Breaking through the illusion of the mortal world

Chapter 40 A Heart Within Reach

Hu Zhen's soft call was like sunlight breaking through the clouds, shattering the tranquility beside the herb garden and breaking the hidden shell that Lu Ming was wearing.

Lu Ming stiffened slightly. All his thoughts of leaving vanished in the sound of that soft call. He could only emerge somewhat hesitantly from behind the tree.

The sunshine bathed me in warmth, but it couldn't warm the gloom in my heart.

Lu Ming tried to force a smile like he used to, but his lips seemed to be bound by his thoughts, and in the end, he could only manage a slightly hesitant nod.

"Hu Zhen." Lu Ming heard his own voice, so dry that even he felt like a stranger to himself.

Hu Zhen hurried forward, her eyes sparkling with joy, as if she had seen a long-lost friend; her gaze was bright and intelligent.

"It really is you! What brings you to Baicao Peak? I almost didn't recognize you from afar."

Hu Zhen's gaze fell on Lu Ming, with three parts surprise and seven parts concern.

"How has your cultivation been lately? How have you been doing at Tianyan Peak?"

A series of questions flowed like sweet rain into Lu Ming's parched heart.

Lu Ming felt the sincerity between the lines, and his heart warmed. A faint hope, which he himself felt he shouldn't have, quietly arose within him.

Like grass sprouting from the dark soil, timid and hesitant.

"It's alright, I can fly on my sword now, and I can barely soar through the air." Lu Ming replied evasively, but his gaze involuntarily passed over her and landed on the young man walking slowly behind her.

The young man had gentle features, proper manners, refined demeanor, and clear eyes.

He stood there quietly, blending seamlessly with the spiritual herbs and fairy garden of Baicao Peak, the flowing clouds and gentle breeze, as if he was born to stand here, beside her, forming a harmonious picture.

"Junior Sister Hu, who is this?" the young man asked, his voice gentle and refined.

Hu Zhen suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly introduced the two with a smile: "Senior Brother Mu Chen, this is Lu Ming. He and I came from Qinghe Village together and cultivated together in the outer courtyard for five years. Now he has become a disciple of Master Xuanji of Tianyan Peak."

She then turned to Lu Ming, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "Lu Ming, this is Senior Brother Mu Chen, a true disciple of Hundred Herbs Peak. I have been guided by Senior Brother in my studies of pharmacology and alchemy, and he has helped me so much."

"You've helped me so much," these words fell softly in his ear, yet seemed to weigh a ton, pressing heavily on Lu Ming's heart.

"So it's Junior Brother Lu, I've heard so much about you." Mu Chen raised his hand in a cupped-hand salute, his smile humble and his manners impeccable.

"I've heard Junior Sister Hu mention the companions from Qinghe Village before; they are all outstanding young talents. Master Uncle Xuanji's Taoist arts are profound, and Junior Brother Lu's ability to become his disciple means he will surely have a bright future."

Mu Chen's words were gentle and considerate, yet they were like a clear mirror, reflecting the disheveled state of Lu Ming's heart at that moment.

"Senior Brother Mu, you flatter me." Lu Ming returned the greeting with clasped hands, suppressing the turmoil in his heart and making his voice sound calm and even. "I have just entered the inner sect and am still exploring everything. My foundation is shallow and I am far less composed than Senior Brother."

These words were half sincere, and half concealed a grudge that even the speaker was unaware of.

Hu Zhen, oblivious to Lu Ming's change in mood, remained immersed in the joy of reuniting with her old friend. She tugged at Lu Ming's sleeve and said enthusiastically:

"Lu Ming, you've come at the perfect time! Senior Brother Mu Chen just taught me the trick to identifying the age of Star Blue Grass. This grass is the main ingredient for refining the Heart-Clearing Pill, and its age is the most difficult to determine. If you're not careful, you'll ruin the pill. Would you like to listen too?"

Her eyes shone with a bright light that Lu Ming knew all too well, just like when he tutored her back then—passionate and pure.

But at this moment, this flame was like a double-edged sword, making him genuinely happy for her growth and progress on one hand, while pushing him far away on the other.

Pushing him out of the shared pharmacological world of Hu Zhen and Mu Chen made him an outcast.

Stay? Listening to Mu Chen's eloquent speech, seeing her looking at him with eyes full of admiration, she stood to the side like an outsider, without even a chance to say a word.

Should he turn and leave? But a lingering desire for warmth held him back, making him reluctant to part with this brief encounter.

My heart is churning, and my struggles are like a surging tide.

Lu Ming stood on the edge of the cliff, with the warm light on one side that he longed to get closer to, and the cold abyss on the other side that he knew he was unworthy of. He was caught in a dilemma.

"I..." Lu Ming opened his mouth, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he could not make a complete sound.

"I won't disturb your pharmacology studies any longer." He finally suppressed his desire.

Lu Ming's voice was as soft as the wind: "There are still cultivation classes at Tianyan Peak this afternoon. I... I was just passing by and thought I'd drop by to see you."

He spoke the words "just passing by" lightly, but he used all his strength to conceal his intention to come specifically for this purpose, as well as his current disheveled state as he tried to escape.

The joy on Hu Zhen's face faded slightly, like a burning flame being blown away by the wind:

"Are you leaving so soon? Feiyu just messaged me a few days ago, saying that training at Yanwu Peak is exhausting and he wanted to get together with the three of us to have a good chat."

Upon hearing Qin Feiyu's name, Lu Ming thought of Feiyu's carefree and easygoing nature.

If I were here right now, I could easily crack a joke without any restraint, breaking the suffocating atmosphere and bringing everything back to its usual relaxed state.

But at this moment, he was all alone, facing this emotional storm with no one to rely on and no one to confide in.

"Yes, cultivation is the priority." He repeated this excuse almost mechanically, as if he had no other reason to live except for cultivation. "Let's make an appointment when Feiyu is free."

He dared not look into Hu Zhen's bright eyes, afraid of seeing the disappointment within them, and even less dared to try to decipher the emotions hidden beneath Mu Chen's ever-gentle smile.

He feared that if he lingered even a moment longer, his carefully concealed panic would be exposed to others, shattering his last shred of dignity.

"Then I'll take my leave. Senior Brother Mu, I'm sorry to have bothered you." He cupped his hands to Mu Chen again, his movements somewhat hurried, almost as if he were fleeing.

"Take care, Junior Brother Lu. Come visit Hundred Herbs Peak often when you have time, and let's exchange cultivation ideas." Mu Chen's smile remained gentle.

Hu Zhen walked him a few steps to the entrance of the stone path at Baicao Peak, and softly instructed him, "Be careful on the way."

"Okay." Lu Ming nodded slightly, not daring to look back, and quickly left.

He feared that if he turned around, he would see the two of them standing side by side in the herb garden, discussing the principles of medicine.

He walked quickly, leaving the territory of Baicao Peak, far away from the fragrance of herbs and the atmosphere that disturbed his mind.

This brief meeting was more exhausting than his days of arduous sword mastery and sleepless training.

That feeling of being so close yet seemingly separated by countless mountains and rivers is more disheartening than any bottleneck in cultivation.

Lu Ming looked up towards the direction of Tianyan Peak. A sword light flashed across the sky, extremely elegant. The disciples who rode the swords had their robes fluttering, as if they were walking on clouds.

He, however, seemed to be imprisoned in a cage called "emotions," surrounded by invisible shackles.

That feeling, hidden deep in my heart, never spoken aloud, and one I dared not even think about deeply.

This visit brought no comfort whatsoever; instead, it felt like wild grass being nourished by spring rain, spreading wildly and painfully in my heart.

The path of cultivation is never just about improving one's skills and enhancing one's spiritual power; it also involves tempering one's heart and testing one's Dao heart.

Some roads are destined to be walked alone, and some emotions are destined to be borne alone.