Su Han fell into thought after hearing that. If he remembered correctly, Shenhe was actually a woman full of emotion. The reason she had become like this was, first, due to the tragedy of her childhood, and second, because of that red rope.
The "Lonely Star, Calamity Fate" constitution only increased Shenhe's ferocity; it shouldn't have affected her emotions.
Suddenly, a thought came to him. He turned to her and asked, "Shenhe, have you recently started to feel averse to wearing the red rope?"
If Su Han remembered correctly, around this period, Shenhe gradually began to resist wearing it. As a result, she started having nightmares. But there was a deeper issue that most people never noticed...
That red rope suppressed Shenhe's emotions!
Hearing his question, Shenhe looked at him in puzzlement. "How did you know?"
Then she remembered that her master had a good relationship with Su Han, so she nodded and said, "Yes, it's been like that for about half a year now. I don't know why, but I've started feeling a strange resistance toward it. But as you know, if I take it off, I can't sleep well."
Su Han showed an expression of realization and said, "Do you know why you're feeling that resistance?"
"I don't."
"That's because your soul is rebelling, Shenhe. A person's emotions cannot be bound by a magic artifact. Even if you think tranquility is a good thing, the emotions buried deep within your soul will continue to grow with time!"
This was the first time Shenhe had ever heard such an explanation. She lowered her head, looking at her palm, wondering...
Is that really true?
Do I really have emotions within me?
But... even when my parents died, I didn't feel sadness.
Even when she saw familiar people from afar, she felt nothing. Could someone like her truly have emotions like everyone else?
Shenhe felt deeply lost. Remembering the moments when she did experience strange emotions, she felt a sudden panic, something she had never felt before. Just as she didn't know what to do...
A broad, warm hand gently took hold of her jade-like one.
Feeling the heat of his touch, Shenhe looked up and saw Su Han smiling at her. "Don't worry. I'm here."
Looking into Su Han's sincere eyes, Shenhe felt her chaotic heart gradually calm down. She nodded lightly and said, "Mm, I understand."
Then the two continued walking toward the city.
Neither of them noticed that, high atop Tianheng Mountain, a crane was silently watching them. In fact, it had been following Su Han since the moment he left home.
"It seems my worries were unnecessary," said Cloud Retainer to herself. "Though this child Su Han likes to take advantage where he can, his abilities are remarkable. To see through Shenhe's situation so quickly, and judging from his confident look, he probably has a solution already."
"In that case, this immortal can finally relax. As mortals say, I am now 'light as a feather, free of burdens!'" (TL/N: Proud Crane.exe)
Her first disciple, Ganyu, had become much more cheerful; her second disciple, Shenhe, was on the road to recovery. As for Cloud Retainer herself, she now spent her days conducting research with Madame Ping and occasionally visiting Su Han's shop next door.
Life truly couldn't be more pleasant.
In high spirits, Cloud Retainer once again decided not to return to her abode. Instead, she spread her wings and flew toward Yujing Terrace.
Back at the shop, Su Han hurried to bring out the food he had already prepared. Shenhe wanted to refuse, since she wasn't accustomed to mortal food, but when she saw the dishes, she realized something was different.
Though the dishes looked like mortal cuisine, their fragrance was entirely familiar.
For example, the steamed buns were greenish in color, carrying a faint herbal aroma.
The cold dishes were herbs blanched to remove bitterness.
Even the porridge was infused with various medicinal ingredients.
"These dishes are…?"
"Oh, I arranged for these before we left. You can try them, they're made from fresh medicinal herbs from Bu Bu Pharmacy. As for the cooking, it was done by Xiangling. By the way, she's the successor of Wanmin Restaurant and also a disciple of an immortal. By seniority, she should call you 'senior sister.' You can call her your junior."
"Senior sister? Understood."
Shenhe frowned slightly. She didn't quite understand mortal customs yet, but since Su Han had said so, she noted it down carefully.
Then, she picked up a bun and tentatively took a bite. Her eyes lit up, and she began chewing.
Unlike anything she'd eaten before, this meal was both familiar and comforting. Though mixed with mortal ingredients, the flavor was still the same old taste, so Shenhe did not reject it.
Seeing her eat normally, Su Han finally sighed in relief. It seemed his method worked after all.
For immortal disciples who couldn't easily adapt to mortal food, the quickest way was to mix herbs into the dishes. Over time, as they got used to the meals, everything would naturally fall into place.
If she'd been made to eat normal food right away, she'd likely have behaved as Su Han once saw—taking just one bite of each dish and stopping.
Shenhe's appetite was good; she ate three buns in a row before noticing Su Han hadn't touched his food. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked.
"Of course I am. But I can't handle your kind of food."
"Then eat with me."
"No problem."
Su Han ate his regular meal, while Shenhe ate her herb-infused dishes. Though their meals differed, it was still a meaningful first step forward.
After eating, Su Han took Shenhe to the third floor and pointed at a freshly cleaned room. "From now on, this will be your room. I live next door. But before you rest tonight, I'll teach you a cultivation method that might help your condition."
"What kind of method?"
"The Ice Heart Technique," Su Han said calmly.
It was a simple technique, with only a few chants, but its difficulty lay in perseverance. Still, with Su Han's guidance, Shenhe's progress would naturally be fast.
After just two recitations, she managed to enter a meditative state on her own.
Watching her sit cross-legged with eyes closed, Su Han continued explaining, "After entering the Ice Heart Technique, you must visualize a world of ice and snow within your mind. Construct that illusion within your sea of consciousness, that will be your next stage of cultivation."
Shenhe didn't respond, but she could hear his words.
As she practiced the Ice Heart Technique for the first time, Shenhe was astonished. The violent killing intent that had been stirring within her these past days miraculously dissipated as the inner energy flowed. Her mind became clear and serene—
As if she were standing atop the peaks of Jueyun Karst, wrapped in a cool breeze.
After a long while, Shenhe opened her eyes.
Seeing her finish, Su Han asked, "How do you feel?"
"Very comfortable. This is the first time in half a year that I've felt so clear-headed. What surprises me most is that the suppressive feeling you mentioned... it's gone."
Recalling the sensation from moments ago, Shenhe's face was full of relief. Practicing the Ice Heart Technique was far more pleasant than the forced suppression of the red rope.
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