Beimingzhou.

At the edge of the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons, a fierce racial war is breaking out.

The incident began several years ago when a black meteorite fell from the sky into the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons. The demons were corrupted by the strange energy released from the meteorite and lost their intelligence. Until a few months ago, an unprecedented super riot occurred in the Forest of Ten Thousand Demons. Hundreds of millions of demons, carrying strange energy, invaded the human world and slaughtered hundreds of human cities. In just a few months, tens of millions of lives were lost to the demons.

During this period, the Confucian academy continuously sent its disciples to travel among the people and help those in need. Da Mei was one of the gentlemen leading this team.

"Junior Sister, this defensive line can't hold any longer. You should take the wounded disciples and retreat to the next defensive line to rejoin Third Senior Brother and the others."

The setting sun was like blood. On the desolate land, a tall woman dressed in black stood in front of the crowd, holding a long spear, looking coldly at the overwhelming army of monsters sweeping in front of her.

"Seventh Senior Sister, I won't abandon you." Da Mei shook her head resolutely, then instructed a Confucian scholar behind her to lead the rest of the Confucian scholars to retreat.

"Junior sister, be good."

"No. Seventh Senior Sister, we still have hope. My Wish-Granting Technique is enough to hold out for another half an incense stick's time. I just crushed the communication talisman my master gave me; he sensed it and will be here soon."

"Junior Sister, you said your sect is in Yunzhou, but this place is hundreds of millions of miles away from Yunzhou. Even if the other party is a Tribulation Transcending Realm cultivator, it's too late."

"I don't care, Da Mei won't abandon Seventh Senior Sister."

Da Mei, with tears in her eyes, resolutely stood in front of the woman in black.

"Sigh..." The woman in black outfit sighed. She hadn't expected her usually obedient junior sister to be so stubborn today.

But there was no time for her to think further. The barrier they had set up had shattered, and strange demons were pressing in, forcing her to fight back.

Snap!

However, just as she decided to fight to the death, a snap of fingers suddenly rang out in the noisy world.

Thump thump thump—

Immediately afterwards, she witnessed powerful demonic beasts explode before her eyes, turning into a cloud of blood mist.

"Don't cry~"

A gentle voice rang out, and a large, well-defined hand reached out from the void, patting Da Mei's head reassuringly, "Master is here."

"Owner! "

Da Mei stared blankly for a moment, then burst into tears and threw herself into Qin Shou's arms.

"Master, I thought I'd never see you and my sister again."

Da Mei sobbed.

Qin Shou looked at Da Mei, who had grown much taller, with a mixture of relief and heartache in his eyes.

"Let me see who made my Da Mei cry."

Qin Shou looked up and saw that the whole world was dark and gloomy. These demonic beasts had bloodshot eyes and were like madmen, baring their fangs and pouncing.

"The rain is coming."

Qin Shou slightly parted his lips, and a torrential rain began to fall, covering tens of millions of miles and shrouding all the rampaging demonic beasts in Beiming Prefecture in a hazy mist.

"The sword rises."

Immediately afterwards, the misty rain falling from the sky instantly transformed into towering sword intent. The rainwater turned into swords, covering hundreds of millions of miles of mountains and rivers. No matter if you were a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, a Void Realm cultivator, or a few powerful demonic beasts in the Integration Realm, after the heavy rain washed them away, they were all stared down on the land of Beiming Prefecture.

On this day, the entire Beiming Prefecture was littered with corpses.

If you looked down from the sky, the continent of Beimingzhou under the heavy rain would appear as a blood-red ocean with uneven pits, eerily red.

"Such immense power! This is probably not something an ordinary Tribulation Transcending Realm cultivator could possess!"

The woman in black was shaken.

What shocked her even more was... how incredibly beautiful the man before her was!

Could it be a male fox spirit in disguise?

The woman in black pondered, and suddenly became even more excited, because her true form was a demon beast, and she didn't have a Daoist partner yet.

Qin Shou paid no attention to what the little girl was thinking, but instead looked at Da Mei and smiled, "Look, it's too dangerous down the mountain. Let's go back to the mountain with our master."

The Qin beast stretched out a large hand.

"Master, I..."

Da Mei clutched the hem of her clothes, looking somewhat nervous.

Seeing this, Qin Shou asked gently, "What's wrong?"

"Owner! "

Da Mei suddenly looked up, and said hesitantly, "I...don't want to go back to the mountain yet."

"Why?"

Qin Shou was somewhat surprised.

Da Mei replied, "The world is in turmoil, and all beings are suffering. I want to use my abilities to help them."

“............”

Qin Shou fell silent.

After a long silence, he said, "Da Mei, this world may not be what you imagine. It's beyond human control. This world is about to enter the Dharma-ending Age; order will collapse, faith will be lost, and it's not something a mere Void Realm cultivator like you can influence. All living beings suffer, but no matter how much you do, it will all be in vain..."

Qin Shou had already tried to be as tactful as possible.

Da Mei shook her head, her voice hoarse yet crisp, and said, "Master, I know that I am ultimately just a fish with shallow cultivation."

But my teacher once said, "A gentleman has things he will do and things he will not do," and also, "Act according to your heart." Having read the classics and witnessed the ways of the world, I now simply act according to my heart, following my conscience, hoping to use my meager strength to mend this turbulent world, even if it's just a tiny bit, I would be content.

Da Mei tilted her head back, tears welling in her eyes, her voice firm.

"Master, I don't understand, why does the world have to turn bad..."

"I don't understand either. Those mortals are already pitiful enough; why must they suffer these undeserved calamities..."

"What exactly is the Great Dao that all living beings in the world claim to pursue? Why must they use the phrase 'human life is as insignificant as an ant' to highlight their own 'superiority'? Is the Dao that such people ultimately seek just a fleeting dream...?"

This was the first time Da Mei had asked Qin Shou so many questions.

Qin Shou was somewhat surprised, but not unexpected.

He knew that Da Mei would eventually reach this point. Currently, she was undergoing the "heart-opening test" given by cultivators. In short, she had her own "path," but she couldn't clearly understand what her "path" was yet; it was still in a hazy stage. Once she passed through it, she could "leap from fish to dragon," achieving a qualitative leap.

Compared to him, Qin Shou suddenly felt that Little Fatty was really too lucky. He could eat and drink all day without having to improve his intelligence, and he could still break through realms normally in his cultivation.

"Because this is a world of cultivation, when an individual's power surpasses the order and becomes uncontrollable, they will cause chaos. And when there are many such chaotic phenomena, they will become a kind of normalcy... This is as irreversible as the laws of nature."

However, even if everyone in this world had the same lifespan, and no one could cultivate immortality, darkness, chaos, and injustice would still exist. These cannot be completely eradicated; this is human nature. All intelligent beings in the world are like this, only these 'spiritual qualities' include both good and bad…”

Qin Shou spoke at length, patiently sharing his views with Da Mei one by one.

"Yes, Master, you're right."

Da Mei nodded first, then looked up and said, "But precisely because the world is in chaos, isn't it all the more necessary for someone to stand up and do this?"

"Perhaps..."

Qin Shou did not refute Da Mei's statement.

It's just a difference in personal beliefs.

Qin beasts could coldly observe the world for the sake of immortality, always remaining spectators and passersby. But once people are bound by emotions, it becomes difficult for them to remain detached from worldly affairs.

However... the Qin beast could only accept it willingly.

"So, Da Mei, are you really sure about this?"

The Qin beast gazed at the magnificent beauty.

"I've made up my mind. I want to see this world one more time and do what I can to help those in need."

Da Mei smiled and said, "But don't worry, Master, I'm not stupid. If I can't beat them, I'll run away. At worst, I'll hide back in the mountains. Anyway, Master will protect me."

Da Mei clung to Qin Shou's arm and swayed back and forth.

"Then why didn't you run away this time?" Qin Shou rolled his eyes.

"Next time, next time I'll definitely run without looking back, even if Seventh Senior Sister gets bitten by a monster with a 'whoosh,' I'll still run!" Da Mei raised her little finger and vowed confidently, "Master, please don't be angry."

Seventh Senior Sister standing to the side: ...........

"You, you're starting to fool me too, thinking I'm Yi Cheng."

Qin Shou poked Da Mei's head with his finger, then took out a red gourd and a fairy lamp.

"You can use this red gourd to deal with those evil monsters in the future. In addition, it can also refine all kinds of evil energy and strange energies..."

"Furthermore, this Seven Treasures Immortal Lamp can protect your soul."

"Even so, you still need to be careful; be as cautious as possible in everything you do."

"Master, I understand, thank you."

Da Mei's heart was filled with warmth and emotion.

She has the best owner in the world!

"Master, where is my sister?" Da Mei suddenly looked up and asked.

"Don't worry, I eat, drink, play, and sleep every day. Apart from cultivation, I haven't neglected anything else."

"Hehehe..." Da Mei covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"Oh, right, Master, I haven't introduced you yet. This is my seventh senior sister."

Qin Shou looked up and saw the girl staring at him with her big eyes, her lips occasionally curling into a smile that was... how to put it, a smile that said, "Little cutie, I've finally caught you, sister."

Seeing this, Da Mei tugged at her seventh senior sister's sleeve, then whispered in Qin Shou's ear, "Master, my seventh senior sister is a bit of a flirt, please don't mind."

"How strange!"

Qin Shou's eyebrows immediately shot up.

"How could I possibly find it strange! It's such a wonderful hobby!"

"Since we've just met, let me present you with a semi-divine weapon and a Daoist scripture. Hmm... Your true form is a demon beast, and you cultivate through body techniques, so the Undying Scripture is quite suitable..."

"Ahem, this humble woman, Ouyang Wanying, thanks you, senior."

"You're welcome. I'm counting on you to protect my Da Mei."

Afterwards, Qin Shou chatted with Da Mei for a few more minutes and even tossed out a few seals.

"These are all Law Seals I crafted in my spare time. Currently, there are only eight seals: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Rain, and Thunder. Each seal has a corresponding effect, capable of summoning wind and rain and repairing broken mountains and rivers. I think you'll find them useful."

"Yes, thank you, Master."

"And this is a newly crafted Soul-Summoning Talisman. If you sense even the slightest risk, crush it immediately without hesitation. Even if my true body is in danger, my divided soul will instantly descend."

"Mama, love you!"

"Oh, there are also some pills, spiritual herbs, and talismans here..."

"That's enough, Master, you don't need so much!"

Ouyang Wanying tugged at Da Mei's sleeve, "Junior Sister, you can't refuse a gift from a pretty person."

Qin Shou: "!!!" This girl is not bad, I didn't give her enough gifts just now.

As Qin Shou was leaving, he seemed to remember something and suddenly turned back to ask, "By the way, Da Mei, what's your teacher's name at the academy? Where is he now?"

"The old scholar, everyone calls him the old scholar. He might be at Bailu Academy now, or he might be at the main campus of the Confucian Academy."

Ouyang Wanying answered quickly.

"Thanks. "

"Do you want me to take you there?"

"No. "

Qin Shou smiled, nodded, and turned to leave.