The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

"I'd rather die speaking out than live in silence." This was a principle Wang Zhenhuan had always adhered to and firmly believed in, so no matter what difficulties he encountered on his journey south, he never considered giving up.

But seeing the raging fire burning below the mountain, his hopes were almost completely extinguished. For the sake of just these three refugees, these Jurchens had actually set the mountain ablaze.

He slid down the tree trunk quickly, ignoring the branches tearing his clothes and scratching his skin. He ran back to the cave and said to Lin Qingyan and the woman in a panic.

"Stop eating! The Jurchens are setting the mountain on fire!! Find something to block the cave entrance! Quickly!"

As Wang Zhenhuan spoke, he picked up the tattered quilt and stumbled towards the cave entrance. He intended to soak the quilt and use it to block the entrance. However, he hadn't expected this.

It was autumn, and the fire, fanned by the wind, spread rapidly. By the time he ran out of the cave again, he found that the fire had already reached halfway up the mountain, and it was too late to block the entrance.

The sharp, needle-like pain in his forehead seemed to be a reminder that staying put was not an option. So Wang Huanzhen threw down the blanket, returned to the cave, and pulled Lin Qingyan, who was tidying up, along with him.

After beckoning to the woman, he ran towards the cave entrance. Once outside, he led the two of them upwards. The mountain vegetation was burning, emitting thick smoke, and the surrounding temperature gradually rose.

"Madam, where is there a water source on the mountain? Only by going to a place with water can we possibly escape this wildfire."

After thinking for a moment, the woman walked ahead and led the way. Wang Huanzhen and Lin Qingyan followed behind, his heart filled with anxiety, wishing he could grow wings and carry them far away.

Lin Qingyan already had a fever, and as the surrounding temperature rose, her face gradually turned red. Her consciousness began to become somewhat hazy, but she didn't make a sound, only gritting her teeth and following behind Wang Zhenhuan.

Wang Zhenhuan kept glancing back, constantly monitoring the movement of the wildfire. As he continued upwards, the pain in his forehead gradually lessened. He walked for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Then they heard the clear sound of spring water. Wang Zhenhuan was delighted and looked up. There, nestled among the trees not far away, a clear pool of water appeared before them.

Behind the pool is a low cliff with a clear spring flowing down its slopes. The water crashes into the pool, shattering into silvery sprays that then create a white mist on the surface.

The entire pool appeared shrouded in mist, a scene straight out of a fairyland. However, Wang Zhenhuan had no time to appreciate it at this moment. He pointed at the pool and said anxiously.

"Quick, jump in. Don't show your face when the fire comes." After saying that, he pushed Lin Qingyan toward the pool, then gripped his curved knife and bent down to clear the bushes around the pool.

Lin Qingyan's head was spinning, and she was in a daze. She only heard Wang Zhenhuan say to jump in, so she followed the direction Wang Zhenhuan was pointing and jumped straight into the water.

The icy spring water sent a shiver through her body, clearing her mind considerably. Then, the short, plump woman also leaped into the pool, landing in the water and embracing Lin Qingyan.

After Wang Zhenhuan cleared away the bushes around the pool, the surrounding temperature began to get scorching. He stood up and looked around. He saw thick smoke billowing from the woods not far away.

He turned and ran towards the pool, the scorching wind blowing his disheveled hair behind him. He crossed his arms, jumped into the water, and swam with all his might towards the woman and Lin Qingyan.

After reuniting with the two, the three floated in the middle of the pool. Wang Huanzhen held them tightly, looking towards the woods behind them. At this moment, the faint light of fire could already be seen in the forest.

The mist around the pool had long since dissipated, and the surface moisture began to evaporate gradually as the temperature rose. Lin Qingyan tilted her head, leaning against Wang Zhenhuan's chest.

Under the combined shock of the sudden temperature change, he finally fainted. Wang Zhenhuan, his eyes red, watched the approaching wildfire, his heart filled with despair. He and Lin Qingyan were just two ordinary mortals.

They wanted to survive in this chaotic world. Was they wrong? Why does this cannibalistic era relentlessly pursue them, unwilling to let them go? Was their very existence a mistake?

He looked up at the sky, hoping for an answer. But unfortunately, all he got in return was thick smoke. Wang Zhen was utterly desperate. He held Lin Qingyan tightly, closed his eyes, and waited for the final moment to arrive.

Qingyan is right. If we can't live together, then dying together sounds pretty good...

tick-

Suddenly, a drop of water landed on Wang Zhenhuan's forehead. At first, he thought it was his imagination, or perhaps water dripping from a cliff. But as more and more drops fell...

He opened his eyes in disbelief, and within a few breaths, a torrential downpour began. The raindrops, the size of soybeans, stung him slightly as they hit his skin.

Boom—

A deafening clap of thunder echoed through the sky, as if the actions of these golden figures had angered the heavens. Wang Huanzhen looked up and saw that dark clouds had covered the sun.

The whole world seemed to plunge into darkness all at once. He looked at the sky, opened his mouth wide, and laughed heartily, letting the raindrops fall into his mouth and into his eyes.

"Haha, hahaha, heaven hasn't forsaken me!! Hahaha! Heaven hasn't forsaken me...!"

He roared hysterically, as if trying to vent all the grievances in his heart. And the dark clouds in the sky seemed to hear his response.

The thunder seemed to echo him, resounding through the sky. He was already weak, and had not eaten the rice porridge he had cooked. The continuous climbing and roaring finally exhausted him.

He gazed at the still-dark sky, yet his heart was filled with light. In that moment, he finally understood that the world had not abandoned him, nor had heaven. He closed his eyes contentedly, letting his body sink into the water.

In the last moment before he closed his eyes, he seemed to hear a long, drawn-out cry of a crane in the clouds. In that instant of thunder and lightning, a Taoist priest with a long white beard seemed to be standing in the clouds, waving his hands in a ritual.

"So there really are gods in this world..."

Wang Zhenhuan muttered something as his body slowly sank into the water. The short, plump woman, seeing that Wang Zhenhuan and Lin Qingyan were both unconscious, grabbed them and swam towards the shore. After she got them ashore...

The dark clouds in the sky dissipated, and the blinding sunlight shone down again. She instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes. At that moment, a soft thud sounded not far away. After the woman's eyes adjusted...

Looking up, one could see an old man in a white Taoist robe riding a huge white crane with a wingspan of at least two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), landing on the shore not far away...