Outside the Dragon and Tiger Temple.

Jinjiao squatted down next to Qin Luo.

Qin Luo reached out and pinched Golden Horn's ear, whispering, "Do you miss home?"

Golden Horn wagged its tail. "Boss, I have no home. Dragon Tiger Temple is my home."

"Then you'd better keep a close eye on Longhu Temple."

"clear!"

There was light in Golden Horn's eyes.

Qin Luo stood up and looked at the portrait of the door god.

Knowing that Qin Luo was about to leave, Wu Xuantian saw a golden figure emerge from the portrait. He bowed respectfully and said, "Daoist Master, I will protect the Dragon Tiger Temple."

"Thank you, Lao Wu!"

Qin Luo bowed to Wu Xuantian.

Inside the Taoist temple, Xiaodie held a broom. Looking at Qin Luo approaching, her eyes were full of reluctance. She pursed her lips and said weakly, "Master Taoist, can I come with you?"

Qin Luo shook his head. "Xiao Die, I'm sorry I can't take you with me this time. You've worked so hard all these years. Whether you stay at Longhu Temple or leave, I will support you. You are Die, and I hope you can live freely."

"Uh-huh."

"I will wait for the Taoist priest to return at Longhu Temple."

Xiaodie said with a determined look in her eyes.

Qin Luo arrived at the main hall of the Taoist temple.

Jin Yan and Cai Xia respectfully greeted, "Senior Brother!"

Qin Luo smiled and said earnestly, "Senior brother is leaving Longhu Temple tomorrow, and I would like to ask you for a favor: please take good care of Master."

"We will."

Jin Yan nodded heavily.

Qin Luo placed his hand on Jin Yan's shoulder and asked with a smile, "Junior Brother, the problem that troubled you back then is now troubling me. Do you have the answer now?"

Jin Yan scratched his head sheepishly, "Senior brother, if you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost forgotten about that question. I used to always think about enlightenment, and it's been a long time since I've thought about it."

Caixia blinked. "Senior Brother Jinyan, what's the question? How long is 'a long time'?"

“When I first came to Longhu Temple to cultivate, I felt that I had no Dao in my heart, so I asked my senior brother. Since my junior sister came to Longhu Temple, I haven’t thought about this question anymore,” Jin Yan answered truthfully.

"Then why doesn't Senior Brother Jin Yan want to?"

"I don't know either."

"ah?"

Qin Luo smiled but remained silent.

In the backyard of the Taoist temple, under the bright moonlight, peach blossoms slowly drifted down. Lin Jia'er sat upright at the table, taking notes while reading medical books. The little dumpling lay on the bamboo chair reading strange tales, occasionally laughing out loud.

Qin Luo arrived at the backyard of the Taoist temple and said softly, "Jia'er, Little Tuanzi, I'm leaving Longhu Temple tomorrow for a long journey. You two must take good care of yourselves, okay?"

Lin Jia'er suddenly looked up and quickly asked, "Uncle Qin, when are you coming back?"

Qin Luo said softly, "I might be back soon, or it might take a long time."

Upon hearing this...

Lin Jia'er's eyes were blurry with tears.

The little dumpling was also reluctant to part, but she believed that Qin Luo would come back sooner or later. With a serious face, she said, "Boss, I will take good care of Longhu Temple. Don't worry."

Qin Luo smiled and said, "Just take care of yourself, and don't cause any trouble for Longhu Temple."

"Hmph, I know!"

The little dumpling pouted, then ran to Qin Luo's side and hugged his leg, "Boss, come back soon."

Lin Jia'er rubbed her eyes and said in a tearful voice, "Uncle Qin, I will study hard."

...

It was late at night.

Qin Luo returned to his room to rest. As soon as he lay down, he saw the blurry text on the wall.

Every time Qin Luo saw Hua Ying's words, he couldn't help but laugh, and then feel inexplicably sad.

Just as Qin Luo was reminiscing about the past, there was a knock on the door, and Qin Luo got up to open it.

Zhang Fulong stood outside the door and handed Qin Luo a heavy bag, saying, "Take these with you on the road; they'll be useful."

Qin Luo knew that the contents were silver notes and loose silver. He smiled and said, "Master, keep these for your retirement."

"I still have some."

Zhang Fulong originally planned to give the money to Qin Luo the next morning, but he couldn't sleep, so he came to knock on the door with the money that very night, saying, "I don't need this little bit of money, you can have it."

Qin Luo accepted the heavy money bag. "Thank you, Master. Staying up late is bad for your health. Please get some rest."

"hehe."

Zhang Fulong nodded with a smile. As he turned away, he secretly wiped away his tears. He hadn't waited for Ziyue to return, and now he had to send Qin Luo away.

The next day, early morning.

Qin Luo packed his things and left the room.

In the backyard of the Taoist temple, Xiaodie came over carrying a bowl of golden morning dew and bowed, saying, "Taoist Master."

Qin Luo picked up the bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and chuckled, "The morning dew is indeed sweeter than before."

Caixia blinked and said crisply, "Senior brother, would you like another bowl of porridge?"

"Have a bowl."

Qin Luo nodded, and Cai Xia immediately brought him a bowl of congee. Jin Yan came out with freshly steamed wild vegetable dumplings, and said with a simple smile, "Senior brother, have some wild vegetable dumplings."

Xiao Tuanzi and Lin Jia'er sat next to Qin Luo, drinking porridge and eating wild vegetable dumplings. Xiao Tuanzi rarely got up this early; she knew Qin Luo was leaving and hadn't slept last night.

Looking at the few wild vegetable dumplings, Qin Luo smiled and said, "Let's save one for Master."

Everyone nodded and smiled.

After eating and drinking his fill, Qin Luo prepared to set off. He bowed to the old peach tree and said, "Thank you for taking care of me."

Qin Luo handed the silver notes Zhang Fulong had given him the night before to the little dumpling, saying, "This money was given to me by my master. Please give it to Chu Peiran so he can use it at Mirror Lake Academy."

"Okay, boss."

The little dumpling carefully put away the silver notes.

Everyone followed Qin Luo and left Longhu Temple.

Qin Luo stood outside the Taoist temple, looking at everyone with a smile, and said, "You can stop here. Those who need to cultivate, cultivate; those who need to patrol the mountain, patrol; and those who need to sleep, sleep."

Golden Horn peeked its head out of the wooden house, feeling a little awkward, unsure whether to go out or continue sleeping.

Qin Luo looked into the Taoist temple and saw Zhang Fulong. "Master, the wild vegetable dumplings in the pot are still warm."

Zhang Fulong walked to the outside of the Taoist temple and hugged Qin Luo, saying, "My good disciple, take care on your journey."

Qin Luo gently patted Zhang Fulong's back and said in a deep voice, "Master, after I leave, you must eat more, be cheerful, live well, and wait for me to come back."

"I will listen to you."

Zhang Fulong forced back his tears.

Everyone watched Qin Luo descend the mountain in silence. Tears welled up in Lin Jia'er's eyes, Zhang Fulong rubbed his reddened eyes, and Jin Yan's eyes were filled with reluctance, but he didn't want his senior brother to see it.

The little dumpling saw countless peach blossoms flying out of Longhu Temple and drifting into the distance, in the direction Qin Luo had left.

On his way down the mountain, Qin Luo recalled his first experience climbing the mountain. At that time, he felt that Luoxia Peak was very high and the mountain road was very long. Now that he was leaving, he felt that the road was very short.

Qin Luo walked all the way to the foot of the mountain without looking back, not wanting to see the reluctant expressions on everyone's faces.

The sun was shining brightly, and the market at the foot of the mountain was bustling with activity. Passersby greeted Qin Luo with smiles.

"Master Qin, let me treat you to mutton soup."

"No, thank you."

Qin Luo looked up into the depths of the starry sky, thinking that perhaps he could reach the other shore by crossing the mysterious and unknown chaotic sea.

Before heading to the Chaos Sea, Qin Luo didn't know if he would be able to return, so there were still some people he needed to see.