To tell the truth, Fudao Shanren was frightened by Jian Chou’s words.

From the immortal sects of Jiushijiu Zhou to the isolated islands of the mortal realm, he had seen all kinds of people who wanted to seek immortality and ask about the Dao.

Some people coveted the power of immortals to destroy heaven and earth with a gesture, yearning for mighty strength; some people, with youth fading and nearing the end of their lives, couldn’t bear to part with various mortal desires and wanted eternal life; others contemplated the cycles of the heavenly Dao but couldn’t understand why the heavenly Dao was thus, falling into deep contemplation and ultimately embarking on the path of seeking immortals…

Fudao Shanren had heard all sorts of reasons.

Such a simple yet inexplicable one was the first time.

Fudao Shanren licked the meatless chicken bone, his expression showing considerable reluctance, and asked Jian Chou: “‘Why?”

Jian Chou had already stood up, carefully lifting the hem of her cloth skirt as she stepped onto the slightly moist earth.

She emerged from the coffin and stood before Fudao Shanren. Hearing his question, her expression darkened. As the saying goes, family scandals shouldn’t be aired publicly – Jian Chou was reluctant to say much about Xie Buchen.

But thinking about it, what did it matter if she spoke?

When he thrust out that sword, the two of them had already severed all ties.

“My husband probably went to seek immortals and ask about the Dao. I just want to find him and ask one question – why did he kill me?”

“What?!”

Fudao Shanren was so startled that a chicken bone got stuck in his throat, nearly choking him to death.

“Your husband killed you?”

“Exactly.” Under Jian Chou’s bright eyes seemed to flash a moment of tears, but they dried up in an instant. “Shanren finds it hard to believe as well?”

“…No…”

If ordinary people heard this, they would have exclaimed in disbelief, but after his initial surprise, Fudao Shanren shook his head instead.

He looked Jian Chou up and down, squinting slightly: “Whether there are immortals in this world, I’m not clear about, but there are indeed many who cultivate immortality and seek the Dao in this world. To seek immortals and ask about the Dao, pursuing the ultimate principles between heaven and earth, one must extinguish worldly attachments and sever mundane ties. Therefore, there’s a saying called: severing worldly bonds.”

Severing worldly bonds?

Jian Chou vaguely sensed what this Fudao Shanren was about to say.

“You mean…”

“When people have no attachments, cast aside desires, and single-mindedly pursue the Dao, only then can they achieve the supreme great Dao. So cultivators in the world mostly wait until they’ve severed all worldly bonds before wholeheartedly cultivating. Generally, cultivators have extremely long lifespans, far exceeding mortals. When all their mortal relatives have passed away, worldly bonds naturally break. However, some extreme individuals are impatient and can’t wait through the long years of decades, so they do extraordinary things.”

When speaking of this, Fudao Shanren’s face seemed to bloom with radiance, finally transforming from an old beggar into a mountain man with an immortal bearing.

He raised his hand to point at Jian Chou, seeing her face already showing understanding.

“You say your husband went to seek immortals and ask about the Dao, then killed you – this is probably such a case.”

Killing one’s wife to seek the Dao?

How cold-blooded?

Jian Chou almost laughed upon hearing this.

“Such cold-blooded and vicious people – would heaven allow them to become immortals and buddhas?”

“No, heaven and earth are not benevolent, the heavenly Dao is without emotion.” Fudao Shanren lightly tapped his bamboo stick on the ground, pressing both hands on top of it, looking at her with interest. “Just like how I see you now – you’re just an unrelated wild girl. Today, this mountain man saved you from fate, due to heavenly chance. But if I had just walked past here today, there would be no connection between us. Heaven and earth regard cultivators like we passing strangers regard each other.”

For Jian Chou, all this was too profound.

She didn’t understand, still thinking the same as her previous answer – she just wanted to ask Xie Buchen one question: why?

Was the bond between husband and wife, who shared hardships, truly so fragile before eternal life?

A low snicker.

Jian Chou bowed to the deep-eyed Fudao Shanren: “Jian Chou knows that today I should have already departed for the underworld, but Shanren pulled me back from the gates of death. This life-saving grace is like rebirth, but Jian Chou truly has no way to repay it—”

“You want to pledge yourself in marriage?”

Fudao Shanren’s eyes immediately lit up, his body leaning forward as he looked at Jian Chou expectantly.

The old beggar who had just been speaking of “heavenly Dao and righteousness” was once again covered in lewdness in this instant.

“…”

For a moment, all of Jian Chou’s words of gratitude and emotion got stuck in her throat – she could neither speak nor remain silent.

Though she had already sensed that this Fudao Shanren wasn’t a reliable character, she hadn’t expected him to say such things directly, making her extremely embarrassed.

After hesitating for a long time, Jian Chou forced a laugh and said: “Shanren is joking…”

So this meant refusal?

Fudao Shanren’s brightened eyes immediately dimmed, feeling greatly disappointed. He sighed deeply: “Indeed, the world has changed, people’s hearts aren’t what they used to be, people’s hearts aren’t what they used to be… This mountain man spent great effort to save you…”

Jian Chou silently thought that indeed the world had changed, and people’s hearts weren’t what they used to be.

These days, even these otherworldly people not only expected rewards for their kindness but also wanted… this?

Weren’t cultivators supposed to sever emotions and cut off desires?

Jian Chou’s confusion had no one to answer it at this moment.

Seeing that Jian Chou ultimately showed no response, Fudao Shanren couldn’t help but touch his nose awkwardly, his old face losing quite a bit of dignity. He coughed and changed the subject: “Eh, well, now that you’re fine, what do you plan to do?”

What to do?

The first thing Jian Chou thought of was still Xie Buchen. The next moment echoing in her mind was the farmhouse courtyard where she had lived for only a few months.

She lowered her head and smiled faintly: “I want to go home and take a look.”

Home.

Could that still be called home?

Jian Chou didn’t know what she would encounter when she returned.

She looked up toward the cliff.

Seeing this, Fudao Shanren explained: “I came from above and discovered you. There were bloodstains and grass marks all the way, so whoever buried you probably came from that direction too.”

Whoever buried her?

Upon hearing this, Jian Chou suddenly remembered something and turned to look at the earthen pit.

The damp heartwood coffin lay in the pit with a spread of bloodstains below – quite striking. In front was a wooden plaque lying askew on the ground – that was her tombstone.

Jian Chou walked over, crouched down, and reached out to turn the plaque over.

The tombstone was covered with dirty mud, but she could still clearly recognize the handwriting: this was Xie Buchen’s writing.

“Grave of My Wife Xie Shi Jian Chou”?

Ha.

There was nothing more ironic than this.

Xie Jian Chou?

No, she no longer bore the surname Xie, nor was she Xie Buchen’s wife. She had a given name but no surname, no father or mother – just a piece of duckweed floating alone between heaven and earth.

“Killed you and buried you too. Don’t know if this person’s worldly bonds were severed…”

A muffled voice came from behind, along with the sound of smacking lips.

Without turning around, Jian Chou knew Fudao Shanren had started gnawing on chicken legs again.

She straightened up, took one last look at the tombstone, then turned back to Fudao Shanren. Seeing him indeed gnawing on chicken legs again, she finally couldn’t help asking: “Shanren, where do these chicken legs come from?”

“This?” Fudao Shanren’s eyes rolled as he looked at the chicken leg in his hand, chuckling: “You want to eat too? I won’t give you any!”

After speaking, he opened his mouth wide and, with a “crunch,” swallowed the entire chicken leg whole.

A “gulp” sound, as if the chicken leg had entered his stomach.

Fudao Shanren looked at Jian Chou smugly.

Jian Chou finally couldn’t help it – her mouth twitched: “How come you didn’t choke to death!”

“You!”

Fudao Shanren’s eyes widened as if he’d seen a ghost.

“What did you just say?”

Jian Chou turned to look at the stretch of cliff.

The yellow earth had recently absorbed plenty of rainwater, staining a patch of the black rock on the cliff face. Several old trees had taken root in the rock crevices, their branches gnarled and strong. The cliff wasn’t high, with trees flanking both sides. On the left was a slope covered with weeds that looked passable.

As if she hadn’t said anything offensive at all, Jian Chou walked toward the slope while saying flatly: “Did I say something?”

Fudao Shanren’s eyes bulged as he followed her steps: “You said, why didn’t I choke to death. I’m your life-saving benefactor! How can you say such things? How can you treat me like this?”

“I wasn’t even thinking of eating your chicken leg.”

Jian Chou had just been curious earlier and had seriously wanted to talk with Fudao Shanren, but their conversation was completely off track. She really couldn’t bear it anymore, so she let out that “harsh word.”

“I just asked you why you didn’t choke to death.”

This tone was wrong!

Fudao Shanren became even more indignant, stamping his feet repeatedly: “This mountain man cultivates heaven-reaching powers – how could I possibly choke to death on a small chicken leg? I already told you I’m a mountain man! How can you ask such an idiotic question?”

Jian Chou had already started up the slope, which looked somewhat steep.

She had to be very careful to climb up without falling. At this moment, she had no mind to deal with Fudao Shanren and couldn’t spare time to talk, only gritting her teeth as she climbed up.

Fudao Shanren wasn’t as awkward as her – walking on the slope was like walking on flat ground for him.

While vigorously poking the weeds all over the slope with his broken bamboo stick, he indignantly accused Jian Chou.

“Do you know how much effort I spent saving you? A cultivator’s magical power doesn’t fall from the sky. I’ve saved so many people, and ungrateful ones like you – this is the three hundred sixty-seventh time I’ve encountered!”

Jian Chou finally couldn’t help it. She stopped, turned around, and seriously asked him: “Shanren, how many times have you saved people?”

“This… let me count…” Fudao Shanren hurriedly counted on his fingers, finally saying: “Including you, it’s three hundred sixty-eight times total.”

“Oh, and how many were ungrateful again?”

“Three hundred sixty-seven.” Fudao Shanren’s voice carried an indescribable grief and indignation.

“Oh…”

Jian Chou suddenly understood.

“So, ultimately, there’s only been one who wasn’t ungrateful? That’s good – I’ll be the second one.”

“Eh?”

Fudao Shanren looked at her in surprise.

The second person who wasn’t ungrateful.

Jian Chou didn’t explain. Her previously pale complexion had already gained a sickly flush from the exertion of climbing the slope. She just forced a smile and turned to continue.

The wild grass ahead wasn’t shallow – walking through it occasionally cut the skin on her hands.

Jian Chou’s brow gradually furrowed.

Fudao Shanren followed alongside, carefully observing Jian Chou. The usually extremely chatty man somehow fell silent now.

Jian Chou didn’t notice, only thinking this stretch of slope wasn’t very long…

She finally climbed up the last step and indeed saw an open expanse before her.

Grass spread like a carpet into the distance. Trees were lush in the far distance, with a main road extending into the forest and winding toward the distant mountains.

Evening was approaching, and it was gradually darkening. In the mountain hollow, a small village seemed to have wisps of cooking smoke rising.

Jian Chou thought she had climbed up from the underworld and returned to the mortal realm.

Below the cliff, she had felt that all the scenery was strange, but looking up now, she immediately knew that the small village in the distance was where her home was located.

A string of doubts she hadn’t thought of before suddenly surfaced in Jian Chou’s mind.

Was Xie Buchen still there?

After burying her, where had he gone?

Would the village folks know she had died? How were they doing?

Was home still the same as before?