This village was in the wilderness, yet sohow, the villagers here were able to survive for quite a long ti.
Shi Jing was curious as he concealed himself and changed his attire.
Before, his golden eyes was dazzling, combine with lustrous long hair and fine robe, any mortal would recognized that he was an immortal.
After changing his appearance to more older and unrecognizable, he approached one of the emptied village hut and resided there.
During this short venture outside of the Sword Cloud Manor, he has another goal besides the mission. It is to experience more of the world and temper his own dao heart.
At the sa ti, he wished to continue to supplent his comprehension of sword dao through life experiences. And if possible, encounter any fortunate opportunity along the way.
Many of the Sword Cloud Disciple also do this.
So would deliberately take mission which involve traversing the mortal’s world. This is to help them gain insight which aid their cultivations.
anwhile, the village welco another inhabitant.
Shi Jing’s appearance did not attract much attention. In fact, it is common to see newcor co and go in this village.
Shi Jing didn’t interfere either and remained inconspicuous, keeping to himself and barely interact with the people.
As days passed, he quickly learned various things.
For example, the na of the village is "Greenmud Village".
It earned this na due to the mud under their feet bearing a slight greenish hue. Shi Jing find this interesting.
As he settled down in the village, Shi Jing routine beca fixed, just like it did in the Sword Cloud Manor.
His spiritual sense would wrap around the entire village while he comprehends the sword intent as well as practice his sword art.
If anything, there is one addition to his routine that was different.
"Uncle Jing, you told that immortal can slice apart mountain, I don’t believe it!" A kid shouted, pointing his mud stained finger at Shi Jing’s wrinkled face.
Shi Jing chuckled softly, his weathered hands pausing as he nded a fishing net— a skill he observed the villagers practice for days before attempting himself.
The child’s skeptical expression reminded him of his own self a long ti ago back on earth, though their doubts concerned sword techniques rather than the existence of immortals altogether.
"Is that so, Little Rain?" Shi Jing said, using the nickna he has given the boy.
"And what makes you so certain?"
The child—who couldn’t be more than eight years old—crossed his arms in protest.
"Because if immortals were real and could do such amazing things, why would they let us live in this muddy place? Why wouldn’t they help us grow better crops or fix Old Chen’s roof that leaks every ti it rains?"
The question struck Shi Jing unexpectedly.
How was he supposed to answer this?
He has never considered this perspective.
At the Sword Cloud Manor, mortals were distant concepts, people who are protected in the a vague sense, but rarely encountered directly.
Here, their struggles were imdiate and tangible.
Even back when he visited Cangwu City, it was brief and short. Shi Jing was entangled with cultivators most of the ti.
Only now did he experience a mortal’s struggle.
Cultivator pursue immortality, in order to do this, they must pursue the truth. Mortal pursue a happy life, in order to do this, they must pursue wealth and fa.
How are cultivators and mortal any different?
Shi Jing had a feeling he has grasped sothing significant, but it was not there yet.
"Perhaps," Shi Jing said carefully, "Immortals have their own ways of understanding the world. Maybe they believe that struggling through hardship teaches valuable lessons."
"That’s stupid," Little Rain declared with the brutal honesty that only children possessed.
"If I could slice mountains, I’d slice them into perfect farm terraces so everyone could grow enough food. I’d slice a big hole to bring river water here so we wouldn’t have to walk so far to fetch it."
Shi Jing’s hands paused on the net.
The boy’s words carried a simple wisdom that made his own profound sword dao suddenly feel... incomplete.
For all his mastery, had he ever considered using that power for sothing as mundane as improving irrigation? It was a ridiculous concept and act of itself.
Yet, soti, all it takes a simple shift in perspective to see the truth.
"You have a good heart, Little Rain," he said quietly. "Perhaps that’s more important than slicing mountains."
The boy tilted his head, studying Shi Jing’s face with the intense scrutiny children reserved for adults who might be hiding sothing interesting.
"Uncle Jing, you always talk like you know things. And sotis... sotis when you think no one’s looking, you move really weird."
"Weird how?" Shi Jing mused.
"Like you’re dancing with the air. And yesterday, when that big stone was blocking the path to the well, you walked around it, but I swear it looked like you could have just... moved it sohow."
Shi Jing felt a mont of alarm.
Had his concealnt been inadequate? But as he looked into the child’s earnest eyes, he realized Little Rain wasn’t suspicious, rely observant in the way children often were.
"Sotis old bones rember being younger," Shi Jing deflected gently. "As for the stone, why struggle with which can be avoided?"
"But Granny Wu couldn’t avoid it. She had to go all the way around the houses to reach the well on the other side."
At this mont, Jiang Liang burst through the entrance, shouting fervently with anxiety and fear.
"Xiao Yu! Go hide quickly!"
"Uncle Liang, what do you an hide?"
Xiao Yu (Little Rain) was confused, but before he could move, Jian Liang already gestured for Shi Jing to move.
Seeing this, Shi Jing imdiately dragged Xiao Yu and opened a hidden compartnt under the floor and placed him inside.
Xiao Yu, despite being young, noticed that sothing was wrong and hid in there obediently without making a sound.
"Brother Liang, what is going on?" Shi Jing asked, his face still sowhat cold like before, but much more aged now.
"It’s the Tiger Wing gang, they are robbing us again! This ti, if we do not have enough supplies, they will take the children instead!"
Hearing this, Shi Jing frowned.
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