Chapter 693

"Say what?"

Shi Xue gave a light smile upon hearing this, then tilted her head to look at Ren Yidao with profound meaning and asked, "What? Can't old friends meet? Must I have some special motive just to see you?"

Her smile was playful, and her gaze carried some inscrutable emotions.

Friend, what exactly do you mean by saying that?

"Haha, that's not it."

Ren Yidao also started to laugh, shook his head, and said, "After all, you are a very busy person!"

"Even a mountain-dwelling cultivator like me has heard of the legendary deeds of Snow Heroine countless times!"

He emphasized the three words "Snow Heroine" heavily, causing Shi Xue's originally calm and composed expression to change abruptly.

"You! Wait a moment! You said you've heard of my deeds?"

"Of course!"

Ren Yidao rattled off the deeds he had heard from various places as if he were an expert or reciting a menu: "Twenty years ago, a white-clad heroine beheaded a thousand-year-old white snake at Luo Jiao River, saving one hundred thousand villagers suffering from a demonic plague! Fifteen years ago, which heroine was it again who wiped out an evil cultivator riding a giant iron-eating beast outside Xiangliu Prefecture, averting the destruction of an entire prefecture! Ten years ago..."

Clang!

Shi Xue:???

The Snow Heroine, who had been calm and composed until now, could no longer hold her expression; her cheeks quickly flushed with a deep red, and she shouted in a panic, "Stop!!! Don't say any more!"

But Ren Yidao was in the middle of his storytelling high and could not stop; on the contrary, seeing her like this, he became even more excited.

"Don't interrupt me, let me finish!"

Slap!

He struck the gavel and said loudly, "Ten years ago, Snow Heroine helped villagers manage a flood at Red Eagle River, forcing the river to change its course through sheer human effort! Five years ago, she fished without a hook by the banks of Luoshui River, attracting countless heroes to pay her a visit..."

"You!!! Shut up! You..."

Shi Xue stood up abruptly, disregarding everything else, and lunged forward like a fish, wanting to cover Ren Yidao's mouth with her hand.

But unfortunately, she was no match for Ren Yidao at all; with a flick of his finger, he froze her in mid-air, leaving only her eyes able to move.

Immobilization Technique!!!

Is this kind of Immortal's method meant to be used at a time like this!!?

"Mmph mmph mmph!? Mmph mmph mmph!!!"

The furious Shi Xue kept glaring at Ren Yidao with her eyes; if looks could kill, his body would have been riddled with holes long ago.

"Friend, don't be so agitated, let's talk things over nicely."

Ren Yidao sat smiling on his meditation cushion, his fingers moving slightly to control the Snow Heroine, causing her to land back on her own cushion, even posing her with her head bowed and hands pressed together.

"Besides, everything I said is the truth! Isn't it?"

Snap.

With the snap of his fingers, Shi Xue regained control of her body; she swayed slightly, but did not lash out, instead taking a deep breath.

"Hoo..."

Although her current strength was far greater than it had been thirty years ago, and she was no longer the true heroine who could only borrow the prestige of others to bluff, this power still felt so small in front of this man...

"Pfft, hahaha!"

However, just before this frustration could spread, Shi Xue suddenly let out a laugh and shook her head helplessly.

?

"Eh, why are you suddenly laughing?" Ren Yidao blinked, not knowing why Shi Xue had suddenly laughed; was she overstimulated?

So fragile?

That shouldn't be, right?

"It's nothing, I just suddenly realized something and felt that I was a bit ridiculous."

"Hm?"

Shi Xue waved her hand, explaining casually, then muttered to herself internally: "Why are you competing with him!"

It would be one thing to compare with others, but why compare with him?

Although this person looks unreliable, like a young Daoist just starting out, he... is the real deal, the savior of the world!

The world does not know what this world has been through, nor do they know they once faced the threat of destruction, all because this man saved everything and blocked it all out.

Being able to be his friend is already rare enough; what right do I have to compare myself to him?

After sighing for a moment, Shi Xue changed the subject, tilted her head to look at the decorations in the room, and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, I wanted to ask you just now, where are they? Why don't I see your honorable wives?"

"There are only the two of us here." Ren Yidao did not dwell on it and smiled, saying, "When old friends meet, having too many people around is actually not as good."

"Heh."

Shi Xue gave a light huff and shot Ren Yidao a sidelong glance.

Too many, is it?

Heh, men.

She raised an eyebrow and teased, "I think you, this guy, have no good intentions! What? Can't so many people satisfy your desires?"

"Hehe."

Ren Yidao was not flustered at all, keeping his smiling expression, and shrugged: "Say what you will, think what you want, I am at least Questioning the Heart and finding no guilt."

Questioning the Heart and finding no guilt?

"..." Shi Xue narrowed her eyes and shook her head slightly, somewhat regretting having brought up this topic.

Questioning the Heart and finding no guilt... heh, how ironic.

These four words are easy to think of, but truly difficult to achieve.

Just as Shi Xue's mood dipped slightly, Ren Yidao seemed to notice nothing and changed the subject again, asking: "How has Snow Heroine been all these years? Have you already seen this wonderful Earthly Realm?"

"You mean the Earthly Realm?"

Extra (II): Having Known the Vastness of the Universe, One Still Cherishes the Green of Grass and Trees

Bringing up this topic, Shi Xue could not help but think of the bits and pieces she had encountered while traveling alone in the Earthly Realm all these years, her mood shifting along with them as she sighed softly and said, "I have already witnessed it firsthand."

"Then, after seeing it with your own eyes, what are your thoughts?"

Regarding this question, Shi Xue fell into silence.

After a long while, she sighed softly and said slowly, "... Mortals are very fragile."

"Natural disasters, man-made calamities, Demon Beast infestations... in the face of these dangers, they are so weak, just like wheat in the fields, falling over with a light touch."

Over these years, just like the stories Ren Yidao had heard, she had seen a thousand-year-old white snake run rampant, seen evil cultivators raise Demon Beasts with human flesh, and seen river floods swallow up crops... these events that originally only existed in text, she had already seen with her own eyes.

Ren Yidao looked at the deep-in-thought Shi Xue, his voice changing slightly, adding a trace of imperceptible bewitchment as he asked softly, "Then, do you now feel that cultivators are a cut above mortals?"

"... A cut above?" Shi Xue was dazed for a moment, but she soon shook her head firmly.

"Of course not!"

Her answer was sonorous, seemingly dispelling much of the chaos in her mind.

"They are indeed very weak, and many times they can only live by clinging to life, but they never lack the will to resist."

"Facing Demon Beast infestations and man-made calamities, they will gather together and launch resistance against powerful enemies; even if they are ultimately no match, they will seek help from the outside, looking for those who can assist them."

"Facing natural disasters, they do not just blindly flee either, but think of ways to change things—if they encounter mountains, they open them; if they encounter rivers, they build bridges, using their own strength to change the outside world."

"They may not succeed every time, but their struggle... is truly real!"

Shi Xue raised her head, her eyes completely restored to clarity, looking straight into Ren Yidao's pitch-black pupils.

"Ren Yidao."

She called out her friend's name and said earnestly, "Mortals are indeed weak, but they are never the weaklings."