I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

Zhang Yangqing paused for a moment before stating his conjecture: "I suspect that his wife may have regained some consciousness at the last moment, although she may only have one breath left."

"But when she saw her husband break down because he accidentally hurt himself, and even about to turn into a monster, she didn't know what enormous price he had paid, perhaps sacrificing his remaining soul, or perhaps some kind of obsession that we cannot understand."

"Then the wife transformed into this vibrant tree, using her last moments to protect and comfort her husband who had lost his mind."

Zhang Yangqing made these judgments because he felt that the husband was indeed very kind and, after his death, did not want others to repeat his mistakes, so he was still doing good deeds here.

Therefore, his wife is most likely a very kind person, based on this inference.

Zhang Yangqing continued, "Even after he became a bizarre pseudo-human, he still lingered here in his subconscious, unwilling to leave. It was precisely because he instinctively sensed his wife's presence that this unwavering bond became the last anchor of his remaining humanity."

"The two of them, one transformed into a tree to protect, the other into a monster to accompany him, unexpectedly became a guide for those who came after, using their bloody tragedy to warn future generations."

Zhang Yangqing looked at the chairman with a deep gaze: "As fellow 'extraterrestrials' who have entered this world, imagine if we were to die here, our greatest wish would perhaps be nothing more than to have some dignity."

The chairman fell silent, fully understanding the weight in Zhang Yangqing's words.

He could imagine that the couple must have been powerful and influential figures in their original world, otherwise they would not have been able to enter the Undying Mountain.

But in the end, it ended in such a tragic and poignant conclusion.

A feeling of shared sorrow, like that of a rabbit mourning the death of a fox, or of one's own kind feeling of loss, welled up in my heart.

"Then how should we give them this respect?" The chairman's voice was a little hoarse.

Zhang Yangqing did not answer, but walked straight to the dying white-skinned fake man.

He stretched out his palm, and chaotic energy appeared in his palm. He slowly pressed it against the fake man's forehead.

A powerful suction force was generated, beginning to draw out the chaotic, filthy, and eerie primordial energy from the pseudo-human's body.

As the eerie energy was stripped away, the pale, distorted pseudo-human appearance gradually faded away like a faded canvas, eventually revealing the human body wrapped beneath.

He was a handsome young man, yet bearing the deep marks of pain. His eyes were closed, and his face was serene, as if he had simply fallen into a deep sleep.

This is who he truly is.

Zhang Yangqing picked a bunch of unidentified white flowers that were growing tenaciously in the eerie environment and gently placed them on the man's chest. He then wrapped his arms around the bouquet, forming a peaceful posture.

Seeing this, the chairman silently stepped forward, broke off a few green branches from the side, and carefully placed them beside the man as a silent tribute.

For these two still-living "extraterrestrial visitors," this might just be a trivial matter that they did on a whim.

But for this deceased man who had long been mired in suffering and existed in the form of an ugly monster, this was the final solace that allowed him to escape that wretched form and regain dignity and respect.

Just then, the lush tree seemed to sense something, radiating a soft and warm golden light. A golden leaf with clear veins and containing strange life energy gently drifted down from the treetop and landed squarely in Zhang Yangqing's palm.

What emanated from those leaves was a sense of relief, gratitude, and blessing.

Zhang Yangqing and the chairman, both seasoned veterans of life and death, did not linger.

They nodded slightly to the tree and the resting man as a farewell, then turned and headed towards the village, which also led them deeper into the Undying Mountain.

On the way, the chairman seemed still immersed in the tragic and fatalistic atmosphere from before. He asked in a low voice, seemingly lost in thought, "Do you think that if we both die in a godforsaken place one day, will someone kindly come along and collect our bodies?" Zhang Yangqing didn't even turn his head, replying in his signature, emotionless tone, "No need to wait for someone else. Considering our past cooperation, I'll be a friend and collect your body."

This statement clearly shows that Zhang Yangqing is saying: You can die all you want, don't drag me down with you, thank you.

Zhang Yangqing eliminated any possibility of raising the banner of death.

Chairman: "."

His carefully cultivated melancholic and sentimental demeanor was instantly and completely destroyed by that one sentence!

He glared at Zhang Yangqing's retreating figure, both amused and exasperated, thinking to himself: This guy has absolutely no sense of romance!

But for some reason, the heavy feeling that had been weighing on my heart was actually lessened quite a bit as a result.

When Zhang Yangqing and the chairman returned after handling the funeral arrangements for the white-skinned imposters, the four impatient children immediately surrounded them, chattering excitedly as they led the way to their village.

Along the way, the children excitedly discussed their experience, especially the feat of "guiding" the patrolmen to leave.

"If we encounter the patrolmen getting lost again, we'll know what to do!" The tall boy said, head held high, looking smug.

"I wonder how surprised and delighted my parents will be if I tell them about this!" The chubby boy imagined the scene of his parents praising him.

"That's a huge achievement!" the skinny boy chimed in.

For the native inhabitants of the Immortal Mountain, being able to safely deal with or even "guide" the patrolling envoys is undoubtedly an extremely valuable source of intelligence and a survival strategy.

The Mountain Patrolman had always been a nightmare hanging over them. Countless strongmen from various tribes had suffered the "bone-pulling and soul-draining" fate because they had strayed into his mist or violated his rules. The fact that it could be resolved so "peacefully" was nothing short of an unprecedented miracle.

This harvest was enough to shake the entire village.

Zhang Yangqing and the chairman followed silently behind, listening to the children's discussion without interrupting.

The two walked for quite a distance, passing through several woodlands where glowing fungi grew, and crossing a stream with pale duckweed floating on it and emitting a faint fishy smell. The surrounding scenery gradually changed from desolate and eerie to having a hint of human presence.

Finally, a village nestled in a mountain valley came into view.

The village is small, with about a hundred households. Most of the houses are built with rough black stone and unknown wood, and are low and sturdy.

The sky remained overcast throughout the day, with a few wisps of smoke rising from some of the rooftops, adding a rare touch of life to this desolate mountain valley.

However, the entire village exudes an indescribable sense of mystery and desolation.

There were few people outside, only a few younger children chasing and playing in the open space, making some soft laughter.

Most houses had their doors and windows closed, so the inside couldn't be seen. The streets were almost deserted, with hardly any adults in sight.

"The adults in the village seem to rarely come out, which feels a bit strange, as if they're avoiding something scary," the chairman said to Zhang Yangqing in a low voice, his sharp gaze sweeping over the silent houses.

Zhang Yangqing also realized this, because he sensed that this did not seem to be a purely indigenous village!
(End of this chapter)