Tao Mian arrived.

The Peach Blossom Immortal had been on edge ever since. With Gu Yuan's previous departure as a lesson, once Lu Yuandi left, he couldn't sit still in the Taoist Temple.

Little Girl Wang from back then had now become an old lady with weak legs. She clutched her cane in her arms and sat with Tao Mian on the spacious threshold, smacking her dry lips.

"Little Taoist Tao," Little Girl Wang had become Old Lady Wang, while Taoist Tao seemed to grow younger, turning into Little Taoist Tao. Thinking of this made the old lady's eyes crinkle with laughter. "You have something on your mind."

"I don't."

Tao Mian denied it without thinking, an act somewhat childish and not fitting his image as a mature and steady thousand-year-old Immortal.

He coughed twice, trying to cover for himself. "I'm just not quite used to it."

The way he said it, it seemed as if he was missing Lu Yuandi. Tao Mian felt even more awkward.

"The disciples others teach, and the disciples I teach... all they think about is running outside the mountain. What's so good outside? Strife, hatred, deceit... People outside the mountain are skilled at lying."

Old Lady Wang squinted her eyes. Today, Peach Blossom Mountain was once again bright and sunny. She basked in the sun, feeling warm all over.

Peach Blossom Mountain, so beautiful it didn't seem like a place of this world. Those who entered never wanted to leave. In her youth, she was passionate and energetic, setting up a tea stall with her husband to entertain passersby.

They praised the grandeur of Peach Blossom Mountain, the clarity of Peach Blossom Creek. They picked up and played with flower branches broken by children by the roadside, they composed poems and drank merrily.

Some sentimental guests even shed tears quietly after getting drunk.

The mountains, waters, and people here were too pure and clean. Visitors from outside couldn't bear to bring the karma from outside to taint this pure land. They always said, "Wait, just wait. Once everything is over, we'll return here and never bother with the mundane world again."

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But Old Lady Wang had never seen anyone return.

"Your First Disciple and Second Disciple," Old Lady Wang spoke slowly, just as she did in her youth, "they are all people from outside the mountain. Little Taoist Tao, the ties from outside the mountain are hard to untangle."

Tao Mian also fell silent, letting out a slow sigh.

"My youngest grandson left Peach Blossom Mountain this year and went to the town," Old Lady Wang didn't persuade Tao Mian much, instead talking about her family. "The child is wild at heart, went to learn a craft from a master, insisting on making a name for himself. Sigh，Outside is tough, the master is strict, and if he makes a mistake, he'll get his palm smacked. He's stubborn, won't come home if he doesn't succeed. As for me, my legs are bad, but I miss him, can't sleep night after night.

Later, I had his father borrow the neighbor's cart to take me to the town. The moment my grandson saw me, he cried. How can those who travel far not miss home? He can't come back, so I had to go.

At my age, how many days do I have left? Each meeting is one less."

Thinking of her family outside, Old Lady Wang's eyes filled with tears. She wiped them with her sleeve, accidentally tapping her cane on the ground.

"So, Little Taoist Tao, she's not enamored with the scenery outside the mountain, she just can't return home."

***

The next morning, Tao Mian left the mountain, making sure to leave enough food for the chickens to last several days. The chickens he raised had a good sense of self-control, eating at regular intervals, so they wouldn't overeat.

If they did overeat, he would have no choice but to stew them with tears.

Just like many years ago, Tao Mian left Peach Blossom Mountain lightly.

He was searching for Lu Yuandi, but she had gone to great lengths to hide her tracks. Even for Shi Fu Tao Mian, it took considerable effort to find her whereabouts.

Tao Mian arrived at a military camp and tied up a soldier to guide him. Once he got a basic sense of direction, he heard the sound of fighting in the distance.

The sound was faint, almost inaudible to others, but Tao Mian caught it keenly.

Ignoring the unfortunate soldier tied up, Tao Mian flashed to the source of the sound.

Then he saw his disciple about to perish with the enemy.

Little Tao Immortal was quite frightened.

The First Disciple, Gu Yuan, wanted to kill everyone.

Unexpectedly, the Second Disciple surpassed he, planning to kill herself too.

Tao Mian began to reflect on where exactly his teaching had gone wrong.

He appeared silently, and Lu Yuandi was the first to react, bursting into tears immediately.

Tao Mian was startled, at a loss.

Lu Yuandi had never cried in front of him before.

"Don't cry, don't cry. Oh dear, it's not a big deal. Didn't I say, Shi Fu is always here."

Lu Yuandi sobbed so much she could barely speak.

"I-I thought you-you didn't want me anymore. That you wouldn't leave the mountain."

"Isn't that a misunderstanding? Shi Fu is here to be your support. If something happens, just find Shi Fu. Why bear it alone?"

Tao Mian was busy comforting his disciple, completely ignoring the other living person nearby.

Li Li shifted from shock to scrutiny, not expecting Lu Yuandi's master to actually show up.

"Who are you?" Li Li asked sternly, "Anyone associated with the remnants of the Lu Clan is guilty as well!"

"Oh, I forgot, I forgot, you're still here."

Tao Mian slapped his forehead, as if just realizing he had left Li Li hanging for a while.

"You..."

"Well, don't worry, I won't do anything to you." Little Taoist Tao looked innocent and harmless.

Li Li felt he was being underestimated for no reason.

"Then don't think you'll live—"

Before he finished speaking, a shadow flickered before his eyes.

Suddenly, he was plunged into a state of sensory deprivation. Conscious, but unable to feel anything.

Li Li panicked immediately.

What had he done?!