Chapter 459: Return Time Uncertain, Person Already Gone

Ji Yuan returned Ju Yuanzi's cupped-hand salute and then gestured towards the courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Ju Yuanzi, please come in."

"I humbly accept!"

Ju Yuanzi politely acknowledged the invitation and stepped inside after Sun Yayya moved aside. The little girl then closed the door securely.

Upon reaching the stone table in the courtyard, he naturally saw the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, along with Sun Yayya's calligraphy. The handwriting immediately caught Ju Yuanzi's eye.

"This girl's calligraphy is truly spirited!"

Ju Yuanzi glanced back at Sun Yayya, who had just closed the door, and then quietly asked Ji Yuan, who had approached him.

"Mr. Ji, do you intend to take her as a disciple?"

Ji Yuan shook his head.

"For now, I'm only teaching her calligraphy. While people often praise the path to immortality, it's not without its imperfections. The Sun family's greatest hope for her is still to marry, have children, and raise a family."

Ju Yuanzi chuckled.

"If you find it inconvenient to take her as a disciple, this girl could also join my Jade Embrace Mountain sect. I, Ju Yuanzi, would be willing to make an exception and accept another student!"

Ji Yuan, with his pale eyes, looked at Ju Yuanzi and retorted,

"In your dreams!"

"Hahahaha..."

Ju Yuanzi burst into laughter, leaving Sun Yayya, who had just returned, quite bewildered. She looked at Ji Yuan and asked,

"Sir, what's that old man laughing about? Is he your elder?"

"Oh, I wouldn't dare!"

Ju Yuanzi immediately stopped laughing. He might joke with Ji Yuan, but he would never casually accept such a senior position.

Ji Yuan looked at the calligraphy on the table. While Sun Yayya's handwriting had impressed Ju Yuanzi and was certainly excellent by ordinary standards, even comparable to some masterworks, Ji Yuan noted that her calligraphy had made little progress since the previous year.

Several factors contributed to this: the influence of her natural talent, the inevitable touch of complacency and restlessness from receiving abundant praise as her fame grew, her involvement in too many other matters, and even limitations imposed by her writing tools.

Ji Yuan was very fond of the child. However, much like her calligraphy, whether it was due to her undeveloped aspirations or her family's hopes, it was not yet the right time to take her as a disciple. Moreover, guiding someone onto the path of immortality was not necessarily beneficial for everyone.

While everyone praises the life of an immortal, Ji Yuan believed that living a peaceful and happy life was equally wonderful.

To be frank, Ji Yuan's requirements for taking disciples had always been exceptionally stringent. Even for someone as remarkably gifted as Lu Shan-jun, he had only privately acknowledged him for now. While this also involved a larger strategic plan, it highlighted Ji Yuan's selectivity.

Seeing Mr. Ji look at her calligraphy, Sun Yayya instinctively scratched her head. She was aware that her progress had been slow for a while, but her teacher always encouraged her to cultivate peace of mind and persevere.

"Sir, do you have something important to discuss? Should I go home first?"

Sun Yayya obediently asked. The Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion was usually quiet, but over the past few years, whenever special visitors arrived, Mr. Ji would always send her home first. She assumed today would be no different.

As expected, after she asked, Ji Yuan gave a gentle nod. Sun Yayya then expertly began to pack up the items on the stone table. Unlike when she first started learning at the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion, she now only needed to carefully store her written papers, dispose of the ink, and take home items she might need at home or school. She owned multiple copies of other things like inkstones, brush rests, and paperweights, so she didn't need to take them all back.

Just as Sun Yayya finished tidying the ink and was about to return some stationery to the main room of the pavilion, Ji Yuan spoke again.

"Yayya, pack everything up this time and take it home in your book box."

"Huh?"

Sun Yayya froze for a moment, stared at Ji Yuan, then lowered her head, murmured "Oh...", and slowly began placing everything into the small book box under the table.

After placing the last paperweight inside, Sun Yayya pursed her lips, looked up at Mr. Ji, and very carefully asked,

"Sir, can I still come tomorrow?"

Ji Yuan gently patted the little girl's head.

"You don't need to come tomorrow. I'm not asking you to leave; I'm going on a long journey, and I'm not sure when I'll be back."

Sun Yayya's eyes, which had begun to redden, immediately brightened considerably.

"Then, after you return, Sir, can I still come to the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion to practice calligraphy?"

Ji Yuan smiled.

"As long as you still want to practice calligraphy, of course you can. All right, pack up and go home. Don't come tomorrow; I won't be here."

Sun Yayya nodded vigorously.

"When you return, Sir, I will definitely come back to practice calligraphy!"

"Heh heh, that's good to hear. Be careful on your way home."

Sun Yayya smiled.

"Sir, I just need to get to the entrance of Tianniu Fang. I'll still have to wait for Grandpa to close his stall before we go home together."

With that, the little girl picked up her book box and walked toward the courtyard gate. After opening it, she looked back at Ju Yuanzi and Ji Yuan.

"Sir, I'm leaving now?"

"Go on, go on!"

Ji Yuan waved his hand, watching the little girl disappear through the doorway, and then pulled the door handle from the outside to close the door.

Ju Yuanzi remained silent the entire time, only turning to Ji Yuan after the little girl had left.

"Mr. Ji, is this for the best?"

Ji Yuan pondered for a moment before replying.

"Compared to other circumstances, this is preferable for now."

Ju Yuanzi nodded as well. Those who cultivate immortality are extremely cautious about taking disciples, particularly those with deep cultivation. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that rigorous tests are involved, and many fail to pass even the first stage.

Sun Yayya walked through the alleyways of Tianniu Fang with her small book box on her back. Neighbors along the way greeted the little girl, enjoying her sweet salutations.

Today, however, the little girl was noticeably distracted. When she passed Shuangjingpu, she didn't stop to chat with the older girls and aunts but walked straight past, lost in thought.

Soon, Sun Yayya emerged from Tianniu Fang. Grandpa Sun Fu, seeing his granddaughter in the distance, quickly called out.

"Yayya!"

The little girl quickly walked towards the noodle stall, naturally unslung her book box, placed it behind the cart, and then sat on a small stool, resting her chin in her hands, lost in thought.

Sun Fu continued to work as usual, but after glancing at his granddaughter, he casually asked,

"Yayya, why are you out of Mr. Ji's house so early today?"

Usually, Sun Yayya's departure time was quite precise, always arriving before his normal closing time. Today, there was at least another half an hour remaining.

Sun Yayya replied listlessly.

"A white-bearded old man came to the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion, and Sir asked me to go home early. He also said he's going on a long journey and I don't need to come tomorrow."

Sun Fu had been nodding and listening, but suddenly froze when he heard the last part of her sentence. He then put down his work, squatted in front of Sun Yayya, and looked at her.

"Mr. Ji said he's going on a long journey? For how long? Did he say he'd be back soon?"

Sun Yayya looked up at her grandpa and shook her head.

"Sir said he doesn't know when he'll return, and he even told me to take all the Four Treasures of the Study from the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion home..."

Sun Fu's expression, which she only now noticed, was one of great disappointment. However, he was preoccupied with other thoughts and only after a long moment did he regain his composure and look at Sun Yayya.

"Yayya... Mr. Ji might be gone for several years, or even longer. Did you say a proper goodbye to him?"

Since Ji Yuan had told Sun Yayya to pack up the Four Treasures of the Study and not to come for the next two days, it was clear he was leaving immediately.

As expected, upon hearing her grandpa's words, the little girl's body instantly trembled.

"Several, several years... I'm going to find Sir!"

Sun Yayya immediately leaped off the small stool, blurted out her decision, and dashed towards Tianniu Fang, ignoring neighbors she met along the way.

"Hey, Yayya, why are you back?"

"Oh, Yayya, run slower, be careful not to fall!"

"I have an emergency!"

"That child..."

She rushed to the heart of Tianniu Fang, arriving breathlessly in front of the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion's gate, despite the significant exertion. Her gaze fell upon the courtyard gate, where an old brass lock already hung.

"Sir! Sir!"

Sun Yayya called out several times towards the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion, but there was no response. The entire pavilion remained perfectly silent.

At that moment, tears welled up in the little girl's eyes, but she fiercely held them back, using all her strength to shout through the gate into the pavilion.

"Even when you're not here, Sir, I will practice calligraphy diligently. When you return, you will surely praise my improved handwriting—I promise!"

Wooosh... wooosh...

The wind around the Peaceful Dwelling Pavilion suddenly picked up. The jujube tree in the courtyard swayed, and leaves fell with the wind, carrying a fiery red glow that slowly descended in front of the disheartened Sun Yayya. The little girl instinctively reached out and caught a few jujube leaves along with the fiery red object in her hand.

"Oh..."

Sun Yayya held the large fruit in her hand, feeling its warmth. Upon closer inspection, she perceived fiery clouds swirling on its surface, and its color flickered, appearing and disappearing.

Ji Yuan and Ju Yuanzi were walking together on the main road outside Ning'an County. As usual, Ji Yuan had locked the pavilion, both inside and out, and departed with his bundle, allowing some local residents to see him, though he did not reveal himself at the alley's entrance.

At that moment, Ji Yuan suddenly paused and looked back towards Tianniu Fang in Ning'an County.

"What's wrong, Mr. Ji?"

Ji Yuan's gaze quickly swept over his sleeve. Just now, a phantom chess piece, belonging to Sun Yayya, had materialized in his hand.

"Nothing. Let's go. We shouldn't keep Mr. Qiu and the others waiting."

As he spoke, clouds and mist began to form beneath Ji Yuan's feet. Ju Yuanzi, with a flick of his sleeve, rose lightly into the air. The two of them then ascended on clouds in the setting sun, flying away from Ning'an County into the distance.