Chapter 548: Accompanying the Cloudscape

After a brief moment, Ji Yuan had put away the silver-white fox fur. Hu Yun remained in a state of meditation, evidently having gained much from her internal day and night, which made Ji Yuan nod slightly.

Ji Yuan had only advised Hu Yun to concentrate, but he hadn't mentioned the difficulty, fearing she might feel burdened. However, it seemed the fox had indeed made significant progress; being able to remain stable after the simulated day and night and not immediately awaken was quite commendable. As for the rest, Ji Yuan estimated Hu Yun could maintain her state for at most another day.

While Hu Yun experienced a day and night within the meditative state, only a short time passed in the outside world. Sun Ya Ya had only recently entered Tongshu Lane. It was the winter solstice, and Sun Ji Noodle Stall had closed early, so Sun Ya Ya hadn't met her grandfather on the way home. She hadn't even reached her front door yet, her heart a mix of excitement and melancholy, filled with longing for the future and reluctance to leave home.

She had heard many stories and read many books since childhood. Whether it was old village tales or written accounts of immortals, there was always a sense of separation between immortals and mortals. This didn't mean immortals were cold or indifferent to mortal lives; on the contrary, many stories depicted their entanglements with mortals, which was why these tales weren't widely circulated. Yet, immortals were also detached, their sacred mountains and islands far from the mundane world, meaning they were far from home.

As she got closer to home, Sun Ya Ya's sorrow intensified. The previous months had been filled with anticipation and joy, but now homesickness took precedence. She greeted acquaintances distractedly.

Walking along, Sun Ya Ya arrived at her doorstep. Sun Fu, who was coming out of the woodshed with some chopped firewood, smiled and greeted his granddaughter upon seeing her return.

"Ya Ya, you're back?"

Sun Ya Ya looked up, smiled, and hummed in response. However, Sun Fu immediately noticed something was amiss with his granddaughter. He quickly put the firewood in the kitchen and returned to find his granddaughter already in the living room.

"Ya Ya, did you not study well? Did Mr. Ji criticize you?"

Sun Ya Ya placed her book satchel on the living room table and shook her head. "No, Mr. Ji even praised me today, saying that completing 'Soaring Dragon's Roar' was great progress."

"Then why are you so down?"

Sun Ya Ya shook her head again. "I'll tell you all tonight."

Later that night, the Sun family sat around the eight-person table in the living room. The atmosphere was subdued. Even before Sun Ya Ya spoke, Sun Fu and her parents had already vaguely guessed what was happening.

Dinner was over, but everyone had eaten less than usual. They had all drunk alcohol; even Sun Mother and Sun Ya Ya, who usually didn't drink, had two small cups, their cheeks flushed.

The whole family waited for Sun Ya Ya to speak. After a long silence, Sun Ya Ya finally broke it. "Mr. Ji told me to pack my things. He might take me away from home the day after tomorrow. I don't know how long I'll be gone or when I can come back..."

Sun Ya Ya trailed off. Her family had been mentally prepared, but their melancholy was still evident.

"Uh, this is good news, right, Father?"

"Yes, yes, this is good news! So many people long for such an opportunity."

"Exactly! Even high officials and nobles can't hope for such a thing!"

"Right, right, right, be happy! It's not like you're not coming back!"

"Exactly! Don't look so sad. What if Mr. Ji thinks you don't want to go?"

"What do you need to bring? Mother will help you pack!"

The three elders spoke one after another without interruption, trying their best to appear cheerful and lively.

Old Sun Fu kept saying it wasn't like going to war or a final parting, but hearing this, Sun Ya Ya couldn't help but lose control of her emotions, excusing herself to use the restroom twice.

As Ji Yuan expected, Hu Yun maintained her meditative state for another ten hours. The next afternoon, the red fox sitting under the jujube tree opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Ji Yuan, standing in the courtyard as if he hadn't moved an inch.

"Mr. Ji, how much time has passed? Has it been many years?"

Hu Yun's question wasn't unfounded. After the initial day and night as a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, she entered a state of meditation with no accurate sense of time. It felt like only a moment had passed, yet also an incredibly long time. Coupled with the feeling of being in another world upon waking, it was hard to tell how long it had truly been.

"Hehehe, not long, not long at all. It's only the afternoon of the next day. How do you feel?"

Hu Yun breathed a slight sigh of relief, rose from her cross-legged position, stood upright, and bowed to Ji Yuan. "Hu Yun has greatly benefited. Thank you, Mr. Ji, for your gift."

"Seize this opportunity to quickly go into the mountains and solidify your cultivation. If you can find your own path, this day will not have been in vain. After returning to the mountain, this cultivation period should be long rather than short. Do not run around out of playfulness."

"Yes, Hu Yun understands!"

"Mr. Ji, this jade pen holder is something I made myself. Would you like it?"

"Oh, it's quite well made! What, you weren't going to give it to me before? Only now that you've benefited?" Ji Yuan teased, and Hu Yun shook her head like a rattle-drum.

"No, no, it's not that. I was afraid you wouldn't think much of this small item. I made several but was never satisfied, and this one too, so I never dared to give it to you. But I don't know when you'll return next, so I brought it out now."

With a wave of Ji Yuan's hand, the jade pen holder in Hu Yun's hand landed in his palm. "Alright, go. I'll accept it."

"Understood. Hu Yun takes her leave!"

After bowing farewell, the red fox thought for a moment, then sprang over the courtyard wall.

Ji Yuan watched the red fox leave, then looked at the translucent jade pen holder in his hand. It felt smooth and refined, clearly made of good quality jade.

Putting away the pen holder, Ji Yuan, who had been standing there for ten hours, walked towards the house, muttering to himself, "Actually, I wouldn't mind if you sent some more dog-head gold..."

Early the next morning, Ji Yuan woke up early. Instead of waiting for Sun Ya Ya to come to Juyan Pavilion, he went to the Sun family's courtyard in Tongshu Lane. The Sun family had clearly woken up early too, as Ji Yuan saw the living room door wide open upon his arrival.

The Sun family had just finished breakfast. Sun Ya Ya, who was helping her mother put away the dishes, saw Ji Yuan arrive outside the courtyard. "Mr. Ji, you're here?"

Ji Yuan saw Sun Ya Ya's red eyes and knew she hadn't slept all night and had probably cried many times. He walked into the courtyard, returned the greetings of the Sun family, then looked at the book satchel and the bundle with an umbrella in the living room, which were clearly packed.

"The time we part will not be too short, nor too long. Consider it like when you went to study at the academy in Chunhui Prefecture. Those who cultivate immortality do not completely sever their worldly ties. How could unfilial descendants be worthy of cultivating immortality?"

Ji Yuan's jest amused Sun Ya Ya and the Sun family, prompting them to repeatedly agree.

"By the way, keep all the calligraphy Ya Ya wrote before. If there's ever an urgent need, selling them should fetch some silver."

At Ji Yuan's words, Sun Fu smiled and shook his head repeatedly. "How could we bear to sell them? Besides, while our Sun family isn't a rich or noble household, our financial situation is quite comfortable. We won't need to."

Ji Yuan glanced at Sun Fu, then at Sun Ya Ya, and nodded. "It's good that you don't need to. Alright, Ya Ya, put on your luggage. We're leaving now."

"Okay!"

Sun Ya Ya quickly walked to the table. Her father lifted the book satchel to help her put it on, her mother helped her straighten her clothes, and Sun Fu handed her the bundle and umbrella. The three of them looked on with reluctance.

"Mr. Ji, how are we going?" "Uh, yes, Mr. Ji, perhaps this old man could call for a carriage for you?"

"Right, right, I know a coachman who often travels long distances. Shall I call him?"

Originally, Ji Yuan indeed planned to walk for a while, at least until they were out of Ning'an County. But seeing the Sun family's emotional farewell, he changed his mind, also to put them at ease.

So, hearing the Sun family's suggestions, Ji Yuan shook his head and smiled. "No need. We're leaving now. Ya Ya, say goodbye to your family."

Hearing this, Sun Ya Ya stepped a few paces back, knelt with her satchel on her back, and bowed to her family. "Father, Mother, Grandfather, please take care!"

"Oh, Ya Ya, get up quickly!" "Your clothes will get dirty!"

"Be careful with the things in your satchel!" "Exactly, if they get messy, you'll have to reorganize them, and that'll delay Mr. Ji!"

Her family's reaction made Sun Ya Ya both touched and amused. She turned to look at Ji Yuan, only to find that he had already stepped outside.

Ji Yuan flicked his long sleeve, and clouds and mist appeared beneath his feet. "Ya Ya, come over."

Sun Ya Ya, slightly stunned, responded and quickly walked to Ji Yuan's side with her luggage. As she stepped into the misty area, the thin white mist visibly transformed into a white cloud, lifting Ji Yuan and Sun Ya Ya three feet off the ground.

Both Sun Ya Ya on the cloud and the Sun family below were wide-eyed and speechless.

Ji Yuan, standing on the cloud, cupped his hands towards the Sun family. "Please take care, everyone. Ya Ya will be fine. We're off!"

With that, the white cloud slowly ascended into the sky. After hovering above the Sun family for a few breaths, it transformed into a streak of cloud-light and soared into the high heavens.

This impactful scene diluted their sorrow and sadness, replacing it with excitement and joy. Only the Sun family witnessed it; no one else in Tongshu Lane noticed anything.

In a moment, the white cloud had reached the sky above Niu Kui Mountain. Sun Ya Ya, casting aside her usual gentle demeanor, excitedly and uninhibitedly cried out, "Mr. Ji, we're flying! I'm flying! Mr. Ji, can I learn this? Can I learn this? Where are we going? Are we going to an immortal sect?"

Sun Ya Ya asked a flurry of questions in her excitement. Only after she calmed down did Ji Yuan answer with a smile. "The art of flying is but a minor technique. You can certainly learn it, and you will. Where we are going can be considered an immortal sect, but more precisely, it is a Daoist sect, to Cloud Mountain in Bingzhou."