On the wooden bed, Xiao Mo slowly opened his eyes.

The moment his consciousness returned, he was assaulted by a piercing, bone-deep pain.

After rehearsing for his wedding ceremony in the real world, Xiao Mo had rested for just one day. Feeling slightly better, he had returned to the Hundred Generations Book.

But he had lost consciousness the moment he returned, only waking up now.

"Where am I?"

Xiao Mo’s blurry vision gradually came into focus.

What greeted him was an unfamiliar ceiling.

He sat up and looked around.

It was an ordinary farmer’s house.

Xiao Mo closed his eyes and looked inward at his own body.

Both his Spirit Veins and Root Bone were severely damaged.

His own Realm had fallen to the Cave Mansion Realm, and even that was precarious, on the verge of collapsing completely.

’Just as I expected,’ Xiao Mo thought, shaking his head.

He had long anticipated the consequences of failing to Cross the Tribulation.

But to say he felt no disappointment now that he was actually facing it would be a lie.

Throwing back the covers, Xiao Mo struggled out of bed.

He steadied himself against the wall and walked out of the room, one step at a time. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

In the courtyard, Wangxin was brewing medicine.

Soot from the stove had smudged her face, leaving a dark streak across her fair cheek.

"COUGH COUGH COUGH..."

Wangxin choked and coughed a few times before continuing to fan the flames.

When the medicine seemed ready, Wangxin quickly stood up and reached for the pot.

But the heat made her immediately snatch her hand back, and she quickly touched her soft earlobe in reflex.

On the other side of the yard, Little Chaos was flapping its wings, chasing a hen.

The hen, pursued by Little Chaos, flapped frantically, scattering feathers all over the ground.

A little girl was grinding herbs with a pestle.

Despite the winter cold, which had turned her small hands red, she was working with intense focus.

And looking at this little girl, Xiao Mo felt a sense of familiarity.

His mind was a muddle, however, and for a moment he couldn’t recall who she was.

Just as the girl poured the mashed herbal juice into a small bowl to take to Sister Wangxin...

The little girl let out a small "Ah!" and then stared at Xiao Mo in disbelief.

She looked again and again, and finally, certain she wasn’t mistaken, she shouted excitedly, "Sister Wangxin! Sister Wangxin! Brother Xiao is awake...!"

Hearing Ning Wei’s voice...

Wangxin turned her head and saw Xiao Mo really was there, leaning against the doorway.

"Migu? Migu!!!"

Seeing its master was awake, Little Chaos gave up chasing the hen and flew over to Xiao Mo, nuzzling its face against his repeatedly.

A bright light flashed in Wangxin’s clear eyes. "Xiao Mo, you’re awake! You’re too weak, you shouldn’t be up."

"That’s right, Brother Xiao. It’s cold out. You should go back and lie down," the little girl added, equally worried.

"I’m all right," Xiao Mo said, shaking his head. "Where am I? And you are... little sister?"

"Brother Xiao, you don’t remember me? I’m Ning Wei, it’s Weiwei from Fengye City..." Ning Wei said happily. "This is my home. You were floating in the river, and my mother pulled you, Sister Wangxin, and Little Chaos out."

"So it’s Weiwei." Xiao Mo remembered now. "I haven’t seen you in over three years. I can’t believe you’ve grown so much. But didn’t you and your mother go to Blood Sin Peak? What happened? Did Blood Demon not take you in?"

"That’s not it, Brother Xiao."

Ning Wei waved her hands and quickly explained.

"Sister Blood Demon did take us in. We lived at the Wandao Sect for a long time, and both Sister Blood Demon and Sister Yunwei were very good to us.

But a while ago, Sister Blood Demon told me to come to the Mortal World to train for a while. She said my Yin-Yang Eye needed to be exposed to more Red Dust Qi so I could achieve greater heights in the future.

Sister Blood Demon said she would come get us in four years."

"..."

Listening to Ning Wei’s words, Xiao Mo frowned.

In Xiao Mo’s view, Blood Demon’s so-called "exposing the Yin-Yang Eye to Red Dust Qi" was complete nonsense—nothing more than an excuse.

’But then again, why would that woman, Blood Demon, have them leave first?’

’The line about "picking them up in four years" sounded more like she was sending them to safety, trying to keep them from getting caught up in something.’

’What has Blood Demon been doing while I was away from the Wandao Sect? What happened to the Sect?’

"Xiao Mo, let’s go back inside to talk. I’ve brewed some medicine, and you need to drink it while it’s hot." Wangxin gently tugged at the corner of Xiao Mo’s sleeve.

"Brother Xiao, let’s hurry back to the room and drink your medicine," Ning Wei urged, also pushing Xiao Mo. "Mother said you must drink your medicine when you’re sick to get better. Sister Wangxin has worked very hard brewing it for you."

"All right."

Seeing how anxious they both were, Xiao Mo allowed Wangxin to help him back to the bed, where he lay down again.

Wangxin filled a spoon with the medicine, blew on it gently to cool it, and brought it to Xiao Mo’s lips.

"I can still move. I can do it myself."

Xiao Mo took the bowl and spoon and quickly drank all the medicine Wangxin had brewed.

As he drank the bowl of medicine, Xiao Mo could feel the liquid nourishing his Spirit Veins, even attempting to repair them and his Root Bone.

But he felt his body was a complete wreck, unable to hold onto any of it.

"Wangxin, these Spirit Medicines must be quite precious, right? But you don’t have to brew them anymore. For a body like mine, it’s just a waste."

Xiao Mo said, handing the bowl back to Wangxin.

"It’s not a waste," Wangxin said, looking at Xiao Mo earnestly. "And Xiao Mo, your body will definitely get better."

"I know my own body," Xiao Mo said calmly. "After failing the tribulation for the Immortal Realm, it’s a miracle I’m even alive."

"..." Wangxin lowered her head, her lips parting as if to say something, but she didn’t know how to begin.

"Don’t worry, I’m fine. If I were to fall apart just because I failed my tribulation, it would only prove that’s all I was ever worth."

Xiao Mo knew what Wangxin was worried about.

After all, most people would assume that a prodigy who had fallen to his current state wouldn’t be able to handle it mentally.

"I’m a little tired. I’d like to rest for a bit," Xiao Mo said to Wangxin and Ning Wei.

"Then get some rest, Xiao Mo."

Wangxin still gave Xiao Mo a few worried glances before picking up Little Chaos and leading Ning Wei out of the room.

In the empty room, only Xiao Mo remained.

Xiao Mo looked at the Spirit-Collecting Blade lying to the side. He got out of bed again and walked to the table.

But when Xiao Mo tried to draw the long blade, it wouldn’t budge an inch, no matter how hard he tried.

"I can’t even draw you anymore?"

Looking at the old companion that had been with him for so many years, Xiao Mo couldn’t help but laugh at himself.