"Clatter!"
The sound of wind rustling through the treetops reached Yan Rufeng’s ears.
"What’s going on, where is Xiao Jian?"
Lying on the ground, Yan Rufeng looked up at the sky.
"Where am I? Is this the Divine Realm? Why can’t I feel any Divine Origin Energy within ?"
A series of questions flashed through Yan Rufeng’s mind, but only the sound of the wind could answer him.
After a long ti, Yan Rufeng tried to move his arm. A wave of intense pain hit him, and he fainted.
"Climbing the mountain to gather firewood, exchanging it for rice, oil, and salt, enjoying simple als, living a happy life..."
From the depths of the dense forest ca the crisp sound of singing.
A woman in gray hospun clothes, carrying a large bundle of firewood, occasionally wiped the sweat from her temples as she walked slowly along the mountain path.
Suddenly, the woman stopped, put down the firewood, and ran to where Yan Rufeng lay.
After inspecting him carefully for a while, she muttered to herself, "This young man, unconscious and covered in blood, must have been severely injured while fighting soone. If no one saves him, in this desolate mountain wilderness, he won’t survive the night without becoming prey to wolves or tigers."
The woman thought for a mont and said, "Father repeatedly told not to ddle in affairs when gathering firewood in the mountains. Enter late and leave early. But this gentleman’s identity is unknown. If I save him, leaving aside the unknown dangers, given our family’s current situation, we cannot afford another burden."
She turned to leave but stopped after taking two steps.
"No one passes by here for three days. If I don’t save him, he really will die."
She turned back to Yan Rufeng, bit her lower lip, walked to his side, and carried him on her back.
Two mountains connected, and in a flat area, there were a few scattered wooden houses.
From within a wooden house on the village’s outskirts ca a bout of violent coughing.
"Cough... cough..."
An elderly man with white hair, older than fifty, lay on a wooden bed. His weathered face was etched with wrinkles left by ti, though his kind eyes were spirited.
"Wife, has our daughter co back yet?"
"Not yet."
A thin woman was busy with sothing.
"This girl, why hasn’t she returned yet today."
"Uncle Zhao... Uncle Zhao!"
A hurried voice ca from outside the wooden house.
"Gou Dan, what’s the matter?"
"Uncle Zhao, your Xue’er brought a man back!"
"What?"
Uncle Zhao, lying on the bed, suddenly sat up.
"Wife, help down quickly, I want to see what this dead girl is up to!"
The woman walked slowly to Uncle Zhao’s side, saying angrily, "What’s the use of looking? Will you throw the girl out?"
"Sigh!"
Uncle Zhao sighed heavily.
"A family misfortune, truly a family misfortune!"
"Father, I’m back."
Uncle Zhao kept a stern face, lay back down, and said nothing.
"Cough, cough!"
"Sigh!"
"Father’s illness is getting worse."
"Daughter!"
The thin woman greeted her with a smile.
"Oh, daughter, the young man on your back looks alright. Completely covered in blood, he must be seriously injured!"
"Mother, indeed."
"Daughter, why are you still standing there? Quickly put him in the inner room. I’ll go get Uncle Wu to see if this young man can still be saved..."
Soon, everyone in the village heard that the Zhao family’s daughter had carried a man back from the mountains and started gossiping and preparing to see who this man was.
In no ti, ten or so people gathered at the Zhao family’s door.
Soone said, "No wonder Zhao Xue’er didn’t want to marry my family. It turns out she already had a man outside."
"What?"
Soone shouted angrily, "Er Lengzi, what are you thinking? You think you are worthy of Xue’er?"
Er Lengzi sneered, "Da Xiong, try saying that again!"
"Oh ho!"
"Getting angry, are we."
"Stop arguing, neither of you is worthy of Xue’er," a burly man roared.
Ve Xiong and Er Lengzi looked at the speaker, lowered their heads, and dared not speak further.
Inside the wooden house, an old man with a white beard stroked his beard.
"Xue’er, where did you bring this young man from?"
"Master Wu, I found him on South Mountain. Seeing he still had a breath, I brought him back."
"Sigh!"
The old man in white sighed deeply.
Zhao Xue’er frowned.
"Master Wu, can this gentleman still be saved?"
"Xue’er, grandpa advises you to take him back to where you found him."
Zhao Xue’er asked anxiously, "Why, Master Wu?"
"Why?"
"Xue’er, this young man’s bones are all shattered. Even if we save him, he will be crippled. You can save him for a while, but can you save him for a lifeti? Better to send him back!"
Master Wu turned and left the Zhao house.
As soon as he stepped out, people surrounded him.
"Master Wu, can the man Xue’er brought back be saved?"
"Saved? How can a cripple be saved?"
Master Wu flicked his sleeves and left in a huff.
"A cripple!"
"Hahaha..."
Soone laughed, "Since that guy’s a cripple, what am I worried about? Brothers, let’s move on!"
In a flash, the area in front of the Zhao house was empty.
Just as the crowd left, a fierce argunt erupted inside the wooden house.
"Mother, please don’t say any more. I won’t send him back."
"Daughter, you must listen. Didn’t Uncle Wu say? Even if we revive him, he’ll be a cripple."
"Mother, I brought him back. Even if he’s a cripple, I’ll decide what to do after saving him."
"But..."
"Mother, no more ’buts.’ At worst, I’ll just gather more firewood to sell in town."
"Sigh..."
The woman sighed helplessly as she realized Zhao Xue’er was unyielding.
"Mother, you look after this gentleman. I’ll go back to the mountain to get the firewood."
"Xue’er, the sun’s setting. Don’t go, wait until tomorrow."
Zhao Xue’er was already outside the door.
"Xue’er... Xue’er, co back..."
Watching Zhao Xue’er’s gradually disappearing figure, the woman sighed, "What sin did I commit in my past life to care for two cripples in this one..."
The wind blew gently, and the night was silent.
The people of the small mountain village washed away the day’s fatigue and quietly entered their dreams.
In the Zhao family’s wooden house, Yan Rufeng slowly opened his eyes. A beam of light shone in, and in its brightness, he saw a woman in gray carrying a porcelain bowl, carefully approaching him.
Zhao Xue’er’s eyelashes curved, and she smiled.
"Sir, you’re awake."
"Miss, where is this place?"
"My ho."
"Your ho?"
Yan Rufeng tried to sit up.
"Sir, don’t move. Master Wu said you have several broken bones. It’s best to lie down."
Zhao Xue’er walked up to Yan Rufeng.
"Sir, let Xue’er feed you the dicine for now."
After finishing the dicine, Yan Rufeng weakly asked, "Miss Xue’er, is this the Divine Realm?"
"Divine Realm?"
Xue’er froze, then shook her head.
"Sir, Xue’er grew up here in Qingshan Village. I’ve never been outside, so I don’t know where the Divine Realm is."
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