Chapter 225: I, Fugui Er, Am Not Worthy of Having a Dao Companion

“Elder, I’d like to ask for your help…”

In the bright sunlight, Elder Wan Linjun leaned on his copper walking stick and flew leisurely on a cloud toward Potian Peak.

If anyone else had made such a request, Elder Wan Linjun would have dismissed them without a second glance, perhaps even tossing them a Bewitching Heart Pill.

But the one making the request was Changshou…

That made all the difference.

Changshou was a kind-hearted and straightforward young man. He often had unique insights into alchemy and poison pills, and he was always helpful to others…

No need to list more—his virtues were too numerous to count.

If Changshou asked him to do this, there must be a good reason behind it.

Elder Wan Linjun arrived at Potian Peak on his cloud, and several disciples who were just leaving the peak shivered in unison. They straightened their postures and bowed in greeting…

Elder Wan Linjun nodded slowly, his face stern, and headed toward the Forgetfulness Abode next to the Wine Character Wine Immortal’s residence.

The Forgetfulness Abode was a small building perched on the edge of a cliff. From its name, it was clear this was Wang Fugui’s cultivation retreat.

Upon reaching the building, a graceful figure emerged on a cloud to welcome him—it was Jiu Yiyi, the chief disciple of the Forgetfulness Immortal.

“Disciple greets Elder Wan.”

Dressed in a colorful skirt, Jiu Yiyi curtsied gracefully and smiled appropriately. “Elder, do you have business with my master?”

Elder Wan Linjun gave a “cold” smile.

Even knowing this was just the Poison Elder’s usual way of smiling, Jiu Yiyi couldn’t help but feel a shiver down her spine and instinctively wanted to step back.

“I’m here to discuss some alchemy matters with your master.”

Jiu Yiyi quickly replied, “Please don’t hold it against him, Elder. My master has recently gained some insights and is in closed cultivation. I’m afraid that might…”

Before Jiu Yiyi could finish, a soft sigh came from inside the pavilion.

“It’s fine. I’m ready to end my seclusion. Please invite Elder Wan Linjun in for a talk.”

Jiu Yiyi promptly agreed and stepped aside.

Elder Wan Linjun nodded slightly, leaned on his walking stick, and took a couple of steps in the air before his frail figure drifted to the door of the small building and entered.

Inside the Forgetfulness Abode, the Forgetfulness Immortal, dressed in green robes, came out to welcome him. Upon seeing Elder Wan Linjun, he immediately cupped his hands in a daoist bow and said:

“Greetings, Elder Wan.”

—Wang Fugui had joined the sect later, so his seniority was below Elder Wan Linjun’s.

“You and I are both elders in the sect now, and your rank is still above mine. There’s no need for such formalities.”

Elder Wan Linjun said this, and the Forgetfulness Immortal smiled, gesturing for him to enter. Elder Wan Linjun calmly took a seat.

On Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou, who was remotely observing the scene with his immortal sense, felt a few thoughts stir in his mind…

It seemed the Forgetfulness Immortal was indeed avoiding his own grandmaster.

Why avoid her?

Was he not mentally prepared to leave his “pure yang ivory tower”? Or did he feel too embarrassed to face the situation, worried about losing face?

Li Changshou sat in his rocking chair, quietly pondering these questions.

If it was because of that “New Wedding Treasure Record” he had created, leading to this mess, then he really couldn’t shirk the blame and needed to do something to fix it.

This was truly…

He could calculate the heavens and the earth, but not the subtleties of human emotions.

Soon, the area around the Forgetfulness Abode was sealed off by arrays and barriers, blocking Li Changshou’s immortal sense.

But that was fine.

Since he had asked Elder Wan Linjun to step in, Li Changshou had already prepared a complete contingency plan.

At that moment, hidden in Elder Wan Linjun’s sleeve was a paper figure, and on the paper figure was a “Two Hearts Link” talisman.

—This was a tool for direct mental communication, a product from Li Changshou’s series of small inventions.

In this way, Li Changshou could listen to the entire conversation between the two seniors and communicate with Elder Wan Linjun in real time.

However…

After the array was activated, Elder Wan Linjun and the Forgetfulness Immortal fell into silence.

If not for the sounds of wind and birds outside the door, and occasionally from Uncle-Master Jiu Jiu’s small building, those “aooo” noises that only came from extreme boredom…

Li Changshou almost thought his paper figure had malfunctioned.

Ever since his grandmaster returned to the mountain, Jiu Jiu hadn’t dared to visit Xiaoqiong Peak. Ling’e had been delivering the wine in the meantime.

This had left her, who had been in seclusion several times, on the verge of going crazy.

Back in the Forgetfulness Abode.

The Forgetfulness Immortal and Elder Wan Linjun sat as host and guest in the flower hall of the small building, and the atmosphere gradually became a bit awkward.

The two had little interaction to begin with. When they did meet, it was in formal settings, discussing sect matters, and they hadn’t seen each other more than once or twice in a millennium.

In short, their relationship was like most of the seafood spread across the sea during the East Sea battle—not very familiar.

After a moment, the Forgetfulness Immortal spoke up: “Elder Wan, what brings you here today?”

Elder Wan Linjun pondered for a moment, recalling Changshou’s earlier instructions, and then gave a “cold” smile.

The Forgetfulness Immortal was puzzled, unsure where he had offended this elder, and frowned as he waited for Elder Wan to speak.

Then, Elder Wan Linjun pondered again and asked:

“Do you have a dao partner?”

A dao partner?

The Forgetfulness Immortal, though confused, answered promptly: “I do have a dao partner, but I haven’t reported it to the sect yet.

My dao partner is Jiang Lin’er from Xiaoqiong Peak. She’s mentioned you to me many times.”

“Hmm, Jiang Lin’er is under my care.

You don’t need to call yourself my junior. That goes against sect rules.”

Elder Wan Linjun responded indifferently, and then Li Changshou’s voice echoed in his mind…

‘Elder, that’s not what we discussed.’

“Ahem,” Elder Wan Linjun cleared his throat, clasped his hands on his walking stick, and looked at the Forgetfulness Immortal as he continued:

“Since you have a dao partner, this simplifies things.

I’ve recently refined a type of pill targeted at human qi refiners at the peak of the Tianxian realm. I’m not sure about its effects, so I wanted you to try it.”

The Forgetfulness Immortal laughed: “So it’s about that. Elder, you could have just said so directly.”

Elder Wan Linjun said indifferently: “Did I beat around the bush?”

“Not at all,” the Forgetfulness Immortal replied with a smile, and Elder Wan Linjun had already taken out a brocade pouch.

This pouch was made by Li Changshou and contained the latest enhanced version of the Courage Pill…

With an overdose warning for the affection potion.

Elder Wan Linjun added: “This pill is for those with a dao partner… You understand what I mean, right?”

“Of course I do,” the Forgetfulness Immortal smiled, but his smile soon stiffened as he sighed. “But I only know the basics and am not very proficient overall.

To be honest with you, Elder Wan, I’m actually worried about this matter myself.”

Elder Wan Linjun nodded, not intending to pry into personal affairs, but Li Changshou was urgently “shouting” in his mind…

Keep asking, Elder, you must keep going!

“What’s troubling you?”

“Well,” the Forgetfulness Immortal sighed.

He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the clouds and immortal cranes outside, and at the residence of the Wine Character Wine Immortal.

Elder Wan Linjun was a bit puzzled and asked further: “Isn’t it just about the matters between dao partners? Why are you so troubled?”

“To be honest, Elder, I might not deserve to have a dao partner…”

Not deserve one?

Elder Wan Linjun’s expression showed a slight shock.

In the dan room on Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou was so startled that he nearly flipped out of his chair.

What on earth?

Had the Forgetfulness Immortal practiced something like the Sunflower Manual?

That didn’t make sense. Even if he had, qi refiners could restore their dao bodies through various means, and human teachings emphasized free and complete cultivation, so it couldn’t be…

Elder Wan Linjun tapped his walking stick twice, making a thudding sound.

Elder Wan said firmly: “If there’s a problem, just say it!

I’m not good at other things, but I know a thing or two about pills!”

“Ah,” the Forgetfulness Immortal sighed slowly. “It has nothing to do with pills or the dao body.”

“Oh? Then what is it?”

The Forgetfulness Immortal hesitated, and Elder Wan Linjun stood up, leaning on his walking stick as he took a couple of steps forward, saying:

“Fugui, I’m like an elder to you in the sect, and you’re a pillar of the sect with the greatest potential to break through to Jin Xian as a Tianxian.

If you have something you can’t say, just tell me, and I’ll do my best to help.”

“Thank you, Elder Wan… Very well!”

The Forgetfulness Immortal bowed, then gestured for him to follow. “Elder, please come to my study.”

“Very well.”

Elder Wan Linjun nodded slowly and followed the Forgetfulness Immortal to the side study.

As soon as they entered, Elder Wan Linjun frowned.

Through the paper figure’s secret release of a wisp of immortal sense, Li Changshou also saw the most prominent item hanging in the center of the study…

The “New Wedding Treasure Record”!

“Ahem! Ahem!”

On Xiaoqiong Peak, Li Changshou covered his mouth and coughed.

Watching these two sect heavyweights confront the treasure map he had made was truly a bit…

Embarrassing.

Elder Wan Linjun looked closely, then frowned slightly and said: “Forgetfulness, are you trying to make a fool of me?”

“How could I dare, Elder?”

The Forgetfulness Immortal said bitterly: “I’ve been stumped by this set of techniques lately.”

“Techniques?”

‘Techniques?’

Elder Wan Linjun and Li Changshou were both stunned.

The Forgetfulness Immortal explained: “Elder, take a look. This is called the New Wedding Treasure Record, a gift from my fifth disciple.

Xiao Wu said that this treasure record is a must-learn method for newly bonded dao partners. I studied it carefully for a day and a night and found it contains profound heavenly principles, quite mysterious, and requires two people to practice together.

But I can’t quite figure out how to cultivate this technique or what kind of immortal power it involves.

Elder, just look at this— the third form and the fourth form don’t even connect…

Elder, Elder Wan?”

“You!” Elder Wan Linjun tapped his walking stick forcefully. “You’ve cultivated yourself into a muddle!”

Li Changshou, who was on the verge of laughing himself silly, was also a bit surprised…

Elder Wan Linjun understood this unexpectedly well.

Elder Wan said firmly: “I’ve seen techniques like this a few times before. It’s a yin-yang dual cultivation method! The key point is that it requires both man and woman to practice it together!

How can you figure anything out by studying it alone in here?

There are similarities and differences between men and women, just like how some pills are meant for specific genders!”

“Is… is that the reasoning?”

The Forgetfulness Immortal thought it over and continued to smile bitterly. “I originally planned to master this technique before seeking out my dao partner.

I even thought that if I couldn’t understand a technique that everyone else can, I didn’t deserve a dao partner at all.

I never realized I overlooked the differences between yin and yang.

Thank you for the enlightenment, Elder!”

“Good, as long as you understand.”

“I do… I’ll go find Lin’er and study it together later.”

Elder Wan Linjun nodded slowly, not glancing at the treasure map again, and turned to leave the room.

Then, as per Li Changshou’s telepathic instructions, Elder Wan left the pill behind and bid farewell, departing from the Forgetfulness Abode.

Before leaving, Elder Wan “coldly” smiled and reminded several times that the pill must be taken only when alone with one’s dao partner, and afterward, the effects should be reported back to Danding Peak.

The Forgetfulness Immortal agreed repeatedly, saw Elder Wan Linjun off, and then returned to his study.

After hesitating for a bit, he sat down again to ponder the “profound technique.”

He still wanted to master it before teaching it to his dao partner, to avoid being laughed at.

Half an hour later, Jiu Wu, who had received Li Changshou’s flying crane message, hurried to the dan room on Xiaoqiong Peak. As soon as he entered the array, he was bombarded with questions from Li Changshou.

“Uncle-Master, when you presented that treasure map, what exactly did you say?”

“What did I say…”

Jiu Wu blinked and laughed: “I said it just as you instructed.”

“The exact words!” Li Changshou said firmly. “This is crucial!”

“Well…”

Jiu Wu coughed and, seeing how serious Li Changshou was, said: “Now, you’re like my master, so listen to how I said it to him.

Heh…

Master?”

“Hmm,” Li Changshou frowned in response.

“Disciple has found a profound technique for you,” Jiu Wu said with a laugh, pulling out a spirit stone from his sleeve as if it were the scroll.

Jiu Wu continued: “This technique is called the New Wedding Treasure Record, something every newly bonded dao partner needs to practice.

It’s also something the sect elders asked me to deliver. They were thrilled to hear about your dao bonding.

Master, I’ll leave this technique here for you. Take a look when you have time?

Oh, and these few scrolls are from my collection. I’ll give them to you today as well.”

Jiu Wu blinked. “That’s exactly how I said it. When I left, Master had already picked up the thing you drew and was looking at it!

Don’t worry, it’s spot on!”

Li Changshou: …

Really, why not just say it straight? Why all this shy, roundabout talk!

Living in this world is truly too difficult…

Fortunately, Elder Wan Linjun’s reminders seemed to have some effect.

Half a day later, at dusk, the Forgetfulness Immortal flew from Potian Peak toward Xiaoqiong Peak, his expression a bit downcast.