Chapter 3: Forbidden Land of the Heavenly Dao

Zhang the Butcher’s home was at the entrance of the village.

After hastily escaping from his senior sister’s place, Lin Wuming made his way in that direction.

Along the way, the scenery was as peaceful as always.

Villagers in simple clothes moved back and forth.

Street vendors shouted to advertise their wares.

Passing by a teahouse, a few casually dressed old men sat chatting boastfully about their younger days.

In a modest cosmetics shop, vibrant young girls and elegant older women carefully selected makeup.

To Lin Wuming, such honest and simple scenes were more comforting than the bustling cities.

That’s also why he had stayed in this remote village for nearly a year.

Maybe it was the effects of transmigrating, but after arriving, his mind had become sharper.

It only took him half a year to master his senior sister’s zither(a stringed musical instrument) skills.

Since then, he occasionally performed at teahouses and similar venues to earn some appearance fees.

His exceptional playing quickly earned him a reputation, and he had managed to save up a modest sum.

Honestly, if someone asked him to leave now, he would actually feel reluctant.

After all, the world outside was dangerous—unlike here, where everyone was a “newbie.”

It just felt relaxing.

He bought a sugar sculpture shaped like a little rabbit from a roadside stall, holding it in his hand as he walked straight to Zhang the Butcher’s home.

“Zither Master Lin, you’re here!”

As soon as he knocked, Zhang the Butcher greeted him warmly.

Normally rough and informal, he still tried to speak more refinedly in front of the scholarly Lin Wuming, affected perhaps by Lin’s elegant and cultured aura.

“How’s the girl?”

Lin Wuming nodded in greeting, then got straight to the point.

“Well…”

Zhang the Butcher’s face darkened slightly.

He shook his head with a sigh.

“Not good. She hasn’t spoken a word, and no one knows what she’s thinking. At first, she ate a little, but now she won’t even eat. She just sits on the bed in a daze all day, doing nothing… or maybe she’s simply incapable of doing anything.”

Lin Wuming nodded—after all, with her meridians shattered and her legs and eyes ruined, what could she possibly do?

“Zither Master Lin, please go see her. Try to think of something… or this child… might not live much longer.”

Zhang the Butcher said with a complicated expression.

If it weren’t for the suppression of heavenly law that completely blocked the use of spiritual power, the village’s apothecary, Master Ma, could’ve healed her with a snap of his fingers.

But now…

This girl, like Lin Wuming, had accidentally wandered in from the outside world.

Though unlike Lin Wuming—who had entered the village in his mortal body unharmed—she had been gravely injured and had still somehow made it through the Forest of Heavenly Dao before passing out.

That alone was extraordinary.

She must have been a top genius in the outside world.

What a pity she had now become a cripple.

With Zhang the Butcher’s experience, he could tell she had already given up on life.

But letting her die like this was still a shame.

Perhaps letting her become the disciple of that little fox girl would be good for her.

She could learn the zither and live a peaceful life here.

After all, this place—the forbidden land of the Heavenly Dao—was hard to enter, but even harder to leave…

That little girl next door, also surnamed Zhang, didn’t believe in that.

She tried to escape a few days ago and had just barely stepped out of the Forest of Heavenly Dao when her internal organs were destroyed and her soul heavily damaged.

If she hadn’t been fairly strong, she would’ve died on the spot.

Now, without spiritual power, her injuries would likely take hundreds of years to heal.

Thinking of this, Zhang the Butcher smiled wryly.

They were all too young.

Everyone in this village had once been a prodigy of their time, dazzling talents.

That once-invincible Dragon General, whose legendary name echoed through the ages, had already lived in this village for 30,000 years—still with no way out.

He could only watch himself slowly grow old, listening to newcomers speak of the rise and fall of empires.

If there was to be a turning point…

Zhang the Butcher narrowed his eyes and looked at Lin Wuming, who was just now pushing open a door to go inside.

It could only be that Zither Master Lin, who had entered this forbidden land as a mortal—and the little fox girl who had followed him in.

Would he be able to leave?

Zhang had a feeling that the little fox girl definitely knew something… but since she refused to speak, there was nothing to be done.

After all, she was the only one in the entire village who could still use spiritual power.

Everything unprecedented was centered on this Lin Wuming…

He let out a sigh and stopped thinking about it.

After all, he had already lived here for thousands of years.

Old friends had withered away, the mortal world changed over and over—he had grown indifferent.

Whether he could leave or not no longer mattered.

He might as well go find Old Li and have a drink.

Zhang the Butcher turned and left.

At that moment, Lin Wuming had already entered the room and saw his future junior disciple.

Her exquisitely beautiful face was just as stunning as his senior sister’s.

She sat quietly on the edge of the bed in elegant clothing, like a delicate statue.

Even after hearing the door open, she remained unresponsive, her expression still blank.

Until a trace of sweetness slowly bloomed across her lips.

She paused, subconsciously licking it.

Candy?

“The bunny’s ears are going to get eaten~”

A gentle, jade-like voice rang in her ear. It sounded familiar—he had visited a few days ago too.

He Yingying’s expression faded back into indifference.

What did it matter who it was?

She was already a cripple, with no thought beyond death.

“Here, take the candy.”

That voice continued to bother her, making He Yingying frown.

Then she felt a warm hand wrap around hers, placing a sugar stick in her grasp.

Her whole body trembled—she instinctively tried to pull away, but with her shattered meridians, even a small movement brought searing pain.

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Lin Wuming gently wiped the sweat from her brow and said softly:

“With your body like this… what else can you even do?”

He Yingying bit her lip, her heart flaring up in anger—only to quickly be swallowed by sorrow.

Yes… what else can she do?

She was nothing but a wreck.

She couldn’t protect her mother concubine.

If she died, it would only bring her mother grief.

“How about learning the zither from my senior sister?”

Lin Wuming gently offered.

“You can play gentle tunes—it doesn’t require much movement…”

Still, He Yingying said nothing, her face was stiff.

“My senior sister is really kind… and a master of the zither…”

Seeing her still unmoved, Lin Wuming grew a bit anxious.

If she refused to be his junior sister, his whole plan would collapse—and that easily obtainable Creation Saint Dao Manual would vanish like smoke.

“How about this: I’ll play a song for you. Just listen, okay?”

Lin Wuming always carried his zither with him.

He immediately took it out from his pack.

His fingers gently brushed the strings, and a soft, soothing melody began to drift through the room…