A Fellow Villager Meets a Fellow Villager

You Su's heart tightened, and she quickly gripped the Ink Pine Sword in her hand, looking warily towards the door.

In this desolate place, a sudden sound would undoubtedly make one wary.

Bai Ze also placed its two paws on the edge of the bucket, carefully watching the direction from which the sound came.

The sound of footsteps in the snow grew closer and closer; it was roughly discernible that there were two footsteps, one light and one heavy, suggesting a man and a woman.

The sound of footsteps on the snow abruptly stopped when the two people outside were almost at the door.

You Su's expression hardened, and he thought to himself, "Just as I thought."

Those two outside were indeed after them!

Hello, is anyone home?

A male voice sounded, accompanied by a soft knock on the door. Judging from this, he seemed to have no ill intentions.

You Su didn't answer his question so quickly. Seeing that there was no response from inside for a long time, the woman spoke softly:

"Qu Ye, let's go... we've scared them..."

Without much hesitation, the man nodded and said, "It would be impolite to visit so abruptly, please forgive us, host. We will take our leave now."

After he finished speaking, the sound of footsteps on the snow rang out again.

Bai Ze watched through the paper window as the two figures turned to leave, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But unexpectedly, You Su behind it suddenly shouted:

"Wait a minute."

Bai Ze was very puzzled by You Su's many troubles, but You Su had his own reasons.

These two men didn't have the distinctive accent of people from the Northern Ao Continent; instead, they spoke fluent Wuzhou dialect. Therefore, they were very likely not locals from the Northern Ao Continent, but rather strangers like You Su. This piqued You Su's interest; perhaps he could glean some information from them.

The two people outside the door paused upon hearing this, seemingly overjoyed, and exclaimed, "There really is someone here!"

"What brings you two here?" You Su tried to imitate the tone of the people from the Northern Ao Continent.

"We are travelers. We came across smoke from a chimney and wanted to ask a few questions." The male voice was clearly the one in charge, and he was the one who answered all the questions.

"It's rare to see a traveler who would come all the way here..." You Su said meaningfully.

"To be honest, sir, we come from the Central Yuan Continent. We wanted to see the aurora borealis on the North Pole Snowfield, which is why we traveled so far to come here." The man was also quick-witted and explained his purpose for coming.

You Su nodded slightly, secretly glad that he had persuaded the two to stay. If they were truly from the Central Yuan Continent, they would certainly understand that incident much better.

"I understand. I'm taking a bath, please wait a moment," You Su replied casually.

The man didn't seem particularly surprised, but his tone was still full of apology. "That's only right, sir. Please make yourself at home; we'll wait outside."

After saying this, he led the woman a little further away, having already fulfilled all the proper courtesies.

Although You Su still wanted to soak a little longer, she had important business to attend to and couldn't indulge herself. Bai Ze, however, remained in the water, clearly very satisfied with the large bathtub that was about to be exclusively its own.

You Su shook his head helplessly, but he didn't intend to let Bai Ze show himself.

Once he was fully dressed, with only half his face showing, You Su pushed open the door and went out. A cold wind immediately swept in, carrying snowflakes, making his rosy face turn cold again.

The man and woman were dressed very casually, in the traditional cotton-padded clothes of the Northern Ao Continent. They were quite handsome, but lacked the deep-set eyes and brows typical of the Northern Ao Continent people. They didn't look very old, probably young people in their early twenties. However, it's difficult to judge the age of cultivators by sight alone. You Su roughly estimated that the two were probably at the Water Condensing Lower Realm.

The two exchanged a glance, as if exchanging their first impressions of You Su, and then quickly bowed to You Su in greeting.

If their previous politeness stemmed from cultivation, then their current courtesy came from the heart. They could sense that the young cultivator before them possessed unfathomable cultivation, a level they could not fathom.

"Sir, you can take your time. We're not in a hurry," the man said apologetically.

"What would you two like to ask?"

You Su got straight to the point, which actually fits the character of the people of the Northern Ao Continent who are too lazy to beat around the bush.

The man paused for a moment, then said, "Since you are a fellow Daoist, sir, we will not beat around the bush. This is my fiancée. She wants to see the most famous aurora borealis in the Northern Ao Continent before our wedding. We heard that the aurora is common in the North Pole Snowfield, so we came all the way from the Central Yuan Continent, but we did not see it on our way north. We have been walking in this snowy road for a day and a night, and we thought we had reached a deserted place, until we saw smoke rising from here. So we came to ask where we are, and also to ask where we can find the aurora?"

You Su was slightly surprised to hear this, "You certainly have the leisure and refined tastes."

"Sir, you jest. This is merely a small dream of mine and my beloved wife's. If we cannot ascend to the pinnacle of immortality, then we will travel the five continents and witness all the wonders of the world." The man's voice became louder as he spoke, clearly indicating that he was quite satisfied with his dream.

Upon hearing this, the woman blushed slightly and lightly punched her lover, saying shyly:

"So what if you lack the talent for cultivation? Saying that is just self-deception."

The man scratched his head sheepishly, clearly feeling that he had been presumptuous in discussing ideals with someone of such high caliber.

"A wonderful ideal, but even better is that you can put it into practice."

You Su nodded, feeling a pang of sadness at the couple's intimate interaction. He secretly resolved that one day, when the world Qingming Festival, he would take them to travel all over the country.

The two seemed surprised that You Su had affirmed their small ambition, and were both somewhat flattered. After all, when most cultivators talked about their aspirations, whether sincerely or not, they mostly said it was for immortality, because that was the most in line with the aspirations of the immortal path.

"Unfortunately, I don't know where to find the aurora either, but if you go further in that direction, you'll reach North Pole City in about forty miles. Perhaps there will be someone there who can help you find the aurora." You Su pointed in the direction he had come from.

"We can really get to the North Pole City?! I thought we had gone to the wrong place!" The man was extremely excited, and the woman's lips curled up in a smile as she shared his joy.

Normally, the conversation would end here, but You Su clearly wasn't going to let them go so easily.

"My name is Ding Zhen. What are your names?"

"My Qu Ye, and my beloved wife's surname is Wang."

The man named Qu Ye took a liking to You Su, a native of the Northern Border, and introduced himself without hesitation. However, he remained clear-headed and did not reveal his fiancée's full name. After all, unlike the straightforward Northern Ao Continent, the names of women in the Central Yuan Continent were not something that could be asked casually.

You Su was aware of this, which is why he deliberately spoke with a slightly 'rude' tone, making his act seem more genuine.

After exchanging names and becoming more familiar with each other, the man dared to ask more questions.

"Is this village... only occupied by you, sir?"

"I'm not from this village. I was just passing through and saw that this place was abandoned, so I thought I'd rest for a bit."

Qu Ye looked enlightened, thinking that this senior was honest enough and hadn't lied to him that he was a native of this deserted village.

Just then, an even stronger gust of cold wind swept in, and the woman couldn't help but shiver a few times.

You Su warmly invited, "You are friends who have come all the way from the south. It's very cold outside. I've lit a fire. Please come in and sit down."

Qu Ye and the woman exchanged another glance. The woman nodded slightly, and Qu Ye quickly said, "Thank you, sir."

"Don't call me 'sir,' just call me Ding Zhen. The clan chief taught me that only learned people are worthy of being called 'sir,' and I have no learning." You Su spoke in honest, plain language, displaying a natural simplicity.

Upon hearing this, Miss Wang apologized and said something like, "Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me."

The two entered the house and behaved themselves, not wandering around. Bai Ze remained peacefully soaking in the bathtub, content to keep himself out of sight. You Su shoveled some embers from the fire under the tub and brought them over to the brazier. The two thanked her profusely and even wiped a small chair clean for You Su.

To travel such a long distance from the Central Yuan Continent requires not only strong mobility but also financial support. These two clearly come from relatively well-off families, which enables them to pursue their ideals. Their affluent backgrounds have also instilled in them good manners, making them completely unlikable.

The crackling of the burning charcoal and the rare warmth gradually eased the guard of the two travelers who had come from afar.

As You Su took the initiative to strike up a conversation with feigned innocence, Qu Ye and Miss Wang were occasionally amused by You Su's excessive simplicity, but this also made them more fond of this highly accomplished yet pure-hearted young man, and they talked to him without reservation.

In his self-introduction, You Su said he came from a remote tribe in the North Pole Snowfield and hoped to leave the snowfields to make a name for himself in the city. The two of them did know that there were some reclusive small tribes all over the Northern Ao Continent, most of them closed off, but each with its own unique path of cultivation. This also explained why You Su was so ignorant of the ways of the world, yet possessed cultivation comparable to that of a prodigy.

It was during the conversation that I learned that Qu Ye was actually a disciple of the Xiyi Mansion of Mount Henggao, and that Miss Wang was from Henggao City.

You Su quietly pulled her collar up a little higher, becoming even more determined to get something out of the two of them.

"They're from the sacred mountain, very impressive," You Su praised.

"No, no, I'm far inferior to Brother Ding. I'm just relying on my parents' influence," Qu Ye modestly, yet encouragingly added, "Brother Ding's talent is top-notch even in the Divine Mountain. He's sure to achieve great things on this trip."

You Su shook his head, seemingly somewhat discouraged. "I'm not that powerful. The clan leader said the world was about to descend into chaos, so he expelled me from the clan and told me to go to the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain to make my mark. But the farthest place I've ever been is North Pole City. I don't even know how to get to the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain, and I don't know where those three Evil God are."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Qu Ye's eyes, who had completely trusted You Su.

He never expected that the chieftain of that reclusive little tribe could have foreseen the chaos that would engulf the world, and that he would be willing to release a prodigy like Brother Ding Zhen.

This path is exactly the same as that of those great figures in history who rose from humble beginnings to become renowned throughout the world. Those with pure and simple hearts are more likely to ascend to the path of immortality. The protagonists of many stories are not fools... no! They are all innocent and pure-hearted!

Qu Ye was immediately filled with a sense of pride and promptly tossed out a parchment scroll, saying:

"Brother Ding, you have been very kind to us by taking us in to warm up and rest. Please accept this gift as a token of our gratitude!"

He unfolded the parchment, and it turned out to be a map of the official roads connecting the various towns in the Northern Ao Continent.

His heart wasn't in the path of cultivation, but it would certainly be wonderful to befriend a future great immortal. Perhaps his name would even be recorded in history books—that the first mentor a certain Immortal Ding encountered when he first started out was Qu Ye!

With that in mind, he took out the valuable parchment scroll without hesitation.

Miss Wang was somewhat surprised, but she guessed what her fiancé was thinking. She pursed her red lips tenderly, but still didn't say anything to stop him.

"This is a map? But you gave it to me, what will you use it for?"

"It's alright. Of course we're prepared when we come out to travel. My fiancée has another one, although it's not as detailed as this one, but it's enough for us since we've already been through it once." Qu Ye waved his hand, and Miss Wang took out a roll of sheepskin to prove his point.

You Su accepted the gift without hesitation, but in return, he took out a small box of Snow Fat Pine from his own Universe Bag and gave it to him as a gift.

Upon seeing this item, Miss Wang, who was initially reluctant to part with it, immediately beamed with joy; after all, what woman doesn't love beauty?

"Now that the road is solved, all that's left is to find those three Evil God! I'm going to make them taste the fists of our Snow Mulberry Tribe!" You Su said confidently, holding the parchment scroll in his hand.

Qu Ye didn't know whether to be surprised or to smile wryly. He quickly advised You Su not to be too eager for quick success, but he didn't discourage You Su's lofty ambition. After all, exorcising the three Evil God was much greater than his ideal of traveling around the five continents.

Most people who enjoy traveling also love to share their experiences; these stories are the biggest reward besides the beautiful scenery.

Qu Ye felt the same way. It was cold outside, but warm inside the abandoned house, which made him eager to share. He started talking to You Su about the outside world.

You Su was happy to play innocent and showed great interest in what Qu Ye was saying. Qu Ye felt as if he had become the teacher of a future great immortal, and became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, answering every question You Su asked.

Upon hearing of the First Elder's heroic act of single-handedly blocking the Lord of Flesh and Blood, You Su was deeply moved and cursed those who questioned him.

When Qu Ye introduced himself in a vicious manner, You Su also cursed him a few times in unison.

When You Su heard that people had gathered outside the Xuanxiao Sect to launch an attack on Lotus Peak, and that the Xuanxiao Sect Master had chosen to cut ties, the chair under You Su's seat suddenly shattered.

Qu Ye and his wife looked at each other, assuming that the wooden chair had simply broken due to years of neglect.

However, to You Su's secret relief, Lotus Peak was completely deserted.

You Su raced; someone had definitely moved his Mistress and senior sister away beforehand.

Was it done by the Third Elder? Or was it done by the Xuanxiao Sect Master, whom they had never met and who had tried to distance himself from them?

You Su couldn't guess the answer, but their ability to leave at least meant that someone was secretly helping them.

Only after confirming the safety of his Mistress and senior sister did You Su finally feel much more at ease.

Previously, I changed my name from Chen Yi Chen Yi because it shared the same name with a revolutionary martyr. This won't affect reading.