Half a month later.
Dragon and tiger met; the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased...
The skies cleared over Myriad Laws Peak.
Cock-a-doodle-doo...
"Sss-"
Wang Ba reclined in a low chair in front of the old house, set his little teacup on the small bamboo table beside him, and flicked away a Spirit Chicken that had sidled over with a curious face, looking into the near distance.
A light, slender figure with her hair pinned up bustled cheerfully between the chopping board and the table, humming an unfamiliar little tune.
Peace settled over his heart without his noticing.
Cooking smoke curled upward, and the calls of chickens and dogs carried between the homes.
The Supreme True Buddha, the Boundary Sea, the Little Cang Realm... at this moment, all the troubles weighing on his heart became infinitely distant, as though they had nothing whatsoever to do with him.
Only what lay before his eyes felt utterly real, utterly grounding.
During an occasional glance back, Bu Chan noticed someone peeking at her from behind the cooking smoke. A flush more lovely than rosy clouds rose to her face, something long absent, and she gave him a "vicious" glare. "What are you looking at?"
"Watching you cook, of course," Wang Ba replied matter-of-factly.
Bu Chan snorted and drew her clothes tighter around herself, a trace of danger in her eyes.
"Then what are you using your Spirit Eye for?"
Wang Ba naturally withdrew the spiritual light in his eyes, remaining perfectly composed.
"The smoke from the pot blocked you. I couldn't see clearly."
"Pah!"
Bu Chan spat lightly. Seeming to recall something, she glared at him with mingled delight, embarrassment, and annoyance. "All those tricks. Who knows where you learned them..."
As she spoke, she swiftly stir-fried the food in the wok before