After hearing the story, Liu Xiaomei left.
You were left alone at home again, feeling lonely.
It got dark.
You put away the chair and returned to your room.
"Sometimes, finding a wife isn't bad; at least You wouldn't be so lonely."
You sighed.
*Slap!*
You slapped yourself again: "Lao Di, it's still not working."
"Instead of wasting time sighing, it's better to Cultivate."
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, You continued to circulate the Tai Bai Ice Heart Skill.
Cultivate diligently!
Surpass yourself!
In the fifty-fifth year, You had already gotten used to living alone.
But You still felt it was a pity.
Two years ago, after Liu Xiaomei turned thirteen, she stopped coming to play with You. After all, there's a difference between men and women, and being seen with You constantly was bad for her reputation.
This made your life much less joyful.
And there was no sense of anticipation anymore.
On this day, You were cultivating while basking in the sun.
A sound of footsteps came, and Liu Xiaomei walked over excitedly: "Er Gou Grandpa, I'm getting married!"
She showed a sweet smile, unable to hide her joy.
Liu Xiaomei was also fifteen this year.
At this age in this era, it was time to get married.
"Congratulations, congratulations."
You smiled and looked at her, taking out a bamboo slip from under the chair: "I'm old and can't walk far, so I probably can't go to your wedding."
"This is a small token of my regard."
Liu Xiaomei took the bamboo slip: "Er Gou Grandpa, this, these are the stories You told me?"
Most children in the village didn't have the chance to study and read.
But You had taught her before.
Liu Xiaomei was also one of the few girls in Black Mountain Village who could read.
"Hmm, do You like it?"
"Yes, yes, I like it! This is the best gift I've ever received!"
Liu Xiaomei hugged the bamboo slip tightly.
"Er Gou Grandpa, the one marrying me is Zhang Liming from the next village. He's also fifteen this year and is a scholar. My grandpa said the Wang family has a shop in the city, doing a small business, so life will be good after I marry him." Liu Xiaomei suddenly said.
"That's indeed very good."
"Er Gou Grandpa, the two villages are far apart, so I won't be able to visit You often in the future. You must take care and look after your health."
As Liu Xiaomei spoke, she couldn't help but cry.
"Don't worry, I'm already this old; don't You think I know that?"
You comforted her and wiped away her tears.
You had watched her grow up, so naturally, your feelings for her were deep.
"Oh right, Er Gou Grandpa, this is the gift I prepared for You!"
Liu Xiaomei suddenly pulled out a piece of black cloth from behind her. When she opened it, inside was actually a wooden knife.
"How is it? Is it pretty? I made it myself for three years before it was finished."
You held the exquisite wooden knife and smiled.
"It's pretty. This is the best gift I've ever received in my life."
You looked closely and saw that a line of small characters was actually carved on the handle.
"Er Gou!"
It was your nickname.
After saying a few more words, Liu Xiaomei left.
She was about to become someone else's wife, and it wasn't good for her to keep staying at the home of an old bachelor; it would cause gossip.
You wished Liu Xiaomei a lifetime of happiness.
You sighed. For some reason, You felt the air was a bit cold.
Looking at the wooden knife in your hand, You treasured it: "This must be kept well."
How could You not cherish a gift that a little child spent three years preparing?
Time continued to flow.
You didn't go to Liu Xiaomei's wedding and kept cultivating diligently at home.
Only the last level of Realm was left.
Inner Strength Peak, You were determined to achieve it.
In the sixtieth year, You cultivated day and night and finally found the feeling of breaking through.
Early this morning, You were seeking an opportunity for a Breakthrough outside the courtyard.
But You suddenly heard the sound of a funeral procession. You glanced over curiously.
Who died??
Hmm?
It was the Village Chief.
With your excellent eyesight, You clearly saw the Village Chief's name.
This old fellow was also eighty years old this year.
Dying at this age was already quite rare in this era.
Sitting down again, You were lost in thought.
In the sixty-fifth year, at the age of eighty, You stood tall in the early morning. After taking a piss, You successfully broke through, stepping into the Inner Strength Peak.
This was already your limit.
Without subsequent cultivation methods, You could not break through to Outer Strength in this life.
You carefully felt it out.
Your vitality at eighty years old was still decent, but You had a head full of white hair.
At most, You could live for another ten years.
You changed into white clothes, carried the wooden knife on your back, and prepared to leave Black Mountain Village.
For the last ten years, You planned to give it your all.
Use your life to exchange for an Outer Strength cultivation method!
Leaving the village, You traveled all the way forward.
Just as You were about to leave, You met a middle-aged man. When he saw You, he was surprised: "Are You Er Gou Grandpa?"
You nodded and also remembered. This seemed to be the Village Chief's second son, Liu Haizhu.
"Er Gou Grandpa, I didn't expect You to still be alive?"
Liu Haizhu was full of surprise: "You have a much better life than my Dad. Alas, if it weren't for that incident, my Dad might have lived a few more years."
You smiled, crossed your arms, and casually asked: "What incident?"
"You don't know?"
Liu Haizhu looked surprised.
"Hmm?"
You narrowed your eyes, feeling that things were not simple.
"Tell me about it."
Liu Haizhu shook his head: "Since You don't know, I won't say anything. You are old, and hearing it might not be good for You."
He shook his head and turned to leave.
"Tell me!"
You stopped him, your gaze firm.
Liu Haizhu was helpless and finally sighed.
"It was Liu Xiaomei. Five years ago, Liu Xiaomei was pregnant, and her husband also passed the imperial examination, so their life was getting better and better."
"When she went to the temple outside the city to offer incense, Liu Xiaomei was taken fancy to by the Gongzi of the Wang family in the city... and was... humiliated on the spot."
"Liu Xiaomei lost her child, and in a moment of impulse, she committed suicide."
"The Wang family holds high status and power, and they are the overlords of the entire Tianming City. Liu Xiaomei's husband wrote a divorce letter and married a daughter from the Wang family, and his official position rose another level."
"My Dad couldn't hold back after hearing this news and died of anger on the spot."
Is that so?
You took a deep breath, only feeling a surge of cold air rushing recklessly through your body.
How many years had it been since You last acted? How many years since You last killed?
"I'm fine, don't worry."
Patting Liu Haizhu's shoulder, You gripped the wooden knife and walked step by step towards the distant mountains.
A couple of hours later
You arrived at two graves, one large and one small.
The large one belonged to Village Chief Liu Yishou, and the small one belonged to Liu Xiaomei. Liu Xiaomei's tombstone also recorded the name of her unborn daughter.
You knelt on the ground and silently paid respects.
Standing up, You drew the wooden knife, your gaze cold: "I don't want justice; I just want to kill people and get revenge."