Yinan Dao, Xuzhou, Dongqi County, Mo Family Village.

Mo Xiaoniao got out of bed before dawn, quietly went to the backyard, took some herbs like Huang Qi, wild ginseng, and Atractylodes from the kitchen that she bought from the county, and ladled a scoop of water from the water jar, putting it all into a clay pot.

She placed the clay pot on a small stove, then lit the dry branches with a firelighter, stuffed them under the stove, and carefully fanned the air with a fan, lighting the stove. Then she wiped the thin layer of fragrant sweat from her forehead and smiled sweetly.

After setting the herbs to simmer, Mo Xiaoniao hurriedly started kneading dough and made a pot of mush as quickly as possible. She steamed a basket of black buckwheat buns, baked two wild vegetable salty cakes, and scooped a bowl of pickles from a cool corner. After tidying up, she carried it all on a wooden tray to the table beneath the big tree in her courtyard.

"Dad! Breakfast is ready!"

Mo Xiaoniao placed breakfast on the table, just as the sun rose in the east. "Has Brother Qi woken up?"

A burly man was taking a cloth towel from a string of ropes, hung it around his neck, then grabbed a straw hat and slung it over his back. Upon hearing Mo Xiaoniao's question, he laughed heartily, "He should be awake. I heard some movement from the house just now."

As Mo Tiezhan spoke, the door of the wooden house on the side opened, and a scholar dressed in white slowly walked out, smiling shyly, "Thank you for your concern, Miss Mo. I could smell the medicinal aroma before dawn."

Qi Ruoyun smiled and shook his head, "Didn't I say? This is an old wound, just need to rest quietly, no need for medicine, no need to spend money."

Mo Xiaoniao beamed like a blooming flower, "That's alright, Lin Shen and Huang Qi can nourish the Qi. It's always beneficial, and I picked these herbs from the mountain, no cost at all!"

With that, Mo Xiaoniao called the two over, "Dad, Brother Qi, come and have breakfast."

Then Mo Tiezhan, Qi Ruoyun, and Mo Xiaoniao sat around the small table under the tree. Mo Xiaoniao served each of them a bowl of mush and handed them a black buckwheat bun.

Mo Tiezhan took a big bite, finishing a quarter of a bun, then ate it with pickles and mush, eating noisily with big mouthfuls.

Qi Ruoyun ate much more elegantly, nibbling on pickles and buns, sipping porridge, gentle and refined.

Mo Xiaoniao watched Qi Ruoyun eat with a giggle.

A moment later, Mo Tiezhan was the first to finish. He wiped his hands on his clothes, then stood up and took the salty cakes Mo Xiaoniao had prepared for his lunch, laughing, "I'm off to the fields. Once you've finished, Xiaoniao, take Brother Qi for a walk. Even if he's weak, he needs to exercise a bit; lying down all the time won't do."

"I know, Dad, don't worry!" Mo Xiaoniao replied with a smile.

After watching Mo Tiezhan leave, Qi Ruoyun finished eating, and Mo Xiaoniao told him to rest while she began tidying up. A moment later, when Qi Ruoyun was reciting poetry in the front yard, enjoying the morning breeze, he saw Mo Xiaoniao slowly walking over with a bowl of medicinal soup.

"Brother Qi, it's time for your medicine," Mo Xiaoniao said.

Qi Ruoyun's lips curved slightly as he looked Mo Xiaoniao up and down, causing her to blush. He then licked his lips, smiling faintly, "Alright, I'll take the medicine. I love taking medicine."

"Don't pretend it's enjoyable. Don't worry, look what I have here." Mo Xiaoniao giggled, opening her palm to reveal a yellow crystalline substance.

Qi Ruoyun raised his eyebrow, "Rock sugar?"

"Yes, it's very sweet. Drink the medicine then eat the sugar; you won't taste the bitterness," Mo Xiaoniao laughed.

Qi Ruoyun nodded, "Indeed, hand it over."

Mo Xiaoniao stepped forward, handed over the medicinal soup, and watched as Qi Ruoyun drank it in one gulp, then slipped the rock sugar into his mouth.

Qi Ruoyun, with the sugar in his mouth, nodded and smiled, "Bought from the passing peddler yesterday?"

"Huh, how did you know?"

"The peddler's cries could be heard throughout the village, and then I saw you rush out. Today you have rock sugar in your hands; where else would it come from but the peddler?" Qi Ruoyun laughed.

Mo Xiaoniao giggled, "Exactly, Brother Qi is really smart!"

"Is this considered smart?" Qi Ruoyun couldn't help but laugh. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Of course!" Mo Xiaoniao nodded earnestly, then, seeing Qi Ruoyun finish the rock sugar, suggested, "Let me help you walk around the village."

"Alright." Qi Ruoyun nodded. As Mo Xiaoniao moved to support him up, his gaze traveled from top to bottom, landing on Mo Xiaoniao's neck.

Mo Xiaoniao raised her head and saw Qi Ruoyun's somewhat eager gaze, her face flushed again, and she quickly released his arm.

"Let's go." Qi Ruoyun retracted his gaze with a slight smile, then his expression immediately changed.

Beside him, as Mo Xiaoniao was about to walk out the door with Qi Ruoyun, she noticed a thin mist rising outside, vague and distant, making it difficult to see far.

"Huh? The sun's out, how is there still fog?" Mo Xiaoniao said, surprised.

Next to her, Qi Ruoyun's expression had turned completely somber. His eyes flickered as he sensed an immense pressure suddenly emanating from the gray-white mist surrounding them.

"White Cloud Temple? Dongyangzi?"

"Infinite Celestial Venerable, greetings to Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo."

A voice, both ancient and clear, sounded in the ears of Qi Ruoyun and Mo Xiaoniao. Before Mo Xiaoniao could understand what was happening, she felt Qi Ruoyun grab her wrist, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw an elderly Daoist with hair as white as snow at the entrance of their courtyard.

"She's just an ordinary village girl, Divine Monarch. Why pay her any mind, let alone leave her behind?"

Attempting to move Mo Xiaoniao aside was thwarted, as Dongyangzi's gaze flickered, asking calmly.

"What are you talking about?" Mo Xiaoniao said, bewildered, looking at the elderly Daoist, then turning to the sick scholar she had brought in from outside, "What Divine Monarch?"

Qi Ruoyun did not reply, only stared grimly at Dongyangzi, his eyes darting as he sensed his surroundings, asking in a steady voice, "How did you discover me?"

Qi Ruoyun didn't answer Dongyangzi, and naturally, Dongyangzi wouldn't answer Qi Ruoyun either, "With an injury on Divine Monarch, why not return to the Southern Border? Instead, you ventured deep into the Central Plains, aren't you afraid of encountering today's situation? Do remember, with numerous human lives on your hands, you are unlike other Great Demons."

Lu Zheng wasn't aware, but Dongyangzi knew that the recent ambush on Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo had the Da Jing Court bait heavily, hoping to trap Divine Monarch Xuan Ruo. Alas, how could it be that easy?

Hearing this, Qi Ruoyun's lips curled into a smile that felt utterly foreign to Mo Xiaoniao. Though seemingly gentle and warm, it was cold and menacing, "Worthy of the Daoist Sect's leader, coming alone to kill me?"