In the mountain forests near Haoyun Mountain, Shen Langhun dragged Liu Yan through the insect and snake-infested woods. With Liu Yan’s legs broken, he pulled one of his arms slowly, letting his entire body drag along the ground. The uncultivated mountain forest was everywhere covered with wild grass, thorns, and poisonous insects. Liu Yan was covered in blood from head to toe, making no sound. Last night he had been resolute, but today he had long since lost consciousness. Shen Langhun gave him detoxifying and heart-clearing medicine powder, but didn’t treat his leg wounds. Liu Yan developed a high fever—even if Shen Langhun threw him into a mud pit now, he wouldn’t know.

With a “plop,” Shen Langhun threw Liu Yan to the ground. Ahead appeared a clear pond with fish swimming in it. In the shallow water bloomed a type of white flower with a refreshing fragrance. Along his journey, there had been mosquitoes and insects everywhere, but arriving at this lakeside, everything suddenly opened up. Blue sky was visible through the dense forest, and the air carried a fresh, elegant fragrance of unknown origin.

Shen Langhun took out that hard steamed bun from his bosom and ate it methodically. After a moment, he pulled out a sheepskin water flask, took a sip, and let out a long breath. Green mountains and forests, deep blue clear lake water, snow-white beautiful flowers—if He Niang were still alive, he could pick a flower to pin in her hair. She would surely be greatly surprised, but when she was alive, he had never given her anything. Thinking of this, he glanced at Liu Yan and saw several centipedes writhing on his wounds. He watched indifferently while slowly eating his bun.

Liu Yan was now just a mass of bloody flesh, covered all over with broken spines from wild grass and thorns, plus ants all over his body. But the wound medicine he had applied to his face was first-class medicine—the facial wounds hadn’t festered but were slowly scabbing over. This man who was now like a dead dog—if he were presented to those white-clothed women now, would they still love him desperately? He sat quietly meditating. In an instant, his thoughts became strange and bizarre, seeming to drift far from his “Shen Langhun” self, as if transforming into many others, strangers.

A black ant crawled to the fingertip holding his bun. Shen Langhun paid no attention, watching the shapeless Liu Yan. The twisted anger and venomous hatred in his chest dissipated bit by bit, gradually replaced by emptiness… Revenge was taken, and his heart was empty too. Love, hate, passion, enmity… nothing remained for him.

Suddenly his fingertip felt slightly numb. Startled, he focused on the ant—a very ordinary black ant, somewhat larger than usual ants. He couldn’t tell if this ant had bitten him. His finger didn’t feel painful, but after a while, a drop of fresh blood slowly seeped out.

Ant bites—are they painless? Shen Langhun frowned. In his lifetime of traveling north and south, he had suffered large and small wounds, yet had never been bitten by an ant. In his surprise, he felt his right hand go numb, and that piece of bun fell to the ground, rolling several times.

I— Shen Langhun’s mind became confused. He could hardly believe that such a small ant could be poisonous, much less that an ant smaller than a grain of rice could poison him. After his shock, half his body went numb. In this deep mountain forest, with Liu Yan lying beside him, he gritted his teeth, reached into his bosom with his left hand, drew a dagger, and stabbed it into the wound where the ant had bitten his right hand, scraping forcefully. The blood flowing from the wound was bright red, seemingly showing no poisoning. Shen Langhun’s mind became increasingly confused, severe pain shot through his right hand wound, his whole body burned with heat, and he slowly fell into unconsciousness.

As if a long time had passed, he gradually felt some coolness on his cheek. With a soft “drip,” water droplets splashed on his face. Opening his eyes, he saw complete darkness before him. The blue sky, green trees, and pond from before seemed to have all been illusions. After another moment, he felt a thick layer of green grass residue covering his eyes. Something cool had been applied to his right hand wound—one sniff told him it was the wound medicine from his bosom.

Shen Langhun turned over and sat up, raising his hand to wipe the grass from his eyes. He saw the vast night—he had been unconscious for a day. By the lake, a campfire leaped, and Liu Yan sat by the fire holding a tree branch. Beside the fire also sat a woman with strange features. Looking at this woman’s figure, she was like an eighteen-year-old beauty, graceful and elegant, her delicate pale hands hanging at her sides almost transparent. But her face was that of an old woman, with wrinkled skin piled up and covered in black spots—quite frightening in appearance.

“You’re awake?” This seemingly old yet young woman spoke with an aged voice, but her teeth were white and neat. “Few people come here. A mountain cat or a carp—which do you want to eat?” Her voice was unpleasant, but her words were very gentle, as if she hadn’t seen people for many years and was delighted to see two travelers.

Shen Langhun looked at the wound on his wrist. “Did you help treat my injury, miss?” The aged woman shook her head, pointing at Liu Yan. “How did his face become like that? Who was so cruel to cut up someone’s good face like that?” Her words carried considerable sympathy, as if because of her own strange appearance, she paid special attention to Liu Yan’s face.

Shen Langhun’s heart stirred slightly. Liu Yan treated his wound? How was that possible… But this seemingly aged woman appeared young in years, without any scheming, and shouldn’t be lying. “Miss seems quite young in age?” The aged girl smiled faintly. “I’m sixteen this year, but look like an eighty-six-year-old grandmother.” Shen Langhun lightly pressed his right hand with his left, feeling that sensation had returned to normal. “How could this be?”

The aged girl said, “I was born with a strange disease. When I was three or four, my appearance was already like that of someone in their thirties or forties. The doctor said I wouldn’t live past ten, but I’ve lived to sixteen, and now I look like someone in their eighties or nineties.” Though her words carried emotion, there was no resentment or sadness—she seemed quite philosophical. “Afraid of frightening others, my mother and I have always lived deep in the mountains, never going out.”

Shen Langhun nodded. “What is your surname, miss?” To be able to live in the mountains, mother and daughter must know martial arts, though their depth was unknown. If he could know her name, he might know her background. The girl smiled slightly. “My surname is Yu, and I’m called Yu Tuan’er.” Such a youthful, sweet name falling on a strange girl with a face full of wrinkles was truly moving.

Liu Yan had remained silent, quietly stirring the campfire with his branch. Though his face was hideous, his perfectly curved chin in the fire’s shadows still possessed great beauty. Yu Tuan’er pointed at Liu Yan. “Who is he? Who cut his face?”

“He… is an extremely evil person who should have died ten thousand times over.” Shen Langhun said. “Not to mention cutting his face—even if all his skin and flesh were cut off, people would only applaud. The people he’s killed are countless, and the harm is still spreading.”

Yu Tuan’er said, “Is he really that bad? From what you say, you’re the one who cut his face.” Shen Langhun smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying. Yu Tuan’er looked toward Liu Yan. “Since he cut your face, and he’s an extremely evil person, why did you save him just now?” Having rarely seen people, she was straightforward, saying whatever came to mind.

Liu Yan didn’t answer. After a long while, he suddenly said, “There’s a medicine that can cure your disease.” Shen Langhun and Yu Tuan’er were startled. “What?” Liu Yan said slowly, “There’s a medicine that can cure your disease.”

Yu Tuan’er exclaimed, “Is it true?” Her face was ugly and unsightly, but her eyes were very clear, gazing at Liu Yan like autumn waves. Liu Yan said indifferently, “Help me drive away the person in front of me, and I’ll give you life-saving medicine. Not only can it save your life, it can also restore your youthful appearance, returning you to how you looked at sixteen.”

Yu Tuan’er asked strangely, “Drive him away? If you wanted to drive him away, why didn’t you just not save him earlier? Why save him and then want to drive him away?” Liu Yan pulled at the corner of his mouth in a smile—that appearance was extremely terrifying. “I’m happy to.” Yu Tuan’er said, “Fine.”

Shen Langhun frowned, light flashing violently in his eyes. “That ant just now—was it your doing?” Liu Yan asked indifferently, “Was that ant poisonous?” Shen Langhun was alert. The wound bitten by that ant showed no black blood. Liu Yan said slowly, “You’re allergic to formic acid… Do you know what allergic means? Others won’t die from ant bites, but you will. Be careful not to die from ants in the future.”

Just as he was speaking slowly, Yu Tuan’er struck out with her palm, wind rushing forth. Shen Langhun lifted his sword hilt and struck. She cried out “Ai ya” as he hit her squarely on the forehead, and she fell backward unconscious.

Shen Langhun sneered. “With such third-rate martial arts from a little girl, you thought you could escape suffering? Are you underestimating Shen Langhun, or did Shen Langhun misjudge you?” Liu Yan said indifferently, “Even if she can’t drive you away, you owed me a life just now. Shouldn’t you repay it now?” He said coldly, “For the grace of saving your life, shouldn’t you repay it?”

“Don’t be hasty. In a few more days, when your wounds heal, I’ll naturally release you.” Shen Langhun said indifferently, “Can you really cure her face?” Liu Yan also said indifferently, “If I say I can, you won’t believe me; if I say I can’t, you won’t believe me either. Why ask me?”

Shen Langhun focused on looking at the woman lying on the ground. “This woman’s face is indeed very strange. How could a perfectly good person grow up like this?” Liu Yan threw his branch into the campfire, and the flames dimmed. “Her condition isn’t the worst among this type of disease.”

Shen Langhun was slightly surprised. “From your tone, you seem quite familiar with this strange disease?” Liu Yan said, “Children who get this disease rarely live past thirteen. She’s truly a miracle, and she only has facial aging—her body and limbs are still healthy. Some children… at one year old, they look like eighty-year-old people, including their limbs and torso.” He sighed slightly, gazing intently at the flames, his eyes clear and melancholy. If one didn’t know he was Liu Yan, looking at his expression now, he seemed like a philosopher full of compassion.

Shen Langhun glanced at the bandage on his hand. “Have you personally killed anyone?” Liu Yan closed his eyes. “No matter what I say, you won’t believe it. What’s the point of saying more?” Shen Langhun said indifferently, “Maybe I will believe.” Liu Yan said coldly, “No matter what I say, even I don’t believe it. You don’t need to listen.”

Just as they were speaking, Yu Tuan’er woke up, looking at Shen Langhun with surprise, seemingly finding it very frightening that he could knock her out with one strike. Shen Langhun glanced at her. “For a sixteen-year-old child, reaching your level is quite good.” Yu Tuan’er blinked. “From what you say, your martial arts must be very good. Would you be willing to teach me?”

Hearing her speak, she didn’t seem to mind Shen Langhun knocking her unconscious just now—her heart was quite broad-minded. Liu Yan said, “You’re going to die anyway. What do you want to practice martial arts for?” Yu Tuan’er said, “The higher my martial arts, the longer I might live. My mother’s lifelong wish was just for me to live longer. Mother is dead, and I miss her. To be good to her, I can only try to live longer.” She spoke casually, but Shen Langhun’s heart stirred slightly. He suddenly thought that if He Niang were still alive, her life’s hope would be nothing more than for him to live peacefully without worries. His joining Zhulu Tower as an assassin, capturing Liu Yan and skinning his face, breaking his legs—He Niang would never want to see such things.

Liu Yan said coldly, “Even if you practiced the world’s greatest martial arts, you still wouldn’t live much longer.” Yu Tuan’er wasn’t angry either. “If I can’t live much longer, then I can’t live much longer. What can be done about it?” She handed the roasted mountain cat to Liu Yan, gave the roasted fish to Shen Langhun, and took a half-cooked wild yam from the fire pile to eat slowly.

The bright moon hung in the sky, the lake water was clear as a mirror. Three people sat around the campfire. Yu Tuan’er was in good spirits, while Liu Yan and Shen Langhun were both silent.