Chapter Fifty-Five: Yan Qingye’s Master-Servant Pact

Yan Qingye did not return to the Yan family but stayed at the Ming residence to continue his studies in alchemy. He believed that Senior Junyang was not someone who would deceive him.

That night, nearly everyone at the Ming residence had fallen asleep, save for the guards. A small white snake silently slipped into the pharmacy.

Yan Qingye's diligence in his studies was remarkable: upon waking, he would immediately begin researching alchemy, often working late into the night and sleeping directly in the pharmacy. No one knew why he had suddenly become so obsessed with mastering alchemy.

At this moment, Yan Qingye was lying on a side couch in the pharmacy, recalling the steps of today's alchemy practice. Although he hadn't blown up the furnace recently, he still couldn't form the pills, which frustrated him deeply.

So absorbed was he in his thoughts that Junyang nearly climbed onto his face before he noticed.

"Hiss, hiss—"

Junyang flicked his tongue at Yan Qingye, who suddenly felt something stirring on his chest. He looked down and was startled, nearly tumbling to the floor. "Senior Junyang?!"

"What were you thinking—no vigilance at all?" Junyang remarked with habitual disdain.

Yan Qingye scratched his head. "I was thinking about alchemy. Where is Little Master? Did you come to take me away?"

"Your little ancestor is waiting outside for you. Leave a note for your father and the others, then come with me."

"Alright, right away." Yan Qingye, excited, rolled off the bed, grabbed a sheet of prescription paper, and scribbled a message.

"I am going to find Little Master. Don't worry."

He pressed the note down with a medicine bottle, then turned to Junyang. "Senior Junyang, I've written it. Let's go."

Junyang led Yan Qingye to the courtyard, set up a teleportation array, and the two vanished.

Moments after they left, Ming Chenyu sensed the disturbance from the array. Searching the grounds, he discovered that Yan Qingye was missing from the pharmacy and found the note left on the table.

Holding the note, Ming Chenyu walked slowly to the courtyard, gazing up at the bright moon. How could he not wish to follow his master as well? But Ming Chengwu's health had only just recovered, and the Ming family was still in a period of restoration. He simply could not afford to be as reckless as Yan Qingye.

"May you achieve your heart's desire," Ming Chenyu murmured to the note.

...

After leaving the Ming residence, Junyang and Yan Qingye soon found You Xiyue beneath the Heavenly Tribulation Steps on the Thirty-Seven Continent.

Yan Qingye looked up in confusion at the endless staircase. "Little Master, are you going up from here?"

Junyang transformed into human form, and, from behind, tapped Yan Qingye's head. "This is so that when you come out of Xingruo Island, you can climb these steps directly—it will be convenient for you."

---

Yan Qingye rubbed the back of his head and murmured an acknowledgment, then looked nervously at You Xiyue. "Little Master, are we establishing the contract now? The master-servant pact?"

You Xiyue nodded. "Yes, let us begin."

As soon as the words fell, a circle of golden light appeared on the ground. Strange, unreadable script rose from the earth towards the sky.

Junyang stepped back a few paces.

Yan Qingye walked into the array, knelt on both knees, raised his right hand, and declared, "I, Yan Qingye of the Yan family, vow to serve..."

At that moment, he realized he did not know his master's name. He looked up at You Xiyue in confusion.

"You Xiyue," she said softly, standing before him.

"Yes!" Yan Qingye continued, "I, Yan Qingye of the Yan family, vow to serve Master You Xiyue as my lord, henceforth taking the master as my fate. Heaven and earth bear witness: if I betray this vow, let my soul be destroyed, never to be reborn."

As soon as Yan Qingye finished his oath, the script from the array surged into his body.

You Xiyue cut her finger and let a drop of blood fall into the array. The blood, along with the script, merged into Yan Qingye’s body, reaching his brow.

Eventually, a blood-red character, "You," appeared at his brow.

The array's light faded, and the crimson mark slowly concealed itself.

Only then did Yan Qingye feel the oppressive force of the master-servant contract: in You Xiyue's presence, he felt compelled to kneel and obey, never daring to speak as freely as before—but he did not regret it.

You Xiyue could clearly sense Yan Qingye's state of mind. "Rise, act as you did before."

"Yes, Little Master." Yan Qingye stood respectfully.

Junyang approached, patting Yan Qingye's shoulder. "You suddenly look so serious—I almost can't recognize you."

Yan Qingye himself felt awkward, but having just sealed the contract, he had little choice. He forced a laugh.

"Activate the contract mark, and you may enter my true island, Xingruo Island," said You Xiyue.

"Should I go now, Little Master?"

"Yes. Go and cultivate well."

"Understood." Yan Qingye bowed respectfully, accepting the irrefutable command.

He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and upon activating the contract mark, the red "You" on his brow flashed three times. Yan Qingye vanished from sight.

---

When he opened his eyes again, Yan Qingye found himself in a place like a celestial paradise.

Indeed, as Junyang had said, the beauty of this island far surpassed anything the Yan family could offer.

Yan Qingye's mouth formed an "o" shape as he wandered curiously across the island, eventually finding the small wooden house where You Xiyue and Junyang often stayed.

The island was full of immortal herbs and fruits whose names he did not know, as well as many spiritual beasts, all seemingly of high rank.

Just as he attempted to enter the small wooden house, an unknown force bounced him back.

"The master's room—no entry without permission," a deep voice resounded.

"Who?" Yan Qingye looked around but saw no one.

"The master calls me Xingruo."

"Xingruo?" Yan Qingye understood—so the island possessed intelligence and could speak.

"I am Yan Qingye. I have just established the master-servant contract with Little Master."

"I know. Your room is in the southwest."

"Southwest?" Yan Qingye sensed the direction, then walked towards it.

Not far away was a small wooden house of similar size, fully equipped with pill furnace and herbs. The pill furnace seemed far more advanced than those used in the Ming residence.

Yan Qingye approached and cautiously touched the furnace, sensing an extraordinarily powerful presence within.

That presence, however, ignored him completely, showing nothing but disdain.

Calming his mind, Yan Qingye found that, as Junyang had said, the spiritual energy on the island was astonishingly abundant, far beyond what the upper realm offered. In fact, the energy was so excessive that, even without focused meditation, it actively surged into his body.

He needed to reach the Immortal King realm before he could venture to the Immortal World in search of Little Master. There was little time left for him to explore the island out of curiosity.

With this thought, he immediately settled his mind, entered the inner room, and sat cross-legged to meditate.

Perhaps because spiritual energy in the upper realm was scarce and difficult to absorb, encountering a place where he could absorb it unrestrainedly, the small nascent soul in his dantian began to wildly draw in the surrounding energy like a bottomless pit.

Once Yan Qingye was settled, You Xiyue and Junyang unfolded the Divine Domain Map.

"Little ancestor, where shall we go first?" Junyang asked.