Chapter 700

Chapter 700: Old Affairs of the Shrine

“Jialan has returned,” Grandma Ge Luo greeted as she saw Lolan Xi return to the shrine.

At this moment, she was sitting quietly at the center of the shrine, calmly perceiving the dragon veins beneath the earth. The afterglow of the sunset shone through the main gate of the shrine, dyeing her lower body in a warm color with her black witch’s robe.

“I’m back,” the young lady walked with a slightly light step, first going to the courtyard behind the shrine to change into clean shoes before coming out.

Lolan Xi had taken off her usual black coat today, wearing all white. Her silk-like hair flowed over her shoulders, complementing her exquisite and dreamy face, giving her a unique charm.

“Is Grandma free now?” She stepped on the wooden planks of the shrine, hearing the clear sounds underfoot.

“Yes, is there something you need?” Grandma Ge Luo opened her eyes. She had finished her afternoon work.

“I want to learn about some past events,” Lolan Xi walked over and knelt beside Grandma Ge Luo, looking outside at the courtyard under the sunset.

“Oh, did you discover something interesting?” Grandma Ge Luo’s voice carried a hint of kindness.

“Hmm.” Lolan Xi then began to talk about the girl she met during the day.

After listening carefully, Grandma Ge Luo spoke up.

“So it’s Qing Ling’s daughter. I didn’t expect her to grow up so quickly.” She seemed to have some reflections.

“The things this child said are mostly correct, but there are also some discrepancies.”

“In fact, I knew about Qing Ling’s relationship with that boy back then.”

“Back then, that boy was around eighteen or nineteen years old. He grew up on the border of the dynasty, and as he matured, some characteristics of the Chi clan appeared, such as very fair skin with a slight bluish tinge, and his eyes, though appearing black, were actually deep blue.”

“Because of his appearance, he felt uncomfortable living outside, so he moved from the town on the border to the secluded valley of the setting sun.”

“Compared to ordinary children, he had read books and knew many things, which soon caught Qing Ling’s attention and admiration. And Qing Ling herself was quite attractive, so things progressed naturally,” Grandma Ge Luo narrated.

“At that time, there were other girls studying here besides Qing Ling, so I didn’t intervene in her relationship and let it develop freely.”

“But later, some changes occurred.”

“After Qing Ling got married, another girl developed feelings and went out into the world, while the only remaining girl passed away in an accident.”

“Since then, I’ve been the one supporting this shrine alone.”

“I originally wanted to train more children as successors, but unfortunately, there were changes in the heavens and earth in recent years. Even I had to relearn everything, and now I’ve just managed to return to the fifth rank. Teaching others is out of the question. So, this matter has been put on hold.”

Although Grandma Ge Luo spoke in a calm manner, Lolan Xi admired her composure.

Before the changes in the heavens and earth, Grandma Ge Luo was a powerful witch at the eighth rank of the Dragon Sequence. Now, she had dropped to the fifth rank, and the difference was unimaginable. Most people would not be able to accept such a drastic change.

At this moment, Lolan Xi became curious about what happened after the changes in the heavens and earth.

“Why couldn’t those immortals who once ranked ninth reach their peak strength again in the new era? They even lagged behind some young people.”

“Hehe,” Grandma Ge Luo laughed and explained.

“It’s because they can’t adapt to the new habits.”

“Many pieces of knowledge and ways of thinking are deeply ingrained in their minds, like your handwriting, way of speaking, and personality.”

“These things that were once advantages now hinder learning new things. In the old way of thinking, the current cultivation methods are certainly dangerous, wrong, and lead to endless suffering.”

“Even if you gradually realize these changes, it’s hard to correct habitual thoughts and reactions. It requires constant correction, and one might slip if not careful.”

“That’s why we older generations slowly fall behind the times,” Grandma Ge Luo answered slowly.

“Instead, the most advantageous are the young people, especially those who reached the fifth or sixth rank when they were young.”

“They are already familiar with cultivating extraordinary powers, and since they learned recently, they haven’t formed rigid thinking patterns, making it easier for them to adapt.”

“Though I haven’t been to the outside world for a long time, I can still roughly deduce from some information that most of the geniuses who are now seventh rank were young when they reached the fifth or sixth rank. Their speed of catching up is fast.”

“Moreover, young people are flexible and unconstrained, more daring in innovation, which is also why they quickly stand out,” Grandma Ge Luo patiently explained the current state of the world to Lolan Xi.

Thus, the two talked softly in the quiet shrine until the distant sunset fully set, and the birds on the eaves of the shrine chirped.

Chirp chirp — (When shall we cook)

—

The next morning.

Lolan Xi arrived at the upper part of the secluded valley again, but this time, waiting for her were not only the little girl from yesterday but also a woman in her thirties.

This woman wrapped her head in a black scarf, but her face still showed some resemblance to the little girl, suggesting they were mother and daughter.

“Sorry, Cai Wei disturbed Lady Jialan yesterday,” the woman first pulled the little girl’s hand and bowed to the young lady.

“Please don’t mind what Cai Wei said; much of it was just random guessing,” the woman seemed uneasy, then she pulled her daughter closer and bowed to Lolan Xi.

“It’s fine,” the young lady shook her head. So, the little girl from yesterday was named Cai Wei. Then, she focused her gaze on the woman.

Though she wore black coarse clothing, her handsome face still retained some beauty, suggesting she must have been a notable beauty in the town or village in her youth.

“As for you, do you want to see Grandma Ge Luo at the shrine now?”

“I…” She hesitated for a while before slowly nodding.

“That’s good, follow me,” Lolan Xi said, waving her sleeve. The black outer garment slid slightly, revealing her pristine cuffs and even whiter wrists. A gentle breeze enveloped the three, forming a sphere, and they descended into the secluded valley below.

Upon reaching the steps of the shrine again, the woman’s eyes were filled with nostalgia and sorrow as she followed Lolan Xi slowly forward.

The stone steps were still damp with raindrops, moss and small flowers growing in the corners. The woman lifted her side of her clothing and moved forward, everything before her seeming to transport her back more than a decade.

Back then, she was still an apprentice witch in the shrine, living carefree days with two peers, learning from Grandma Ge Luo.

Unexpectedly, fifteen years had passed like a blink of an eye, and everything had changed.

Chi Ling left without a word, Xue Ling fell into the dark abyss, and only she remained in this secluded valley. She hadn’t directly seen this mentor, Grandma Ge Luo, in over ten years.

(The End of Chapter)