Dongting

At Dongting Lake, Old Yellow Ox cocked his head and stared at her. Verdant Green Maiden coughed lightly.

"Sorry. Just treat me like a madwoman!"

"..."

Old Yellow Ox had long grown used to Verdant Green Maiden's occasional bouts of madness. After all, over these thousands of years, the people she had known had died one after another, or else gone centuries without seeing her. If she were not a little more cheerful, a person would break down.

"Still..."

"Ying Zheng never told me he lost the Imperial Jade Seal in Dongting Lake."

"I imagine it was made up by later generations."

"People are like that—they love telling little stories. Though I quite like such little stories myself."

"But..."

As she spoke, Verdant Green Maiden's gaze dimmed slightly.

She raised her head and looked at Heaven.

"Once a person dies, everything he experienced is no longer his to decide."

"Brother Ox."

Old Yellow Ox swished his tail.

"...Moo."

"Enough of these thoughts, Brother Ox! Charge forward!"

"..."

Riding Old Yellow Ox, Verdant Green Maiden made her way along the shores of Dongting Lake.

Morning mist shrouded Dongting Lake!

Visibility was extremely low; beyond a few dozen meters, the road ahead was already impossible to see.

"Rippling emerald waves!"

"A place of spiritual life."

Seeing the lake's rippling waters, Verdant Green Maiden said, "Shall we cast a line here?"

"Moo."

Old Yellow Ox answered and stopped walking.

Verdant Green Maiden flipped down, sat on a rock by the lake, and cast out her fishing rod.

The fog was thick anyway. They might as well wait for the morning mist to clear before setting off.

"Fishies~"

"Fishies~"

"Bite the hook already~"

"Though I'm using a straight hook~"

Verdant Green Maiden hummed softly.

Old Yellow Ox lay leisurely beside her, his tail swaying