After witnessing that incident, Lv Shan grew even more worried about Little Stone. Leaving the noodle shop, he hurried off to find the boy.

When Lv Shan found Little Stone, he saw him sitting alone in the courtyard, holding a comb.

Lv Shan wanted to approach but paused in his steps.

What could he say if he went over?

If Little Stone asked why his mother hadn’t survived, how could he answer?

Lv Shan hesitated.

Little Stone sensed movement and turned his head.

Their eyes met.

Lv Shan opened his mouth and called out, “Why are you sitting here all alone? There are plenty of kids in the courtyard. Why not go play with them?”

He walked over, sat down beside Little Stone, and lifted him onto his lap.

Little Stone blinked at him and said, “Thinking of Mother.”

Lv Shan rubbed his head. “Blame your big brother for feeling weak.”

Little Stone grew quiet for a moment, then just said, “It’s alright…”

Over the past few days, it seemed he had slowly come to terms with things a bit more.

But then he suddenly lifted his head and asked, “Big Brother, what happened to the people who couldn’t be saved?”

Lv Shan thought for a moment. “Those people…”

“They all died, right? Like Little Stone’s mama.”

Lv Shan paused, not answering.

Little Stone was clever; he understood what Big Brother’s silence meant.

Little Stone said, “I heard the big brothers and sisters in the courtyard say they were all burned into smoke. Is that true?”

As he spoke, he looked up.

Wafting from the distance was black smoke, hanging over Mangxue City.

There were too many scattered walking corpses outside, and burning them all would take a long time. So, these days, thick smoke was often seen billowing into the sky.

Lv Shan paused, then answered, “Perhaps…”

Perhaps this was the only way to evade the topic.

He didn’t know how to answer.

Little Stone asked, “Then did Mama turn into smoke too?”

“…”

“Will Mama float over to see Little Stone then?”

“Is she up in the sky?” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“Big Brother?”

Lv Shan snapped back to attention. He said, “Maybe…”

“Oh.”

Little Stone hugged the comb and looked up at the black smoke in the sky.

He picked up the comb and stared at it.

It was impossible to tell what was on his mind.

Lv Shan watched him and thought…

Perhaps Little Stone wanted to comb his mother’s hair.

Lv Shan felt a sour ache in his chest. After thinking it over, he asked, “Would you like to come with me, Little Stone?”

“Where to?”

“Many places.”

“Then can Little Stone still see Mama who became smoke?”

“Probably not.”

“Can… can Little Stone not follow Big Brother?”

“You… can stay.”

The next morning, Lv Shan left. When he departed, he left Little Stone with a touch of good luck, blessing him for a smooth and fortunate life. He also left him with a burst of Magical Power to protect him in times of danger.

Everyone said the Path of Immortality was supreme, yet after cultivating all these years, he still felt powerless now.

He seemed helpless to do anything…

As he traveled, Lv Shan pondered: What truly was the point of cultivation?

To live forever? To be free and unrestrained? Or to slay demons, vanquish evil, and uphold the righteous path?

Was it?

Maybe it was.

Lv Shan slowly learned to brush certain things aside.

Not dwelling on them meant fewer troubles.

……

Chen Changsheng left Mangxue City and returned to Qingshan City.

The business with the walking corpses had taken over three days.

The White-Haired Blood Immortal was captured, though not eradicated.

Chen Changsheng could have ended the White-Haired Blood Immortal trapped within the flower right then. Yet he couldn’t be sure the Blood Immortal possessed some other hidden method, perhaps with another blood clone revived elsewhere.

Keeping him alive served to monitor the White-Haired Blood Immortal’s status, hoping to unearth some clues.

Three days later, Chen Changsheng returned to Chuanfeng Alley.

Ruyi heard footsteps outside and peeked out by opening the door.

Just as Chen Changsheng happened to be passing by.

Chen Changsheng paused. “What are you looking at, hiding by the door, Ruyi?”

Ruyi glanced at him, gave a soft “hmph,” and closed the door.

She was annoyed with him again.

Chen Changsheng shook his head with a smile and returned to his courtyard.

Upon entering, Manyue, perched in the tree, asked, “How did it go?”

“Caught him.”

Chen Changsheng said, “But I can’t guarantee he doesn’t have a backup plan.”

Manyue said, “The methods of a Blood Cultivator are truly strange.”

Chen Changsheng raised his hand. A white flower materialized in his palm.

He considered it, then hung it upon the tree.

Manyue found this odd. “Are you really so fond of planting flowers?”

“The Divine Ability is like this. One flower, one world,” Chen Changsheng replied.

Manyue shook her head, thinking Chen Changsheng had some strange quirks.

Now two flowers hung upon the tree.

One was a Phoenix Flower, the other a small white bloom, like a wildflower.

Having busied himself these many days, Chen Changsheng sat down and rested.

He then pulled a Black Pagoda from his sleeve.

He held the Black Pagoda in his palm.

Chen Changsheng stared at it, silent for a long time.

The Black Pagoda felt Chen Changsheng’s piercing gaze like needles in its back. It dared not even meet his eyes.

While Chen Changsheng stared, Manyue suddenly manifested into form beside him.

“How did this Black Pagoda end up with you?”

Chen Changsheng looked at Manyue. “You recognize it?”

Manyue nodded. “Of course I do.”

The Black Pagoda panicked upon seeing Manyue.

That aura… it was all too familiar.

Wasn’t this the Heavenly Dao of the Spirit Cage?!

What was He doing here?!

It then looked at the tree. It knew the white flower, but the aura radiating from that Phoenix Flower sent a shock of recognition through it.

“It’s you!!!”

A voice suddenly rang out from the Phoenix Flower.

The tone was thick with hatred, as if the Black Pagoda and he shared a bitter feud.

Chen Changsheng raised his eyes. “That Phoenix Flower hasn’t been watered for days, and now it can talk?”

The Phoenix Flower: “……”

Chen Changsheng stretched out a finger and flicked the Black Pagoda.

Ting!

A clear chime sounded.

The Black Pagoda seemed to let out a wail of anguish.

“I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”

Chen Changsheng said, “But I’m not interested in hearing it now.”

The Black Pagoda cried out in panic, “Lord Chen! I was wrong! I shouldn’t have kept it from you! I—”

“I didn’t ask you to interrupt.”

At Chen Changsheng’s words, the Black Pagoda instantly fell mute, though it could still hear everything being said.

Chen Changsheng turned to Manyue. “What is this Black Pagoda?”

“Back then, when Yu Xuan wanted to perfect the rules of the Spirit Cage, she captured many powerful Evil Spirits to suppress the land,” Manyue explained. “But these beings were inherently malicious, and there was no guarantee they wouldn’t stir up trouble later. So, Yu Xuan used this Black Pagoda to continuously absorb the Evil Qi from these demonic entities, ensuring they could never rise again.”

Chen Changsheng understood. “So that’s how the Evil Qi inside the pagoda came about.”

“No wonder that Blood Immortal wanted it so badly. With this Black Pagoda, those Evil Spirits could essentially achieve overnight success.”

Manyue nodded. “That certainly seems possible.”