Cultivation Retirement Plan (BL)

12. Ouyang's Observations

Mo Yixuan's eyes were currently staring at a mountain peak, one of the nine that surrounded Star Pavilion Valley. He saw a tiny flying cultivator swoop to its heights on his sword, then hop off onto a ledge and walk up the rest of the way. Of course, this was only possible with the enhanced sight of a cultivator—a normal human would need binoculars to catch so many minute details.

"It exists," he answered.

"The mountains here form a natural barrier around the valley," Ouyang Che elaborated. "They're reinforced by a barrier, so winter never reaches the lands below."

Mo Yixuan didn't reply, but his eyes did shift to the lush greenery beneath them.

"There's a village that lives down there with sect permission. They've been around almost as long as us, and provide most of the food and crops for the general disciples in the sect. We cooperate on a bartering system—favors and talismans for grain and other things."

"Mm." It was a quaint little arrangement. "Why tell me this?"

"You're a newcomer, so it's natural for me to highlight our merits," Ouyang Che said brightly. "And you've yet to answer my question."

"I have no opinion," Mo Yixuan said bluntly. He'd found some solace through admiring the scenery alone, but Ouyang Che was growing to be a noisy nuisance. Yet as he turned to leave, he remembered that he still had things to ask the man and stopped.

"I'm almost miffed," Ouyang Che sighed. "But now I understand a little better, how you were able to improve in such a short amount of time."

Mo Yixuan waited for him to finish.

"If you really feel nothing for this world, then it can't hold you back," Ouyang Che continued. "Abandon ties and sever all emotions. That's the path to godhood."

It's also the path to depression, Mo Yixuan thought privately before he got to the point. "There's something I want to know." He tugged the white jade ring off his finger and placed it in his palm. "What's this?"

Ouyang Che only gazed at the item without reaction. "It's a ring."

"Just a ring?" Mo Yixuan asked. When Ouyang Che looked to him for clarification, he told about how it'd been in his closet, then snuck onto his finger and stuck there ever since.

"Maybe it likes you," Ouyang Che replied, unconcerned.

"And this is normal?" Mo Yixuan asked, the first sign of unease rising to his features.

"Stranger things have happened," the peak lord went on airily. "Many things in this world are driven by fate. Perhaps destiny tied you two together."

Mo Yixuan wasn't satisfied. "But what does it do?"

At that, Ouyang Che leaned in close to study the ring, even prodding it a few times with his fingers while Mo Yixuan watched. When the inspection was done, he leaned back with a satisfied smile.

"Well, it's certainly very ancient and possibly filled with an unknown power," Ouyang Che began. "But beyond that, I have no idea why it's fixated on your hand. I did hear that Mo Yixuan was an avid collector of exquisite objects."

"Vases and bottles," Mo Yixuan muttered. "The house is full of them. Not rings."

"Then maybe this is the first for his budding ring collection," Ouyang Che explained away easily.

Mo Yixuan's estimation of Ouyang Che dropped another few notches. Was this man truly a peak lord, or just some annoying fool? The next second, he swung his arm backwards and threw the ring towards the valley below.