Chapter 126: You Are Not Alone

When Yi An returned to Shen Yuqin’s home, the horizon was already streaked with the pale white of dawn. The courtyard remained tranquil and still; one could almost hear the falling leaves.

Just as Yi An reached for the door, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Shen Yuqin, whose elegant silhouette had appeared behind him at some point. Her face looked slightly haggard, and her expression was laced with a worry that made Yi An yearn to pull her into his arms.

He did not need to ask to know that after he left, Shen Yuqin must have been lost in anxious thoughts, leading to the weary appearance before him.

Standing before her, they looked at one another in silence. Neither broke the stillness. For a moment, Yi An did not know where to begin. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Yuqin, didn't I tell you I would be back soon? Why must you trouble yourself so?"

Shen Yuqin replied nonchalantly, "I couldn't sleep anyway. When I saw you return, I just came out to see."

She did not admit it was intentional, perhaps out of an instinctual reserve.

Yi An said helplessly, "Don't do this again in the future. I know what I am doing. If you worry and fret over every little thing, you will tire yourself out."

Shen Yuqin shook her head. Whether she took his words to heart or not was unclear, as she did not answer him directly. Instead, she said earnestly, "Do not take such risks again. Though I do not know what you have been doing, my intuition is sharp. You must remember at all times that you are no longer alone."

Yi An was stunned, a surge of warmth flowing through his heart. Yet, he could not deceive himself; all of this was a falsehood, merely an illusion conjured by his technique of "Shifting Shadows." If one day Shen Yuqin were to learn the truth, he feared she would hate him enough to kill him.

He dared not dwell on it. If that day truly came, he did not know how he would face her. However, he had a fair amount of confidence in his mastery of the Shifting Shadows technique. At worst, he would let this secret rot within his heart forever, letting time slowly wash it away.

Seeing him silent, Shen Yuqin’s face showed a flicker of urgency. "Tell me, did you hear me?"

"Alright, I promise not to take any risks unless I have absolute certainty." Yi An felt a mix of wry amusement. At a time like this, he could hardly say no; otherwise, Shen Yuqin would not let it rest. Once a woman sets her mind on something, not even eight horses could pull her back.

"Good. Then I shall return to my room; I won't disturb you any further." Satisfied, Shen Yuqin turned to leave.

Watching her figure fade from his sight, Yi An fell into deep thought. It is said that the hardest thing to bear is the grace of a beautiful woman. In the past, he had merely smiled at such words, but only now did he truly grasp their meaning.

"Drink when there is wine, for today we live; let tomorrow's sorrows wait for tomorrow."

"Future concerns can be dealt with in the future. I shall take it one step at a time."

"There is a destiny in the unseen; if something is not meant for me, forcing it is in vain."

A faint smile appeared on Yi An's face. This shift in mindset made him feel much lighter. While forced sustenance might quench a thirst, it was not the path he wished to take.

"I hope things move in a better direction," Yi An sighed softly.

He did not know what the future held; perhaps the old Taoist, Xuan Yangzi, knew something. When he next had the chance to meet him, he would ask. Ling Xu-zi could see hundreds of years into the future, and as his disciple, even if Xuan Yangzi was less capable, he surely wouldn't be far off. He did not seek to know what would happen in a century, only to catch a glimpse of the fortune and misfortune of the coming years.

He was eager to refine the innate Yin-Yang energy within him. Returning to his room, he sat cross-legged on the bed, calming his spirit and guiding the energy toward his dantian. Though much of this innate Yin-Yang energy had been squandered during the transformation, its purity had significantly increased afterward. This was an unexpected joy; with this compensation, the lost portion was of no great consequence.

However, completely assimilating this energy would not be a one-day task. He did not know exactly how long it would take, as records regarding innate Yin-Yang energy were exceptionally rare. He had only heard rumors, knowing only the conditions of its creation and its general effects.

But none of that mattered. Everything was settled; the only thing he had to consider now was time. Even if it took a year or six months, it was nothing to him.

Time passed, and eventually, the sky brightened. Yi An stopped his cultivation. He sensed that he had refined about ten to twenty percent of the energy. At this rate, he wouldn't need a year or six months; in just a few days, he could fully integrate the innate Yin-Yang energy into his own essence.

Yan Chixia’s task for the day remained the same as yesterday: to keep watch outside the Dianzhuang Pavilion. Thus, he prepared to leave early in the morning.

"Brother Yi, you had best be cautious these next few days. Yesterday, I saw the ghost city's messengers going house to house, carefully verifying the population. If all goes as expected, they should reach here soon. You must be careful and not let any slip occur," Yan Chixia said earnestly before departing.

When he returned yesterday, the thought had slipped his mind, and he had only just remembered it. Although he knew Yi An had made thorough preparations, it never hurt to be extra vigilant.

"Indeed. You, too, must be careful. If you sense anything amiss, retreat immediately. Do not be drawn into a prolonged fight. The Luo family can be dealt with at any time, but you only have one life."

"Understood!" Yan Chixia nodded heavily and strode away.

Yan Chixia’s reminder was sound. Before the messengers arrived, he should discreetly give Shen Yuqin a heads-up.