Seeking the Tao in the Mortal World

Chapter 162: Loneliness

Three days later, the Soul Solidifying Pill was completed and the room was filled with the fragrance of elixir.

The alchemy cauldron opened, and a purple elixir slowly floated out. It was filled with purple energy. Just looking at it from a distance could make him feel the joy of his soul.

Two of the three portions of materials were destroyed. The success rate was one-third. Qin Yi leaned to the side as if exhausted. Looking at the glowing elixir in the air, he felt both relieved and a little scared.

He didn't understand probability science. Theoretically, there was a 50% success rate. He could always successfully refine one out of the three. But in fact, when the last portion of ingredients was left, this failure was a complete failure.

When he was refining the elixir, he didn't think about the worries about gains and losses. Finally, he succeeded on the second attempt. In hindsight, what if he failed?

If he wanted to find a suitable medicinal material to refine again, it would take many years. The Black Blood Lotus alone was an extremely unexpected acquisition. He had obtained it for almost a year, and he might not be able to find it elsewhere.

The elixir drifted toward the mace on the wall, then it stopped on the top of it. The purple light gently covered the mace. The elixir also gradually fell and merged with the mace. The scene was a bit dreamy.

"Qin Yi..." Liu Su whispered. "I will absorb the elixir now. It will take a while to wake up. It won't be long, but there is no certainty... Without me by your side, you need to use your brain more. Don’t be fooled.”

Qin Yi was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to answer.

He never thought he wouldn't be able to communicate with Liu Su for a short period of time after the elixir was done... This was nothing. He would just sleep for a while, and soon he would see a cute stick spirit in front of him... But he somehow felt like a missing piece in his heart.

When she first went to the palace to meet Qingjun's father, he already felt uncomfortable without Stick Stick for just a morning. How many days would she be away this time?

But he also knew that he couldn't rely too much on Liu Su.

In fact, he made most of the decisions recently. Except for something Liu Su needed, she rarely intervened with his decisions. Both of them knew that when Liu Su reconstructed her body - before that as long as her Yang Spirit could travel freely after leaving the body, she didn't have to stay with Qin Yi all day.

Sooner or later he must get used to the days without Liu Su.

The more strength Liu Su regained, the closer he would be to that day.

Now this short slumber was just a preview. He must get used to it.

The purple light gradually dissipated, and Liu Su remained silent. Qin Yi picked up the mace, breathed a sigh of relief, and walked out of the cave house.

He was holding the mace, but he could no longer communicate with Liu Su... The one whom he depended on was never the mace, but the soul entity in it.

The first minute without Liu Su... he didn't feel as empty as before, just a little absent-minded.

He also lost the interest to cultivate.

Rather than losing communication with Liu Su, it was a feeling of loneliness.

He could argue that he relied on Liu Su before to learn the tao, but it was really more like a companion who depended on each other. It could fill the loneliness of being alone in a different world. Liu Su was the only person who knew that he was not in this world. In this sense, only Liu Su could make him find nostalgia.

A...passerby in a foreign world.

As a stranger in a foreign world, he would especially miss Qingjun when he was lonely. It was not this moment. It had happened before, but he wouldn't show it in front of Liu Su, which would make him seem 'mortal'.

After all, she was his first woman, and the only one he truly considered his "girlfriend." He would  of course miss her.

He didn't miss her at usual time, but when he felt lonely, he would feel longing coming in like a tide. He would want to know how Li Qingjun was doing now. Whether she still carried the heavy burden on her shoulders, whether there were any treacherous officials who went against her, and whether it was difficult to help a one-year-old govern the country...

That night often flashed through his mind late at night. Qin Yi just couldn't forget his first love.

To put it bluntly, he left South Li Kingdom to find the tao so that he could protect her.

Not to leave her.

At this time, there was no Liu Su, Qingjun, and Ming He. He was still alone after cultivating to this level.

Qin Yi shook his head and suddenly laughed.

After leaving the cave house and came to the top of the mountain, he found that it was already dusk. Looking at the vast mountains in the setting sun and drizzle, he felt more relaxed.

He sat on the edge of the cliff, took out his jade flute, and played a song.

There was no music score, just a reflection of mood and a casual expression. It became a tune of its own as he blew it.

This was the immortal skill, which could make a person who didn't understand music at all a month ago suddenly become a musician.

"You say you're just a passerby, but you're actually a very emotional person." Ju Yunxiu's voice came from behind.

Qin Yi stopped playing the flute and said faintly, "Senior Ju, aren't you going to sleep today?"

"I just woke up and heard the music of affection, which touched my heart. I just didn't expect someone in our sect who can express his feelings with music." Ju Yunxiu sat next to him and looked at him curiously, "Who are you saying goodbye to?”

Qin Yi knew that the meaning of the tune could not be hidden from someone like Ju Yunxiu who knew music, so he said, "I think of a friend who will be away for a short time, and I also think of the lover from my motherland."

"You have a lover?" Ju Yunxiu ignored the friend and grasped the key point. "Why don't she be your taoist companion and stay by your side?"

Qin Yi looked at the distant mountains in trance. "She has her responsibilities, which are more important than tao."

"What about you? Why don't you stay with her?"

"I also have my responsibilities." Qin Yi said, "When I found the tao, I will go back."

"Even if a hundred years later, she will be gray-haired?" Ju Yunxiu sighed, "What a couple."

Qin Yi was silent for a moment and said slowly, "I don't need a hundred years."

Ju Yunxiu looked at him curiously for a while, then suddenly smiled, "It's really fast. It has only been a month, and you advance from level 1 to level 4 of the Piano Heart Stage. You cultivation seems stable too."

Qin Yi said, "Senior Ju's tao fits my cultivation, so I made rapid progress."

Ju Yunxiu nodded and said, "I only taught you the flute skills, but not the tactics of fighting. Now that we are here, I might as well teach you a few pieces of music to use in battle."

As she was about to point again, Qin Yi suddenly said, "You promised me to teach step by step."

Ju Yunxiu stopped her finger and looked at him with a half-smile, "You really want to tease me?"

Before Qin Yi could answer, she smiled to herself and said, "Nevermind, I'm just a lonely person."

Qin Yi said curiously, "It seems you understand it very well."

Ju Yunxiu smiled but did not answer.

Ju Yunxiu flipped her hand, and a lyre appeared in her hand. "I'll play, and you listen. When you learn it, you and I will get along, okay?"

Qin Yi smiled and said, "Are you sure I can understand your music? Don't have too high expectations of me..."

Ju Yunxiu smiled slightly. "If you want me to teach you step by step, this is the first requirement. Let's see if you can do it."

The music sounded leisurely. The birds circled and sang in harmony. The mountains and flowing water echoed in the setting sun.

A flute sounded at some point. Just like the mountain breeze suddenly added to the flowing water, and there were fallen flowers drifting on the water.

The dwarf pine trees beside the cave turned into Qing Feng and Ming Yue. They looked up to the top of the mountain and praised in a low voice, "Such harmony between piano and flute. It's hard to find a true friend."

In this sect, even the attendants were intellectual.