One of my fairy-like friends

The little girl was Liu Mengli. It had been some time since I last saw her. Liu Mengli hadn't changed much, but she was pouting and looked like she was in a bad mood. She threw the bronze coin in her hand into the sky. After flying to a certain height, the bronze coin began to fall. Finally, it hit the ground with a slight sound, bounced up, rolled a distance, and got stuck in a crevice in the stone, standing upright.

"They're back already?" Upon seeing this, Liu Mengli immediately perked up, looked around, and quickly spotted Ming Yan and Liu Yunfeng at the courtyard gate.

"Senior brother! You're back?!" Liu Mengli jumped up immediately, ran to Ming Yan, and then hopped onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck with joy. "Senior brother! Senior brother! You're finally back."

"Having a senior brother has made you forget your father?" Liu Yunfeng was at a loss for words seeing Liu Mengli so agitated. This was precisely what he was worried about; his daughter was too fond of Mingyan, but with her talent, going to the Holy Land was unlikely, and the two would inevitably be separated sooner or later...

“Daddy can see you anytime, but Senior Brother will be leaving soon. Every time you see him, it will be one less time to see him. How can that be the same?” Liu Mengli glanced at Liu Mengli and gave a soft snort.

Upon hearing Liu Mengli mention Mingyan's impending departure, Mingyan and Liu Yunfeng exchanged a glance, both relieved. It seemed Liu Mengli had been mentally prepared.

Sometimes Mingyan really felt that Liu Mengli was not like an eight-year-old girl. She was much more mature, at least much more mature and intelligent than the eight-year-old children he had known in the village.

Mingyan reached out and supported Liu Mengli. "Your senior brother has prepared some small gifts for you, Mengli."

Upon hearing this, Liu Mengli quickly looked up at Ming Yan, her pure and bright eyes filled with anticipation. "A gift? What gift?"

Mingyan put Liu Mengli down and took off the spatial bag from his waist. This spatial bag was originally used by the Huang family to store spiritual fruits and medicines. It was personally delivered by Huang Junyi. In fact, it was a little gadget that Huang Junyi made herself. Later, she felt that Mingyan had not yet reached the Zhaohai stage and could not enter the Qihai stage, so she gave this little gadget to Mingyan.

Since the space bag was a gift from Huang Junyi, Mingyan naturally couldn't give it away. It wasn't something like peach blossom cake that he could eat. This bag... even if he didn't need it, it had special significance, and Mingyan couldn't just give it away casually.

The gift Mingyan had prepared was in a bag. Mingyan took out two paper figures from the bag. One of them seemed to be Mingyan's appearance, and the other looked like Liu Mengli. Mingyan handed them to Liu Mengli.

Liu Mengli reached out and took them, looking at the two little figures in her hands with some curiosity.

Two paper figures held hands, their features somewhat blurry, but it was still easy to tell that they were Ming Yan and Liu Mengli. The little girl was very happy, "Did Senior Brother make this himself?"

"Well, I did get some help from others too," Mingyan said with a smile. "Try channeling your spiritual energy into it and see."

Liu Mengli held the paper doll in her small hand and carefully infused it with spiritual energy as Ming Yan had instructed, afraid that she might accidentally crush it.

As spiritual energy was injected, the paper figures' originally blurry features gradually became clear. The paper figures gradually came to life, turning into two lifelike spirits. The original paper texture and creases were no longer visible. They were like miniature versions of Mingyan and Liu Mengli. Mingyan smiled and held Liu Mengli's hand, pointing into the distance. Liu Mengli looked in the direction Mingyan was pointing, her face full of longing.

"Wow..." Liu Mengli's eyes widened in surprise. "How amazing!"

The paper figure was made by Mingyan himself. Huang Junyi inscribed some principles on it. After spiritual energy was injected, the principles would automatically run and evolve into its current form.

"Do you like it?" Mingyan asked with a smile.

"I love it! I love it so much!" Liu Mengli touched it with delight. She carefully held the little figure in her hands, afraid of breaking it.

Liu Yunfeng remained silent, only breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing Liu Mengli's joy. Liu Mengli had seemed somewhat melancholy these past few days, and it seemed that only Mingyan's presence could cheer her up. But what would happen after Mingyan left? Liu Yunfeng was suddenly struck by a headache.

“Master, here’s another gift.” Mingyan took out a jar of peach blossom wine from the bag. “This is the wine I promised you before I left.”

"Oh? I have one too?" Liu Yunfeng was a little surprised, not expecting that Mingyan had actually prepared a gift for him.

“Yes, this is peach blossom wine brewed by Huang Qingfei, the younger sister of the Holy Lord of the Huang family,” Mingyan said. “She is also the reason why I went to the Huang family this time.”

This peach blossom wine was delivered the day after Huang Qingfei woke up. Ten jars were sent in total, each at least a hundred years old. It was brewed from peach blossoms picked from the peach tree in the courtyard where Mingyan used to live, and is brimming with spiritual energy.

Mingyan selected five jars and presented them to Liu Yunfeng, saying, "Master, these are peach blossom wines that have been stored for a hundred years. Please drink them sparingly..."

"A hundred years old?" Liu Yunfeng gasped in astonishment. This wine was older than him. Seeing Ming Yan take out five jars, he quickly said, "Don't take too many. I wouldn't dare drink too many. Just give me two jars, one to show off, and the other to entertain guests..."

"This...is unnecessary..."

"Alright, alright, this must have been a gift from someone. It wouldn't be right for me to take too much. Just two jars, I don't want any more." Liu Yunfeng waved his hand firmly. Seeing this, Ming Yan finally gave up, "Okay then..."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Departure

"By the way, Master, did you put away those little things in my room?" Mingyan asked, remembering that his room was empty when he returned earlier.

"Oh, I'll keep your things for you; they're inside." Liu Yunfeng nodded. "Come with me."

Those things weren't anything special; most were just little trinkets that Mingyan carved or handcrafted to pass the time when he was bored. They were probably useless to others, but he kept them as collectibles, and it would be a shame to lose them.

Liu Yunfeng led Mingyan to his room, took out the small items, returned them to Mingyan, and then asked, "When do you plan to leave?"

“Just for the next few days. I’ll stay here with Mengli for a while, then I’ll say goodbye to the sect leader and leave. How far is it from here to the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land?” Mingyan asked.

“It’s very close. With your current Taixi cultivation level, you should be able to arrive in about five or six days,” Liu Yunfeng said.

Mingyan nodded. "Master, has the Sect Master's cultivation level... recovered?"

"The sect leader is not only unharmed, but has even benefited from the misfortune and has now broken through to the Taiyi Realm." Liu Yunfeng sighed, "The Huang family must have made some kind of deal with the Fengling Yueying Holy Land. The Yueying Holy Lord gave the sect leader an unknown spiritual herb. After the sect leader consumed it, he not only recovered his cultivation but also broke through... It seems that the Huang family must have had to pay a price to obtain this kind of spiritual herb."

"Taiyi? So, the sect leader has already entered the Saintly Realm?"

“That’s right.” Liu Yunfeng nodded. “After the sect leader enters the Taiyi realm, the resources that he can secure for Yutai Blessed Land will naturally increase significantly, which is a good thing for the entire Yutai Blessed Land.”

"That's good." Mingyan nodded, relieved.

After that, Mingyan went to see Xia Yanming again. Xia Yanming was naturally very happy to see Mingyan return. Mingyan originally wanted to give Xia Yanming a jar of wine, but Xia Yanming politely declined and told him to come and see him again after he left.

After meeting Xia Yanming, Mingyan stayed at Yutai Blessed Land for a few days to keep Liu Mengli company.

On the third day, Liu Mengli and Ming Yan lay together on the roof, looking at the night sky adorned with stars.

"Senior brother, what kind of star is that?" Liu Mengli raised her hand, pointed to a particularly bright star in the sky, and asked.

“It should be Kaiyang,” Mingyan said with a smile.

"Kaiyang?"

“Yes.” Mingyan nodded. “That’s what the village chief of the village where I used to live told me.”

Why is it called that?

“This… I don’t know either.” Mingyan nodded. There are many ancient books in Sun and Moon Village, which Mingyan has read. However, those ancient books do not mention these star systems. Instead, they introduce some stories about human ancestors.

"...Senior brother, I've always had a question: are the stars I saw in Yutai Blessed Land the same as the stars you saw in the Huang family?" Liu Mengli leaned closer to Ming Yan and asked.

“Of course it’s the same, we’re all under the same sky,” Mingyan said with a smile.

"So, if our senior brother goes to other places in the future, we'll still see the same sky?"

"nature."

Liu Mengli nodded. "In the future, if I miss my senior brother, I will look up at the sky and remember that my senior brother and I are under the same starry sky, and then I will not feel lonely."

Upon hearing this, Ming Yan opened his mouth, remained silent for a while, and ultimately couldn't say anything. He simply reached out and took Liu Mengli's small hand in his.

"Father said that Yutai Blessed Land cannot provide what Senior Brother is pursuing. Will he come back when he realizes his ambitions?" Liu Mengli asked softly.

“Mengli, this is not your home, senior brother has no family.” Mingyan sighed. “Although Yutai Blessed Land is where you entered the sect, and you have feelings for this place, you will definitely come back in the future, but you will not stay here forever.”

"...But my father and I are here...I am my senior brother's family."

"I will come back to see you, but I won't stay here. Do you understand what I mean?" Mingyan was at a loss for words. He didn't want Liu Mengli to have too much hope in him. He had already decided to pursue Ning Feixuan. Regardless of whether he could marry her in the end, he would definitely repay the life-saving grace. As a cultivator, he would definitely experience a lot in the future. Whether it was battle or danger, he didn't even know if he could survive. How could he give Liu Mengli a promise that he himself didn't know if he could keep?

"...Then I'll go after my senior brother! Although I'm only a minor cultivator at the Spring Essence Realm right now, one day I will catch up with him, keep up with his pace, and face everything together with him." Liu Mengli pouted, gave a light hum, and said.

Mingyan thought for a moment and smiled, "That's good too. Mengli will definitely become an excellent cultivator in the future."

“Then it’s settled. When I come of age, I will go to find my senior brother. Don’t forget your junior sister then!” Liu Mengli’s sweet voice came over. Ming Yan nodded. “I will not forget. No matter where I go, I will never forget that I once lived in Yutai Blessed Land. I had a master named Liu Yunfeng and a junior sister named Liu Mengli.”

"Hmm... I will catch up with my senior brother," Liu Mengli said softly.

Mingyan smiled and pinched Liu Mengli's cheek. He probably didn't understand how determined Liu Mengli was.

Although Mingyan had always felt that Liu Mengli was precocious and intelligent, he wondered how much he would mean to her in ten years. By then, perhaps Liu Mengli would have forgotten him. If he returned in the future and Liu Mengli could call him "senior brother," Mingyan would be content.

As night deepened, Liu Mengli, whose cultivation was still shallow, gradually fell asleep. Mingyan escorted her back to her room, silently bid farewell to Liu Yunfeng, who had been watching over him and Liu Mengli, and then packed his luggage before arriving at Xia Yanming's residence.

"Sect Master." Ming Yan stood outside the door, waiting for Xia Yanming's reply from inside the room.

Not long after, Xia Yanming came out of the room. He looked at Mingyan and asked, "Are you ready?"

“I’m ready.” Mingyan nodded. “After parting ways with the sect leader, I will embark on the journey to Fenglingyueying.”

Xia Yanming smiled. "I told you before that you don't belong here. Only in Fengling Yueying can you unleash your talent. Don't waste it. Before you leave, I want to tell you two things. First, from now on, you are no longer a disciple of Yutai Blessed Land. You are now a rogue cultivator, and Liu Yunfeng is no longer your master. So you don't need to have any lingering feelings about finding a master later. Second, if you feel that Fengling Yueying is not your home and can leave Fengling Yueying through proper means, Yutai Blessed Land will always be open to you. You just need to remember these two points. Although my cultivation is not high, if you need my help, don't forget to let me know."

Mingyan, with mixed feelings, clasped his hands in a salute and said, "This disciple will remember it."

Xia Yanming patted Mingyan on the shoulder. "Remember, be careful in everything you say and do. Think before you act. I know you are kind-hearted, but some people are just not meant to be saved or helped. You must be able to distinguish between them. You must not be soft-hearted towards those who deserve to be killed. Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself. Alright, let's go down the mountain. I hope that when we meet again after this parting, your cultivation will have caught up with mine. You won't let me and Liu Yunfeng down, right?"

Mingyan nodded solemnly, "This disciple will not let the sect leader and master down."

"I am no longer your sect leader, and Liu Yunfeng is no longer your master. Let's go." Xia Yanming waved his hand. Ming Yan was silent for a while, then bowed one last time and turned to walk down the mountain.

Xia Yanming watched Ming Yan leave, then sighed softly and turned back into his room.

Who wasn't once a genius? It's just that some geniuses die before they can realize their potential, while others are stifled and waste their talents, ultimately fading into obscurity... Only those who have the last laugh can be called geniuses. Who will remember those geniuses who fade into obscurity?

Mingyan will not follow in his footsteps.

Mingyan arrived at the plaque at the foot of Yutai Blessed Land. There were several gatekeeper disciples there. Upon seeing Mingyan, they all bowed and offered their blessings. Mingyan returned the bows with a smile.

He stepped out of the mountain gate and left the blessed land of Yutai.

Mingyan looked up at the sky. It was still several hours before dawn. The night was very late, and the stars in the sky shone brightly and silently.

Behind him was the new site of Yutai Blessed Land, and in front of him was the road leading to the sacred land of cultivation, Fenglingyueying.

Mingyan remained silent for a long time before taking a step and embarking on his journey.

After that, there was no more Mingyan, a disciple of Yutai Blessed Land. I wonder how many people will remember him when he returns to Yutai Blessed Land many years later.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: I Really Need to Protect Myself

The new location of Yutai Fudi was unfamiliar to Mingyan. Before leaving, Liu Yunfeng gave him a map.

Not long after Mingyan left Yutai Blessed Land, he took out a map, but the map was flawed and did not indicate north and south, leaving Mingyan completely confused and almost getting lost. Fortunately, after dawn, Mingyan found an official road in the mortal realm and asked some passersby for directions, which helped him determine his direction.

Mingyan marked the north and south on the map before officially embarking on his journey.

Following the route marked on the map, head northeast along this official road, passing through more than a dozen mortal towns, and you will reach the Holy Land of Wind Spirit Moon Shadow.

The passerby who helped Mingyan find his way asked if he wanted to travel together, but Mingyan declined. The passerby was not a cultivator, and if they were to travel together, it would probably take a month to reach the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land. For a cultivator like him, this distance was only a few days' journey, but for an ordinary person, it was an extremely long distance.

After parting ways with the passersby, Mingyan began to speed up his journey.

As the autumn wind blew, the trees on both sides of the official road rustled, and golden leaves fluttered down, creating a slightly desolate scene.

Mingyan walked along the woods beside the official road to avoid disturbing passersby with his rapid pace.

These mortal paths are sparsely populated with spiritual energy, and few cultivators appear. Apart from those who abuse their status and power as cultivators, no cultivators ever appear before mortals.

Whether it's a prestigious family, a holy land, or a blessed land, all have requirements for their disciples. Of course, whether or not to abide by them depends on the cultivator's own thoughts, since most people turn a blind eye to such things.

Mingyan darted through the forest, his toes barely touching the ground as he flew more than ten meters away, heading towards the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Holy Land.

To increase his speed, Mingyan used his spiritual energy; otherwise, his physical abilities alone would not have been sufficient to leap more than ten meters.