Chen Xiao’s expression froze slightly, and he teased, “What, are you afraid of heights too?”
“No, it’s not…”
Chu Qingluan retracted her hand as if she had been shocked. “I just think it would be safer that way.”
“Don’t worry, the Heaven Reliant Sword is very stable, you won’t fall off.”
Chen Xiao understood Chu Qingluan’s intentions but didn’t want to engage.
“Mm.”
Chu Qingluan gave a soft hum, and an awkward silence filled the air.
To break the ice, Chen Xiao asked, “Have you ever been to Jile Island?”
“Mm.”
Chu Qingluan nodded. “The first time I went to Jile Island, I was only four and a half years old. It was the year my grandfather turned one hundred and entered Jile Island. After that, every three years, on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, my father and I would visit grandfather on Jile Island. However, with each passing three years, grandfather became more and more indifferent to me.”
Chen Xiao frowned slightly. Chu Qingluan continued to explain, “That’s because of the arduous cultivation on Jile Island. The longer one cultivates, the less humanity they retain, and their feelings towards the world gradually fade.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao suddenly felt that Jile Island bore some resemblance to the Immortal Hidden Realm; both achieved cultivation breakthroughs by stripping away their own emotions.
At this moment, Chu Qingluan suddenly asked, “By the way, Mr. Chen, do you know why Jile Island is called Jile Island?”
“I don’t know.”
“Guess.”
“I’m not guessing!”
“…”
Sensing Chu Qingluan’s displeasure, Chen Xiao said helplessly, “Alright, then I’ll guess. I guess it’s definitely not a place for pleasure!”
“How did you know?”
Chu Qingluan’s mouth widened in surprise, enough to fit an egg.
“Because if it were, you wouldn’t have asked me to guess,” Chen Xiao said calmly.
“That’s right!”
Chu Qingluan patted her forehead. “It’s not that you’re too smart, it’s that I’m too foolish!”
“You still haven’t told me why it’s called Jile Island!” Chen Xiao asked.
He was actually not interested in the answer to this question; he just wanted to keep the conversation going.
“Because there, the connections between people weaken. Even between father and son, there are no intimate interactions. Without interaction, people become free from worries. Without worries, it naturally becomes a blissful world!”
A hint of sadness appeared on Chu Qingluan’s face. “When I sent my grandfather to Jile Island, he was very reluctant to leave me. But now, I am just a stranger to him… Mr. Chen, would you accept such bliss?”
“Of course not,” Chen Xiao shook his head directly. “Abandoning human emotions is no different from self-castration, it’s complete self-castration.”
“I think so too. However, Mr. Chen, when you get to Jile Island, please don’t say such things… It’s not that I’m worried about what they might do to you, I just feel that they are quite pitiful.” Chu Qingluan said.
Chen Xiao nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m just going to ask some questions. I won’t pry into matters that don’t concern me.”
After speaking, he suddenly realized that Chu Qingluan’s low mood might be related to her father, Chu He.
When Chu He turns one hundred, he will also come to Jile Island.
Although Chu He appeared young, his actual age might be quite advanced. After all, he was a martial artist, and even after turning one hundred, he could maintain an appearance of being in his thirties or forties.
Along the way, the two chatted about various things. Chen Xiao also learned that Chu Qingluan had opportunities to visit the secular world several times a year. Moreover, unlike many reclusive individuals, she genuinely loved the vibrant outside world. In her opinion, the vast world and its myriad beings were how the world was meant to be, not endless, monotonous cultivation.
As they spoke, the two arrived near the border of Huaguo, at Mount Yulong. It was a mountain range perpetually covered in snow and rarely visited by humans. From high above, it resembled a winding white dragon. According to Chu Qingluan, Mount Yulong was home to a mountain-guarding elder. Outside, he was the only one who could open the Boundary Yuan Gate leading to Jile Island.
“Every time I visit my grandfather, I first visit Grandpa Shoushan. Grandpa Shoushan treats me very well. Over time, I feel like I’m visiting Grandpa Shoushan more than my own grandfather!”
Upon reaching the area above Mount Yulong, Chu Qingluan’s mood improved. She pointed to a courtyard built on the mountain. “That’s Grandpa Shoushan’s home. I came in such a hurry this time and didn’t bring him anything. I wonder if he’ll be upset with me!”
“He definitely won’t be,” Chen Xiao said with great certainty. “For an old man who has lived alone in this place for so long, a visit from you is the best gift.”
There were no other dwellings within a hundred-mile radius of the courtyard. One could only imagine the loneliness of living in such a place.
“What should I call this Grandpa Shoushan?” Chen Xiao asked after landing.
“You can call him Grandpa Shoushan too. His surname is Wang, and his given name is Shoushan,” Chu Qingluan replied.
Chen Xiao was speechless. He had initially thought Shoushan was the elder’s profession, not his name.
At this moment, Xiao Hongchan also woke up, rubbing her eyes. Upon seeing the snow-covered landscape, she became excited and shouted loudly.
“Wow, big brother, it’s so beautiful here! Look, there’s a big doggie over there!”
Chen Xiao looked closely. That was no big doggie; it was clearly a Siberian wolf! In such an uninhabited place, Siberian wolves rarely encountered humans. When it saw Chen Xiao and the others, it immediately charged towards them.
It was merely a wolf. Let alone Chen Xiao, even the weakest among the three, Xiao Hongchan, could handle it with ease. Chen Xiao raised his hand, intending to deal with the wolf, which was over two meters long, but Chu Qingluan quickly stopped him.
“Don’t, Mr. Chen, this isn’t a wild wolf. It’s Da Hui!”
Chen Xiao was taken aback. Did this wolf have a name? The wolf’s fur was white with gray streaks, so the name ‘Da Hui’ (Big Gray) was indeed fitting.
“He’s raised by Grandpa Shoushan; he’s Grandpa Shoushan’s companion!”
Da Hui ran over and stopped in front of Chu Qingluan. Chu Qingluan petted its head. It didn’t wag its tail or lick her like a dog, but it showed no intention of harming them, simply standing there quietly, occasionally emitting low growls. Xiao Hongchan also liked Da Hui and rode on its back. Da Hui showed no sign of displeasure.
“How strange. Da Hui came back from outside, but why isn’t Grandpa Shoushan with him? They always move together!” Chu Qingluan muttered, then shouted towards the courtyard, “Grandpa Shoushan, I’m here! It’s Qingluan!”
Chu Qingluan called out several times, but there was no response from the courtyard…