sense is still so weak."

Her tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether it was sarcasm or concern.

"However, being able to stay in the back mountain of Danfeng for a year does require some patience."

Zhao Fan remained silent, but became even more vigilant.

It was obvious that Sun Yao had investigated his affairs.

Sun Yao didn't seem to care about his silence. She turned around, her back to him, and looked at the distant mountain peaks.

The wind lifted her black robe, revealing a section of her fair wrist, which also carried a faint fragrance.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

"I was thinking of asking you then, this ring on your hand, it must be something valuable, right?"

Zhao Fan's heart tightened suddenly, and he subconsciously clenched his fingers, the black ring on his hand.

"It's nothing special, but it's my master's keepsake, and it's very meaningful to me."

Sun Yao didn't turn around, but simply said calmly.

"Don't worry, I won't take you. If I had wanted to, I would have stripped you naked while you were unconscious."

"Although you used me that day, you also saved my life. I don't want revenge. Let's leave it at that. If you have nothing else to say, I'll be leaving now."

Zhao Fan gritted his teeth and finally chose to be frank and speak his mind.

Sun Yao didn't seem to have anything else to do; she seemed to have just come to catch up. Upon hearing Zhao Fan's words, she immediately stepped aside to make way for him.

"Please go ahead, junior brother."

Zhao Fan took a deep breath and clasped his hands in greeting.

Goodbye.

After saying that, he turned around and walked quickly towards Danfeng.

Behind him, Sun Yao stood still, watching his back, a hint of something unfathomable flashing in her eyes.

"Zhao Fan..."

She murmured his name softly, as if savoring something, or perhaps confirming something.

Then she put on the black mask, turned around, and walked in another direction.