"Struggling in the mortal world, who says it must be inferior to pure cultivation on the mountain?"

"Though young master is a mortal, who says you will do less than we cultivators?"

Sitting in the courtyard, Xiao Mo looked at the book in his hands, but found that he couldn't really read it.

In Xiao Mo's mind, he kept recalling the words Fuchen had said before she left.

Indeed.

Originally, Xiao Mo had thought that since Ruxue was unwilling to leave this time, he would slowly guide her.

Gradually persuade her to leave, so everyone could part with smiles, and she could go up the mountain with peace of mind, rather than being forced to stay with regrets but after hearing what Fuchen had said, Xiao Mo's heart wavered somewhat.

Did he not need to "drive" Ruxue away?

Was this really good?

Ruxue was becoming increasingly dependent on him but he was only a mortal, living no more than a hundred years.

After a hundred years, when Ruxue witnessed his departure with her own eyes, would her Dao heart truly be able to withstand it?

"Xiao Mo."

"Xiao Mo!"

"Hey! Xiao Mo!"

Just as Xiao Mo was lost in thought, Bai Ruxue's small hand kept waving in front of his eyes.

"What's wrong, Ruxue?" Xiao Mo snapped back to attention.

"As I mentioned before, tomorrow I want to bring my little sister down from the mountain. Is that really okay?" Bai Ruxue asked.

Xiao Mo nodded, "Of course that's fine."

"Good, then I'll go fetch her tomorrow." Bai Ruxue said happily, "You'll definitely like Little Green."

"Mm." Xiao Mo smiled slightly, then fell into contemplation again.

Seeing Xiao Mo's appearance, Bai Ruxue couldn't help but pout, "Xiao Mo, what's wrong with you? Ever since you saw off that Daoist priest, you've been like a lost soul."

As she spoke, a strange look flashed in Bai Ruxue's peach blossom eyes, and she quickly stepped back two paces in fright, "Stinky Xiao Mo! You couldn't have fallen for her, could you?"

Xiao Mo rolled up his book and gently tapped the young woman's head, "What are you thinking? No."

"Really not?" Bai Ruxue put her hands behind her back, bent down, and looked up at Xiao Mo from below.

Xiao Mo accidentally caught sight of the snowy peaks within the young woman's collar and quickly averted his gaze, "Truly not."

"That's good then." Bai Ruxue patted her undulating neckline, "You scared this young lady to death."

"Then Xiao Mo, why do you look so dejected?" Bai Ruxue continued asking.

"It's nothing." Xiao Mo shook his head, "Don't worry about me."

"..."

Bai Ruxue pouted.

How could she not worry about him when he looked like this...

At noon, Bai Ruxue brought out radish and goji berry stewed mutton from the kitchen.

Every so often, Bai Ruxue would stew mutton for Xiao Mo to eat.

At first, Xiao Mo didn't know the reason, but later learned that when Aunt Qian was chatting with Bai Ruxue, she had said, "Mutton is good for men, they'll have more energy after eating it."

As a result, Bai Ruxue, not understanding the implication, thought "after eating mutton, one would have more energy for studying."

Xiao Mo didn't have the heart to correct her.

After lunch, Bai Ruxue finished washing the dishes and walked out of the yard, seeing Xiao Mo sitting in the courtyard in a daze.

Bai Ruxue washed clothes and hung them to dry in the yard, while Xiao Mo continued to be lost in thought.

When Bai Ruxue was cleaning the courtyard, he was still dazing.

The young woman's eyes moved, and she lifted her small foot in embroidered shoes to step on his foot, but he didn't even react.

After dinner, Xiao Mo was still lost in thought.

By this time, Bai Ruxue's tender cheeks had already puffed up.

She didn't like seeing Xiao Mo like this.

She only wanted to see Xiao Mo happy every day...

In the evening, as night fell, Bai Ruxue seemed to think of a way to improve Xiao Mo's mood and quickly grabbed his hand, "Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, come with me..."

"Where to?" Xiao Mo asked.

"To a place, a place that can make you happy."

With those words, without waiting for Xiao Mo to refuse, Bai Ruxue pulled him up and walked toward the outside of the courtyard.

Bai Ruxue led Xiao Mo up the mountain, walking upward continuously.

After walking for who knows how long, Bai Ruxue brought Xiao Mo to the peak.

By this time, stars had filled the sky.

Because the mountain was so high, Xiao Mo felt as if he was surrounded by stars, standing within an entire galaxy.

As if you only needed to reach out and grab to hold all those countless stars in your hand.

"How is it? Beautiful, right?" Bai Ruxue put her hands on her hips with a small hint of pride.

"It is beautiful." Xiao Mo nodded, "But why did you bring me here, Ruxue?"

"Because you're in a bad mood."

Bai Ruxue pouted.

"Before I came down the mountain with you, whenever I encountered unhappy things, I would come here. As long as I shouted out my troubles, my mood would immediately improve. But after coming down the mountain with you, I rarely come here."

"Why?"

"Because it takes me over an hour to get from the village to the mountaintop, which is very tiring. So I usually just cry on that rock, crying while scolding you, just like last time."

Xiao Mo: "..."

"Alright, alright, come try it quickly." Bai Ruxue pulled Xiao Mo forward, "You must shout loudly."

"This isn't quite appropriate..." Xiao Mo felt a bit embarrassed.

"What's wrong with it? No one will hear. Watch me."

Bai Ruxue stepped forward, turned her back to Xiao Mo, faced the mountains, and shouted loudly:

"Xiao Mo! You big stinky egg! Don't you dare complain that my cooking tastes bad!"

"..."

"Xiao Mo! Stop reading! Come play with me!"

"..."

"Xiao Mo... you're not allowed to scold me, or I won't talk to you anymore."

"Xiao Mo! You're not allowed to marry other girls! Do you hear me?"

"Xiao Mo! You need to cheer up, or I'll be unhappy too!"

The young woman's voice spread from the mountains, her echo reverberating among the towering peaks and ridges.

Looking at her silhouette, listening to her voice.

Every sentence she spoke contained his name.

"That's about it..." Bai Ruxue turned around to look at Xiao Mo, "It's very effective."

Xiao Mo smiled slightly, "Setting aside whether it's effective or not, why... are you scolding me in all of them?"

Bai Ruxue rolled her eyes at Xiao Mo, "Big dummy, because you're the only one in my world."

"..."

Xiao Mo's expression froze slightly, and an indescribable feeling broke free from his heart.

"Just follow your heart."

In Xiao Mo's mind echoed those words Fuchen had said.

His eyes gradually became clear, as if he had understood something.

Yes, follow my heart...

Since she doesn't want to leave, why do I keep trying to make her go?

So what if I pass away after a hundred years?

At least, during these hundred years, I can stay by her side.

After a hundred years.

I return to dust.

She ascends the immortal path.

"Come try it quickly, it's really effective." Bai Ruxue pulled at Xiao Mo's wrist.

"Do I really have to shout?"

"You really have to shout."

"Alright then..." Xiao Mo looked at the towering mountains under the moonlight, overcame his inner shame, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly, "One hundred years is so short!"

"Eh?" Bai Ruxue blinked, then laughed with delight, her laughter like silver bells chiming, "Xiao Mo, what kind of worry is that?"

She stepped forward, stood beside him, faced the same direction, and shouted loudly, "Where is one hundred years short? One hundred years is very long!"

"Silly girl..."

Xiao Mo turned his head and looked at the young woman beside him with a smile.

A hundred years, for humans, is truly very long.

But for you, it's truly very short.