Xu Hei had been in the Le Kingdom for a year now.

His Green Bamboo Residence, initially unknown, gradually gained some reputation. The visitors were no longer limited to travelers; occasionally, some regulars would come to admire his woodcarving skills.

For these guests, Xu Hei could only offer tea, but if anyone wanted to buy his carvings at a high price, he would always refuse.

He sought neither wealth nor fame, focusing solely on carving.

Gradually, Xu Hei earned the title of the Green Bamboo Hermit.

...

In winter, snowflakes fell, covering the earth in silver.

A bonfire was built in the courtyard, the crackling of burning wood and rising sparks filled the air. Xu Hei sat by the fire, holding a sculpture of an octopus in his hand—this was Octopus Brother, Wang Zhen, who loved smoking.

"Creak!"

"Hermit, today is New Year's Eve. I brought some dishes and homemade plum wine!"

The old man opened the food box, taking out two jars of plum wine and some small dishes, placing them on the wooden table.

Xu Hei put down the wood carving of Octopus Brother and smiled, "Old Wu, you're too kind. It must not have been easy to come here in this freezing weather."

"Ha!" Old Wu waved his hand, saying, "It's boring at home. I'd rather come and drink with an old friend."

The old man, known as Old Wu, was a renowned carpenter in Yongle City. Initially, he was dismissive of Xu Hei's skills, but after seeing them firsthand, he realized there was always someone better.

Once, he wanted to buy one of Xu Hei's wood carvings for a hundred taels of silver, but Xu Hei refused.

Since then, he often came to observe and learn, treating Xu Hei as a true master. Xu Hei, in turn, treated him as a guest.

"Where are your descendants?" Xu Hei asked curiously, holding a cup of wine.

"Don't mention it! My descendants indulge in pleasures all day, not caring about me. They say enjoy life while alive to avoid suffering after death. They've squandered all my life's savings," Old Wu sighed, filling Xu Hei's cup.

Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you think of the teachings of the Changle Sect?"

Old Wu's face stiffened at the mention, then he said, "I... I think the same. But as a carpenter, creating good works is my joy!"

Xu Hei just smiled, said nothing more, and drank his wine.

They continued drinking, and as the night wore on, Old Wu seemed to have endless things to say, often complaining about his disappointing descendants and sharing his aspirations to further his carpentry skills.

Sadly, mortals have their limits and cannot achieve the miraculous feats of the legendary Mohist immortals. Xu Hei empathized, for even he could not bring his wood carvings to life.

The two, like friends despite the age difference, drank until nightfall when Old Wu finally left.

Xu Hei, rarely leaving his home, escorted the drunken Old Wu back to the city, ensuring he didn't collapse in the snow.

Returning to the Green Bamboo Residence, Xu Hei sat by the bonfire, looking at the empty courtyard, listening to the festive sounds outside—the fireworks, drums, and gongs. He suddenly felt an emptiness he had never experienced before.

"Is this what it means to be mortal?" Xu Hei whispered.

He couldn't understand the celebrations of mortals, nor their joy.

The joys and sorrows of people do not resonate with him; Xu Hei only felt noise, but now, he had a slightly different understanding.

That night, the wood carving of Wang Zhen was completed.

Xu Hei took out a new piece of wood, carving the outline of a human figure—A Long, a mortal he met during his travels, his first human carving.

...

Time always flies by unnoticed.

In the blink of an eye, spring arrived.

After New Year's Eve, Xu Hei never saw Old Wu again, as if he had forgotten about him, immersed in his carving.

By now, Xu Hei had carved many people, including Xiao Chou, along with the mortals he met along the way.

"Creak!"

The wooden gate opened, and a richly dressed young nobleman walked in from outside the courtyard, approaching Xu Hei.

He looked at the ground full of wood carvings and the focused Xu Hei, standing respectfully to the side, saying nothing.

He waited for a full hour until Xu Hei put down the human-shaped wood carving, then clasped his hands in salute, "Green Bamboo Hermit, do you remember my father, Old Wu?"

"Old Wu."

Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"My father, Old Wu, passed away three days ago. Before he left, he was always thinking about your work. I wonder if you could part with one of your carvings. I'm willing to pay five hundred taels of silver," the young nobleman said sincerely.

Five hundred taels was an astronomical price for a mortal.

Xu Hei listened, said nothing, but his hands moved faster. In an instant, the human-shaped wood carving in his hands was completed—a depiction of an old man in a thick coat, holding a food box.

"Forget the money; consider this my gift." Xu Hei placed the old man carving on the table.

The young nobleman beamed with joy, bowing repeatedly, "Thank you, Hermit! Thank you!"

He picked up the old man carving, excitedly clasped his hands in gratitude, and then left.

A day later, Xu Hei heard the sound of suona horns from afar. He went out to investigate and saw the Wu family carrying a coffin out of the city for burial.

Their faces showed no sorrow, only celebration. This was the tradition of the Le Kingdom. Even the coffin was carried on the shoulders of Wu's descendants, who danced a peculiar dance, joyfully sending the deceased to the blissful world.

Xu Hei stood among the crowd, witnessing the entire scene.

He felt a moment of clarity, murmuring, "It's time to leave."

Xu Hei returned to the Green Bamboo Residence, intending to pack up and leave.

He never stayed in one place for too long, mainly to avoid being disturbed or recognized, which could affect him.

This journey to the Le Kingdom had been enough.

Xu Hei bent down, picking up each wood carving and placing them in his bag. But at that moment, he frowned, sensing something amiss.

The wood carvings were still the same, intact, but upon closer inspection, they lacked a certain aura.

Whether it was the mortals he carved or the demonic beasts he had seen, they looked the same but lacked spirit, like counterfeits.

Xu Hei's eyes flickered as he observed the traces in the courtyard, realizing someone had been there.

"Switched?"

Xu Hei sighed, having anticipated this scene.

Mortals couldn't discern the subtleties of his carvings, and low-level cultivators couldn't either. But any cultivator who understood the essence would notice something.

He just didn't expect it to happen so soon.

These wood carvings weren't valuable, but they held significant meaning for Xu Hei. He stood up, looking towards the west, in the direction of the Ma Kingdom, and took a step forward.

In the next moment, Xu Hei disappeared from where he stood.