Chapter 7

Why is her master’s mind filled with nothing but big white geese?

Jianchou truly couldn’t understand. For a moment, she even wanted to crack open Wandering Taoist’s skull to see if a thousand big white geese were flying around inside.

She was stunned for a long time before stiffly replying, “No.”

Wandering Taoist’s face immediately showed disappointment. He stomped his foot and said, “Why did I as a master take in such an unlucky disciple like you! You don’t even know to raise more geese. What a sin, what a sin… Oh, my Ancestor Luye, why did I have to meet you?”

His wails were so pitiful that anyone who saw or heard them would be moved to tears.

But Jianchou only noticed one word: “Who is Ancestor Luye?”

Wandering Taoist shot her a glare.

“A very powerful old witch. Don’t mention her!”

“But Master, you were the one who brought her up first,” Jianchou muttered softly.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing…”

Seeing how fierce Wandering Taoist was, Jianchou realized that this “Ancestor Luye” was probably a taboo topic. She quickly shut her mouth.

“I’ll go back to my room to pack.”

She turned around and hurried into the house.

The sky was still dark, and the night was deep.

The oil lamp in the room was still burning quietly, its flickering flame casting an unstable light that alternated between brightness and darkness.

Jianchou lifted the curtain to the inner room, and a cloud of dust rose. The furnishings inside were the same as always.

She remembered when she and Xie Buchen had first moved here. They had received many kindnesses from people. Since she was leaving now, she felt she should repay those debts.

On an ordinary double-fish cabinet sat a bronze mirror, dimly reflecting Jianchou’s figure.

She saw scattered cosmetics on the table, all of which she had used in the past. She remembered that the eldest daughter of the Liu family nearby liked these things, so perhaps she could leave them for her…

Thinking this, Jianchou sat down in front of the dressing mirror.

She reached up and let down her hair, which had been tied up in a high bun. In an instant, a black waterfall cascaded down.

Her smooth hair clung to her cheeks as she slowly combed it and tied it back into a simple bun.

In the clothing chest, there were still clean clothes. Jianchou took them out and changed out of the blood-stained dress she had been wearing.

She put on a light green dress, its hem swaying as she moved.

She looked at herself in the mirror again, vaguely recalling that the bun symbolizing her status as a married woman had only been worn for three months.

She reached out and slowly turned the bronze mirror over, gently placing it face down on the table, revealing only the patterned back.

Without another glance, Jianchou turned to pack her things.

When Xie Buchen left, he had taken nothing with him.

Not even a single copper coin.

Jianchou had noticed this but didn’t know what to make of it. She could only give a meaningless smile.

She found a large piece of coarse green cloth and spread it on the table outside. Then she placed all the packed items on the cloth.

Soon, the cloth was filled with various odds and ends, including a small axe.

She put the necessary change of clothes into a small bundle and placed some loose silver coins into a money pouch, which she tied to her waist.

Standing by the table in the outer room, the light from the oil lamp had dimmed considerably.

The oil in the lamp was nearly depleted.

Jianchou didn’t refill it. Instead, she glanced at the table.

The sewing basket appeared before her eyes again.

Inside it lay the silver lock with a red string.

Outside, Wandering Taoist had been wailing for a long time, but Jianchou didn’t pay him any attention. He had no choice but to stop and wait for her to finish packing.

But after waiting for a long time, all he heard were various clinking and clanking sounds.

He wondered: Did she really have that much to pack?

Growing impatient, Wandering Taoist strode into the room and saw Jianchou standing by the table, which was covered with a heap of miscellaneous items!

“Ancestor Luye, are you going on a trip or moving house? You’re a cultivator now. Why are you bringing so much stuff?”

He quickly pulled out a chicken leg to eat, calming his nerves.

Wandering Taoist hadn’t expected that Jianchou, who seemed like a smart girl, would be so troublesome when it came to leaving.

Jianchou shook her head. “Not all of it is coming with me.”

Her voice was calm, carrying an indescribable melancholy.

She reached out and finally picked up the silver lock with the red string from the sewing basket.

Her warm fingertips touched the cold patterns on the lock, but she felt a burning sensation in her heart.

She blinked back her tears and put the lock away, saying, “I’m ready, Master. Let’s go.”

With that, she slung the small bundle of clothes over her shoulder and picked up the larger bundle with one hand, along with the axe.

Wandering Taoist’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. “Carrying a bundle is one thing, but why are you bringing an axe?!”

Jianchou replied indifferently, “It’s better than you carrying a goose.”

“…”

Wuwuwu, this disciple’s tongue is so sharp!

Wandering Taoist felt wounded and decided he didn’t want to speak anymore.

Jianchou gently blew out the oil lamp, and a wisp of smoke rose in the darkness.

Only the pale moonlight outside remained.

The ground was covered in scattered silver light.

Jianchou stepped out, closed the door, passed the goose pen, and finally stood at the gate.

She looked back at the simple courtyard.

The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional chirp of insects.

Her first twenty-three years had flowed by quietly, without much turbulence.

This small courtyard was the endpoint of those twenty-three years.

And after tonight, she would embark on an unknown path.

What would happen in the future?

She didn’t know.

As she turned around, it seemed as if Jianchou had let go of everything from her past.

She walked out the gate and saw Wandering Taoist following her, still holding the big white goose. She smiled.

“Creak.”

She closed the door behind her.

“Clink.”

She hung the bronze lock on the door and pressed it gently, locking it.

Jianchou placed the key by the doorframe, as if she were just going on a long trip and would return someday.

Wandering Taoist watched this scene, holding the big white goose in one hand and a broken bamboo pole in the other. A wine gourd hung at his waist, and a strange smile appeared on his face.

“Hehe, feeling complicated, aren’t you?”

“Not really.”

Just a little.

Jianchou slowly exhaled and then turned to walk down the path she had come from.

Wandering Taoist pointed in the other direction. “Your home is at the eastern end of the village. If we keep going east, we’ll leave the village. Why are you going that way?”

Jianchou didn’t answer.

She walked forward.

By now, the villagers were already asleep. The surroundings were dark, with only the bright stars in the sky.

The closest house to Jianchou’s belonged to the Xu family.

When she and Xie Buchen had first moved here, they had received help from this family. Not long ago, Xie Buchen had borrowed their axe to make a stool.

Jianchou bent down and placed the small axe by the tightly shut door of the Xu family.

Next were the Li family, the Zhang family…

In the night, Jianchou’s figure stopped at door after door.

She had also brought out the cosmetics, placing them in a small box at the doorstep of the Liu family.

Perhaps when the sun rose from the valley tomorrow morning, illuminating the village, the eldest daughter of the Liu family would open the door and be pleasantly surprised.

Thinking this, Jianchou smiled softly. After placing the box, she patted her hands and straightened up.

By now, the large bundle she had brought out was gone, leaving only a small, simple bundle.

Throughout the process, Wandering Taoist had initially looked at her as if she were a monster, but by the end, he was filled with admiration.

Jianchou returned and walked alongside Wandering Taoist, smiling as she asked, “Master, don’t you think I’m strange?”

“Not strange,” Wandering Taoist replied, his steps light and leisurely. “Repaying kindness and debts is a sign of deep emotion and integrity. I like that.”

Deep emotion and integrity?

Jianchou wasn’t sure if those words truly applied to her.

But since her master had said so, she decided to accept it.

The two walked on and soon reached the old tree in the center of the village.

Jianchou glanced at it, but Wandering Taoist stopped and looked at the red wish ribbons fluttering in the wind.

He said, “Hang your silver lock here.”

“Master?”

Jianchou looked up in surprise.

“Why?”

“It’s all in the past. You need to let go,” Wandering Taoist said.

Jianchou instinctively frowned and shook her head, unwilling. She smiled bitterly. “My unborn child left me only this small memento. Can’t I even take this with me?”

Wandering Taoist looked at her for a long time before finally sighing helplessly. “Fine, let’s go.”

Perhaps she would understand someday.

Jianchou glanced back at the old tree. Moonlight bathed its branches, and the red ribbons swayed in the wind, some new, some old, like countless people and countless wishes.

She silently pondered the meaning behind  Wandering Taoist ‘s suggestion but ultimately couldn’t bring herself to part with the silver lock. She pushed aside her thoughts and walked on.

“Master, where are we going?”

“Uh…”

Wandering Taoist scratched his head, still holding the big white goose, and thought for a moment.

“Do you know about the Nineteen Continents?”

“No.”

Jianchou answered honestly.

Wandering Taoist explained, “Cultivators possess great power, and the strongest among them can even destroy heaven and earth. That’s why they don’t live among ordinary people. The world you’re in now is the Great Xia Dynasty, a large land surrounded by sea. We call it the ‘Lonely Island of the Mortal World.’ Beyond the sea, there are immortal mountains. Crossing the sea will take you to the Nineteen Continents, where cultivators gather and great powers abound. That’s where we’re headed.”

At this point, he suddenly slapped his forehead. “Wait, no. There’s still one thing I need to do here before we leave. So, let’s head south first. I’ll teach you cultivation along the way, and once I finish that task, we’ll go to the Nineteen Continents!”

“The Lonely Island of the Mortal World… What a strange name…”

Jianchou carried her bundle as she walked along the mountain path. The small village was now far behind her.

The stars in the sky still twinkled brightly.

She glanced at the big white goose Wandering Taoist was holding and couldn’t help but remind him, “Master, aren’t you tired of carrying it? Let it walk on its own.”

“What?”

Wandering Taoist was stunned for a moment before he realized she was talking about the goose.

He suddenly remembered and sat down on the ground, grinning.

“You’re right. I almost forgot. This goose is mine now. I’ve decided to eat it before we go!”

“Eat it?”

Jianchou frowned.

This was a goose she had raised for a long time, and she had some affection for it. Besides…

“Since when did this goose belong to you?”

“Huh?” Wandering Taoist was confused.

“When you asked me to take you as my disciple, didn’t you say the goose would come with me…”

“Oh…”

Jianchou seemed to remember, then her expression turned indifferent.

“That’s right. The goose is coming with you. So, Master, please let it walk on its own.”