Chapter 1447: Recalling People Upon Seeing Objects and Encountering Fish Thieves, The Origin from Star Pool, Xu Xiaoshou

Under the moonlight, Qingyuan Shan was bathed in a serene glow.

The air was filled with the scent of flowers and the calls of birds, echoing through the quiet ravines.

From the base of the mountain, up along the winding paths, and finally to the waterfall at the rear, every footprint left behind seemed to weave together vines, flowers, birds, stones, water, clouds, and wind, all converging into the patterns of the stars.

Splash...

Emerging from the thicket with a flower in hand, the scene suddenly opened up, revealing a brightness that far surpassed the dimness of the forest.

The view was utterly refreshing, far more expansive than anything in the woods.

There, in the secluded valley, lay a small stone pool, with a waterfall cascading down like a cleansing stream, pooling below before the rushing waters calmed against the mountain rocks.

Dragonfish frolicked in the water, brimming with life.

"What a paradise on earth!"

Yu Zhiwen, dressed in a light skirt adorned with star patterns, was visiting the mountain at that moment and felt truly awestruck by the beauty before her, her heart filled with genuine joy.

In her hand, she held a bunch of freshly picked stars of the day.

The stars of the day had fine, flexible branches and clusters of tiny flowers that shimmered like celestial stars even in daylight.

Though this flower wasn't classified as a rare herb, it was more beautiful than most spiritual medicines, especially when bundled together.

Yet, even this carefully gathered bouquet, which had taken an entire trek across Qingyuan Shan to collect, paled in comparison to the single golden dragonfish in the stone pool, in Yu Zhiwen's eyes.

Beauty was everywhere.

Eyes that could spot beauty were rare in the world of cultivation.

Yu Zhiwen approached the edge of the pool, lifting her skirt as she squatted down and carefully dipped her hand into the water.

"So cool..."

Under the clear moonlight, the dragonfish darted away in fright, their forms like silver clips.

Yu Zhiwen laughed, splashing water and sending the fish scattering in panic.

That night, the moon was full, like a glowing jade disk, leaving no room for stars in the sky.

Yu Zhiwen scattered the stars of the day from her hand into the pool, letting the currents wash them away.

Before long, through her star pupils, she could see the water rippling with specks of light, like a field of stars.

"This is the true beauty of the world..."

"All that fighting and killing is so boring."

She murmured to herself, circling her creation—the star pool—and splashing more water to tease the fish.

Yu Zhiwen reined in her joy, her lips soon pouting in a frown.

She still had serious business to attend to!

The hall master had ordered her to visit the mountain but hadn't explained why, only instructing her to traverse Qingyuan Shan thoroughly and observe the stars to form an array.

"The Thirty-Three Heavens Spinning Star Pattern Array has to be set up in half a day— even the hall master would need some effort for that. It's just bullying me because I have star pupils..."

Yu Zhiwen silently grumbled about the hall master.

This great array, known as the Thirty-Three Heavens, actually had thirty-three layers of variations.

Unlike other arrays, it prioritized the terrain first, then the timing of the heavens, and finally human factors.

Because it was so complicated, the Thirty-Three Heavens array was said to require at least a month to set up properly.

The hall master might manage it in a day.

But if her senior brother Si Tu Yongren were still around, without the enhancement of star pupils, he'd probably need a whole month to complete it.

This array adapted to the local environment.

The most crucial step was "visiting the mountain"!

At most, it involved drawing thirty-three man-made heavenly mechanism patterns; the rest relied on flowers and birds forming paths, mountains and waters creating patterns, all in harmony with nature.

Thus, "visiting the mountain" was the most vital and time-consuming part— any oversight in the details could lead to failure.

Such a troublesome array was something the lazy hall master would never set up himself.

So, back when they were outside Yujing City, after Yu Zhiwen received the heavenly mechanism puppet arm from Xu Xiaoshou, the hall master had ordered her to come here early and "visit the mountain."

She had been exploring the mountain for half the day, scrutinizing even the tiniest details to avoid mistakes, and her star pupils had been active the whole time.

By now, Yu Zhiwen was utterly exhausted.

Fortunately, she only had one step left.

"As long as I connect this waterfall, stone pool, and the surrounding trees into one, the Thirty-Three Heavens Spinning Star Pattern Array..."

"No, the Qingyuan Shan Great Array, will be complete!"

Every Thirty-Three Heavens Spinning Star Pattern Array was unique.

Such a long name was too cumbersome, so Yu Zhiwen preferred to call it the more straightforward "Qingyuan Shan Great Array."

She had even thought of giving it a more beautiful name.

But right now, she just wanted to finish quickly and spend a peaceful night by the pool and waterfall.

"Hmm?"

Crossing the small stone pool to the base of the waterfall, she noticed a small table set up beside the flowing water, complete with brushes, ink, and white paper.

Clearly, someone had been staying here.

In such a tranquil mountain setting, it was only natural for a cultivator to reside.

Yu Zhiwen had already spotted some sword marks around the stone pool, indicating someone had practiced swordplay here.

She approached the table.

The stone stool was positioned right on the water, its height and placement seeming perfectly suited for her, as if prepared just for her.

"Yes!"

Her mood lifted even more!

Yu Zhiwen smoothed her skirt and sat down, lifting the paperweight and flipping over a sheet of paper. Her star pupils suddenly trembled.

In the moonlight, elegant handwriting on the paper read: "Xu Xiaoshou."

Xu Xiaoshou?!

Encountering Xu Xiaoshou in this place, even in this indirect way...

Was it written by the hall master?

Yu Zhiwen felt a chill of surprise.

But the handwriting was clearly that of a woman...

No, on second thought, it could very well be the hall master's idea of a joke!

Yu Zhiwen knew that the hall master's "Dao" character was written with an air of roguish flair throughout.

Just as she reached to pick up the paper with "Xu Xiaoshou" written on it, intending to keep it as a treasured memento and thank the heavens for the coincidence...

A gruff voice boomed from below the waterfall not far away:

"That's mine—you can't steal it."

Someone was here?

Yu Zhiwen's eyes widened in alarm, her heart racing.

She had walked around the stone pool, stepped in the water, and even fed the fish—how had she not noticed anyone?

"Who's there?"

With her left hand, she flipped out her star disk, her spiritual energy surging as heavenly mechanism patterns formed, and she gazed toward the source of the voice.

Splash...

Beneath the waterfall, on a rock, sat a burly giant in a cross-legged position.

He had a simple, honest face, his eyes wide as if trying to muster anger, but it came across as...

Adorable?

That might be the word, though it felt a bit impolite...

This large figure, who had been as still as a rock and undetectable by spiritual sense, now revealed himself.

"So strong!"

"This breath-concealing technique..."

It had completely evaded her spiritual sense!

Yu Zhiwen considered herself no weakling.

Even if her cultivation wasn't top-tier, her star disk should have warned her of any threat, but it hadn't.

—In this ordinary mountain, such an existence could hide from her spiritual sense and deceive her star disk!

Upon closer inspection, Yu Zhiwen realized the giant's aura was at most innate level.

Beside him on the rock stood a stone sword, and combined with the sword marks she'd seen by the stone pool...

"Could he be that sword cultivator?"

A sword cultivator of such imposing size was a first for Yu Zhiwen—more novel than Xu Xiaoshou's mischief.

And this man's appearance had nothing to do with deceit or malice.

Yu Zhiwen reminded herself not to judge by appearances, but looking at the giant, she couldn't help thinking:

"Maybe my star disk didn't warn me because he truly means no harm..."

Yu Zhiwen set down the paper with "Xu Xiaoshou" and waved her hand apologetically, signaling she wasn't a thief.

She stepped back from the table, hesitated, then tried speaking:

"Hello?"

Cao Erzhu fell silent.

He looked at the startled fairy before him, at the fleeting "patterns" on her hand, and his heart grew complicated.

He had been sitting quietly in the mountain, reflecting on the past from his master's stone stool.

His mind had finally calmed, and even thoughts of leaving the mountain were suppressed once more.

Then, out of nowhere, a fairy appeared, playing by the pool, feeding the fish, stirring up ripples.

Her beauty was almost on par with that of August!

She must have some mysterious background—perhaps another August!

But Cao Erzhu no longer wanted to make friends.

He had experienced the pain of parting once and didn't want to go through it again.

He understood what it meant to respect the sacred.

If he stayed hidden, once the fairy tired of playing, she would return to the heavens and never notice him.

But he hadn't expected her to wander to the table and try to steal the last paper August had given him!

Cao Erzhu didn't keep the paper because, as long as the table and paper remained in place, and he on the stool...

It was as if his master were still smiling, and August still writing at her desk.

Only Xiong Baijun was gone.

No big loss—just some bear paws.

So, the paper was for remembrance, not for stealing!

Thus, when he saw the woman trying to take it, Cao Erzhu couldn't help but break his silence and warn her.

And as soon as he spoke...

The fairy turned out to be a witch!

Her hand bore those "patterns," just like that strange uncle's earlier!

His father's warning was still fresh:

"From now on, if you meet anyone who uses those patterns, steer clear. You're not smart enough to outwit them—they'll get you killed. They're all in it together!"

She and that strange uncle were in cahoots!

Cao Erzhu quickly concluded, not wanting to say more, as his father's warnings continued:

"In these troubled times, don't interact with strangers, especially those who seem like good people."

A stranger...

Who seemed like a good person...

And a thief...

This witch had racked up three strikes the moment she appeared!

If he talked to her any more, she might end up gnawing on his bones!

In his mind, Cao Erzhu had already marked this "Hello Witch" with a big red X.

He planned to ignore her completely.

Yu Zhiwen never imagined her image would be associated with "witch," especially at first sight.

But she was at the final stage of her mountain visit and couldn't just leave because he ignored her.

Besides, the appearance of "Xu Xiaoshou" might be connected to this man.

And the giant's position, right in the heart of Qingyuan Shan's spiritual essence, was the ideal spot for the great array!

"I didn't mean to intrude. May I ask if this is... uh, your secluded residence, senior?" Yu Zhiwen bowed slightly, choosing her words carefully.

An innate-level cultivator might not truly be innate-level.

That stone sword might be no ordinary sword.

Naturally, this honest-looking man could be an ancient master!

Yu Zhiwen didn't dare offend him by scanning his bone age with her spiritual sense—that would be as rude as a pervert!

"Sen... ior...?"

The word "senior" hit Cao Erzhu like a thunderclap, more shocking than a waterfall crashing down.

His face flushed, and he nearly jumped up to wave it off.

He wasn't a senior!

He was probably just a few years older than this fairy!

No...

Witch!

Regaining his composure from her melodious voice, Cao Erzhu steadied his resolve.

He didn't stand or wave, his blush hidden in the night and the waterfall's spray.

He couldn't speak, but nodding wouldn't hurt.

As Cao Erzhu nodded, he suddenly felt his presence shift.

It was like...

Donning a greatcoat and embodying his father's aura as a senior!

"That's it—imitate my father and drive her away!" Cao Erzhu thought, patting himself on the back for the brilliant idea. I'm a genius.

Yu Zhiwen sensed the atmosphere change—an intangible shift.

Man and mountain merged, mountain and momentum intertwined.

Mind and path aligned, path giving birth to essence.

In an instant, the man across from her seemed transformed.

Looking again, the giant's honest face now appeared profoundly mysterious.

His presence was like a towering mountain, like the waterfall itself, reminiscent of the primal giant Xu Xiaoshou could become, pressing down so heavily she could barely breathe.

"This is bad..."

Cao Erzhu saw the witch's face turning pale and realized she was probably one of the weaker cultivators in the spirit realm. He quickly eased his pressure.

Yu Zhiwen was deeply alarmed.

Was he truly a hidden master?

But the current him and the one who had shouted "That's mine—you can't steal it"...

Hmm, which was the real him?

Yu Zhiwen didn't dare act rashly. She bowed deeply in full respect and introduced herself: "This humble girl Yu..."

She paused, recalling Xu Xiaoshou's many aliases, and smoothly changed it to: "This humble girl Yu Xingxing greets you, senior."

Cao Erzhu nearly leaped from his seat under the waterfall, feeling like he was on pins and needles.

He couldn't accept this!

He was just a fake senior...

At that moment, Cao Erzhu finally regretted his lie—one lie led to endless more to cover it up. It was truly a mistake not to heed his father's words!

But she had already bowed, and he had accepted it. Revealing his true status now would be like toying with an innocent woman!

Cao Erzhu stayed silent, simply gesturing with his mouth to the side and lifting his chin, trying to be concise:

"Go."

Silence fell under the waterfall...

"Huh?"

Yu Zhiwen was stunned.

It took her a while to realize he meant for her to leave.

But she couldn't reconcile that "go" with his gesture, just as she couldn't connect "mine" with a hidden senior.

What was this feeling?

Like a child awkwardly wearing adult clothes—completely mismatched!

Was it an illusion?

It had to be!

Should she test him?

But what if this senior just had that kind of style...

Yu Zhiwen bit her lip, hiding the smile that almost escaped, and bowed her fist seriously:

"This humble girl was visiting the mountain and had no intention of disturbing your cultivation. It's just that I came across the name of an old friend on this table, and it sparked my curiosity."

She turned, pointing to the inked paper on the table, and asked straightforwardly:

"May I ask, senior, who wrote this name?"

"Senior, do you know Xu Xiaoshou?"

Even as she asked seriously, Yu Zhiwen set a subtle trap.

That handwriting couldn't possibly be this giant's—he'd need paper bigger than the table and a brush thicker than his hand to write; otherwise, it would be like threading a needle!

If he claimed it was his, then something was off.

Since it involved Xu Xiaoshou, testing him wouldn't hurt.

If he denied it... well, she'd deal with that later.

Cao Erzhu fell silent again.

This time, he was lost in her elegant phrasing, nearly getting tangled up.

Once he sorted it out, several realizations hit him:

It felt off—did being a senior require such formal speech? But how to respond...

So, she wasn't a bad person; she just wandered here, like he had years ago? Then she wasn't a witch, because he wasn't a demon either...

And she knew Xu Xiaoshou!

Cao Erzhu's eyes lit up at that.

He remembered asking August what or whom she was waiting for, but she had left without answering, her final sword intent guiding him to the table, where he found the "Seven Swords of the Heavens" manual and the name "Xu Xiaoshou."

Cao Erzhu had sat under the waterfall for half the day and finally confirmed that "Xu Xiaoshou" was likely a person's name.

And he thought he might have heard it before?

He never expected that, just as night fell, someone would show up who knew the name August had left him.

Cao Erzhu suddenly stood up from under the waterfall.

"You know Xu Xiaoshou?"