Extra 2: The Mountain Has Trees, and the Trees Have Branches

The white clouds drifted leisurely beneath the blue sky, unchanged for a thousand years.

Deep within a dense primeval forest stood a secluded little courtyard, quiet and still beside a winding stream. The water was crystal clear, and several silvery fish darted among the aquatic plants.

A figure dressed in plain white sat on a smooth stone by the river.

She was an exceptionally beautiful young woman.

She dipped her tender little feet into the water and gently stirred it, sending tiny splashes into the air.

The fish in the stream darted away. After testing the waters several times and finding no danger, they swam back, tentatively nipping at the delicate feet. When the owner of those feet showed no reaction, one of the fish returned and began lightly nibbling at the tops of them, greedily devouring the dead skin that was invisible to the naked eye.

Those who cultivated the Dao were treasures from head to toe.

Even a scrap of dead skin was enough to make these unintelligent mortal creatures flock to it.

“Hahaha~”

The fish’s nibbling did not hurt at all. Instead, it brought with it a faint, ticklish sensation, and the girl could not help bracing herself with both hands behind her and throwing her head back in a ringing laugh.

Her laughter startled a flock of birds into flight.

There was only the girl in the tranquil forest, yet she looked perfectly carefree, relaxed, and at ease.

After laughing, the girl bent over and gazed at the carefree silver fish in the stream. Resting her chin in her hands, she whispered, “Little fish, don’t you envy me? You can live so easily. As long as you have something to eat, you’re happy. You never overthink things.”

The silver fish could not understand her. They simply continued nibbling at the dead skin beside her feet, treating it as a grand feast.

The girl, however, continued talking to herself.

“Little fish, why do you think Master had to die? Even though… even though I found a way to bring her back. I went through so much trouble to retrieve this from those ruins.”

“What exactly was she regretting?”

She took a golden, radiant pill from her robes. A layer of pill mist lingered around it, refusing to disperse, and even one whiff was enough to make a person feel refreshed and at peace.

The fish in the water stopped eating her feet. They wagged their tails and stared at the pill with longing, their mouths opening and closing as bubbles streamed from them.

“Oh! You want this?”

The girl froze, then pinched the pill between two fingers and waved it above the water.

Wherever the pill moved, the silver fish turned their heads to follow it.

Their instincts told them that swallowing this thing would be an utterly incredible experience—and that they might never have another chance like this in their entire lives.

“Ah… this… this…”

“This is very precious, but… but Master is gone now. Keeping it doesn’t seem to have any meaning anymore…”

The girl’s brows knitted together as she held the pill between her fingers.

This pill was not merely meant for Master. More importantly, it was her only remaining connection to that person.

“Damn it…”

“Master told me to let go, but how am I supposed to let go of something like this?”

The girl gritted her teeth and suddenly raised her hand in a fit of pique.

“Since you want it so badly, then it’s yours.”

She released her fingers.

The pill immediately dropped straight down. The fish in the stream performed a spectacular tail flip and rushed beneath it, opening their mouths wide in eager anticipation.

The pill was about to fall into a fish’s mouth.

A trace of reluctance flashed through the girl’s eyes, but she clenched her teeth and resisted the urge to reach out and catch it.

At that very moment—

“Gulp!”

A handsome young man wearing hemp clothing suddenly appeared upside down in front of the girl. He opened his enormous mouth and swallowed the falling pill in one bite.

The young man then raised his head and met the girl’s eyes.

“Eh…?”

The girl stared blankly at the youth who had suddenly appeared, her mind taking a moment to process what had happened. The boy bared a row of gleaming white teeth and grinned.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that throwing away something someone gave you is very rude?”

The girl looked at his mischievous face, and an inexplicable fury suddenly rose in her stomach. She glared fiercely into his eyes and snapped, “Of course someone did!”

“But that person was killed by you!”

“Me?”

The boy looked at her in confusion after her angry accusation. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. You know, my name is Shi Bei. I’m just an ordinary country boy. How could I possibly know someone as important as the Sect Master of the Cloudsoar Sect?”

“By the way, have you ever met a girl named Mu Xi?”

Shi Bei spoke with complete seriousness. “I’m looking for her.”

“Mu Xi?”

The girl was stunned for a moment before immediately catching on.

Her eyes darted about a few times. Then she folded her arms across her chest and stared at him warily, her voice turning sweet and coquettish.

“Of course I’ve met her. The question is, why are you looking for her?”

“Miss, you may not know this…”

Shi Bei put on a solemn expression and earnestly explained, “Mu Xi and I were childhood sweethearts. Our families lived in the same village, and our elders arranged a marriage for us before either of us was even born. I came here to ask her whether that agreement still stands.”

“An arranged marriage?”

The girl’s face instantly turned bright red. She waved her hands and stammered, “Th-then wait here. I’ll go call her for you.”

With that, she hopped behind a large tree. A flash of light passed through the air, and when it faded, a village girl dressed in the same hemp clothing appeared in her place, her face covered in freckles.

“Huh? So you’re the one looking for me?”

Mu Xi pretended to be surprised as she looked at Shi Bei. She circled him several times with her hands on her hips, carefully sizing him up from head to toe before clicking her tongue in wonder.

“Li Qingran told me everything. She said that you, you shameless rascal, want to marry me?”

“Did I say that?”

Shi Bei smiled at Mu Xi, looking somewhat helpless. “Fine, let’s say I did.”

“Hmph! A toad dreaming of eating swan meat!”

Mu Xi puffed out her chest and looked at him proudly. “Have we even known each other for more than a month? And you already dare come here to propose to me?”

“Do you take me for the sort of person who agrees that easily?”

“Then what do you mean?”

Shi Bei blinked, genuinely puzzled. “You don’t agree?”

“That’s not what I said.” Mu Xi raised her snow-white chin. “I can give you a chance to pursue me. At the very least… at the very least, you have to go into town and buy me some delicious food, then get me some fun things to play with. If you manage to make me happy~ perhaps, in a good mood, I might agree to be your wife.”

With both hands on her hips, Mu Xi rattled off a whole list of demands with complete confidence.

Shi Bei was left utterly bewildered.

After hesitating for a moment, he put an arm around the girl’s waist and kissed her on the lips. Then, with boundless confidence, he declared, “Then it’s settled. We’ll start as boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“You—you—you! You scoundrel!”

“Let go of me!”

Caught completely off guard by the sneak attack, Mu Xi’s face flushed so red it seemed steam might rise from it. She gave a token struggle or two, then simply allowed Shi Bei to do as he pleased.

The two of them left the forest together, flirting and bickering all the way.

In the stream, the silver fish turned around in confusion several times as they stared at the pair’s departing backs, blowing bubbles nonstop.

They could not understand how their golden pill had vanished without a trace.