Finest Servant

Chapter 438 Make You an Immortal

"You—" Ning Yuxi paled with shock, her arm that had been reaching out suddenly dropped. Lin Wanrong plummeted several feet, letting out a scream. Suddenly roused, Fairy Ning stretched her wrist and grabbed his collar, halting his descent.

A little over a foot of distance separated their heads, and the previous intimate moment was lost. Lin Wanrong sighed deeply, recalling the tender taste of the Fairy's lips and feeling an indescribable yearning.

Ning Yuxi's face was as white as paper; her silver teeth gritted so hard they made a noise. Tears fell like raindrops, landing on his face. "Shameless lecher, how dare you tarnish my purity? We are irreconcilable!"

"Fairy Sister, you misunderstand," Lin Wanrong gasped, choked by the collar Ning Yuxi gripped so tightly. "It was merely an innocent blessing, an act from the heart and bounded by propriety. I harbored no other intentions. You may not believe it, but never have I been so pure in my life."

Lin Wanrong was known for his deceitful beginnings, and Ning Yuxi knew it well. How could she trust him? Just as she was about to let go, tears still falling, her eyes caught the sight of his tattered robe drifting downward in the mountain wind, as soft and soundless as falling catkins. She paused, closed her eyes, and more tears flowed. "Lin San, I will not let you go."

With a sharp cry, she gripped Lin Wanrong's collar with one hand and hooked her feet around the rope with the other. Spinning swiftly, her body traced a graceful arc in the air.

Lin Wanrong felt a whooshing wind by his ear. When he opened his eyes, he saw Fairy Ning sitting at the center of the rope, her face as pale as paper, blood at the corners of her mouth, and her chest heaving rapidly. One of her slender jade legs wrapped tightly around the chain while the other extended straight out to balance her. Her flowing hair scattered in the wind, making her look like a lotus in bloom high up in the heavens.

"Fairy, are you hurt? Where is the injury? Let me see." Lin Wanrong was shocked and instinctively reached out his hand. Before he could finish speaking, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and a sweetness in his throat. Coughing up a mouthful of fresh blood, he saw Fairy Ning's eyes cold as ice, a sword sheath pressed against his chest. She had struck him in her anger.

Lin Wanrong let out a few cries but found himself out of breath, unable to speak, as the icy wind swept through the sky. He felt dizzy, his limbs completely devoid of strength.

"As I said, I will not let you go," Ning Yuxi opened her eyes, devoid of any visible anger, her voice indescribably calm.

The calmer she was, the worse it boded. Lin Wanrong opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word as the mountain wind filled his throat.

After gathering her strength for a moment, Ning Yuxi rose slowly but steadily. Standing on the trembling rope, she balanced herself with feet placed one in front of the other. With her right hand holding the sword and her left lifting Lin Wanrong's body, she gave a light cry and, with a swift tap of her lotus foot, glided forward like a swallow skimming water. After moving several yards, she paused to catch her breath and then continued, making her way toward the cliff on the other side.

Lin Wanrong could not speak, but all his fears and anxieties proved fruitless. In a way, he had become accustomed to them. It was like riding a roller coaster, especially since he was in the company of a fairy. He took a long sigh of relief and a slight smile appeared on his face. Struggling, he drew a circle on his chest and sent a distant gesture toward Ning Yuxi.

Contemplating whether to strike him once more, Ning Yuxi gritted her teeth. But when she saw his pale face, she lowered her sheathed sword.

The two of them, one who wouldn’t speak and the other who couldn't, were enveloped by the howling winds of the valley, with not a trace of any other sound. Amidst the utter silence, Lin Wanrong felt a strange sensation. It seemed as if he could hear Ning Yuxi's heartbeat gradually syncing with his own—a feeling, he supposed, that could only be described as sharing life and death together.

A distance of a hundred feet, instantly covered on land, seemed like an endless chasm in this lofty height. With each step they took, both their spirits ebbed and flowed—sometimes overwhelmingly intense like tidal waves, and at other times silent yet saturating like a gentle stream. Ning Yuxi’s lips broke, a trickle of blood seeping out from the corner of her mouth. A thin layer of sweat formed on the tip of her nose. Her beauty now laced with an awe-inspiring resilience. She stole a quick glance at Lin Wanrong only to find his eyes closed, his breathing steady, seemingly as peaceful as a baby floating in a cradle, already deep in sleep.

‘How can he sleep at a time like this?’ Ning Yuxi felt both an urge to cry and to laugh. She looked ahead and noticed that they were nearing the precipitous peak adorned with green trees, red flowers, and protruding strange rocks. Even for a composed fairy like her, she couldn’t help but feel elated. She bit down on her silver teeth and, with a few quick leaps, reached the edge of the chain bridge. Taking a few more tentative steps to step onto the mountain peak, she felt as if all her energy had been drained. Her body went limp and she collapsed onto the cold rock.

Lin Wanrong, who had been in a deep sleep, was jolted awake as if he had been dropped. The aching sensation throughout his body made him open his eyes. He found himself lying on a protruding rock. The hundred-foot chain lay before him. His right hand had already stretched out over the edge of the cliff. One glance was enough to reveal the unfathomable gorge beneath him. The chilling winds blew across, numbing his hands and feet with pain.

"Ah!" He screamed, hastily pulling himself back, away from the edge of the cliff, gasping for air in large, frantic gulps.

"You’re awake?" A calm voice, tinged with exhaustion, spoke.

"Fairy Sister?" Lin Wanrong looked up to see Fairy Ning sitting at the edge of the cliff, her black hair dancing in the wind, both legs casually dangling over the edge. She was the epitome of ethereal beauty. She suddenly turned, offering Lin Wanrong a mysterious smile.

"Awake, awake, very awake," Lin Wanrong stammered. "Could you come closer? I’m scared of heights and can't stand cliffs."

"At this point, you’re still afraid of heights?" Ning Yuxi chuckled, her foot kicking something. A soft clinking sound rang out. "Do you hear that? Do you know what it is?"

"Iron chain," Lin Wanrong said, the memory fresh in his mind. Just tonight, he'd nearly come full circle back to this starting point. How could he forget?

Fairy Ning nodded with a smile. "You are indeed clever to recognize this. It is indeed an iron chain, but it is also a path—a path connecting the heavenly palace to the mortal world."

"Yes, yes," Lin Wanrong hurriedly nodded. He glanced around to find jagged rocks jutting up from the peak, colorful flowers in full bloom, green trees shading the area, and streams babbling. It seemed like a paradise on Earth. Unfortunately, he had never been one for idyllic settings. Shivering involuntarily, he rushed to say, "Fairy Sister, we can enjoy the scenery for a bit, but let's think about how to get back. Ah, I've got it. I'll take off my clothes and tie them into a loop, attach them to this chain—" As he spoke, he gestured animatedly. "This side is higher and that side is lower. We can slide down the chain. It'll be thrilling but not too dangerous. What do you think, Fairy Sister? Don't worry, I'll only take off my clothes; you won't have to."

"Not bad, you've thought of quite a solution," Ning Yuxi smirked. She stared at the iron chain, her expression indifferent. "I wonder how those who first climbed this peak managed to attach this chain. The wisdom of our forebears is beyond our comprehension."

What was she trying to say? Lin Wanrong felt puzzled. Had he risked life and limb to climb up here just to discuss the wisdom of ancient sages?

"Lin San, you are quite clever, aren't you?" Ning Yuxi said coolly. "When you were searching for silver in Shandong, you were able to think of some rather cunning schemes. Do you think you could have attached this chain?"

Attach the chain? Lin Wanrong paused and looked across the chasm. The closest peak was the one they had just climbed. Even so, the straight-line distance between the two was several hundred feet. A mist filled the air, making it impossible to see any figures, let alone hear any sounds from the opposite side. Considering how Ning Yuxi had led him through a perilous journey to reach this point, he felt a mixture of dread and gratitude. "I can't say how this chain bridge was built, but I'm certain I couldn't do it. There are many mysteries in this world that I, a mere mortal, cannot fathom. I don't wish to be an immortal either."

Ning Yuxi glanced at him but said nothing. Both gazed into the distance, the flickering lights far away seeming like tiny stars in a brilliant night sky.

‘I wonder if Ning’er found Qingxuan? Can she understand me? When will she come? And what about Qiaoqiao, Yushuang, Yuruo, Xian’er? They must be waiting for me in that distant light,’ he thought, a sudden wave of emotion surging through him. His longing had never felt so sincere.

Reading his thoughts, Ning Yuxi spoke calmly, "This boundless mortal world, full of colorful flowers and willows, dazzling glamour and various human follies; do you like it?"

"As an ordinary man, what else could I like if not these?" Lin Wanrong chuckled awkwardly.

"That makes sense," Ning Yuxi nodded. "You laugh, you fight, you curse, but you can never sit still. It would be a miracle if someone of your temperament could stay here for even a moment. The whirlpool of mortal attachments indeed suits you well."

Confused by the Buddhist talk and fate, Lin Wanrong could hardly grasp what was on the Fairy's mind. He offered a sheepish laugh and chose not to respond.

Ning Yuxi felt a subtle sense of pleasure holding the renowned and ever-adaptable Lin San in the palm of her hand. With a slight smile, she brushed her flowing hair aside, and with her Autumn Water Sword, she created dazzlingly brilliant arcs of sword light. "Do you recognize this?"

"What a massive sword!" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in awe.

Ning Yuxi rested her sword's blade on the iron chain and smiled, "You should recognize this too."

"It's an iron chain—a celestial path leading to the mortal world," Lin Wanrong's expression drastically changed. He lunged forward, "Fairy Sister, what are you planning to do?"

"Nothing much," Ning Yuxi said with an aloof smile. "I simply wish to turn you into an immortal."

Her sword swung with the grace of flowing water. With a sharp clank, the hundred-foot iron chain broke from its anchor and descended. Its pace quickened, disappearing into the clouds until only the faint sounds of the chain striking the cliff on the other side could be heard.

"Aah—" Lin Wanrong yelled as he reached to grab the broken chain, but he was too slow. Nearly stumbling, he caught himself just in time.

‘Become an immortal, become an immortal. I'm really going to become a damn immortal,’ he inwardly muttered, staring at the chain that had plummeted. His demeanor instantly deflated, and he slumped to the ground.

What is it like to be so close yet worlds apart? To be separated from loved ones for a lifetime? Finally, he understood Ning Yuxi's intentions. How torturous it would be for a man as lively and freedom-loving as him to be trapped on this desolate peak, forever parted from his wife while watching the colorful tapestry of human life unfold below. All his grand ambitions—to conquer Goryeo, to fight off the Turks—had turned into the world's greatest joke because of this mountain.

Ever since she met Lin Wanrong, Ning Yuxi had only seen him spirited and passionate. She had never seen him so dejected. Had she won? A mist appeared in her eyes as she turned her head, leaving her feeling strangely empty, unsure of what to think.

A deathly silence. The unbearable moment seemed to stretch into a millennium. Lin Wanrong, usually so talkative, remained silent for hours. Even Ning Yuxi, for all her self-possession, couldn't stand the heaviness. The absence of his voice made her feel oddly uncomfortable.

"Do you hate me?" she abruptly asked, noticing the grey in Lin Wanrong's eyes and feeling an oppressive emotion closing in on her.

"Why should I hate you?" Lin Wanrong took a deep sigh and then broke into laughter. "As you said, you've been fair. We've been linked by this hundred-foot chain in life and death. You didn't abandon me, nor did I abandon you. This mountain that traps me, doesn't it trap you as well?" He burst into laughter, suddenly standing up, his eyes shining, "What's wrong with becoming immortals together?"

Ning Yuxi stood at the edge of the cliff, allowing the mountain wind to whip her skirt and long hair, looking like a statue of a fairy. Soft celestial music filled the air as she began to sing softly:

"People say heaven is wonderful, where immortals are carefree. But how many tears lie behind success? Immortals are without worries, casting fame and fortune aside. To be like them, you must forget all gains and losses. Heaven is wonderful, so is the mortal world—"

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