In the game’s storyline, Gongsun Rou was the wife of Divine Might Manor Lord Su Jing, and Su Yi’s biological mother.
When Su Yi was young, he heard from his mother that Su Jing had started out as a rogue cultivator in his early years. After being gravely injured, he had been rescued by her and received aid from the Gongsun family; during that time, he had also fallen in love with her.
Consequently, Su Jing swore an oath: as long as he lived, he would do everything in his power to aid every member of the Gongsun family.
This was also the origin of Gongsun Lin’s name. She had been an orphan since childhood. When the couple encountered her in an extremely frigid land, Su Jing originally hadn’t intended to bring her into Divine Might Manor, but Gongsun Rou bestowed the name Gongsun Lin upon her on the spot.
Afterward, Su Jing not only brought her back to Divine Might Manor, but also accepted her as his personal disciple.
Hearing Su Yi say this, Tantai Yunzhi blinked, only then processing it. ‘The Manor Lord’s wife! Senior Brother Su Yi’s mother? And she secretly signed as my guarantor?!’
She quickly cast her mind back. In her memory, that senior indeed possessed an extraordinary bearing, carrying an otherworldly, easygoing grace—to think she held such a status.
Seeing Tantai Yunzhi’s astonished expression, Su Yi rubbed his temples and explained, “My mother... her personality is rather... well, laid-back.
“She rarely bothers with manor affairs and prefers dabbling in things that catch her fancy.”
For instance, tirelessly scouting potential Dao companions for him.
Of course, Su Yi was too embarrassed to say this out loud, but he knew crystal clear in his heart that Tantai Yunzhi catching her attention was eighty percent due to his own previous special regard for her.
‘The old man definitely blabbed to Mom!’
There was no character named Su Yi in the original storyline; he was a true outsider. It was only after reaching adulthood that Su Yi learned his mother was genuinely traditional!
Extremely traditional: in her eyes, virtually every proud daughter of heaven across the realm was a potential candidate for daughter-in-law—and that scope probably extended even further!
“Anyway,” Su Yi pulled his wandering thoughts back, “with her backing, there won't be any issues regarding the clinic’s qualifications, which saves us a lot of trouble. But since she didn't show herself publicly, she must have her reasons. For now, we should just pretend not to know.”
For now, the most pressing matter was resolving the immediate crisis of trust. Reorganizing his thoughts, Su Yi said, “In that case, the first step is much simpler. We can go straight to those junior sisters who frequently visited you for treatment before and have them testify—the effect should be far better than seeking out unfamiliar disciples. Having benefited firsthand, their words will carry more weight.”
Tantai Yunzhi nodded, agreeing that this approach was more reliable.
After discussing a few more details, the two parted ways for the time being. Su Yi set off to contact the female disciples who might be willing to testify, while Tantai Yunzhi remained at the clinic awaiting news and began compiling records to prove her medical skills and medicinal ingredients were harmless.
However, sound though the plan was, executing it met unexpected obstacles.
Over the next few days, Tantai Yunzhi deeply experienced the fickleness of human nature and the terror of rumors.
The female disciples who had previously been familiar with her—and had even sung praises of her medical skills—now either averted their eyes and hurried away upon seeing her, or wore troubled expressions while tactfully claiming they were too busy cultivating lately to come by.
Even the old woman who helped with chores at the clinic came one morning, filled with apologies and a hint of fear, to tender her resignation. No matter how Tantai Yunzhi assured her that the clinic was safe and the herbs harmless, the old woman merely shook her head and sighed, saying her children and grandchildren were worried and forbade her from working here any longer.
Sitting alone in the empty clinic, Tantai Yunzhi watched the disciples who occasionally passed by the window, deliberately veering away from the entrance. Her heart turned chilled.
She did not fear hardship, nor did she fear the tribulations of cultivation, but this feeling of being ostracized, treated as an outcast, and even regarded as a harbinger of plague was harder to endure than any physical pain.
Things on Su Yi’s end did not seem to go smoothly either. The word he sent back was that most of those female disciples harbored heavy reservations, terrified that speaking up for Tantai Yunzhi would invite gossip upon themselves or even provoke retaliation from Zhao Qian’s clique.
“It seems... I was too naive after all.” Looking at the cold tea on the table, a bitter smile touched the corner of Tantai Yunzhi’s lips.
Noticing the unmistakable disappointment in Tantai Yunzhi’s eyes, Su Yi deliberated for a moment before saying, “If we really can’t find any female disciples willing to testify... perhaps I’ll have to step forward myself and announce publicly that I’ve also received treatment from you without any adverse effects.”
While this method was feasible, it was undoubtedly the worst possible option.
To say nothing of how it would completely shatter the “impartial” image Su Yi had worked so hard to maintain—making his previous act of invoking manor regulations look like selfish favoritism.
Even worse, if word got out that the Young Manor Lord had received private treatment from a healer who “only saw female cultivators,” the scandalous rumors would likely become far more unspeakable, dealing immense damage to his reputation.
There might even be rumors that Young Manor Lord Su of Divine Might Manor took advantage of his position to coerce a female disciple.
Something along the lines of: “Junior Sister, you wouldn’t want your clinic to shut down, would you?”
Sure enough, the moment the words left his mouth, Tantai Yunzhi snapped her head up, her tone firmer than ever before: “No! Absolutely not! Senior Brother, you must never do that!”
Her cheeks flushed slightly with agitation, her blue eyes brimming with vehement refusal. “Yunzhi would rather keep the clinic closed forever than taint your pristine reputation, Senior Brother! Please, speak no more of this!”
She knew all too well that rumors could be fatal, especially when gossip breached the boundaries between men and women—it was enough to ruin a person.
Her own status was insignificant, but Su Yi outranked her a hundredfold. If such talk spread, people would focus all their malicious speculation on him.
Just as the two fell into a helpless silence, at their wits’ end, the wooden door of the clinic—unvisited for days—creaked softly open.
Su Yi and Tantai Yunzhi turned toward the sound simultaneously, both freezing in surprise.
Dressed in violet robes, Gongsun Lin stood expressionless at the doorway. Her cool gaze swept across the vacant clinic before finally settling on Su Yi and Tantai Yunzhi standing opposite each other. Her arrival was completely unannounced, as if she were merely passing by, yet felt deliberate all the same.
“Junior... Junior Sister?” Su Yi blurted in surprise; he hadn’t seen her in quite a few days.
Tantai Yunzhi also hurriedly rose and curtsied slightly. “Senior Sister Gongsun.”
Ignoring Su Yi, Gongsun Lin walked straight up to Tantai Yunzhi, retrieved a jade box from her space ring, and placed it upon the consultation desk. Her voice was as flat as ever, devoid of emotion:
“During cultivation the other day, my spiritual energy encountered a slight blockage while attempting to break through an acupoint. I’ve heard you have quite a knack for regulating meridians. This is an Ice Heart Orchid, which helps soothe agitated spiritual energy. See if you can incorporate it into medicine.”
Her actions were so natural that she seemed to have simply come for routine medical treatment, as though completely oblivious to the fervent rumors swirling outside and the clinic’s deserted state.
Tantai Yunzhi was stunned, but Su Yi quickly realized that Gongsun Lin had come to support Tantai Yunzhi—even thoughtfully bringing her own medicinal ingredients.
Given Gongsun Lin’s status and influence among the inner sect disciples, her arrival was undoubtedly a massive shot in the arm. What’s more, she was a woman; having her attest to the harmlessness of Tantai Yunzhi’s medical skills couldn’t be more fitting!
In his excitement, Su Yi stepped forward in a flash. Before Gongsun Lin could react, he spread his arms and pulled her into a tight, warm hug, even spinning her around twice in place out of sheer exhilaration!
“Junior Sister! That’s wonderful! You came right on time!”
At that moment, Gongsun Lin froze entirely!
She had originally resolved to maintain an aloof, strictly professional demeanor, and under no circumstances speak to Su Yi! She wanted this fellow to know she didn’t care about him in the slightest!
From now on, she was going to be a cold and ruthless cultivator!
Yet she never dreamed that this bastard Su Yi... he actually... he dared to hug her right out of the blue?! And spin around?!
Gongsun Lin’s brain short-circuited on the spot. The frosty mask she had deliberately maintained shattered instantly, revealing her genuine bewilderment and fluster beneath. A wave of heat rushed up from her neck straight to her cheeks, her earlobes flushing a crimson as deep as blood.
“L-Let go of me! Su Yi! Where are your manners?!” She shoved at Su Yi in a fluster, her voice trembling slightly with embarrassment, all her usual composure utterly vanishing.
The previously subdued electrical arcs at her fingertips sparked uncontrollably with a few crackles, nearly zapping Su Yi out of sheer instinct.
‘Senior Brother Su always seems so excited whenever it involves Senior Sister Gongsun...’
Watching the two of them from the side, Tantai Yunzhi felt mixed emotions. Last time, it was also because of Gongsun Lin’s constitution that she had seen Su Yi lose his composure.
Moreover, whenever Su Yi saw her, he was usually frowning, yet with Gongsun Lin, he was playful and teasing.
Likewise, Gongsun Lin noticed Tantai Yunzhi. Looking at Su Yi, who had lifted her up, her heart also churned with complex feelings.
‘This bastard Senior Brother is always so stubborn whenever it involves this Junior Sister Tantai...’
Last time, it was also because of Tantai Yunzhi’s physique that she saw Su Yi stand up to an Elder to protect someone for the first time.
Moreover, whenever Su Yi saw her, he always bickered and quarreled with her, but whenever he saw Tantai Yunzhi, he was always looking for ways to help her.
‘Senior Sister Gongsun.’
‘Junior Sister Tantai.’
‘I envy you so much...’
Rate on N.U.
