34: Everyone has their own path

In front of a small city, Xu Liying looked at the two large characters “Luocheng” on the city gate and sighed, “It’s been almost ten years since we last parted.”

Lin Mu looked at this small city, or rather, it couldn’t even be called a small city.

It would be more accurate to call it a small town.

The city walls didn’t seem to be any taller than the courtyard walls where Lin Mu lived.

“Is this your hometown?”

Xu Liying nodded slightly, “From a young age, Big Brother Lin took me to the Imperial Capital. Including this time, I’ve only returned three times.”

Xu Liying greedily took a few breaths of her hometown’s air.

She said with reluctance, “Let’s not enter the city. It’s important to hurry on our way.”

“Since we’re already here, I want to see your hometown too! Let’s go, into the city.” After speaking, he took the lead and walked into the city.

Xu Liying looked at Lin Mu’s back, smiled charmingly, and skipped to follow him.

Luocheng City was originally just a supply and transfer point for the Luocheng Mountain Sect.

At its peak, the population exceeded tens of thousands.

As the Luocheng Sect declined, the people in the city either died or left.

Now, some of the remaining people are those who have become accustomed to life in Luocheng City and are reluctant to leave.

Another part of the population has nowhere else to go.

Xu Liying, abandoning her usual carefree demeanor, was filled with sorrow and nostalgia the moment she entered the city.

Having not returned for nearly ten years, some places seemed to have changed, and yet it also seemed like nothing had changed.

What had changed were the unfamiliar faces; what hadn’t changed were the desolation and poverty.

“Sister, I’m hungry. Can you give me something to eat?”

Suddenly, a small girl with a dirty face, extending her grimy hand, tugged at Xu Liying’s skirt and said timidly.

Xu Liying did not show any disdain for the little girl.

She smiled, squatted down, touched the little girl’s forehead, and softly asked, “What’s your name? Where are your family members?”

The little girl answered with a blank expression, “My mother died, and I’m all alone. I don’t have a name; they all call me Xiaohua.”

As if speaking of a sad matter, Xiaohua’s eyes were slightly red.

“Don’t cry, Xiaohua. Big Sister will take you to eat something delicious.”

Xu Liying picked up Xiaohua and walked towards a restaurant.

Luocheng City had no particularly grand restaurants, only a few ordinary small eateries.

Xiaohua’s eyes were fixed on the few small dishes on the table. She licked her lips but dared not reach out to pick up any food.

She only dared to eat the millet rice in small bites.

Xu Liying carefully served her a full bowl, and only then did she say thank you, before devouring it ravenously.

Looking at Xiaohua, she seemed to remember herself.

Back then, she, too, was like Xiaohua, almost starving to death on the streets.

It was her Big Brother Lin, who happened to be passing by, who brought her back to Luocheng Mountain.

Big Brother Lin not only ensured she had food and clothing but also taught her cultivation.

Thinking of this, she tentatively asked Xiaohua:

“Xiaohua, do you have any other relatives elsewhere? Big Sister can send you to them.”

Xiaohua stopped her movements and shook her head:

“My mother died, and my father went to join the army. Before my mother died, she said my father would definitely come back for me and told me to wait for him here.”

“Then do you know your father’s name? Big Sister can take you to find him,” Xu Liying asked again tentatively.

Xiaohua was silent for a moment, then shook her head again: “I was still young when father left, I don’t remember.”

Xu Liying was about to say more when Xiaohua suddenly gulped down two mouthfuls, finishing all the food in her bowl.

Then she stood up and said to Xu Liying:

“You are all good people. Mother said that when good people help us, we must know our place.”

“Thank you, Big Sister, for treating me to a meal. Good people will be rewarded. I wish you both a long and happy life together, and a hundred years of longevity.”

After speaking, she knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Xu Liying, then stood up and left without looking back.

Lin Mu, who had been silent the entire time, couldn’t help but admire this girl named Xiaohua.

Although she had clearly not received an education, she understood human nature, social etiquette, and the art of knowing when to advance and retreat.

Many old monsters who had lived for hundreds of years might not even possess such awareness.

As for her parting blessings, Lin Mu didn’t take them to heart; in the eyes of ordinary people, a hundred years was considered long life.

Unlike Lin Mu’s calm and composed demeanor.

When Xu Liying first heard the phrase “grow old together,” her small face first flushed red.

Then she became a little flustered, making a move to chase after her.

Lin Mu suddenly reached out and stopped her.

“Big Brother Lin, why are you stopping me?” Xu Liying clearly didn’t understand Lin Mu’s reason for doing this.

Lin Mu motioned for her to sit down, then said:

“Although that little girl is young, she has her own principles for doing things. This is her choice; she has her path.”

“You also have your path, don’t you?”

Xu Liying savored Lin Mu’s words, muttering:

“Yes, I also have my path.”

“I don’t like the path Big Brother Lin arranged for me. And Xiaohua might not necessarily like the path I arrange for her.”

Xu Liying understood the underlying reason.

The gloom on her face seemed to have lessened considerably.

“Thank you, Big Brother Lin. Let’s continue on our way.”

Lin Mu nodded, stood up, and walked towards the counter.

He took out a silver ingot and placed it on the counter, saying to the shopkeeper:

“Keep the silver. If that little girl gets hungry again, give her a meal.”

“I will be back. If I find out something happened to her, you will be buried with her.”

After speaking, he waved his hand, and all the tables in the tavern shattered to the ground.

Immediately after, Lin Mu took out another silver ingot and threw it to the shopkeeper.

“This is compensation for your tables and chairs.”

The shopkeeper repeatedly waved his hands, saying, “No need, no need.”

Lin Mu ignored the shopkeeper’s feigned politeness.

He turned and walked out the door, put one arm around Xu Liying, and with a leap, disappeared from the shopkeeper’s sight.

The shopkeeper watched Lin Mu suddenly fly away, his eyes wide with shock.

He rushed out in a panic, knelt on the ground, and repeatedly kowtowed.

Amidst the vast Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, Heavenly Saint Mountain is the most majestic and towering peak.

At this moment, at the foot of Heavenly Saint Mountain, a group of martial artists from different factions gathered.

Although there were many people, it did not appear noisy or chaotic.

Numerous factions formed small groups of three to five, each discussing something amongst themselves.

“Who do you think among the two of them can ring the heavenly dao bell?”

“In my opinion, the Ninth Prince of Yan Country has a better chance. After all, he is the number one genius of Yan Country, personally tutored by the Great Emperor of Yan Country, and his talent and strength completely surpass his peers.”

“I heard that this newly appointed Princess of Wind and Snow Country, although slightly lacking in strength, possesses outstanding talent and is a rare Ice Phoenix Physique, seen only once in ten thousand years.”

“However, Wind and Snow Country also has a Great Emperor level powerhouse.”

Several disciples from a sect watched the two figures on the trial platform, discussing in low voices.

The trial platform was prepared for all who wished to enter Heavenly Saint Mountain.

As long as one could ring the heavenly dao bell standing on the trial platform, they would be qualified to enter Heaven Sect Academy.

Over thousands of years, only three people have been able to ring the heavenly dao bell, and all of these individuals are now mighty figures who shake one side.

Legend has it that even the Yan Emperor back then failed to ring the heavenly dao bell and eventually entered Heaven Sect Academy using a Heavenly Dao Token, which appears once every hundred years.

At this moment, on the trial platform, the two figures slowly walked towards the heavenly dao bell and then stopped.

“Ru Xue, do you go first, or do I?”

A clear male voice rang out, belonging to the Ninth Prince of Yan Country.

Although he had an ordinary appearance, he possessed an ethereal temperament.

A fiery red armor, worn on his nearly one-meter-ninety frame, made him appear imposing.

The woman called Ru Xue, upon hearing the Ninth Prince address her in such a manner, frowned slightly and said:

“Ninth Prince, you and I don’t seem to be familiar. Please call me Princess Han Yue.”

Han Yue was the name bestowed upon her by the Ice Emperor when she was conferred the title of princess.

She was precisely Yan Ruxue, who had the engagement with the Han family and Han Rong annulled in Hancheng City.