As Chen Ping'an was about to run out of the courtyard, the black-clad girl suddenly called out, "Wait, I have something to tell you."
Chen Ping'an pretended not to hear and was about to open the courtyard gate when the girl raised her voice, "Chen Ping'an!"
Chen Ping'an had no choice but to run back to the threshold. Her complexion had become a bit rosier than before, though her voice was still somewhat hoarse. She said, "First, we outsiders, after coming to this town, are physically stronger than ordinary people, but otherwise, we're just like you. Second, outsiders are not allowed to kill here. If they do, regardless of the reason, they will be expelled and gain nothing. The price is very high, beyond your imagination. Third, you need to understand that when it comes to critical moments, we outsiders will fight with everything we've got, even if it means leaving empty-handed. After all, staying alive is the most fundamental thing."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and asked, "Does this mean that when we act, we must act quickly?"
The black-clad girl smiled, her face lighting up with a radiant glow that made the whole room seem brighter. She patted the green sheath of the sword on her lap and nodded, "Yes! Act quickly, more quickly, even the quickest! For example, I carry both a sword and a knife, and I must be the fastest in the world, whether drawing my sword or unsheathing my knife!"
She paused and then, from a lofty and impassioned hero, turned into a neighborhood girl eager to show off. She squinted and asked, "Hey, do you know how many worlds there are?"
Chen Ping'an looked confused.
The girl seemed to realize the boy's lack of interest and lost her enthusiasm. She waved him off, "Just make sure you bring back the pot. I'm waiting to take my medicine."
Chen Ping'an's steps leaving the courtyard were slower and steadier this time.
Not long after he left Mud Bottle Alley, the unlocked courtyard gate was gently pushed open. Inside, the black-clad girl opened her eyes. She had been breathing and exhaling in a peculiar manner and looked toward the door, as if facing an enemy.
The sword in the snow-white scabbard on the table suddenly fell silent, yet an invisible aura of killing intent filled the room, like the biting cold of a late spring that could freeze bones and kill.
The maid, Zhi Gui, leisurely walked to the doorway, as if she were a neighbor dropping by. She didn't cross the threshold but peered around inside, seemingly ignoring the black-clad girl sitting on the bed with a sword on her lap.
Zhi Gui looked around for a long time before finally noticing the person in the room. With an innocent expression, she said, "Sister, who are you? Why are you sitting on Chen Ping'an's bed? I didn't hear he had any distant relatives."
Ning Yao glanced at the uninvited girl and then closed her eyes, ignoring her.
Zhi Gui wasn't annoyed by her cold reception. She gently shook her head, puckered her lips, and wore a look of disdain.
She glanced at the snow-white scabbard on the table, a deep hatred and fear hidden in her eyes, with golden threads faintly visible in her pupils. The maid hesitated for a moment but still lifted a foot, preparing to step over the threshold. Suddenly, she withdrew her foot, coughed, and pretended to be casual, "I'm coming in. Not saying anything means you don't object, right? Anyway, this is Chen Ping'an's house. I've known him for many years... You probably don't understand what I'm saying, but it doesn't matter. We don't have much to talk about. I'm just here to see if there's anything you need. We're about to move out, and many things can be left for Chen Ping'an. You don't know how hard life has been for him these years."
Chattering on and on, she made it seem as if she and Chen Ping'an were childhood friends.
Once inside, the black-clad girl ignored her, and Zhi Gui's focus never left the sword.
Meanwhile, the black-clad girl took out the three sheets of paper left by the young Taoist for Chen Ping'an, examining them carefully. After flipping through them twice and failing to understand their secrets, she said disappointedly, "These words really lack... flavor."
She remembered the long wall in her hometown, with eighteen characters carved with a sword, each containing an overwhelming aura that could suppress all demons. As a child, her favorite pastime was standing on the strokes of those giant characters, looking into the distance.
Therefore, she couldn't care less about the four characters on the town's plaque, "Qi Chong Dou Niu."
Zhi Gui straightened her slender waist and sat gracefully on a stool by the small table, hands folded on her lap, trying to look like a noble lady. Smiling softly, she said, "Oh, you were too careless, girl."
Ning Yao couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
Zhi Gui feigned surprise, touching her chest, "Oh, you can speak our local dialect."
Ning Yao asked again, "What do you want?"
Zhi Gui pointed to the long sword on the table, "Is that yours?"
Ning Yao frowned but remained silent.
Seeing the black-clad girl unresponsive, Zhi Gui didn't mind. She stood and examined the bottles and jars on the shelves in the corner, scrutinizing the humble household items closely.
As an apprentice kiln worker, Chen Ping'an had walked barefoot over every hill and stream around the town, digging clay and chopping wood. He was always eager to learn from others, whether the skills were basic or complex. Regardless of how well he could master them, Chen Ping'an put in his best effort. Yao Laotou, a master potter, was stingy with his true skills, but Chen Ping'an practiced everything he taught meticulously. Liu Xianyang, another friend, taught him to make wooden bows and fishing rods, which he also learned diligently. Neighbor Song Jixin often mocked him, saying Chen Ping'an's dedication was like putting effort into what fate decided, but with no good fortune, he'd be better off giving up.
Zhi Gui waved her hand, smiling brightly, "I'll be going now, girl. Take care of yourself. If you need anything, just call me. I'm Zhi Gui, living next door."
Ning Yao remained expressionless.
The maid left the house and muttered in a voice just loud enough for Ning Yao to hear, "Not as pretty as I thought."
Ning Yao whispered back, "Such a tacky name."
Zhi Gui slammed the courtyard gate shut, making a loud noise.
Ning Yao resumed her meditation.
The strange girl's visit left Ning Yao unfazed.
But she truly disliked this town and the cultivators seeking fortune here. Their scheming and pettiness were unworthy of their claimed high status.
In Ning Yao's heart, the Great Dao shouldn't be so small.
---
After leaving Mud Bottle Alley, the sunlight was dazzling. Chen Ping'an shaded his eyes with his right hand and exhaled lightly.
Then he began to jog, his steps light and quick. Despite running through the streets many times, he felt no fatigue. For a boy used to climbing mountains and wading streams, this distance was nothing. The real hardship was collecting firewood on the mountains. A dragon kiln consumed twenty to thirty thousand catties of charcoal yearly. In the rainy season, staying in the mountains to chop wood and burn charcoal was pure torture. Chen Ping'an had almost died once when a kiln collapsed. His years of labor, though demanding physical strength, had honed his resilience. He appeared frail but was actually tough and lean.
At a crossroads, Chen Ping'an stopped, leaned against the wall, squatted down, and tightened his straw sandals.
In that moment, his mind was at peace.
But he missed his only friend in the town.
That friend once boasted that his grandfather had seen a man sprint by the creek and leap across it in one bound. When Liu Xianyang and Chen Ping'an tried it themselves, they picked the narrowest part of the creek. Both ran and jumped simultaneously. Liu Xianyang, who was older, fell into the water, and soon saw a shadow fly overhead, landing far away.
After that, Liu Xianyang never mentioned the jumping immortal again.
Later, Liu Xianyang knew that Chen Ping'an often practiced jumping by the creek. He ran, jumped, flew, and fell.
Each time, Chen Ping'an got closer to the opposite bank, enjoying the process.
Once, Liu Xianyang secretly watched. The sight of the boy soaring through the air was so impressive that Liu Xianyang felt that the dark-skinned boy wasn't as foolish as he had seemed.
When the boy leaped over the creek, he looked like the hawks that often circled above the town, hunting for snakes.