Chapter 40: An Immortal Path Without You Is Not the Path I Wish to Tread

"I'm not going!"

Hearing that Xiao Mo wanted her to go to the Tianxuan Sect to cultivate, Bai Ruxue stood up abruptly.

"Ruxue, you have a talent for cultivation. You shouldn't be confined to such a small place; there is a much wider world out there for you."

"But I like it here!"

"Ruxue, listen to me..."

"No, no! I won't listen!"

The girl covered her ears and shook her head incessantly.

"Xiao Mo! You're a big stinky egg!"

Wiping her tears, Bai Ruxue ran out of the courtyard.

"Ruxue..."

Xiao Mo called out, but Bai Ruxue had already vanished into the twilight.

Sitting on a stone stool, Xiao Mo looked at the chicken soup on the table and couldn't help but sigh.

In Xiao Mo's view, it wasn't very useful for Ruxue to stay by his side constantly. If she had a master to guide her, it would be of great benefit to her cultivation. Furthermore, when the time came for Ruxue to transform into a dragon, she would need to travel across rivers and into the vast oceans. To traverse such waters, she would need a protector. As one of the ten great sects in the world, the Tianxuan Sect certainly had the capability to protect her.

"Did I lock her away?"

Xiao Mo lowered his head and pulled a pendant from his collar. Looking at the translucent, silvery-white snake scale around his neck, he couldn't help but tighten his grip.

Standing up, Xiao Mo walked into Bai Ruxue's room.

Her room was sparsely decorated, containing nothing more than a bed, a stool, and a dressing table. The dressing table had been given to Ruxue a year ago by Auntie Chen, who no longer wanted it. Though the room was simple, it was clean.

Walking to the dressing table, Xiao Mo saw a small stack of Xuan paper held together by thread. Opening it, he saw dense rows of delicate, elegant handwriting.

【April 1st.

Two catties of duck, seventy wen. Three catties of pork, sixty wen. Two catties of tofu, eight wen. Chili peppers...

Spent a total of two silver coins on groceries today. Hmph, I'm never going to the Huang Village market again; meat prices have been getting higher and higher lately. I'll go up the mountain tomorrow to catch a pheasant to nourish Xiao Mo's body; that way, I can save some money. However, Xiao Mo has his provincial examinations coming up soon, so I should buy some more mutton for him. I heard mutton is better for one's health.】

【April 2nd.

No need to buy groceries today; what's in the cellar can last another two days. Gathered some medicinal herbs on the mountain and caught two chickens. One to sell, and one to stew into soup for Xiao Mo. Hehehe... It's just that Auntie Huang from Huang Village keeps trying to haggle with me. So annoying! I'm not selling it that cheaply!】

【April 3rd.

Silkworms, hurry up and spin your silk! Once you're done, I can weave cloth. Once I have cloth, I can sell it for money and make clothes for Xiao Mo. Xiao Mo is leaving for the prefectural capital at the end of the month. I want to make him a beautiful set of green robes. Other scholars have new clothes to wear; my Xiao Mo must have them too!】

【April 4th.

A bunch of chives, one wen. Rapeseed greens, two wen. Eggplant...】

【April 15th. I made a new set of clothes for Xiao Mo. I'll give them to him on the day he leaves; he will surely love them.】

【April 24th.

Xiao Mo put on the clothes I made. Mm, this girl's craftsmanship is indeed excellent; Xiao Mo looks very handsome in them. But Xiao Mo said he doesn't need clothes, and that instead of making him green robes, I should make myself a dress. Honestly, I don't even need new clothes; these hemp clothes I'm wearing are enough.】

【May 1st. Xiao Mo and I have arrived in the town. Is this the human prefectural capital? It's so lively! Xiao Mo accompanied me shopping and bought me candied haws. The candied haws were delicious. Today, when Xiao Mo saw a bun stall, he said he thought of an old acquaintance. Could it be some girl? And brothels... what are "affairs between men and women"? Xiao Mo never said. But it's fine; when the time comes, I'll just engage in those affairs with Xiao Mo.】

【May 7th. Xiao Mo entered the examination hall. Without Xiao Mo, it's so boring.】

【May 8th. Without Xiao Mo, it's so boring. Why is there still a whole day left?】

【May 9th. Going home, going home!】

【May 16th. Xiao Mo passed the exam and became a Juren! Everyone is praising him. I didn't expect him to truly be the Star of Literature descended to earth, though I don't know what the Star of Literature is... That County Magistrate said he wanted to marry his daughter to Xiao Mo. I was very unhappy. I don't want to leave Xiao Mo, and I don't want him to be with other girls. I don't know why I have these thoughts. But Xiao Mo said he won't marry the Magistrate's daughter and will go to the city tomorrow to refuse him. I am very happy. However, I must work hard to become better than all the other women in the world. That way, Xiao Mo won't be able to part with me, and he won't marry anyone else.】

Closing the diary that looked more like a ledger, Xiao Mo looked at the pillow on the bed.

"Xiao Mo, you can scold me, you can hit me, but you cannot drive me away. If one day you truly cannot endure it, place this snake scale under my pillow. The next day, I will act as if I know nothing and leave secretly."

Ruxue's words echoed in Xiao Mo's mind.

"Big stinky egg! Big bad guy!" "I won't talk to you for two days!" "Stinky Xiao Mo!" "Bad Xiao Mo!"

On a rock halfway up She Mountain, Bai Ruxue picked up small pebbles one by one and threw them forward.

"I never want to see you again!" "Forever... seven days a month! Forget it... three days instead..." "Big stinky egg!" Bai Ruxue stood up and shouted toward the bottom of the mountain, "I don't want to see you for three days! Go starve!"

After shouting, Bai Ruxue sat back down, wrapped her arms tightly around herself, and tucked her head between her knees.

"Then it seems, if I come to find you in three days, it will be better?"

Less than ten breaths after the girl finished shouting, Xiao Mo emerged from the darkness and walked toward Bai Ruxue step by step.

Hearing Xiao Mo's voice, Bai Ruxue's delicate body trembled slightly. She hurriedly stood up, intending to run into the woods.

"Don't run." Xiao Mo caught her slender wrist just in time. "If you run again, I really won't be able to find you."

"I don't want you to find me!" Bai Ruxue pouted, haphazardly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"But without you, who will cook for me?" Xiao Mo smiled. "You wouldn't want to watch me starve, would you?"

"Hmph," Bai Ruxue snorted, lowering her small head and muttering, "Starve, you big stinky egg..."

Xiao Mo smiled, took her fair shoulders, and turned her to face him. He wiped the tears from her eyes with his finger. "Don't be angry. I really didn't drive you away."

"Really?"

"Really." Xiao Mo nodded. "But Ruxue, do you truly not want to go to the Tianxuan Sect?"

Bai Ruxue raised her watery eyes. "If I go, will you come with me?"

Xiao Mo shook his head. "That might be difficult. I am merely a scholar; I have no talent for cultivation."

"Then I'm not going!" Bai Ruxue sniffled.

"Ruxue, entering the Tianxuan Sect to cultivate is something countless people dream of. Becoming an immortal is very difficult. Ruxue, you have such an opportunity."

"But Xiao Mo, so what?"

Bai Ruxue's peach-blossom eyes gazed at him.

"If I become an immortal but you are not there, what meaning would it have? A path to immortality without you is not the path I wish to walk."