"No need for you esteed guests to be polite. I am just an ordinary servant in the Jade Ring Pool, unworthy of the title Immortal Master. With your status, simply calling Yui Zhen will suffice."
Yui Zhen walked ahead, his blue brocade robe fluttering like the sky reflected in a clear lake.
"Cultivators from the Condensed Water Realm could establish a sect in the outside world, but are re servants in the Jade Ring Pool. The pool truly possesses remarkable grandeur."
Xiaoyu still carried the look of a fisherman’s daughter, her appearance unchanged. You Su, however, felt a hidden awe; despite not being tall among the won he knew, she emanated a noble and daunting aura.
"Fairy, you flatter . Cultivators from the Condensed Water Realm within the Divine Mountain are not even considered servants here." Yui Zhen responded with a gentle smile, glancing at You Su who followed behind, seemingly hinting at sothing.
"Mr. Yui humbles himself. In the pursuit of the Dao, progress matters more than status. Your cultivation surpasses mine; you are worthy of the title Immortal Master." You Su responded with courtesy and a warm smile.
Yui Zhen bead, "It’s said that the prodigies of Henggao Divine Mountain are arrogant and often look down upon cultivators outside the mountain. In my view, this is untrue."
Yui Zhen spoke with extraordinary eloquence, appearing to downplay his status without diminishing himself, making conversation feel as gentle as a spring rain.
The three strolled leisurely, entering the lush mountain. Ancient yet orderly spiritual wooden floors paved the path, each block intricately carved with complex lotus pond patterns. On either side, exotic flowers and jade trees emitted a tranquil fragrance, their branches extending gracefully without appearing tangled.
Even though he couldn’t see, You Su could sense the elegant design of the path leading to the pool, highlighting the Jade Ring Pool’s regard for external guests. Curiously, despite spending heavily on creating such a path, the Jade Ring Pool abruptly turned away visitors.
After hundreds of steps, the sound of water splashes suddenly echoed from the depths of the forest path. Xiaoyu frowned and looked ahead, seeing a curtain of water blocking the way.
The jagged rocks had been polished smooth as mirrors by the waterfall. The source of the curtain was the mountain stream, cascading a clear waterfall. Droplets fell onto the wooden path, stirring a thin mist that condensed back into water, joining the stream pools on either side.
"This is the Purification Curtain."
Yui Zhen paused, smiled, and introduced to first-ti visitors You Su and Xiaoyu:
"Once past this curtain, you’ll truly enter the domain of the Jade Ring Pool. You esteed guests need not worry; the Purification Curtain will not drench you but will cleanse the mundane dust, returning you to yourself. Even if you crawled from a swamp, once past the curtain, your clothes will be pristine again."
"How can there be water that doesn’t wet clothes?"
Though dressed in a coarse hemp skirt, Xiaoyu, being a woman, couldn’t help but mind such matters.
"Fairy is unaware that the Purification Curtain’s water cos from the Unstained Spring on the mountain, which is quite mystical and exclusive to the Jade Ring Pool, hence it’s normal for Fairy to be unaware." Yui Zhen advanced a few steps to the stream pool ford by the curtain, cupped a handful of water, and sprinkled it onto the earth beside the wooden path, saying:
"If Fairy doesn’t believe, please see; not only does the Unstained Spring’s water not wet clothing, it doesn’t even seep into the soil."
Xiaoyu fixed her gaze and indeed saw Yui Zhen’s sprinkled water remaining on the soil surface, with not a drop sinking in, resembling transparent gems spilled among the earth.
"The Jade Ring Pool, as one of the sacred places of the Five Continents, may not be famous, but that doesn’t an it doesn’t care about its reputation. It’s not seeking grand fa but desires a na of purity and nobility." Yui Zhen straightened, speaking calmly yet with an evident pride as an Immortal of the Jade Ring Pool, "This Unstained Spring cleanses all things, and passing through the Purification Curtain is a necessary ritual to enter the Jade Ring Pool, I hope Fairy understands."
Xiaoyu hesitated for a mont, aware that Yui Zhen saw through her disguise, and his deanor made clear that entering the Jade Ring Pool required removing all disguises and revealing her true identity.
The girl with pale yellow skin adjusted her expression, no longer hesitated, and walked toward the Purification Curtain.
As she stepped into the curtain, droplets glided from the top of her head, flowed down her cheeks, then coursed through the clothes over her entire body.
Unexpectedly, she thought the spring water would be cold to the bone, but it was warm as soothing jade.
Once she passed through the curtain, her coarse garnts were indeed renewed, but the more striking change was in her face—
She was no longer the modestly attractive fisher girl. The newly revealed face was fairer than snow, with features exquisitely painted. Yet it wasn’t an undistinguished beauty; her allure blended coldness and charm to an extre, akin to an elegant venomous serpent basked in moonlight.
And if You Su could open his eyes, he would find this face identical to his dearly cherished junior sister, Ji Lingruo.
Ji Xueruo stood beyond the water curtain, looking back at the flowing water on the ground, confirming its clarity before averting her gaze contentedly.
To disguise as Xiaoyu, she’d taken significant efforts, all washed away by the Purification Curtain. She feared if the water turned black due to dirt, it would be unfortunate for the man nad Xu to wrongly think ill of her.
She, being cleanly virtuous and holding an esteed status, naturally didn’t want others to harbor such misunderstandings.
"Mr. You, please." Yui Zhen gestured.
You Su nodded and proceeded towards the water curtain without hesitation.
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