Another day passed—Meng Ruji herded sheep, ate meals, and returned to her room to sleep, living an utterly ordinary life… because she hadn’t seen Mu Sui.

For three days like this, Meng Ruji hadn’t seen Mu Sui at all. He precisely avoided every scene where Meng Ruji appeared.

Meng Ruji didn’t see him when she went out to lead the sheep in the morning, didn’t see him while grazing sheep in the grassland, and still didn’t see him when she returned after herding sheep in the evening. Meng Ruji was beginning to doubt herself.

Before leading the sheep out this day, Meng Ruji couldn’t help but ask Madam Lin: “Is there no person named Mu Sui in this world? Did I come to this Rui Wei Cao Yin alone?”

Madam Lin smiled and took out her wooden board: “These three days, Mu Sui has fed his sheep early and returned before you. He’s already earned three points. Miss Meng, if you don’t work harder, you’ll have no chance at the thousand gold.”

Hearing this, Meng Ruji quickly led her sheep away.

However, in the grassland, it was yet another day when Meng Ruji couldn’t find Mu Sui.

“Where on earth did his sheep get fed?!” Meng Ruji was furious.

In the depths of the mist she couldn’t see, near the edge of the Nai River, the water and grass were especially abundant. But because the mist was so thick, from a distance this place almost seemed to be part of the Nai River itself.

Mu Sui held a rope in his hand, the other end tied to his sheep. This place was indeed too close to the Nai River—if he didn’t keep the sheep tethered, it might plunge headfirst into the Nai River and be swept up to the heavens.

Mu Sui lay on a slope, his other hand cushioning his head as he gazed at the upward-flowing Nai River. From his angle, the Nai River seemed to truly engulf him, pulling him along to send him up to the nine heavens.

He emptied his mind of all thoughts, focusing purely on Nai River’s flow, the scattered ascending starlight, and the whistling wind. Everything between heaven and earth was serene and orderly, but precisely at this moment, he suddenly felt a heat upon his lips!

Those backward-flowing waters and ascending starlight seemed to arrange themselves chaotically before him, instantly transforming into Meng Ruji’s face. Then the wind sounds also became disordered, becoming her voice from that night—

“Do you like me a little more than yesterday?”

Mu Sui abruptly closed his eyes.

Here it was again…

These images and sounds had been drilling into his mind intermittently over the past few days.

No matter what he was doing, how he emptied his mind, or how he tried to calm his heart, his spirit seemed unwilling to be controlled by his will.

His spirit… always repeated that scene, those words, helping him relive the scorching temperature he didn’t want to relive…

Mu Sui covered his lips with the back of his hand, wiping roughly across them, as if this could erase that burning heat. But because he used too much force, it made the sensation on his lips even more concrete.

“Little Sui… I think you have…”

Meng Ruji was speaking in his mind again…

So annoying…

Mu Sui simply sat up, somewhat irritably pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I think you have…” At this moment, a male voice appeared beside his ear for real!

Not a hallucination.

Mu Sui opened his eyes, reached out to seize the person beside him, moved his body, and with an over-the-shoulder throw, directly pinned him beneath.

“Ah ah! Something’s wrong with you!” Mo Li was pinned with his face against the ground, crying out in pain.

Seeing it was him, Mu Sui was startled but didn’t immediately let go:

“Why did you come here?”

“Haven’t seen you for several days, no news either. I thought I’d take a detour to find you two…”

Hearing this answer, Mu Sui finally released Mo Li, sitting back to one side and wiping the ear that Mo Li had spoken into.

Mo Li rubbed his arm as he climbed up: “What’s wrong with you? You’re acting strange. Why are you herding sheep here? Where’s Meng Ruji?”

“Herding sheep on the other side.” Mu Sui answered coldly. “You’re not needed here. Go back and wait.”

Mo Li was stunned: “More and more cultivators are coming from No-Return Land. The mortal world outside is in chaos, and you’re here herding sheep? That old woman has you herding sheep? Just this?”

Hearing his increasingly intense questioning, for a moment, it was unclear whether he was angrier about the chaos in the mortal world outside or Madam Lin only having them herd sheep.

Faced with Mo Li’s dissatisfaction, Mu Sui only responded with an indifferent gaze.

“Forget it.” Mo Li stood up, patting his clothes. “I’m old and found the wrong person. Why am I telling you this? I should go find Little Meng instead.”

“Stop.”

Mo Li halted as instructed, raising an eyebrow at him.

Mu Sui tugged at the sheep that was about to step onto Nai River’s edge, making it back away somewhat, then coldly said to Mo Li: “Don’t give her bad ideas.”

Hearing this, Mo Li raised his eyebrows even higher.

“Which bad idea are you referring to?” Mo Li’s expression became ambiguous. He stroked his chin, looking Mu Sui up and down. “Did my goddaughter listen to my suggestion and you…”

Mu Sui’s gaze turned cold as ice, piercing Mo Li like an arrow: “No matter what she does, it won’t affect my decisions. If you continue telling her nonsense, don’t expect to just sit and watch from the sidelines.”

“Is Qianshan Jun threatening me, trying to drag me into the fire?” Mo Li smiled. “But I’ve never feared being burned by fire, or rather, I’ve always been in the flames.”

Always in the flames…

These words made Mu Sui think again of Meng Ruji that night. She said she never intended to escape unscathed, and that she wasn’t just the chess player but more a piece in the game.

She…

Almost admitted that she had feelings too.

Mu Sui nodded slightly, falling silent.

Seeing Mu Sui’s thoughtful expression with seemingly dazed emotions in his eyes, Mo Li smiled slightly, flicked his sleeves, and sat back down: “I can see Little Meng has had some effect these past few days. Qianshan Jun, stop denying your feelings.”

“I never denied them.” Mu Sui tugged at the sheep, saying this. “I just think your tricks are childish and useless.”

Mo Li propped up his head, studying Mu Sui. After looking for a long time, he suddenly said, “Qianshan Jun, have you ever seen the Human God?”

Upon hearing these two words, Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li.

“Since breaking the seal at the ice lake, I haven’t seen any deities, including the Human God you speak of.”

“If you had seen her, you’d know how similar you look now to her.”

“We should be similar.” Mu Sui responded indifferently. “When I leave No-Return Land, more people should come here too.”

Mo Li shook his head: “I mean, you’re very similar to the Human God from two thousand years ago—equally lost.”

Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li.

Mo Li gazed at the upward-flowing Nai River, his expression carrying some nostalgia: “You know, the war between immortals and gods lasted long. The Human God appeared from nowhere, led the immortals, won the war, and then the god clan perished while the human clan prospered…” Mo Li glanced at Mu Sui. “Counting the time you started sleeping in the mortal world’s ice lake from then, right? From then until you awakened must have been several thousand years…”

“Mm.”

“Then you should quite hate humans.” Mo Li nodded, then continued, “But I’m different…

“I’m half-demon by birth. My father was a nightmare demon, my mother a cultivator. From childhood, I heard many human stories—human perseverance, struggle. In my mother’s words, the thousand-year war between immortals and gods was a rebellion against the divine. The Human God was humanity’s hero, the spiritual totem of cultivators. But when I was born, there were only legends of the Human God in the world, no trace of her actual presence. So… you know how shocked I was when I first saw her.

“I watched her kill a man-eating great demon, then rashly rushed over. I told her I wanted to be her attendant child…” At this point, Mo Li laughed himself. “But my appearance then was little different from now—I was long past the age of being a child attendant. Yet she didn’t directly refuse me. She thought about it and said to let me try.”

Mu Sui found this absurd but didn’t interrupt.

With the sound of sheep grazing as accompaniment, Mo Li continued:

“I followed her for many years. I gradually came to know this Human God. I learned of the fate heaven gave her—’Human becomes god, all things perish.’ I watched her become cold under destiny’s guidance.

“She often told me how the great immortal sects swallowed the smaller ones, how powerful beings emerged to steal others’ treasures and spiritual instruments. The spiritual beasts and herbs in the mountains became fewer and fewer because cultivators used heaven and earth’s spiritual energy without restraint.”

“She wanted to stop it, but after killing one, she’d see two or three more. Then she began to wonder—were the gods right before wanting to destroy all humans?” Mo Li’s voice couldn’t help but grow heavy. “And when she first had this thought, the world’s first Netherworld Monster appeared. A creature formed from malevolent energy, born because of her.”

Mu Sui thought of the monsters on the cliff when he went to find the frozen Meng Ruji at Xuejing Cliff. Those were monsters controlled by the Human God.

“She controlled the Netherworld Monster and threw it into the vast God Realm. Mo Yi felt she seemed about to inexorably walk toward destiny’s finale. At that time, she still didn’t want to kill all humans. So to encourage her, I made a bet with her. I said I would fight against my fate, and if I could do it, then she could too. Perhaps from that time we became true friends.” Mo Li smiled. “I created a dream for her…”

“Which became No-Return Land. She also gave you an inner core, for you to kill her later.” Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li. “You said this before.”

“When she reached the step of ‘destroying all things,’ then kill her.” Mo Li pouted. “Old people always like to repeat things they’ve said before. Bear with me.”

Mu Sui turned his gaze away.

Mo Li thought for a moment and continued: “But counting the time, you fell asleep at the end of the immortal-god war. You must be at least five thousand years old now—you’re the real old man. My Little Meng got the short end of the stick.”

Mu Sui turned his speechless gaze back to Mo Li: “If you don’t want that mouth, I’ll help you sew it shut.”

“Please don’t.” Mo Li smiled as he covered his lips, leaning back. “I haven’t finished my main point. I just want to tell you that I regret and feel sorry that before the Human God returned to the God Realm, I couldn’t give her more good memories. If there had been… she might have delayed by a day, or even just a moment, walking toward this predetermined fate…”

“What would be the use?”

“She would have been happy for one more day or moment.”

Mu Sui remained silent.

“My Little Meng might be doing exactly this now.” Mo Li stared at Mu Sui. “Qianshan Jun, don’t keep being so resistant to our Little Meng. If you’re as determined as the Human God to destroy the world, then before the apocalypse you create arrives, enjoying a few moments of pleasure—why not?”

Mu Sui stood up, tugging at the now lazily contented sheep. The sheep obediently followed his pull. Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li: “I am lost, but don’t think that romantic feelings and worldly bonds can change my purpose. I don’t need pleasure.”

Seeing Mu Sui about to walk back, Mo Li wasn’t anxious. He just lay on the ground, feet up, shouting to him: “But what about my Little Meng? If she wants to use my ‘bad idea,’ then she must have fallen for you! Won’t you be letting down her feelings?”

Mu Sui didn’t turn back, leading the docile sheep straight ahead, walking into the depths of the mist.

“I’m destined to disappoint.”

Meng Ruji stood with arms crossed at the sheep pen gate.

Today, while her sheep was grazing, she was busier than the sheep itself, frantically cutting all the surrounding grass and feeding it directly to the sheep’s mouth—she was practically ready to insert a tube and pump it straight into its stomach.

After stuffing the sheep full, she hurried back to the sheep pen. In the pen, only Ye Chuan was brushing a sheep’s wool.

Mu Sui’s sheep hadn’t returned yet—this was good. Meng Ruji was satisfied, then began waiting with crossed arms, planning to use the strategy of waiting by the stump for a rabbit.

Just then, Madam Lin arrived. Seeing that Meng Ruji had returned, she marked a point for Meng Ruji on her wooden board.

At this moment, Meng Ruji wasn’t looking at Madam Lin at all. Madam Lin found her huffing expression rather amusing and asked, “Miss Meng and Qianshan Jun make a strange married couple.”

Meng Ruji shook her head: “I haven’t learned the art of managing husbands well. Madam Lin, you must be laughing at me.” After speaking, Meng Ruji suddenly looked at Madam Lin, her eyes brightening. “Madam Lin, you’re experienced and knowledgeable, a woman of experience. Why don’t you teach me a few tricks?”

“Me?” Madam Lin found this funny. “I’m not well-versed in matters of love either. Back then, I simply wanted a child, so I sought out the most powerful cultivator in the world for dual cultivation. After the child was born, I devoted all my attention to the child, with no nostalgia for romance.”

“Then… what about that cultivator?”

“Cultivators are naturally pure of heart. He only needed me to help him break through his cultivation level. After it was accomplished, we had no further connection.”

“…That was indeed… each taking what they needed.” Meng Ruji thought for a moment, then asked, “What about the child?”

“A girl with exceptional cultivation talent.” Speaking of this, Madam Lin’s gaze couldn’t help but soften. “I taught her, she learned, learned quickly, and her cultivation was very high… but… thinking about it now, I have some regrets.”

Meng Ruji wanted Madam Lin to say more, but before she could speak, Ye Chuan, who had been quietly brushing sheep wool, suddenly interjected: “Time doesn’t flow backward. What use are Madam Lin’s regrets?”

Meng Ruji felt this was strange and studied Ye Chuan, but he just kept brushing the wool as if he’d merely made casual conversation.

Madam Lin also glanced at Ye Chuan but didn’t pursue it, just nodding: “You’re right, it’s all in the past.” Then she looked at Meng Ruji again. “Miss Meng, how have you been getting along with this sheep recently?”

“Very well, it’s very docile.” Meng Ruji patted the sheep’s head. “We get along fine.”

“Mm.” Madam Lin acknowledged, then said, “Then let’s kill it today. I want to eat mutton.”

Meng Ruji was instantly stunned.

She saw that Madam Lin’s expression was indifferent, just like when they first met.

“Killing this sheep is a task.”

In her stomach, a strange itch arose, as if returning to the day she drank the cursed poison.

Meng Ruji knew this wasn’t a joke—it was her command.

She looked at Madam Lin, who also gazed back at her. Their eyes met, and Meng Ruji laughed once: “Fine.”

The strange sensation in her stomach temporarily subsided, and Madam Lin walked away.

In the sheep pen, Meng Ruji looked at the sheep before her, silent for a long time, then sighed: “Sorry.”

“You could cut meat from it.” Ye Chuan said. “Cut meat from it, then bandage its wounds. You can let Madam Lin eat mutton today and also save its life.”

“What about later?”

“Later, when she wants to eat meat again, you just cut another piece.”

Meng Ruji looked at Ye Chuan, remaining silently speechless for a long time, finally only managing: “Are you the King of Hell?”

“It could keep its life.”

“Keep its life, then have you cut it left and right every day?”

Ye Chuan looked at Meng Ruji very seriously: “If this weren’t a sheep but a person, what would you do? Kill it, or cut the meat?”

Meng Ruji met Ye Chuan’s gaze: “If it were a person, I’d point the knife at whoever made this demand.”

After speaking, Meng Ruji struck at the sheep’s neck. The sheep fainted and fell between Meng Ruji and Ye Chuan.

Ye Chuan looked at the sheep on the ground, his eyelids dropping slightly.