Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 158 Severing Emotions and Desires

"What do you mean 'you' and what do I mean 'me'? You must know that in the path of cultivation, the moon waxes and wanes; a balance of relaxation and rest is the key! It's settled then!"

Before Han Yi could even utter his words, Bai Sanren snorted coldly and said in a solemn voice.

Then he spoke again, his tone gentle: "Besides, it's only one day, it won't take up much time. All things change, and all things must rest; this is the ultimate principle of heaven and earth! I heard that the lantern festival tomorrow is very lively. Let's go and have a look, soak up the festive atmosphere. It's much better than you staying here working on this boring and tedious thing!"

"Yeah yeah!"

Qianxue nodded frantically, like a chick pecking at rice, to show her approval.

"I said..." "I've already swallowed my pride and let you come along, why are you still making such a fuss! What, do I have to beg you?"

Bai Sanren was furious: "Normally, Qianxue and I enjoy playing around, and I can let it go if you don't respect the elderly and care for the young. But why are you acting like this now! What's wrong with showing some respect for the elderly?"

"Not bad!"

Qianxue spoke softly, nodded, and before Han Yi could look at her, she lowered her head and looked around.

Seeing this, Han Yi couldn't help but shake his head with a smile and teased, "Before I even opened my mouth, you two had already said everything I wanted to say."

"Then what do you mean?"

Bai Sanren was delighted.

"A day is nothing. Since you mentioned respecting elders, Mr. Bai, then we will do as you wish."

Han Yi smiled slightly: "But speaking of caring for the young, I haven't felt any care from you, senior. My words and actions are all learned from you..." "Haha..." Upon hearing this, Bai Sanren's face turned red instantly, and he could only change the subject.

Han Yi didn't want to embarrass him. He picked out a pair of auspicious couplets from his bag, tore them open and glanced at them. They read, "A thousand cups of fine wine bid farewell to the old year, ten thousand plum blossoms welcome the new spring." Then he walked out of the courtyard.

"Wait, you forgot the paste. This pair was carefully selected by me, so you need to paste them meticulously. And don't forget to hang up the five-colored door coins..."

Bai Sanren hurriedly called out and began to ramble on.

Han Yi waved his hand, indicating that he understood.

Behind him, Qianxue quickly grabbed a pair of auspicious couplets and ran excitedly toward her little house, jumping and skipping with joy.

Bai Sanren looked at the scene before him, then turned his gaze to Han Yi, who was busy outside the courtyard with a big red wedding couplet. He felt a sense of relief, and a hint of aged smile appeared in the depths of his eyes.

"Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and things are ever-changing. Han boy, you must remember, cultivation is about cultivating the body, but it's about refining the heart. Don't believe in so-called severing of emotions and desires, or cutting off all ties and feelings, just for the sake of so-called strength! Those are all crooked paths! I'm really worried that you'll follow that person's old path... Even if we don't talk about love and romance, it's always good to have a bit more of the human touch..."

He sighed inwardly. Han Yi's various actions gradually made him and a figure in his memory overlap, becoming indistinguishable.

Back then, there was a boy about the same age as Han Yi. Although he wasn't particularly gifted, he had exceptional comprehension and cultivated extremely quickly. However, it was his own mistake that led to…....

Thinking of this, Bai Sanren seemed to return to that painful and self-reproachful time. He stood blankly in the cold, windswept courtyard, his eyes welling up with tears…

On the street at this moment.

Many people decorated their yards with lanterns and colorful streamers, and performed dragon and phoenix dances. The whole street was ablaze with red, and the lively and festive atmosphere instantly dispelled the chill of the winter snow, warming people's hearts. In an open space, several daring and mischievous children, dressed in thick cotton-padded clothes, carried long poles and cheerfully lit a string of firecrackers.

Crackling!

Suddenly, bright flames appeared, small pieces of red paper scattered everywhere, and a joyful and peaceful sound reverberated through half the street.

The smoke from the firecrackers, like a hazy fog, obscured everyone's vision, making it impossible to see clearly what was happening.

But the joyful laughter was crisp and loud, and even the thunderous sound of firecrackers could not drown it out, echoing through the sky.

Amidst this bustling scene, there was a sense of peaceful harmony, suitable for all ages.

Bai Sanren snapped out of his daze, wiped his eyes, and then his furrowed brows relaxed. Suddenly, he grabbed a string of firecrackers and walked out of the courtyard.

"Let's go set off some firecrackers for good luck during the New Year!" he said with a smile.

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next day

The sky was overcast and low-hanging. A north wind howled, and silvery-gray clouds raced across the sky. A cold front rolled in, as if brewing something.

Suddenly, some sparkling things began to fall from the sky—it was snowing!

North wind and snow, what a heavy snowfall!

The snow fell in heavy, fluffy flurries. It landed on bare branches, on the edge of stone tables, and drifted into the eaves, doorways, and black stones of bonsai gardens.

early morning.

When Qianxue woke up from her dream, she got up, opened the window, and leaned on the windowsill to look outside.

Looking around, the courtyard was already covered in white. Further afield, the world was blanketed in snow, and the dense snow curtain, like a thick fog, enveloped the intricate rooftops.

"It really snowed heavily last night..." she sighed inwardly.

At this moment, the weather was chilly, desolate, and bleak, and the surroundings were quiet, as if it had been blended into that silence.

After a long time, the faint sounds of wheels turning, neighbors talking, and people closing doors gradually reached my ears, making me feel that life was in the air. The whole city seemed to be waking up in this blank white scroll, gradually becoming lively.

Qianxue glanced at Bai Sanren and Han Yi's rooms; there was no movement inside either of them.

She counted on her fingers, realizing there were still several hours until the lantern festival. So, she pushed open the window covered in snow-white fabric, yawned, and went back to her warm bed, intending to take a nap and fall into a deep sleep.

Thump, thump, thump

After an unknown amount of time, Qianxue was awakened by a knock on the door. "Who is it? Who is it? I was sleeping soundly..."

Qianxue mumbled a reply, still half-asleep.

"It's me! The lantern festival is about to start, or you'll miss out on a good spot!"

Han Yi's clear and gentle voice came through, with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

"Wait a minute!"

Qianxue blushed shyly and quickly got dressed.

Now, the winter evening breeze has risen, and the courtyard is shrouded in a layer of twilight, hazy and indistinct, but fireworks occasionally burst into the sky, dyeing the thin silver-gray sky with a layer of golden brilliance.

Outside the door, Han Yi, dressed in a white fox fur coat, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, radiant under the glow of the fireworks, appearing almost celestial.

Qianxue was momentarily stunned and remained silent for a long time.

"This is for you..." Han Yi smiled calmly and handed over an item in his hand.

"This is?"

At this moment, Qianxue came to her senses and found that what she had in her hand was a red gold filigree lock, which was also a longevity lock representing peace and harmony.

"This was Bai Sanren's instruction. He said that according to custom, during the New Year festival, unmarried men and women would be given a longevity lock by the elders of their families. If they were from wealthy families, they would be given a gold lock; if they were from ordinary families, they would be given a copper lock; and if they were from poor families, they would be given a lock made of wood."

Han Yi explained a few words to Qianxue.

"it is good!"

Qianxue happily untied the gold chain from the lock and carefully hung it around her neck. Having lived deep in the mountains for many years, she had never seen anything so rare before. To be honest, this was her first proper New Year's celebration, so it's no wonder she was so excited! After everything was ready, she examined herself in the bronze mirror for a while, then turned around and said hesitantly, "Brother Yi, um..."

"It looks amazing!"

Qianxue was dressed in a pink blouse and skirt today. Her bright eyes and white teeth were accentuated by a small gold lock hanging on her delicate neck, which made her look even more beautiful and charming. Her skin was so fair that it seemed almost translucent.

"The lantern festival has already started, and Master Bai is still waiting for us up ahead. If you keep dawdling like this, we'll have to wait until next year!"

Before Qianxue could respond happily, Han Yi said jokingly.

"Let's go, then let's go quickly!"

Qianxue nodded repeatedly.

But by the time she had applied a little makeup, finished getting ready, and dragged Han Yi out of the courtyard, the streets were already bustling with people, and many families were spreading the word and making plans to go see the lanterns.

The crowd thronged, and shouts echoed throughout. "Cao's Lantern Festival, don't miss it!"

"The finest silk, the most popular patterns in the court, come and take a look~~"

"Wang Pangzi's new signature dish: fruitwood-smoked roast duck, served with half a pound of rice cakes. It'll make you round and full! Come on over..."

Those were the peddler's cries along the street, the haggling with customers, and the laughter and chatter of tourists strolling the streets.

Bright red lanterns hung high everywhere, and colorful gates and flower corridors were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, making them dazzling.

Qianxue walked among the crowd, slightly bewildered yet unable to contain her excitement. Her beautiful eyes couldn't help but look around, as if she were seeing such a lively street scene for the first time, finding everything novel and fascinating.

"Boss, how much are these ornaments?"

She hopped and skipped around like a little rabbit, asking the stall owner questions.

"Not expensive, not expensive at all. A jade hairpin is 150 coins, and a jade bracelet is 3 taels of silver. Oh, and we also have some exquisite hand-carved ornaments by master craftsmen from the prefectural city..." The shopkeeper, wearing a short leather hat, looked at Qianxue and her companions' clothes and said with a smile.

He then added, "Small business, no discounts..."

"Oh, then I'll take a look..." Qianxue frowned, looking troubled.

"Master Bai, I'm telling you, even though I'm devoted to cultivation, I'm not some inanimate object. Although you've concealed it very well, I sense that after your breakthrough, you're not happy at all, but rather constantly worried..."

They even went so far as to arrange a marriage for me, insisting that I experience the realities of life. What are they afraid of in making all these arrangements…?

Bai Sanren was startled upon hearing this. At this moment, the crowd was so dense that no one could even brush against the hem of the two people's clothes.

Because these words, spoken so close yet only whispered between the two of them.