Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

Amidst the howling mountain winds, some aged voices approached from afar.

"Your Highness, General Feng, and Staff Officer Wei, the soldiers are exhausted after their long journey. Instead of dwelling on this sentiment, we should take everyone back so that the soldiers can get some rest."

"The journey of the Western Qi has been extremely difficult, filled with countless hardships. His Majesty even had to hide and eke out a living in the past..."

"You are all still young and have not experienced what happened back then, so you don't know much about the hardships you faced. But I hope you understand that Xiqi's present-day achievements did not come easily."

"Eighty years of struggle and countless sacrifices have brought Xiqi to where it is today. If you are to be discouraged and filled with hatred because of the present situation, how can Your Highness face those loyal ministers and generals who died for Xiqi?"

An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a blue robe, walked over from a distance. The old man's cultivation level was not very high, still within the innate realm, but the aura on his body was in no way weaker than that of an ordinary martial saint.

As the figure drew closer, words carrying a mix of advice and criticism reached the three people's ears.

Upon seeing who it was, Jun Changping's expression immediately turned solemn.

"Professor Jiang, what brings you here?"

……

June, 81st year of the Five Kingdoms Calendar.

Sui'an Academy.

After Jun Changping and the others left, Li Yin began the renovation project of the academy.

A small stream has appeared in the courtyard that should have been a meadow, with a blue stone standing beside it, and a small pavilion a few meters away.

The winding stream and surrounding green bamboo add elegance and vitality to the courtyard.

The stream babbles gently, and on this hot summer day, nine koi carp frolic and play in the water, splashing up bursts of water.

The bamboo leaves on both sides swayed in the wind, casting dappled shadows.

On a sunny afternoon, Li Yin sat alone by the stream, staring blankly at the koi in the water.

Just as she was lost in thought, a teasing voice came from afar.

"After not seeing you for several months, my senior sister has become so leisurely and refined, and even specially dug a stream in the courtyard."

The voice rang in her ears, and without looking up, Li Yin knew who was speaking.

She was all too familiar with that irritating voice.

She didn't want to look up, so she simply lowered her body and hid herself completely behind the bluestone.

Unfortunately, the person who came did not follow her wishes and appeared on the bluestone in a few steps.

The folding fan was half-open, obscuring half of the newcomer's face, and also reflecting the two characters "Taiyi" on the fan into Li Yin's pupils.

Looking at Zhuge Xiang's calm smile, Li Yin covered her eyes, looking like she had given up in despair.

"Junior brother, didn't you say you were going back to your hometown for a visit? Why are you back so soon?"

"I missed Master Bai, so I decided to come back early."

"Speak like a human being! If you joke about Sister Bai again, I'll skin you alive!"

"If it really comes down to a fight, my senior sister probably can't beat me."

"Can't beat you? You?" This seemingly joking remark almost broke Li Yin's defenses, causing her pupils, which were covered by her hand, to shrink again and again.

Although she spoke toughly, Li Yin didn't really think that Zhuge Xiang's words were just a joke. However, she also knew that since her cultivation came from Mu An's Great Dao of Water, ordinary Celestial Martial Saints were no match for her.

If she couldn't even defeat Zhuge Liang, the implications are far more complex than can be explained in a few words.

The hand covering her eyes concealed Li Yin's changing gaze. After a few seconds, Li Yin laughed and took the bait in a joking tone.

"You cunning Zhuge Xiang, you've got some nerve, haven't you? Watch out, or I'll drag Sister Bai along and beat you up too."

The folding fan closed in mid-air, revealing the scholar's fair face.

Zhuge Xiang, standing on the bluestone, spread his hands, looking as if he had given up.

"No, no, no! If Master Bai really gets angry, I, your junior brother, won't be able to handle it..."

With a few jokes and a few words of reminiscing, the two people on the bluestone, one above and one below, started chatting.

"You're back so quickly? Has the war in Tianming Domain already ended?"

"The conflict is still ongoing. After all, it's a clash of ideologies, and it won't end anytime soon."

Li Yin seemed somewhat surprised and reached out to tug at the hem of Zhuge Xiang's robe.

"The war is still going on, and you've already come back? Wasn't it said that your Zhuge family was also involved in this war?"

"Wars in Tianming Domain are mostly disputes over principles. Sometimes they have to fight to the death, and sometimes they just stop short of a fight... The usual tactic is to support a few forces and let them compete with each other... In such wars, one more or one less makes no difference."

While discussing topics related to war, Zhuge Xiang's expression remained unchanged, always bearing a faint smile, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

The person sitting on the bluestone lowered their gaze slightly, fixing it on the stream below.

A red koi carp leaps from the stream, gleaming brightly in the sunlight.

"Senior sister, you've raised these fish very well; they're much better than I expected."

Li Yin, who was leaning against the bluestone, swayed slightly and gently moved the soil with her free hand.

"I didn't raise them. Xiao Wan has always taken care of these koi. I'm only responsible for maintaining the flow of water in the stream."

Zhuge Xiang nodded slightly and chuckled softly.

"Without the senior sister's dedicated efforts, the junior sister alone cannot raise these koi fish well."

As he spoke, Zhuge Xiang took out a candied hawthorn from somewhere and handed it to Li Yin.

"What's this?" Looking at the candied hawthorns in front of her, Li Yin was somewhat surprised. "Is this for Junior Sister?"

"For Mr. Mu."

"Mr. Mu? What's wrong with you? How could Mr. Mu possibly eat something like candied hawthorn?"

Faced with Li Yin's rebuttal, Zhuge Xiang did not offer any further explanation. Instead, he gazed at the koi in the stream and said something that Li Yin could not understand at all.

"Feeling confused, I wandered around and happened to meet someone. I gained a lot from that experience and clarified many things that I didn't understand before."

"What's wrong with you! Can't you deliver it yourself?"

Li Yin felt that Zhuge Xiang was having another episode. She knew that Zhuge Xiang's words couldn't be taken literally, but a candied hawthorn, especially a strawberry one...

What does this mean?

In the end, won't it all end up being eaten by Junior Sister? How could Mr. Mu possibly eat such sweets that children like?

Lost in thought, Li Yin instinctively wanted to stuff the candied hawthorn back into her mouth.

She wouldn't give that kind of thing away; let whoever wants to give it to her can give it to her.

Unexpectedly, when Li Yin tried to hand the candied hawthorn back, Zhuge Xiang grabbed her hand.

"Senior sister, please don't refuse. These candied hawthorns are only suitable for you to deliver."

Zhuge Xiang's serious gaze was reflected in Li Yin's pupils. Seeing Zhuge Xiang's serious expression, Li Yin withdrew her outstretched hand.

She held the candied hawthorn and muttered to herself.

"What's wrong with you, acting all mysterious?"

After muttering something to himself, Li Yinteng stood up abruptly and strode towards the study.

"Wait a minute, I'll be right back. I have something I want to ask you."

……

"This candied hawthorn..."

"This is a gift for you, sir. I wonder if you would like it."

"It must have been from the little one, that's thoughtful of her... But this little girl... it's been so long, and she hasn't even come home to visit, and she insists on doing these things that I don't understand..."

"Sir? You..."

"I'm fine, I just suddenly remembered some things from the past..."

……

"If you have no further instructions, sir, please allow me to take my leave."

"The fortunes of heaven and earth are converging on Zhuge Xiang. In the future, he will become one of several vortexes. If you don't want to cause trouble, stay away from him."

"This disciple understands."