Her tone carried several degrees of light, playful meaning.

Xia Houshe stood where he was, the hem of his dark red robe gently falling, hanging by the edge of the dark river and draping over the wild grass, creating subtle rustling sounds.

Upon hearing Jian Chou’s words, he suddenly fell silent, as if he couldn’t understand what she was saying. After a while, he replied: “Regarding the heart pearls, I received three of them, but I don’t know where they came from. I wonder which one Senior Sister Jian Chou is referring to?”

“The magnificent affairs of rivers and mountains, our generation ascends to witness them. Those who don’t recognize me are like you, my lord—I wish to be close friends and confidants. The misty clouds span the four-direction platform, releasing white deer between azure cliffs…”

The voice was distant and ethereal, mingling with the sound of the flowing river.

Jian Chou paused, then lowered her brows and eyes, saying only: “A true friend within the seas, neighbors though separated by the horizon.”

Xia Houshe listened without speaking.

Jian Chou looked at him: “Of my three heart pearls, there was evil, hardship, and kindness. I already know who received the evil and hardship ones, but the last one—’kindness’—I still don’t know who took it. It’s like a stone sinking into the deep sea…”

The lack of response always made one feel something wasn’t quite right.

Under Jian Chou’s gaze, the young man standing by the water showed no emotion on his face, only a slight curve at the corner of his lips, carrying a hint of light mockery: “For someone like Senior Sister Jian Chou to place goodwill in a heart pearl is truly rare. However, I didn’t receive this heart pearl from Senior Sister Jian Chou. I’m afraid you’re asking the wrong person.”

“Is that so?”

Jian Chou raised an eyebrow noncommittally, smiling: “Then I suppose I did ask the wrong person. It’s just a pity about this heart pearl—in the end, it remains a mystery.”

Xia Houshe didn’t answer, nor did he continue this topic. He only looked at the two bridges before them: “Which bridge will Senior Sister Jian Chou choose?”

Choose?

Jian Chou glanced at the “Without Feelings” single-log bridge in front of him, then looked back at the one before herself, saying: “When person and bridge unite, naturally I’ll take the bridge before me.”

Those with feelings walk the bridge of feelings.

The entire single-log bridge was only one foot wide and five inches thick, extending across the vast river toward the darkness on the other side, with no visible end.

Jian Chou didn’t hesitate, stepping forward onto the bridge.

Though the entire single-log bridge gave one a precarious feeling, when she stood on it, it was steady and solid without the slightest shake.

Jian Chou walked a few steps, then stood on the bridge, turning back to look at Xia Houshe: “This bridge shows no abnormalities for now, but when Junior Brother steps onto the bridge, you should still be careful.”

Xia Houshe said nothing.

He had a cold and distant appearance, not liking to get close to people. Even his earlier interaction with Jian Chou was only because they were the only two people here, brought together by necessity. Hearing Jian Chou speak now, he merely nodded.

Taking a step forward, he was about to step onto the single-log bridge just as Jian Chou had done.

But unexpectedly, just as his foot was about to touch the bridge surface, a powerful resistance suddenly sprang up from the entire single-log bridge, like a barrier thunderously blocking Xia Houshe!

This sudden change came extremely fast and steep!

Even Jian Chou couldn’t react in time before hearing a “bang” from the bridge head. Caught completely off guard, Xia Houshe was actually sent flying backward by this suddenly appearing barrier.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough. The moment he was knocked away, he had already steadied himself, landing heavily on the ground.

The tremendous impact caused his toes touching the ground to carve a deep mark in the grass by the riverbank!

Xia Houshe was stunned.

Completely stunned.

He looked at the single-log bridge floating quietly on the river surface with some disbelief—it was indeed carved with the characters “Without Feelings”!

How was this possible…

Jian Chou still stood on her bridge, and at this moment, she too was stunned.

Only under the low sky, a seagull flapped its wings, flying over the two single-log bridges, making strange calls that sounded like mockery.

Still by the river.

Still bridges.

The difference was that these two bridges were very long, very large, very wide—two long, broad highways.

The bridge bodies were entirely made of white jade, with exquisite patterns carved on the bridge heads, railings, and even the bridge surfaces. From flowers, birds, insects, and fish to flying creatures and walking beasts, all kinds of carved patterns gave a magnificent and imposing feeling.

The two bridges were connected side by side. At the very front, on the fierce beast pillar of the bridge head, stood a tiger-striped parrot, very meticulously using its beak to arrange the beautiful feathers on its body.

Young Master Ruhua held a folding fan in his hand, unable to help but observe this parrot with a strange gaze.

Although this parrot had already displayed its “mimicry” skills in front of them, there should theoretically be nothing more to observe. But the more he looked, the more interesting he found it.

This parrot seemed a bit… vain?

And thought itself quite beautiful?

Look at this appearance…

“Fairy Lu, shall we proceed?”

Young Master Ruhua watched for a long time, finally turning back to speak to the white-clothed woman not far behind him.

Lu Xiangleng stood quietly before the two paths, forcibly suppressing the worry in her heart, saying only: “In the jade slip, Junior Sister Nie Xiaowan mentioned that there are many spirit beasts guarding this Hidden Realm. I suppose the pig we encountered earlier, the mysterious person who used teleportation techniques, and this parrot before us can all be counted among them. Their methods are extraordinary, separating and transporting us here silently. I imagine that even though they call us uninvited guests, maintaining their status as hosts, they shouldn’t kill us.”

That made sense.

Young Master Ruhua listened and nodded.

Lu Xiangleng said: “Fellow Daoist Jian Chou is injured. We cannot linger here long.”

Looking back, there was no path behind them—only this bridge over the river remained for them.

Presumably, even if they wanted to find people, they would have to cross the river first.

Lu Xiangleng slightly furrowed her brow, glanced at the two great paths carved with “Having Feelings” and “Without Feelings,” and headed toward the “Having Feelings” characters.

Young Master Ruhua’s face showed not the slightest surprise, finally turning his gaze toward the other side.

Lu Xiangleng of Baiyue Valley was a medicine woman who saved lives and healed the wounded with a physician’s benevolent heart.

When she was in the early Golden Core stage, she had traveled among the three thousand territories of the central domain, gathering medicinal herbs along the way and saving the lives of many cultivators. Although Baiyue Valley was only one of the “Upper Five” sects among the left three thousand territories, because of Lu Xiangleng’s benevolent and charitable heart for healing the world, quite a few people had heard of Baiyue Valley’s great name.

With keen insight, polite and proper in her dealings, she was naturally the candidate for the next master of Baiyue Valley.

With compassion for all living beings and sympathy for the world, as a physician with feelings, she naturally belonged to the path of feelings.

As for him…

Young Master Ruhua gently touched his lips with the fan, drawing a nearly seductive curve: “Passing through thousands of flowers, not a single leaf touches the body…”

He was naturally of the—

Path without feelings!

With a sweep of his wide sleeves, Young Master Ruhua stepped forward almost simultaneously with Lu Xiangleng, about to step onto this smooth, long path.

The tiger-striped parrot crouching on the bridge head suddenly tilted its colorful head at this moment, looking at Young Master Ruhua, then at Lu Xiangleng.

Young Master Ruhua noticed the parrot’s actions, but before he could understand what mystery lay within, his extended foot suddenly stopped.

For no other reason than an invisible resistance had appeared across the entire long path, preventing his entry…

In this instant, Young Master Ruhua frowned unceremoniously: “What does this bridge mean?”

Wasn’t it said that when person and path unite, one could cross the river?

His mind stirred, and he instinctively turned his head to ask Lu Xiangleng, but when he turned around, he only saw Lu Xiangleng standing dazedly at the bridge head, her eyes carrying several degrees of unexpected bewilderment.

Surprise.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

Lu Xiangleng somewhat stiffly extended her slender, pale palm. Because of her constant contact with various spirit herbs and medicines, even between her fingers lingered the bitter scent of medicinal herbs.

She was already familiar with this scent. Usually, such a smell could calm her heart, but at this moment, it had no effect whatsoever.

She touched it.

A barrier.

Just as she reached toward the area where this stone bridge was located.

“…”

Her mind suddenly became chaotic.

Lu Xiangleng knew that Young Master Ruhua was watching her and had said something. She should turn around to answer, but at this moment, she couldn’t move.

The characters carved on the stone bridge’s pillar were clear and distinct: Having Feelings.

“…How could this be?”

The broad river surface continued to flow, and the parrot lazily shook its wings, making a series of meaningless gurgling sounds.

Two claws gripped the oars, slowly rowing through the water.

“Splash, splash…”

One stroke after another.

With each stroke, the boat moved forward a little bit. The speed was truly slow. The gray-furred rat was already aged and wasn’t hurried at all, only occasionally looking toward the darkness in the direction the boat was heading.

Xie Buchen stood at the bow, gazing at the river surface.

Vast mist shrouded the river, making everything unclear, though a dark shadow had already vaguely appeared. The land on the opposite shore seemed to be approaching.

He wore azure robes, the Human Emperor Sword already sheathed, but his face carried an indescribable obscurity as he turned his head to look back at where they had come from.

The small boat carved fishtail-like ripples as it slowly drifted away.

In that oppressive darkness, another identical small boat was overturned on the river surface, floating in the water, bobbing with the waves.

Xie Buchen gazed at it for a long time without looking away.

In the darkness, time passed unknowingly, and no one knew how long it had been.

The gray-furred rat slowly leaned the oar against the side of the boat, speaking to Xie Buchen. Its voice was still shrill but carried an additional note of age: “Soul without feelings, you’ve reached the shore. Disembark.”

Xie Buchen turned around and saw that the small boat had already docked at a shallow beach.

He bowed respectfully to the gray-furred rat: “My thanks.”

The gray-furred rat stood on the boat, its pair of gray, dim eyes turning as its gaze fell on him, but it said nothing.

As if, aside from conveying Lijun’s intentions, it could say nothing else.

Xie Buchen also said no more, disembarking and stepping across the shallow beach to reach the shore.

Looking along this direction toward the far end of the shore, past a patch of wild grass, the terrain rose higher. It was actually a tall cloud platform built of white jade, with what seemed to be light at the end of the platform, though from where he stood, he couldn’t see clearly.

“Splash.”

The sound of water rose again.

Xie Buchen looked back and saw that the gray-furred rat that had just ferried him across the river was already rowing away with its oars again.

The characters “Having Feelings” carved on the small boat also slowly receded into the distance.

Not until he could no longer see the shadow of the small boat did Xie Buchen turn around, walking straight through the patch of wild grass toward the high cloud platform.