The mountain night was silent, and Chu Liuxue chose a path that was rarely traveled.

She walked ahead, using her hands to push aside the waist-high wild grass on both sides as she went.

Finally, she stopped in a clearing within the forest.

Chu Suiyan had been silently following behind his sister, without uttering a word.

When they were young, it was Chu Liuxue who held his hand, shielding him from danger at any moment.

Later, they walked side by side, and as he grew taller than his sister, he could see the crown of her head from the side, and he was qualified to become Chu Liuxue's support.

But now, there was a distance between them, and Chu Liuxue's back was straight, like a tall pine tree.

Sometimes, Chu Suiyan wondered if Liuxue was really a demon.

The seemingly elegant and jade-like Chu Liuxue was a demon.

Yet, he who willingly fell into the abyss was not.

"Let's stop here."

Chu Liuxue's clear voice echoed in the forest, pulling Chu Suiyan back from his wandering thoughts.

He looked at the young girl who had turned around.

"Chu Suiyan, have you done something you shouldn't have behind my back and Tao Mian's?"

Like all sisters in the world, whenever Chu Liuxue called her brother by his full name, it meant that things had become quite serious.

Chu Suiyan turned his face away, unwilling to answer.

Chu Liuxue thought to herself that kids really grow wings and have their own little secrets, and even replying to her was an effort.

"If you don't answer now, then don't ever answer."

As a sister, she understood her brother's nature. Sure enough, when Chu Liuxue threatened not to speak to him anymore, Chu Suiyan became anxious.

"Sis, don't ask. Anyway, I won't harm you and Shi Fu."

"If you won't harm us, does that mean you're harming yourself?"

"…"

The young man fell silent again.

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Chu Liuxue gazed deeply at this brother who shared no blood relation with her. He had grown up, matured, and she could no longer see through his thoughts as easily as when they were children. The price of growing up was that the sister was gradually being deprived of the ability to understand her brother.

She knew Chu Suiyan's stubbornness and obstinacy, like a beast charging forward, not necessarily turning back even when in pain.

Chu Liuxue sighed, easing the tense atmosphere between them slightly.

"I know you've been doing a lot behind Tao Mian's back. I don't know how much he's discovered, but he must have sensed something.

Suiyan, compared to immortals, our lifespan is short, just a fleeting moment.

He once saved us when we had nothing, and what we can do in this short life is to do our best not to cause him heartache."

The immortals of Peach Blossom Mountain were not forged from iron; they had flesh and blood. What set them apart from other immortals was precisely this. To become an immortal, one must sever all emotions and desires, cut off emotional ties, and overcome emotional tribulations. But Tao Mian was unwilling to ride the wind and leave; he wanted to stay in this world of lights and people.

Chu Liuxue's words touched Chu Suiyan, and he couldn't help but recall the silhouette of Shi Fu he saw when he was sick.

On a moonlit night, the immortal seemed to transform into a silhouette, dreamlike and illusory.

Chu Suiyan knew in his heart that Tao Mian initially only wanted to take Chu Liuxue as his disciple.

Tao Mian never mentioned it, but it was just his speculation.

Chu Liuxue's aptitude was not high, and she was very resistant to cultivation. Why was the immortal so persistent in taking her as a disciple?

If it was truly about fairness between the two children, then he should have respected Chu Liuxue's own wishes.

Chu Suiyan had been clever since childhood, perhaps because of years of wandering, he was good at reading people's expressions, which allowed him to better protect his younger self.

It was the same with Tao Mian.

Perhaps his sister was the true chosen one, and he was just an accessory, like a tassel hanging from a famous sword.

Unfortunately, Chu Suiyan had no memory of the times when he frequently had headaches as a child, not remembering how Tao Mian stayed up all night to care for him, otherwise, the misunderstanding would have been resolved long ago.

No matter how it started, during their actual time together, Tao Mian never showed favoritism.

What truly changed his mind about this heart knot was when Tao Mian traveled thousands of miles to find medicine for him, staying up night after night to accompany him.

The barrier in Chu Suiyan's heart was finally crossed, but new worries followed.

Shi Fu was so good, yet he could only accompany him for a few decades.

And he was so sickly and useless, when could he become independent and protect Shi Fu?

The matter with Lu Yuandi made the young man realize even more that even someone as powerful as Shi Fu could still be harmed in this world.

Chu Suiyan thought to himself that it was all because he had half mortal blood, and mortals were always troubled by their own worries.

His troubles were like rolling waves, one after another.

"Liuxue," he finally faced the few relatives he had, "I'm not like you. I don't want to stay on this mountain forever, always under Shi Fu's wings."

"You're being stubborn—"

"Stubborn or not, reckless or not," Chu Suiyan took a deep breath, "no matter how you scold me, Liuxue, I must leave the mountain."

On Chu Liuxue's usually calm face, a deep sorrow suddenly appeared. That expression pierced Chu Suiyan's eyes, for he had never seen his sister show such a painful look.

At that time, he didn't understand the hidden pain in Chu Liuxue's heart, only thinking she was sad about their separation.

"I'm leaving, Liuxue. As for Little Tao and Shi Fu, I'll trouble you to tell them for me."

Chu Suiyan turned around, ready to leave.

"Do you remember," Chu Liuxue spoke from behind, her voice trembling slightly, "what I told you when we were young?"

She had said that if Chu Suiyan left the mountain, she would stop at nothing to make sure he died.

Chu Suiyan's sudden pause meant he had never forgotten, but he only thought it was his sister's momentary anger.

"I don't remember," he said, "we talked about so many things."

He walked away under the moonlight, and this time it was Chu Liuxue's turn to watch his departing figure.

...

The next morning, Tao Mian got up early to pick the fruits he had mentioned the day before. By the time he returned to the Taoist temple in the evening, his basket was full.

He was afraid of bruising the fruits, so he had lined the basket with an old piece of clothing.

Only Chu Liuxue was there to greet him at the temple entrance.

"San Tu, quickly call Si Dui and Tian He out! These fruits can't be left overnight; they'll lose their best flavor..."

Chu Liuxue took the basket but didn't return to the courtyard. Instead, she hesitated, looking at Tao Mian.

"What's wrong?" Tao Mian was about to walk past her to change his clothes but stopped.

"Banknote, Si Dui has left the mountain."

Tao Mian let out a short "ah," as if he couldn't quite process it, and was stunned.

He still held a plump, glossy mountain fruit in his hand, his thumb rubbing the skin unconsciously.

"Mm..."

He replied slowly, as if struggling to digest the fact.

"And Tian He?"

"He's disappeared too."

Tao Mian glanced at the empty courtyard and the peach blossom tree outside.

"What a pity, they didn't get to taste these good fruits."

He murmured, as the sun set in the west.

Two months later, the master of the Netherworld Hall announced to the world that he had found his long-lost biological son.

The young man had a handsome and ethereal appearance, sitting in a high position alongside his father, accepting the worship of the demons.