After bidding farewell to the auntie, they hadn't walked far before someone from the next house came out. It was obvious that they had overheard the conversation from earlier, so this time, no one asked if Lin Xiao wanted to come in and sit. Instead, several households simply brought out food for him.
Lin Xiao's basket, which was already full, was now overflowing, the contents propped against his chest just to keep it all from falling out.
By the time He Yi and Lin Xiao finally exited the alley, He Yi could no longer even see Lin Xiao's face behind the mountain of food.
He couldn't understand why Lin Xiao didn't just store all this in a storage bag. Could it be that Lingxian Sect was so poor that their sect master didn't even have a storage bag?
Thankfully, this situation only persisted until they left the alley.
As soon as they reached a quiet corner, Lin Xiao finally pulled out a storage bag and tucked away all the food. Showing something like a spirit ring to He Yi wasn't quite appropriate yet.
Watching Lin Xiao's actions, He Yi frowned and asked, "Why didn't you store it earlier?"
Lin Xiao, having just taken out two freshly steamed, still-dripping ears of glutinous corn, bit into one and, with his words slightly muffled, handed the other to He Yi.
"I held onto it because seeing me carrying the food makes them happy."
Still confused, He Yi instinctively took the corn from him and followed Lin Xiao a few steps before glancing at the corn in his hand, frowning even more deeply.
"How is this mundane food of any benefit to us cultivators?"
Though it smelled faintly fragrant, it contained no trace of spiritual energy. Eating it would simply mean having to expel it later—an unnecessary and trivial task for cultivators.
"Because it tastes good! Auntie's corn is the best in the village. Every time she steams some, the whole village can smell it. You should try it, it's really delicious!"
As Lin Xiao spoke, he quickly finished one cob and immediately pulled out another from his storage bag.
Watching He Yi furrow his brow and stare at the corn as if expecting it to sprout flowers, Lin Xiao urged, "What are you looking at? It's not going to bloom! Hurry up and eat it before it gets cold."
He Yi shot Lin Xiao a look of deep exasperation but, after a moment's hesitation, bit into the corn.
Because of his focus on cultivation and talisman crafting, He Yi had been living off fasting pills for years, rarely eating food, even spirit-infused delicacies. He had always thought eating was a waste of time; any spiritual energy gained from spirit foods could be more effectively accumulated through direct cultivation.
As the food entered his mouth, his chewing was slow and awkward, as though he had forgotten how to eat.
However, because of this slow chewing, each kernel of soft, warm corn gradually burst open, its tender and sweet flavors filling his mouth.
It was… surprisingly delicious.
They walked in silence for a while as He Yi slowly savored the entire ear of corn.
When he finally finished, he stared blankly at the now-bare cob, his tongue involuntarily sweeping over his teeth…
He wanted more.
But he wasn't about to ask Lin Xiao for another.
By the time he realized it, Lin Xiao had already led him to a small hill on the edge of the village.
The hill wasn't high, but from its peak, they could see the entirety of the village below.
Lin Xiao sat down in an open patch at the top of the hill, spread a piece of cloth on the ground, and began laying out all the food from the basket.
Pointing to the other side of the cloth, he said to He Yi, "Sit."
Then, gesturing to the food beside him, he added, "Help yourself. Don't be shy." Without waiting for a response, Lin Xiao turned his attention to the village below, his expression content and peaceful.
"Look at them. How are they any different from us cultivators?"
He Yi silently sat down on the ground, following Lin Xiao's gaze toward the village.
The sun was setting, and the rhythmic calls from the fields sounded like invitations for the cattle and children to return home.
In the village marketplace, the inns and restaurants were already glowing with lanterns, bustling with people. This was the time when everyone relaxed from the day's work, seeking food, drink, and companionship.
Around the village, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, each house lit by only one or two faint lights. Unlike the brightness of the marketplace, these small lights were weak but steadfast, guiding the villagers back home after a long day.
He Yi watched for a while, feeling an unfamiliar, stirring sensation in his chest. But he couldn't quite make sense of it, so he responded in the only way he knew:
"Mortals lack the longevity of cultivators. Their strength is limited, and many things are beyond their reach, while we can achieve those same things with ease."
Without looking away from the village, Lin Xiao shook his head slightly.
"I don't see it that way."
"Cultivators are born as mortals. Through various means, we tap into the power of heaven and earth, gaining strength and rising above ordinary people. How is that any different from those who excel in their respective crafts?"
He Yi instinctively wanted to argue, but Lin Xiao continued before he could speak.
"Regardless of how long one lives or how much power they wield, we are all born under the same sky, all struggling to survive. No one is inherently more noble than anyone else."
"As for the second question you asked me back in the academy," Lin Xiao said as he idly drew circles in the dirt with a small stick, "I don't care for power or ambition. I'm not interested in constantly comparing myself to others or scheming to push anyone down beneath me."
He finished a few circles and raised the stick to point at the village below, his eyes soft with affection.
"But I am deeply in love with the warmth of this simple, human world."
"It gives my heart a profound sense of peace and comfort."
"Everyone has desires. My desire is for the warmth of homes and the lights of countless households."
He Yi, watching the distant smoke rising from the chimneys, felt a strange sensation, as if he had glimpsed something new. But when he tried to delve deeper, he couldn't grasp its meaning.
His gaze locked on that wisp of smoke, now the only thing he could see.
It rose from the earth, twirling gently into the sky.
So light and delicate, so ordinary, and yet it seemed to carry the weight of the world.
In the background, Lin Xiao's voice continued.
"So long as I have the strength, I will protect this delicate smoke, ensuring it never fades."
Suddenly, He Yi felt as though the world had shrunk down to that single wisp of smoke and the sentence that repeated in his mind:
"So long as I have the strength, I will protect this delicate smoke, ensuring it never fades."
...
Just before everything went black, He Yi felt something in his consciousness shatter under the weight of those words.
Beside him, Lin Xiao heard a sudden thud.
He turned and looked at He Yi, now lying unconscious on the ground, eyes closed.
"Is this guy alright?"
Slightly baffled, Lin Xiao stared at him in silence.
Was this man suffering from some hidden illness? How did he collapse without any warning?
Surely this wasn't a scam, right?
Please, no! Lingxian Sect is poor! We can't afford to pay for damages!