Chapter Thirty: The Paper Talisman Fairy

"I entrust my daughter to you, and I ask that you protect the people of this province, Yang Nan. I will give my all!" In that instant, Yang Nan accepted the hidden request of Fang Da—to ensure the safety of the people under his care.

Beyond this, Fang Da demanded that Yang Nan treat his daughter well. Given Fang Qingyan’s fierce and unyielding nature, she was destined to remain by Yang Nan’s side for the rest of her life, bound by a devotion that death itself could not sever. Fang Da knew his daughter better than anyone, but he could not be certain of Yang Nan’s character. By bestowing great power and heavy gifts, he ensured that even if Yang Nan were a fickle man, he would not dare to mistreat her.

One had to remember that the Marquis of Iron Fang was far more formidable than the likes of Yang Lan. As powerful as Yang Lan was, without the Emperor's backing, he was merely a powerful minister. The Marquis of Iron Fang, however, was an overlord in his own right; how could he lack for extraordinary talents under his command?

The old man and his son-in-law, both clever, understood each other's intentions without the need for further words. Yang Nan put away the token and the divine iron, suppressing the urge to refine the metal, and settled down to speak with his father-in-law. Fang Da and the Yang family had been family friends for generations, and he had been particularly close to Yang Nan’s father; memories of the past remained vivid in his mind.

On the day Yang Yuan set out to assume his post, he was ambushed by ruthless bandits on the main road, and both he and his wife were killed. The old Duke was struck with fury and investigated the matter thoroughly. With the influence of the Yang clan, the truth was inevitably unearthed.

At this point, Fang Da suddenly said with deep meaning, "Son-in-law, do you know who harmed your parents?"

Yang Nan lowered his head and said calmly, "Grandfather never mentioned it, but I suspect it was a few of my twelve uncles." The scene beneath the Kunlun Mountains flashed before his eyes. Though his tone was flat, waves of killing intent surged within his heart. To kill a brother is a crime beyond redemption; those uncles truly deserved to die.

Although he lacked deep emotional attachment to his parents, he occupied their flesh and blood; the debt of life was one he could not ignore. Among the twelve uncles, besides Yang He and Yang Lan, who else was an accomplice?

Fang Da nodded, his expression filled with sorrow. "After the tragedy, the old Duke soon discovered the culprits. I, too, learned the truth. Your second, fourth, seventh, eighth, tenth, and twelfth uncles were all involved! Otherwise, given Yuan’s brilliant talent and his mastery of Confucian arts, protected by several Taoist masters and hundreds of battle-hardened guards, and escorted by provincial troops, how could he have fallen if they hadn't plotted against him?"

"In that battle, all the masters and guards were slaughtered, leaving only the remains of Yuan and his wife. The old Duke knew the truth, but what could he do? Those beasts discarded all brotherly affection for the sake of titles and status! This has been the greatest regret of my life. Son-in-law, you are Yuan’s only son. One day, you must seek justice for him and soothe his spirit in the afterlife!" Fang Da’s tiger-like eyes were reddened, revealing the lingering pain over the death of his only true confidant, a grief that had not faded even after a dozen years.

Being unable to lead an army to cut off the heads of his friend's killers had become Fang Da’s lifelong regret. That was why, even though his daughter had been determined to marry a spirit tablet, he had not truly stood in her way.

Yuan... was none other than Yang Nan’s father, Yang Yuan. When his only confidant was murdered, Fang Da had been consumed by a rage that bordered on madness. How could he not have gotten to the bottom of it? Yet, even after uncovering the truth, he could not avenge him; to execute high-ranking officials without cause was tantamount to treason. Fang Da did not fear the imperial power, but he could not disregard the lives of the people in his province.

This debt, of course, had to be settled by Yang Nan himself.

Fang Da looked sorrowful, but was Yang Nan’s heart not equally pained? Reincarnated into this world, he had yet to repay the debt of his parents' life and his grandfather's upbringing. His parents had died tragically, his grandfather had passed away in despair, and all the causality stemmed from Yang Lan and his cohorts.

The Yang family had produced unfilial sons; this was not only the misfortune of Yang Pu, but also of Yang Nan. Practitioners of the Dao believe in repaying kindness with kindness and hatred with hatred—this is the supreme path to resolving karma.

*‘The debt can be repaid, but my heart must not be fixated on delusions!’* As intense killing intent surged, Yang Nan felt his malice grow, but he quickly snapped out of it. Though the family grievance was great, he could not allow his Daoist heart to falter, lest he fall victim to inner demons.

After sitting in silence for a long while, a sharp, cold glint flashed across his face. He spoke slowly, "Thank you for the reminder, Father-in-law. My grandfather could not act, but as his son, I have no such constraints. Whether it be the Emperor or my own uncles, one day I will make them all taste the bitter fruit of their actions."

The law does not punish the masses; Yang Pu had lost one son, but he could not execute six others to avenge him. That was the tragedy of a great Confucian master, but it would not be the tragedy of Yang Nan.

The Dao he now cultivated was a path of following one's heart, not the Confucian path of benevolence and restraint. These depraved uncles would have to be settled with, one by one. Once his cultivation was sufficiently powerful, and with the backing of Prince Chun, he would be able to seize the throne and uproot Yang Lan and his ilk. That would be the most fundamental and cruel revenge of all.

Seeing Yang Nan fall silent, Fang Da said calmly, "Your seventh uncle, Yang Yi, is a general in the regular army of the Chongan Prefecture. He is currently a lackey of the Southern Prince, Li Cai, and has many Taoist practitioners assisting him. You must proceed with caution. That Li Cai is also a man of great ambition; although he is greedy and lustful and hardly worth mentioning, I expect he will come to visit you at Qingming Mountain before long. You may deal with him as you see fit."

Now that Yang Nan had returned, he was the master of Qingming Mountain and the head of the Huyang Academy. He was also the leader of the Confucian Heart Sect, representing its will. How could the Southern Prince not come to pay his respects? Whether this meeting would be a blessing or a curse, however, remained to be seen.

Yang Nan stood up and bowed. "I was only able to clear the fog from my eyes thanks to your guidance, Father-in-law. I will keep your painstaking efforts in my heart."

From the moment he entered the Southern Province, Fang Da had been looking out for him in every way. Yang Nan finally realized how meticulous his grandfather Yang Pu’s arrangements had been. By marrying Fang Qingyan, he had secured a powerful backer. With Fang Da’s support, the eight-hundred-mile path to Wenyang Prefecture would be smooth, allowing Yang Nan to avoid many detours.

*‘Grandfather... your love is so deep that this grandson truly has no way to repay you...’* Yang Nan sighed inwardly. In both lives, this old man—who lacked gentle words but possessed a heart of pure compassion—was the one who had loved him most. Yet, they were separated by the boundary of life and death; how could they ever meet again? If he could not bring glory to his grandfather, who had died in such melancholy, how could Yang Nan hope to sever his karma and attain the Dao of the Immortals?

In this life, Yang Nan had accumulated very little karma, but he still owed debts of affection to his grandfather and his wife. Completing the Venerable's wishes upon descending the mountain was his way of repaying his grandfather. As for Fang Qingyan, it would depend on whether he possessed the fortitude and wisdom to transcend the trial of love and enter sainthood after achieving the status of a Venerable.

The state of one's Daoist heart is like drinking water—only one knows whether it is cold or warm.

As they spoke, Fang Qingyan walked into the main hall, leading a dignified, elegant middle-aged woman and a boy of about fifteen or sixteen. She smiled at Yang Nan, "Husband, what were you and Father discussing so fervently?"

The middle-aged woman looked gentle and virtuous, while the boy appeared bright and clever, his dark, rolling eyes peering at Yang Nan with curiosity. Seeing this, Yang Nan knew that his mother-in-law and brother-in-law had arrived.

The woman was naturally Fang Da’s wife, Yang Nan’s mother-in-law, and the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, Yuan Jie. She came from the Yuan family of Dayuan, one of the three great clans alongside the Yang and Li families. Though of noble birth, she was gentle, well-read, and courteous. She had borne Fang Da a son and a daughter, both exceptional individuals. While political marriages were common among the great clans, Fang Da and she were deeply devoted, and the Marquis’s residence had not a single concubine—a true rarity.

The boy was the Marquis of Iron Fang’s only son, Fang Xuan, just sixteen years old. Eight years ago, he had been a mere child, but he was now a strapping youth. Having learned that his brother-in-law was a practitioner of the Dao, he was naturally filled with curiosity about this man he had never met.

Seeing Yang Nan’s extraordinary presence—a refined, transcendent air that surpassed any ordinary man—Yuan felt a surge of genuine affection. She nodded as she looked at him, thinking, *‘Such a fine son-in-law surely does not have the face of one destined for a short life. No wonder my daughter once threatened to die for him; it is truly a fated bond.’*

As the saying goes, a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law with increasing favor. With Yang Nan’s appearance, Yuan was quite pleased. Yang Nan offered his respects to his mother-in-law. The Spirit Beast Mountain was not lacking in spiritual herbs, and even elixirs like the Beauty-Preserving Pill were plentiful; Yang Nan had long ago given Fang Qingyan such gifts for her parents. Seeing that the elixirs were the rare products of her son-in-law’s mountain, Yuan’s favor grew even greater, and the family began to chat harmoniously.

Fang Xuan, not in the least intimidated by Yang Nan, stepped forward and bowed, "Brother-in-law, since you are a practitioner of the Dao, what kind of spells do you know? Could you show me?"

Yang Nan laughed, "Xuan, do you not know that those who practice the Dao are forbidden from using supernatural powers in front of ordinary people?"

Seeing his brother-in-law looking like a noble young master, Fang Xuan did not believe he was an immortal at all. He curled his lip and said, "Are you trying to trick me? The Taoists on the street only have cheap parlor tricks. If you can't do it, just say so; don't try to fool me!" Having never seen a real immortal, he refused to believe in any "heavenly laws" and attempted to goad him.

Yang Nan chuckled, and seeing the young boy, he was reminded of his own journey to Kunlun. He smiled faintly and said, "Xuan, watch closely!"

Yang Nan took out several paper talismans and cut them with his fingers as if they were shears. Instantly, he fashioned several paper figures, and as he channeled his magical power into them, a soft, spiritual light flickered!

*Poof!*

A cloud of smoke rose, and the paper figures transformed into a fairy dressed in colorful silks!

This suddenly manifested fairy was no different from a living person, with eyebrows painted like art, hair like snow, a complexion of radiant beauty, and a peerless grace. Her slender fingers held a fresh flower, and as her robes fluttered, she seemed ready to ride the wind away!

The fairy’s eyes darted with life, and her graceful body swayed gently. As her seven-colored gown drifted, the scene held a charm so exquisite it could leave any man in the world dazed and captivated.

*"Oh, Immortal...*
*Why have you locked me in this lonely heavenly palace?*
*The cold and desolate palace holds only boundless stars and the moon,*
*I would rather descend to the mortal world,*
*To become a simple mortal woman;*
*Oh, Immortal...*
*The heavens are without life or death, infinite and endless,*
*But my heart still beats wildly,*
*Because I still want to catch one glimpse,*
*Of the lover who haunted my dreams in a past life..."*

A sorrowful, poignant melody echoed through the small valley. The fairy’s beautiful, haunting voice and her melancholy expression made one forget whether they were in heaven or on earth, whether this was a dream or reality.

The fairy sang and danced until, as the song ended, she suddenly dissipated into a puff of smoke. In her place, a vibrant, blooming flowering tree appeared!

The tree was lush and thick with foliage, quickly blossoming and bearing fruit. One could reach out and pluck the fruit, which hung heavy on the branches, emitting a fragrant and enticing aroma.

Soon, the fruit fell to the ground, the branches and leaves withered, and the tree faded away, eventually returning to a single, small green leaf.