Xi Xi smiled and said, "Grandma Chen, I understand, so don't worry. Besides, you know I've never believed in karma or retribution. I only believe in myself. If there really are gods, why don't they come to save us ordinary people? Back then, everyone said it was Taiping Mountain's doing, but nobody knew..."
Grandma Chen's expression changed, and she interrupted him, "Enough. What happened back then is a done deal. Don't bring it up again. Things have already turned out this way, and none of us can change anything. The only thing we can do is live our lives well in the present. Do you understand? This old woman just wants to see you grow up safely. If we can meet in the underworld in the future, it will be a beautiful story. You know my feelings?"
Grandma Chen's hands trembled as she tightly gripped Xixi's arm. Xixi was thin and not very tall, but he was still a head taller than Grandma Chen, who was hunched over and could barely walk. His eyelids drooped. "Okay, I understand, Grandma. Go back to sleep for a while. It's too early now. I'll chop some firewood for you so it'll be easier for you to use it later."
Grandma Chen took Xixi's arm and used it to get up, walking towards the bed while muttering, "Xixi, you must live well. Only if you live well can everyone rest in peace, and only then can this old woman leave in peace."
"Grandma, don't worry, I'll definitely live well. You, on the other hand, need to take care of yourself and watch me live well." Xixi covered Grandma Chen with the blanket and watched her close her eyes and fall asleep before leaving the house. Standing outside, the autumn wind was chilly, the leaves were withered and yellow, and it looked very desolate.
He took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "The weather is really getting colder and colder."
He walked over to the pile of firewood and began to divide it into smaller pieces so that it would be easier for Grandma Chen to use it. He then placed the chopped wood into a pile of logs on the side, arranging them neatly.
A quarter of an hour passed, and he was covered in sweat, but the autumn wind still hadn't stopped. He glanced back, which was in the direction of Taiping Mountain. From time to time, the roars and painful cries of spirit beasts could be heard from the mountain. Perhaps because of the strong wind, he couldn't hear them very clearly, but the wind carried the indistinct sounds to Xixi's side.
...
"No, these spirit beasts are too troublesome. Let's go back first," Nangong Yu said, wiping the blood flowing down his face. He looked at the people around him. Nangong Yu's face was covered in blood. "These spirit beasts are reckless. They rush at anyone they see. If we insist on staying here, we might not get a good result."
"Leaving is a strategic move, let's go," Xu Yuehuai said. Her dress was stained with blood, and it was unclear whose blood it was. No one doubted that Xu Yuehuai's fighting strength had suddenly decreased, especially since none of them had witnessed her battle against the Demon Lord and didn't know what she looked like at that time.
While guarding against the spirit beasts pouncing on them, the group headed down the mountain. They finally reached the entrance to the mountain, and once they were out, the spirit beasts that had been chasing them all turned back. Nangong Yu pulled Shi Mu and they collapsed to the ground. "This mountain is too eerie."
Xuan Chi planted his sword on the ground to support himself, his tone filled with doubt, "Logically speaking, even if these male spirit beasts are protecting the female spirit beasts from giving birth, they shouldn't be fighting so desperately. According to the records in the books from earlier years, these spirit beasts use this method only to scare away the enemy. A few are extremely aggressive, but at the same time, they value their own lives very much and will not fight to the death."
Xu Yuehuai picked up where Xuan Chi left off, saying, "But these spirit beasts clearly came with the determination to die. It seems that there is some unspeakable secret hidden on Taiping Mountain. Otherwise, these spirit beasts would not have to suffer such torment and sacrifice their lives."
Xu Yuehuai spoke each word carefully, her eyes fixed on the direction of the mountain pass, her expression carrying a deeper meaning, "It seems that only those in the know can answer our questions; otherwise, it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven for us to get up there."
This was true. The group rested there for a while. Yuan Shui was not injured. He did not have any human aura, but carried the aura of an ancient artifact. The spirit beasts were very sensitive to this and naturally dared not approach him. He stood aside and watched. Occasionally, he would lend a helping hand to someone who was trapped. The rest of the time, he watched the battle from behind a big tree, not wanting to get his clothes dirty.
"You guys are truly blessed with good fortune." A sudden voice came from another direction. The group looked over and saw that the newcomer was none other than Xixi, the boy who had been hauling firewood. Xixi was pulling an empty cart, the firewood already unloaded.
Xu Yuehuai looked directly into his eyes and asked meaningfully, "I wonder what the deeper meaning is in what you said? Are you a villager here, brother? It's getting late, would it be convenient for us to stay the night? Of course, we won't freeload off you."
Xu Yuehuai smiled and said that her harmless face and polite and gentle words would make it hard for anyone to refuse her. Xixi looked at the woman who spoke, who was very beautiful and could be compared to a fairy descended from heaven. "It's not convenient. Most of the people in the village are elderly. If I let outsiders in and something happens, I can't bear the responsibility. Besides, judging from your clothes and possessions, you are from a wealthy family. In that case, I can't take you in."
“Life in the village is tough, and you certainly can’t stand it. To avoid you groaning and moaning all night, why don’t you all leave the mountains before it gets dark and go back to the town to rest?” Xixi’s words sounded polite, but they always felt barbed and not very comfortable.
Xu Yuehuai smiled and replied, "There's no need to worry about these issues. If that's the case, then it's not difficult for us to set up a tent at the entrance of the village and make do for the night. It's just that we're bound to be bothering you today."
Xixi tightened her grip on the stroller handle, and finally smiled and replied, "Please do as you please. I have something to do, so I won't keep you company any longer."
Xixi pushed the cart in another direction, the same direction they had come from. They saw Xixi coming from that direction, and judging from his appearance, he had probably gone to chop firewood again.
Nangong Yu watched the man's retreating figure and muttered to himself, "I feel like there's something strange about this person. His words and actions are odd, somewhat..."
“There are some things that don’t sound like they’re from this place,” Nangong Yu said, trying to find the right words to describe it. Xuan Chi added from the side.
“Yes, that’s what I mean.” Nangong Yu listened to the man’s refined speech, which did not seem like someone who had lived in the mountains for many years. However, his demeanor and clothing proved from another perspective that he was indeed a person from the mountains, and at least not some poor scholar, but just an ordinary woodcutter from the village.
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