The world was dim and murky, and his consciousness sank completely into boundless darkness.
Chu He seemed to be walking down a road with no end in sight. It was quiet and profound, without a sound. A stale, rotten stench hung in the air. This place seemed like a lonely land long forgotten by the world.
Until one day, the walking Chu He suddenly looked ahead.
Faintly, a glimmer flickered at the end of the road. Tiny and liable to vanish at any moment, it was nevertheless like a candle flame in the darkness, illuminating his heart and scattering his bewilderment and hesitation.
After walking several hundred more steps, he reached the end.
His body felt heavy, then light, as if he had passed through a curtain of water.
The next moment.
Chu He shuddered, overcome by the feeling that a lifetime had passed.
Ahead lay a peaceful, tranquil village, its farmland neatly arranged beneath an azure sky and drifting white clouds.
A breeze swept past. Fallen leaves fluttered in the wind and landed in the creek along the village, swaying as they drifted downstream into the distance.
The shock in Chu He's eyes slowly turned to confusion.
A question suddenly arose in his heart.
Who am I?
Crackle! Pop!
His hearing returned in an instant. Deafening firecrackers exploded by his ears, while a flood of clamorous voices poured into them like seawater.
"Brother A Niu, Brother A Niu, what are you standing there for? Your new bride is right in front of you. Hurry up and carry her!"
"Hehe, it's Brother A Niu's first time taking a wife. Of course he's nervous."
"This brat is usually so carefree and bold. Why has he turned into such a coward at a time like this?"
His unfocused gaze gathered, and Chu