Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 33: Chapter 34 Gift

Du Yunlong fell silent after his brief statement. Wang Zihan looked at the mountain shrine, noting its mysterious aura. The atmosphere around the shrine seemed to carry a chill, and even the shrine itself felt enveloped in an enigmatic energy. Since entering the shrine, she had sensed something unsettling, as though something had shifted around her.

She felt compelled to ask, "What exactly happened? Who built this shrine?"

Du Yunlong lowered his gaze and pulled out the last of their food from his small pack: a few pieces of dried meat and snacks. "Take a moment to rest. The water outside is sweet, and this should be too."

"Thanks," Wang Zihan said, biting into a piece of overly sweet lotus candy. She and Du Yunlong sat before the altar in the shrine. As she chewed, she glanced curiously at the shrine's deity. "Your mother?"

Though the deity was merely a clay sculpture, it still held a hint of the original's grace. The statue, representing a woman in her early thirties, wore a simple outfit of a headpiece and rough clothing. It looked less like a divine figure and more like a beautiful woman from a secluded valley.

Du Yunlong's expression grew somber. "I have no parents," he said quietly. "I grew up with my mother."

Wang Zihan caught the underlying meaning. "So she was a foster mother?"

Du Yunlong didn't respond, falling into silence again. Wang Zihan noticed that the lotus candy had been consumed quickly, and the remaining food in Du Yunlong's pack was meager. Despite his efforts to bring it to the shrine, the supplies were hardly sufficient.

Wang Zihan thought about how hungry she was. It had been years since she had felt such hunger. But she hesitated to eat more, knowing that their remaining journey from the Tiger Slaying Ridge to Yuanzhou was still long. They would need to rely on this meager food supply.

Thinking of Fire Qianshu brought a pang of nostalgia. She remembered his tall figure and his skillful cooking. No matter the ingredient, Fire Qianshu could turn it into a true delicacy.

But both she and Du Yunlong had grown up in overprotected environments, and their cooking skills were sadly lacking.

"If only Uncle Fire were here," Wang Zihan said wistfully. "We wouldn't have to go hungry."

Du Yunlong chewed slowly, reminiscing about Fire Qianshu's final moments with a sense of loss. "Yes, on the road ahead, we must be prepared to go hungry. I never expected that Uncle Fire's preferences would be..."

Wang Zihan, lost in her thoughts, stared at the stone-paved floor. "Yes, I'll relay this longing to my brother. I wonder how he'll react when he finds out... Men always hide their feelings, clinging to secrets as if they were precious treasures."

Du Yunlong remained silent, but Wang Zihan continued, "We've traveled so far together. Just tell me more about your mother and your past."

"Thank you," Du Yunlong said, pressing his finger to his lips in a gesture of refusal. "Miss Wang, I hope you'll allow me some personal space."

Wang Zihan, staring out at the sunset beyond the shrine, insisted, "Tell me. I'm very curious. We might not see another sunrise."

The more curious she became, the more Du Yunlong resisted. "Miss Wang, I've said that I owe you nothing beyond my service. Even in death, I would ensure your safety, but isn't it fair for a servant to have some privacy?"

"Because I care about my servant!" Wang Zihan retorted. "I have no interest in trivial matters."

She added, "I've heard that women don't allow men to keep secrets, much like they don't allow private funds. Men always try to keep their secrets, just like my senior's husband..."

Suddenly, Wang Zihan fell silent. She seemed lost in thought, her face blank and her gaze distant, startling Du Yunlong. After a moment, she continued, "I can't remember what I was about to say... Anyway, just be honest about your past, including your family and your time with the Gu family."

She made a firm decision, "I don't want you to leave behind regrets like Uncle Fire did."

Du Yunlong struggled with his reluctance. "Miss Wang, I'm just your hired servant, earning a thousand coins a day. It doesn't include revealing my personal details."

"No! You owe me this," Wang Zihan said assertively. "I know you have many secrets. Spill them all."

Du Yunlong was well aware of the many secrets he held, some of which he had intentionally forgotten. He made a final attempt to resist. "Miss Wang, I'd rather discuss this when we reach Yuanzhou..."

"Speak now! I promise to keep your secrets."

Unprepared to share his private thoughts with a woman, especially someone so close, Du Yunlong pleaded, "Miss Wang, could you respect my need for a little personal space?"

Here's your text adapted to an American writing style and language structure:

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Wang Zihan's smile had a hint of a cunning fox who had just caught a chick. Women's curiosity knows no bounds, and she would not allow any secrets from men. "No way. The sooner you confess, the more rewards I'll grant you," she said.

Under Wang Zihan's relentless pressure, Du Yunlong had moved from the altar to the base of the deity statue. Yet, even the deity could not protect him from her probing. Though he had said nothing, it felt as if all his secrets were being laid bare by the formidable Wang Zihan. He lowered his head, glancing at Wang Zihan's curvaceous figure, and hesitated. Feeling cornered, he decided to fight back to preserve his last shred of dignity. "Miss Wang, everyone has their own secrets. I have mine, and you have yours... For instance, I'd like to know, who is the father of your child?"

Before Du Yunlong could finish, Wang Zihan's expression went blank. Du Yunlong immediately regretted his words, only to find himself with Wang Zihan's hand gripping his collar. With tears in her eyes, she shouted, "I'll have you know, I'm still a maiden. Not a single man, other than you, has ever touched me!"

Did he make a mistake? Du Yunlong was stunned, realizing he had made a grave error by accusing a maiden of being pregnant. He felt foolish and disoriented.

Wang Zihan didn't have time for his doubts. For the first time, Du Yunlong saw that her anger had a kind of beauty to it. Despite the fierce look in her eyes, there was a sharp elegance about her. After releasing his collar, Du Yunlong immediately bowed his head and apologized. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry... Miss Wang..."

Tears still glistened in Wang Zihan's eyes, but her gaze was cold and steely. Though she accepted his apology, her anger remained unchecked. "Why does everyone think I'm pregnant? Do I appear to be such a loose woman?"

"I'm sorry!" Du Yunlong stammered. "I truly am sorry!"

"There's no need for further apologies!" Wang Zihan briskly rolled up her sleeve. "I'll show you this as proof of my chastity..." She gestured to a small mark on her smooth, fair skin—her sign of purity. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and her ears turned pink. "If you don't believe me, I..."

Overcome with shyness, she struggled to continue. Du Yunlong felt a deep sense of guilt. "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I believe you now. I'm sorry."

Wang Zihan wiped her tears away with a delicate hand, though traces of her distress remained. She forced a smile. "It's not your fault. Many people misunderstand me, including those closest to me. If you understand that I am right, then that means one thing: I am always right."

Du Yunlong's anxiety eased slightly, and he glanced again at the small mark of purity on her skin. "Yes, Miss Wang is always right. A servant should never argue with you."

"Knowing your mistakes and correcting them—that's what makes a good servant!" Wang Zihan sat down again, though her tears still threatened to spill. She asked softly, "You said everyone has their secrets. So, are you willing to share with me one of the most extraordinary secrets of my life? It's okay if you don't want to."

"That's a reward from the Miss!" Du Yunlong responded according to Wang Zihan's tone. "Thank you for your generosity."

Wang Zihan sighed softly. She had never fully disclosed these secrets to anyone, and no one had ever believed her extraordinary experiences. But now, she was willing to share this difficult truth with Du Yunlong. She spoke gently, "You might have noticed that I, like you, have had a connection with the immortal world. Let me tell you, I am Wang Zihan of the Pure Spirit Mountain's Unstained Nun Sect, originally a foundation-building cultivator..."

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