After listening to Shenhe's tragic past, Ling Feng remained silent for a long time, unaware of his senior sister's hidden history.
He finally understood the reason behind Shenhe's previous questions.
Looking at Shenhe, Ling Feng realized everything.
"Senior Sister, the reason you unhesitatingly rush to help people when you see demons confronting them and killing them is because you remember the helpless and desperate feeling you had when facing a remnant of a demon god in your childhood, and you don't want others to experience that same pain, right?"
"And you deliberately treat others with coldness because the Adepti told you that your fate is solitary and prone to harming those around you. Even with the red ropes, you're still uneasy, worried about losing control of your murderous intent, so you don't want anyone to get close to you and be hurt by you, right?"
Shenhe was slightly startled. She hadn't expected Ling Feng to figure out the reasons so quickly. Her expression turned a little bitter, but she still nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, blades and spears have no eyes, and the red rope's power has its limits, which is why I dislike crowded places."
Looking at his senior sister before him, Ling Feng involuntarily stood up from the ground, walked to Shenhe, embraced her, and said softly.
"No one is destined to be alone forever. Fate is determined by heaven, but destiny is written by people. You have Cloud Retainer as your master, me, and all the Adepti, so this talk of inherent solitude and fate is all nonsense. The future is ours to write, so cheer up, Senior Sister."
Upon hearing Ling Feng's words, Shenhe trembled all over. Her previously indifferent expression completely vanished, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up.
That's right! I am not alone. I have my master, my junior brother, and all the Adepti. They are all with me.
"Thank you, Junior Brother." After a long moment, Shenhe displayed a rare smile.
"There you go, people should smile more. Hey, hey, hey, I just said that, and you've already reverted to your old ways." Ling Feng pulled away from Shenhe, playfully remarking as he looked at her expression turning indifferent again.
"Pfft." Seeing Ling Feng's amusing behavior, Shenhe couldn't help but chuckle.
Just then, the smell of burning drifted through the air. Ling Feng and Shenhe both noticed it, frowned, and looked down.
Shenhe's grilled fish had been completely burnt to a black crisp. The source of the charred smell was none other than the fish, and a wisp of black smoke was slowly rising from the burnt flesh.
"It seems this fish is no longer edible," Shenhe stated calmly.
"Indeed," Ling Feng nodded.
Putting down the fish, Shenhe stood up, walked past Ling Feng to the edge of the clearing, and gazed into the distance at the Wangshu Inn shimmering with light.
"I wonder if you prefer the lights of the human world, or the moonlight in the mountains?" Shenhe asked subconsciously, her back to Ling Feng.
"Me?"
"Both, perhaps."
Ling Feng picked up the blackened, burnt fish Shenhe had placed on the ground. A wisp of flame materialized in his palm, incinerating it. After disposing of the unpleasant smell of burning, Ling Feng walked to Shenhe's side and followed her gaze.
"Why do you say that?"
"Staying in the mountains offers a kind of quiet that can relax the mind, allowing for freedom and unburdened ease, as if one is merging with nature.
But the human world is ultimately our home. People can never truly leave cities; they are humanity's dwelling place, and there's an inexplicable sense of belonging and familiarity with home. It's like when you, Senior Sister, descended the mountain to find your relatives."
"Is that so?" Shenhe recalled her childhood, when her mother was still alive and her father was the loving man he once was. Everything had been so beautiful, a feeling one would want to immerse themselves in.
"Senior Sister, have you never considered living in a human city?"
Shenhe shook her head. "A home in the human world is a luxury for me. I've long been accustomed to the company of mountains and birds. Moreover, I can barely control my own murderous intent now. If I were to enter human society, I might end up harming people."
"How do you know it's a luxury if you don't try? As for your murderous intent, I believe that one day, Senior Sister, you will be able to completely suppress it, and then you'll be able to integrate into human society."
"I hope so. However, I rarely descend the mountain and don't understand many principles of dealing with people. Generally, when conflicts arise, I handle them my own way."
"What way?"
"I grab the person's head and slam it on the ground three times. Usually, that person will yield."
"Uh..." Ling Feng was dumbfounded. His senior sister's way of handling things was truly unique. He wondered when a lucky individual would get to experience it.
"Perhaps, when you decide to descend the mountain and enter a city again, you could notify me? I'll take you around."
"Alright. If at any point you feel my behavior is inappropriate, please tell me. Even if you don't understand, I will listen to you."
"Then it's a deal."
After chatting for a while, they sat back down by the campfire. Shenhe retrieved another fish from her elementalist's storage space and began grilling it.
After a simple dinner, Ling Feng and Shenhe each practiced their cultivation for a while before lying down on the grass to rest.
The next morning.
Ling Feng and Shenhe were already up before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, collecting the morning dew.
Yesterday, on Mt. Hulao, Ling Feng had tasted Shenhe's morning dew for the first time, and the feeling was simply exhilarating. He had been somewhat groggy then, but after a mouthful of dew, he felt completely refreshed, truly a perfect remedy for clearing the mind and invigorating the spirit.
So, Ling Feng got up early this morning to collect dew with Shenhe.
"Senior Sister, how much have you collected?" Ling Feng looked up at Shenhe from across more than ten meters of grass.
Hearing Ling Feng call her, Shenhe stood up from the grass, holding a wooden bowl in her hand. She said calmly, "One bowl."
"So little? Look at me, I've collected a whole bucket," Ling Feng said with a grin, raising a wooden bucket as if showing off.
However, Shenhe's reaction was not what Ling Feng expected. She didn't praise him but pointed out his mistake.
"Morning dew is sweetest when it's first collected. After a while, it becomes like ordinary dew."
"What?"
Ling Feng was bewildered by her words. He had intended to collect more, storing it in the bucket, to save himself the trouble of getting up early every day.
He had envisioned being able to drink sweeter water than ordinary water anytime he wanted. He never imagined this stuff had such a short shelf life, and that he had wasted his entire morning collecting it.