Under the scorching sunlight, Xu Shulou felt a comforting warmth. She closed her eyes contentedly, sipping the cheap rice wine she had just bought for fifty coins a cup. Beside her sat Xuan Yang, absently stroking a painting in his hands.
"How have you been these years?" Xu Shulou asked with a smile.
"Not bad," Xuan Yang replied. "A few years ago, wars broke out again in the mortal realm. I took the chance to feed on suffering—ate quite well."
"..."
"Strangely, I don’t enjoy it as much anymore," Xuan Yang mused. "Maybe human emotions have rubbed off on me."
Xu Shulou fell silent for a moment before asking, "How’s the painting holding up?"
"It’s fine. For the past century, I’ve kept the one you gave me," Xuan Yang chuckled. "Though I still don’t know why you handed it to me. But it’s quite the chatterbox—kept me company as I wandered the world."
The fact that he could feel loneliness meant he was becoming more human. Xu Shulou studied him. "Apart from your appearance, you’re practically indistinguishable from a person now."
"Is that good or bad?"
"Hard to say," she replied, then added, "The painting hasn’t swallowed anyone else, has it?"
"No. Like you said, it’s grown more human too," Xuan Yang explained. "We even performed street acts together once. I pretended to be an immortal painter, and it played along—changing its scenes with every stroke of my brush. Fooled quite a few people and earned some travel money."
"Stop talking!" The canvas unfurled hastily, cutting him off.
"Why?" Xuan Yang asked, puzzled.
"I used to be so formidable in front of Xu Shulou, devouring powerful cultivators left and right. How can you let her know I’ve sunk to street performances?!"
"..." Xuan Yang didn’t grasp the concern—after all, he’d never been formidable in Xu Shulou’s eyes. "We only did it to buy that fancy frame you wanted."
Xu Shulou laughed. "I’m meeting Xiao Ya later. Want to join us?"
"No," Xuan Yang waved dismissively. "I’ll keep roaming the world."
With that, he leapt off the rooftop, straw hat low, painting in hand, and disappeared into the crowd at the end of the street.
After he left, Xu Shulou basked in the sun, finishing the last of her wine just as Xiao Ya arrived.
"Never thought I’d see the day," Xiao Ya circled her, still astonished despite the news. "An ascended immortal returning? If word spreads, the cultivation world will be in an uproar."
"I’d rather avoid stirring up trouble," Xu Shulou sighed. "Not many know I’m back."
"Want me to keep it quiet?" Xiao Ya smirked. "Though it hardly matters—knowing you, you’ll do something grand that’ll announce your presence soon enough."
Xu Shulou smiled.
"So, how’s the immortal realm?"
"It’s fine. Abundant spiritual energy, perfect for cultivation," Xu Shulou summarized briefly.
"If it’s so great, why return? Something important to do?"
Xu Shulou shook her head. "Seeing flowers and oceans—does that count?"
Xiao Ya laughed, unsurprised. "Figures."
Xu Shulou changed the subject. "Still with Lingxiao Sect?"
Xiao Ya nodded. "Third Brother and I are holding on. After all these years, we’ve grown attached. Not easy to just leave."
"Lingxiao Sect’s had it rough lately."
"True, nowhere near its former glory," Xiao Ya glanced at her. "But we’re cultivators—what’s a little hardship?"
Xu Shulou shook her empty cup. "I’d toast to that, but I’m out of wine."
"I brought some," Xiao Ya grinned, pulling a jar from her spatial ring. "Knew you’d never pass up a drink."
Xu Shulou poured for them both, inhaling the aroma. "Fine wine."
After three rounds, Xu Shulou finally asked, "How are you holding up... with the Xiao Kingdom?"
"Xiao Kingdom... I stayed out of it then," Xiao Ya sighed. "Those cultivators drafted the Huashan Laws—just to restrain me once mortal wars flared up again, wasn’t it?"
"..."
"Back then, everyone urged me to ‘transcend worldly ties.’ Easy to say," Xiao Ya looked down. "But how does one actually do it?"
Xu Shulou gave her a wordless embrace.
Xiao Ya whispered, "I missed you terribly then. Wanted to find you and ask for the answer."
"I don’t have one," Xu Shulou said thoughtfully. "Worldly ties... maybe they’re not meant to be transcended."
Xiao Ya blinked. "First time I’ve heard that take."
"Just rambling," Xu Shulou chuckled. "Transcendence is for sages. I’m just an ordinary soul clinging to this world."
"Even you can’t let go?"
"If I could, I wouldn’t have fought my way back to this mortal dust."
Xiao Ya fell silent, unsure if the answer disappointed her.
After a while, she asked, "How do you dissolve resentment?"
"Time. Only time," Xu Shulou drank. "Time dissolves everything."
"..."
"Truthfully, my pain isn’t that deep. They were distant kin—never even met them," Xiao Ya admitted. "Mostly, it’s rage toward the enemy kingdom... and this terrifying, maddening loneliness. Like my country’s gone, my home’s gone... leaving just me, utterly alone."
"I understand."
Of course you do. Xiao Ya didn’t voice how she’d finally grasped what Xu Shulou once felt—it felt too melodramatic to say aloud. She didn’t need to. Xu Shulou always understood.
"Glad you’re back. With you all here, I’m not completely alone," Xiao Ya said. "There was a time I feared—if Third Brother ascended, I’d truly have no one left."
"Don’t fret about lacking companions ahead," Xu Shulou toasted her. "If you’re willing, you’ll always find new friends."
From anyone else, it might’ve sounded like hollow comfort. But coming from Xu Shulou, Xiao Ya clinked cups and teased, "I won’t befriend any princesses of the new dynasty, though."
Xu Shulou laughed.
With the wine finished, they prepared to part. Their friendship had always been light as water—no long stays, no frequent meetings, just brief encounters before separation.
"Where to next?" Xiao Ya asked.
Xu Shulou stood up and brushed the dust off her robe. "It's almost the Dragon Boat Festival. My junior sister said she’s making zongzi today and reminded me to come back to eat. I hope they’re filled with red bean paste—I don’t like the meat ones."
Xiao Ya detected a touch of warmth in her unhurried movements.
This was why she always enjoyed meeting Xu Shulou—there was an inexhaustible warmth about her, like a never-ending wellspring.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ya stretched lazily under the sunlight, as if she, too, had been bathed in that same comforting glow.
