Chapter 1417: Chapter 857: Star-Crossed Lovers, Daoist Wubao’s Request (Happy New Year) (Part 2)

The drifting clouds over Spirit Mountain have witnessed their days and nights together, their laughter echoing by the waterfall, even the orchard planted with spiritual peaches holds their youthful promises.

"Back then, everyone in the sect said I was a toad lusting after a swan."

The Five Treasure Taoist laughed at himself, yet his eyes were tinged with red.

"Yun Shu was the brightest pearl in the sect, advancing in cultivation at lightning speed, reaching perfect Foundation Establishment before the age of twenty, and her appearance was so pure and beautiful that none of the younger disciples, from the direct disciples of the Inner Sect Elders to the newly admitted talents, were not enamored by her."

Lu Qing listened quietly, his gaze resting on the face of the Five Treasure Taoist.

He could imagine what Yun Shu looked like then and understand the state of mind of the Five Treasure Taoist at that time.

In the cultivation world, talent and appearance often determine a person’s starting point.

For an existence as dazzling as Yun Shu to choose to be with a mediocre talent like the Five Treasure Taoist, this affection was far more precious than any magical treasure in the world.

"But she never cared about those things."

The Five Treasure Taoist’s tone became gentle, as if immersed in sweet memories.

"Once, a genius disciple in the sect proposed to her, offering a thousand-year spiritual medicine as a betrothal gift, yet she said in front of everyone, ’In this life, I will marry no one but him.’"

At that time, he was hiding behind a peach tree, and upon hearing those words, he was so excited that he dropped the spiritual peach in his hand.

He rushed out, grabbed Yun Shu’s hand, and stuttered out a promise: "Junior Sister Shu, wait for me, when we both cultivate to the Golden Core, I will ask Master to officiate for us and become Dao Companions, and I will protect you for life."

Yun Shu’s cheeks turned red, and she nodded softly, placing a peach wood sword pendant she personally carved into his hand: "Senior Brother, I trust you, no matter how long it takes, I will wait."

The Five Treasure Taoist always carried that peach wood sword pendant with him, and even through the storms later on, it never left his side.

As he spoke, he took out a peach wood pendant from his bosom, long polished to a smooth gleam, its sword-shaped outline delicate and intricate, with a small "Shu" character engraved on it.

"For this promise, I threw myself into cultivation with all my might."

The Five Treasure Taoist tightened his grip on the peach wood pendant, his knuckles white.

"Even with a poor talent, I toiled day and night, and Yun Shu always stayed by my side, sharing her cultivation insights with me without reservation.

At that time, I thought that as long as we worked hard enough, we would one day achieve our wish and stay together for life on this Spirit Mountain."

Little Yan leaned against Lu Qing, her eyes already reddened as she listened to this part.

Little Li also put away her usual cheerfulness, standing quietly to the side, her long ears drooping down.

No one expected that the usually cheerful, chubby Taoist carried such a deep, unforgettable past.

But fate had other plans, and the wheels of destiny silently veered off track when Yun Shu reached the late-stage Foundation Establishment and was about to break through to the Golden Core Realm.

"Yun Shu’s physique is the Innate ’Spirit Charm Furnace Body.’"

The Five Treasure Taoist’s voice suddenly turned low, exuding a bone-chilling coldness.

"This physique is extremely rare, and ordinary people have no way of knowing it. I only found out later."

The Spirit Charm Furnace Body was not the mundane furnace that the secular world misunderstood, but a very special innate constitution.

Those who possess this physique have an incredibly pure spiritual charm.

During dual cultivation, they can share thirty percent of their spiritual charm to help their Dao Companion straighten their meridians and break through cultivation bottlenecks, without any harm to themselves.

On the contrary, they can mutually nurture each other in dual cultivation, making progress together.

Such a physique is considered a treasure in the cultivation world and would attract countless cultivators’ covetousness if it were exposed.

Yun Shu’s master, who was also the Five Treasure Taoist’s teacher, had detected her physique early on and had strictly sealed off the information.

He only informed a few highly respected elders within the sect, repeatedly urging them not to let it leak out, hoping that Yun Shu could cultivate safely and achieve her wish as soon as possible.

"Master said, once both Yun Shu and I form our cores, he would officiate our Dao Companion ceremony, and at that time, he would inform us of this, so that we may support each other and ascend the great path together," the Five Treasure Taoist’s voice was filled with regret, "but despite all our precautions, we couldn’t guard against people’s hearts."

Shao Sidao, as the only son of the Master, was born into immeasurable pampering.

With exceptional talent and the Master’s relentless nurturing, his cultivation remained far ahead among the younger generation.

He achieved Core Formation at just over twenty years old, becoming the sect’s youngest Golden Core cultivator.

Outwardly elegant, courteous, and conducting himself according to the Taoist principles, he was seen as a model by the disciples within the sect.

Even the Five Treasure Taoist initially admired the Young Sect Leader and never imagined him to be such a narrow-minded and ruthless person.

Yun Shu’s brilliance naturally caught the eye of Shao Sidao.

At first, he, like other disciples, admired Yun Shu and frequently used his position as the Young Sect Leader to court her.

He offered precious cultivation techniques, rare spiritual medicines, and even used his father’s influence to find spiritual materials suitable for Yun Shu’s cultivation, all to win her favor, if only for a moment.

But no matter how much he gave, Yun Shu remained unmoved.

"Shao Sidao first confessed to Yun Shu in the peach grove."

The Five Treasure Taoist’s voice carried a trace of coldness.

"That day, I had just returned from a sect mission and saw from afar him standing in front of Yun Shu, holding a top-grade elixir, saying that if Yun Shu agreed to be his Dao Companion, the elixir would be hers, and that the Master would take her on as a direct disciple."

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