Gu Qingfeng did not continue to dwell on it.
Since deciding to no longer pursue karma, he had long since let go of many things. It was best if Feng Zhuyue's arrangement was not for the sake of karma; if it was, it didn't matter either. He would let things take their natural course, come what may. As for the affection he owed, he would repay it if he could; if he couldn't, then so be it.
Gu Qingfeng rarely troubled himself over future matters.
Especially when those future matters were filled with unknowns.
Not to mention the unknown; even if he knew something would be terrifying in the future, he couldn't be bothered to deal with it now.
'When you gain, sing loudly; when you lose, let it rest. / Much sorrow, much hatred, all passes leisurely. / If there's wine today, get drunk today. / Tomorrow's worries can wait for tomorrow.'
This poem was his life motto, and it could completely explain his attitude toward life. It was true in the past, true now, and would be true in the future.
At the summit of Little Moon Peak stood a large tree.
It was called the Yin Moon Tree.
The mountaintop was a place he and Feng Zhuyue often visited in the past, and this Yin Moon Tree had witnessed everything between him and Feng Zhuyue.
In his memory, this Yin Moon Tree would only blossom and bear fruit during the full moon each year. Yet now, with the once-a-year full moon still far off, the tree was inexplicably laden with fruit.
The fruits were pale blue, called Yin Moon Fruits.
These fruits contained extremely potent Yin Moon Spiritual Energy, which ordinary cultivators simply couldn't withstand. Back then, Gu Qingfeng had mistakenly eaten one and suffered greatly for it.
However.
That was then.
Just because Gu Qingfeng couldn't withstand the intense Yin Moon Spiritual Energy back then didn't mean he couldn't now.
Not to mention mere Yin Moon Spiritual Energy; even if he wanted to eat the bright moon hanging in the night sky, he could just eat it.
He walked over, plucked a fruit from the tree, and took a bite. Nodding, he praised, "I ate one back then, but I only managed one bite before I couldn't handle it, so I never knew how it tasted. Now, tasting it carefully, I must say, this thing's flavor is really quite good. Bitter and potent, plus it's rich in Yin Moon Spiritual Energy. It would be perfect for brewing wine."
Immediately.
Gu Qingfeng waved a hand, collecting all the Yin Moon Fruits from the tree into his possession. In the blink of an eye, the once lush tree became as bare as if swept by autumn wind and fallen leaves.
Just as he was about to leave, Gu Qingfeng suddenly turned back, his gaze fixed on the bare Yin Moon Tree.
Several lines of characters were carved into the tree.
'Feng Zhuyue on the night of the full moon, Wolf Howls at the Moon on the night of the waning moon...'
He remembered clearly that Feng Zhuyue had personally carved these back then.
That wasn't important.
What was important was that a blue hairpin was stuck into these two lines of characters.
The hairpin was shaped like a crescent moon.
Gu Qingfeng recognized it at a glance—it was the Moon Hairpin he had personally forged back then, the only thing he had ever given to Feng Zhuyue.
He didn't know why it was now stuck in this Yin Moon Tree, and on the characters Feng Zhuyue had personally carved.
Perhaps what he had done back then had hurt Feng Zhuyue too deeply.
Gu Qingfeng didn't think too much about it. He pulled the Moon Hairpin from the Yin Moon Tree and placed it in his storage pouch.
The past was too painful to look back on.
And Gu Qingfeng didn't want to look back on the past with Feng Zhuyue anymore.
He lingered on Little Moon Peak for a while longer before finally leaving.
Just as he returned to the back mountain, an urgent shout reached his ears.
"Lao Jiu!
You! Stop right there!"
Hmm?
Gu Qingfeng turned to look and saw a coldly beautiful woman and a charmingly delicate woman flying hurriedly toward him.
It was Han Dong and Ouyang Ye.
"Damn you!
Where did you run off to!"
Ouyang Ye looked furious, rushing up to Gu Qingfeng and yelling, "Do you have any idea how worried Han Dong-jie and I have been looking for you! We were almost frantic!"
"Didn't I tell you before I left? I was going out for a stroll. Besides, why are you looking for me? It's not like someone my size can get lost."
"Don't forget! You're currently impersonating Han Dong-jie's cultivation partner, Young Lord Chiyan! And this is Yao Yue Palace! If you swagger around here alone and run into someone from Yao Yue Palace, what if you slip up!"
"Little sister, you're overthinking it. With acting skills as superb as mine, how could I slip up? Just rest easy."
Ouyang Ye was about to say more, but Han Dong beside her stopped her. Looking at Gu Qingfeng, she asked, "Young Lord, may I... ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"What exactly did you say to my master earlier?"
This question had been tormenting Han Dong. She simply couldn't figure out what this guy had said to her master that made her weep uncontrollably, kneel and kowtow, and even order her to treat him with reverence from now on, without any neglect.
"Didn't say much. Just chatted casually. Why?"
"Just chatted casually?"
Clearly, Han Dong didn't believe him.
"What else?"
Perhaps feeling a bit tired, Gu Qingfeng found a large tree and sat down casually on the ground. He took out some peach blossom wine and drank it sip by sip.
Ouyang Ye cut in, "And another thing! Lao Jiu! How did you know that Granny Feiyan treated His Majesty's wounds back then? And how do you know the details so well?"
"Oh, that? I heard about it."
"Heard about it?"
"What's wrong?"
"Bullshit!" Ouyang Ye shouted angrily. "This young lady is a devoted admirer of His Majesty! I know every detail of his life story like the back of my hand! This matter has never been recorded in any official history or unofficial chronicles! There aren't even any rumors! Storytellers exaggerate His Majesty's deeds to such outrageous degrees, yet they've never mentioned this! Who did you hear it from?"
"Old Man Jiangbei."
"Jiangbei? Who's that? This young lady has never heard of him!"
"Little sister, how many years have you lived? There are plenty of things and people you don't know about." Gu Qingfeng said listlessly. "Old Man Jiang is a senior of Yao Yue Palace. Han Dong, I think I mentioned him to you before, right?"
"A senior of Yao Yue Palace? Han Dong-jie, do you know him?"
Han Dong had indeed heard Gu Qingfeng mention him, but she didn't know of anyone named Jiangbei in Yao Yue Palace. She had never heard of him and had no impression at all. She asked, "Back in the Ancient Era, when Lady Zhuyue was still the palace master, our Yao Yue Palace had disciples spread all over the Great Northwest. When the Great Calamity occurred, many people went missing. As for who Jiangbei is, I don't know."
"Hmph! Even Han Dong-jie hasn't heard of him. That Jiangbei must be some nobody. Even if he was from Yao Yue Palace back then, how would he know about Granny Feiyan treating His Majesty's wounds? And know the details so well? Was he there or something?"
"Hey, how would I know?" Gu Qingfeng shrugged, taking a drink. "Don't ask me. Go ask Old Man Jiangbei if you want to know. Or, you could ask Senior Feiyan. She should know."
"Fine, I'll go ask! You think I'm scared?"
Ouyang Ye wanted to go ask Daozun Feiyan right now if there was such a person as Jiangbei, but Han Dong stopped her, saying, "Master is very weak right now. Let her rest first. We can ask another day; it's not too late."