Chapter Four: A Genuine Life Begins With You

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. Every day, Wu Yue’s routine consisted of acclimating himself to the newfound vitality within his body. Even so, Wu Yue was certain that he could easily handle Gu Muli should the need arise. The rest of his days were spent wandering idly through the village, letting the cold wind brush against him, the fire jade hanging from his neck radiating warmth. It was as if he carried his own personal climate control—a comfort so exquisite, it could not be improved upon.

Of course, in passing, he gathered information—listening to the villagers' casual conversations. There was little choice, for Wu Yue had not expected that there would be not a single book in the entire settlement. Had it not been for the sight of clothes drying on lines, he might have suspected he’d arrived in some untamed wilderness.

Fortunately, the people here were not as ignorant as Wu Yue had feared. After several days as a diligent listener, he had pieced together the basics of the current situation. For instance, the world above was called the Primordial Realm, and the continent underfoot was Northern Mang. Five thousand li to the east lay the ocean, and from there, one could travel by ship to another land. As for the Primordial Realm, the number of continents within it was debated—some claimed there were a dozen, others dozens, and some believed there were hundreds. When Wu Yue asked what lay beyond the realm, he was met with countless disdainful looks and a poetic, profound reply: “Boundless, therefore the realm has no edge.” The one who spoke seemed deep and mysterious, but others, with more scientific minds, remained skeptical. Yet it could be inferred that this world had some connection to Earth—at the very least, both were part of the same universe, for their ways of life were strikingly similar.

He had also acquired a little companion—a frail girl named Kuihu’er. The kuihu was a legendary, fierce beast, but Kuihu’er herself seemed delicate, as though a gust of wind might send her into a serious illness. It was said that her mother had been frightened during pregnancy, resulting in a premature birth. She had been weak since infancy, and so her parents had given her the fierce name Kuihu’er in hopes of warding off misfortune.

Yet her physical frailty prevented her from practicing the village’s martial arts like the others. Thus a lonely little girl met a mischievous, handsome young man—and was promptly captivated.

“Brother Yue, what happened next? What happened to Little Red Riding Hood…?” she would ask, wide-eyed.

“Well… She was eaten by the Big Bad Wolf. Usually steamed, sometimes braised… Just imagine how delicious that must be. Tsk, tsk, add a little sesame oil, cook it well…”

Kuihu’er glared at Wu Yue’s careless expression and exclaimed, “Brother Yue, your stories are getting lazier and lazier!”

“Oh, so you know what laziness is? Can you write those two characters?”

“Of course I can!” Kuihu’er lifted her chin proudly, only to see Wu Yue’s teasing look and realize she’d been tricked. She gave him a fierce glare and stomped away in a huff.

Watching her retreat, Wu Yue felt a pang of guilt. When had he started teasing such a young girl? He swore he’d only wanted to learn some basic facts about daily life, but in the end, it was she who had become attached to him.

“My face truly seems to appeal to all ages. Being too handsome is a crime—but one I’m willing to bear…” Wu Yue basked in his own charm, not noticing that he had grown slightly more cheerful.

“Brother Yue, run! Run!” Kuihu’er came dashing up, out of breath.

“What’s wrong?” Wu Yue asked, puzzled.

“Gu Muli and a group of people are coming for you. They’re definitely going to beat you. You should run…”

Wu Yue smiled gently. He hadn’t even thought of causing trouble for Gu Muli, yet here he was, seeking trouble himself. Seeing Kuihu’er’s anxious face, Wu Yue patted her head and said, “Kuihu’er, does this count as betraying the village? You’re helping an outsider.”

Kuihu’er grew even more frantic at his calm demeanor. “This is no time for jokes!” she cried.

Wu Yue spread his hands, feigning innocence. “I can’t run anymore. Look, they’re already here.” He pointed—Gu Muli was approaching, followed by seven or eight men, all looking fierce and determined.

“Alright, alright. You should leave. Don’t let them see you,” Wu Yue said with a grin.

“Oh, you!” Kuihu’er stamped her foot. “How can you be so muddle-headed at a time like this? Stall them for a bit, I’ll go find help.” With that, she scurried off.

Gu Muli and his group quickly closed in. Wu Yue sensed their energy and felt certain: they were all at the Qi Condensation stage. Normally, they relied on their physical strength, perhaps stronger than average, but Qi Condensation was still Qi Condensation. Wu Yue felt a pang of regret—he’d once been beaten by someone at this level.

How humiliating.

Gu Muli, seeing Wu Yue’s calm face, felt a strong urge to stomp it into the ground.

Wu Yue spoke first, with a cool tone. “What’s this? Another fight? Your village’s hospitality is certainly unique.”

Gu Muli stared at Wu Yue, enunciating each word. “Monkey is dead. He was buried today.”

Wu Yue frowned, recalling the name. “Didn’t he die long ago? Why bury him now?”

Gu Muli’s mouth twisted into a grim smile. “Yes, that’s right. Monkey died from forcibly gathering his blood energy. If not for two years ago…” He trailed off.

Wu Yue waved a hand impatiently. “I already know. So?”

“Monkey’s lifelong wish was to be buried on Battle Axe Mountain, but now he can only be buried somewhere random. Only warriors can be buried there, and he isn’t one anymore. No matter how much I pleaded with my father, he wouldn’t agree! Do you know any of this?” Gu Muli clenched his fists, vowing to kill Wu Yue today—to avenge his brother, to ensure he died painfully and with regret.

Wu Yue listened, feeling sympathy. “You should reason with your father. Tell him Monkey was once a warrior—a fine warrior.”

“Infuriating!” Gu Muli felt his blood boil. He stepped forward and kicked.

Too slow. Wu Yue shifted slightly and avoided it. “Revenge is fine, but you should consider your opponent’s strength.”

To his credit, Gu Muli was a true warrior. Hearing Wu Yue’s words, he calmed down, retorting, “You must die today. If I lose, my brothers will finish the job. Life and death battles depend on more than cultivation.” With that, he threw a punch, this time infusing it with energy—much faster than before.

To Wu Yue, who had trained in the Swift Sword of Ah Fei for so long, the punch was still painfully slow.

He was about to strike when someone beat him to it—a pebble struck Gu Muli’s fist, stopping it in its tracks.

Two people appeared: Kuihu’er and another girl, around fifteen or sixteen.

“Sister, what are you doing?” Gu Muli’s face darkened.

“Gu Muli, this is an honored guest. You must not be rude.”

Wu Yue’s eyes brightened. The voice belonged to the girl who had helped apply medicine to his wounds. She was strikingly beautiful, her figure more mature than her youthful face suggested.

“But Monkey is dead! Father still refuses to bury him on Battle Axe Mountain.”

The girl frowned. “That’s as it should be. He was an ordinary clansman, and he died from self-training. Naturally, he has no right to be buried on Battle Axe Mountain.”

“If not for this bastard, Monkey would have been an outstanding warrior!” Gu Muli said coldly. “Gu Muling, today I must avenge him. I won’t let my brother die in vain.”

There was a brief silence.

Gu Muling spoke slowly, “I permit you to vent your anger. You may cripple his cultivation, but you may not kill him.”

“Sister Ling, Sister Ling…” Kuihu’er pleaded, and Wu Yue felt it was time to intervene.

He cleared his throat. “Ladies, since this concerns me, perhaps you should ask for my opinion.”

“Your opinion? Who are you to have an opinion? Ha ha!” Gu Muli laughed, and his followers joined in.

A bunch of fools, Wu Yue thought. Could none of them see how much he’d changed? He sighed and glanced at Gu Muling—her face was cold.

So stupidity was contagious? He’d hoped Gu Muling would notice his transformation, but alas, what a pity for such a fine figure. He missed the gentle girl who had tended to his wounds.

Before the fist arrived, the wind howled.

Wu Yue formed a sword gesture with his hands: Swift Sword of Ah Fei!

Gu Muli collapsed, terror etched on his face, blood seeping from his chest. Wu Yue wiped his fingers—what a swift sword.

Gu Muling was already stunned, staring blankly at the scene. She hadn’t seen Wu Yue move at all! As someone in the late stage of Meridian Opening, she could not even track his actions. What level of power was this? A deep unease rose in Gu Muling’s heart.

Gu Muli’s followers took several steps back. Even for a group fight, one had to consider the opponent’s strength. They might not be clever, but they weren’t fools.

“Take Gu Muli back to the elders,” Gu Muling commanded, then took a deep breath and said, “Thank you, Young Master Yue, for sparing his life.”

As the group hurriedly carried Gu Muli away, Wu Yue said nothing, letting blood drip from his fingers. He observed the ever-changing expressions on Gu Muling’s face, a hint of amusement flickering.

Yet Gu Muli sensed a faint killing intent. Kuihu’er was utterly astonished—the invincible Gu Muli, the strongest of the younger generation, had been defeated by someone who looked frail and frivolous.

“Alright, you should go,” Wu Yue said suddenly. Gu Muling sighed in relief; truthfully, she had feared he might act. Those whose depths could not be fathomed were the most dangerous.

Such people could only be outwitted, not opposed head-on. Gu Muling smiled gently, offered no explanation, and said instead, “Congratulations, Brother Yue, on your advancement.”

Wu Yue replied with a curt “Mm.”

Seeing his indifference, Gu Muling was not offended. She smiled again, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Such a woman had a calculating mind—if she matured, she’d surely be trouble. Wu Yue thought, and suddenly a murderous impulse arose.

“Brother Yue, you’re amazing!” Kuihu’er’s eyes sparkled with admiration. Wu Yue shook his head, putting aside those thoughts. His mood soared.

“So I’m already this powerful,” he mused.

Bending down, he lifted Kuihu’er and spun her around—the sound of her laughter drifted on the wind.

The two played together, genuinely happy.

After all, it was a sincere life.

Beep. A melodious tone sounded unexpectedly.

Congratulations on meeting the completion requirements for Task One. Do you wish to confirm completion?

Indeed, it was a sincere life.