Chapter Twenty-One: Return to the Mortal World

Qingshi Town, the closest human settlement to the Beast Territory.

Though small, its proximity to the wild frontier made it a lively place, teeming with cultivators and mercenary groups hunting spirit beasts, trading and bartering for their crystal cores. The bustle and noise filled the air.

At this moment, a slim youth was walking slowly down the main street. Dressed in red, with black hair, his quiet steps drew little attention. Yet, as he passed, a few vendors selling breakfast and household goods at the street’s edge looked up. Travelers here were a varied lot—Qingshi Town’s nearness to the Beast Territory brought all sorts—but it was rare to see someone so young, and traveling alone. One of the vendors even sensed that the youth, though seemingly slight and frail, was likely as strong as he himself had been at the early Two Forms stage.

In this chaotic place, if you didn’t have the means to protect yourself, you wouldn’t survive three days.

That youth was, of course, Ye Zihan, just returned from the Beast Territory.

As he walked, Ye Zihan took in his surroundings. The Human World—this place that had once warmed his heart, and chilled it most deeply. Four years had passed since he last set foot here.

“Not many permanent residents in this Qingshi Town, but plenty of cultivators coming and going,” came Lanyu’s voice in his mind.

Ye Zihan nodded. Many cultivators had already hurried past him on the street.

“There aren’t many true experts here, but Han’er, you should still be careful,” Hongyan added, after scanning the area. The real powerhouses had long since entered the Beast Territory; those lingering here were mostly locals or merchants trading in beast cores and pelts. In Hongyan’s eyes, none of them were worth mentioning.

“I understand,” Ye Zihan replied. Even before entering the town, Hongyan had warned him: in the Human World, there are things more terrifying than any demon or spirit beast—the human heart.

He walked on, thinking to find a small shop to rest in, when a sudden commotion arose ahead.

Looking up, he saw a stir in the crowd. Suddenly, a ragged child burst out onto the street, clutching something, running for her life. Behind her, a gaunt man gave chase, shouting, “Little beggar! Daring to steal from me—you must have a death wish!”

Ye Zihan simply shook his head, not intending to intervene. There was too much injustice in the world for him to right every wrong.

The child, panic-stricken, darted past him. As Ye Zihan caught a glimpse of her face, his steps faltered in surprise.

She was about ten years old—a girl.

Once, a ten-year-old girl had left the warmest mark in Ye Zihan’s memory. Now, seeing a child of similar age in distress, he could not help but feel the urge to act.

“Go on,” Lanyu’s gentle voice sounded in his mind.

With her approval, Ye Zihan made his decision.

During his brief hesitation, the gaunt man had caught up, snatching the item from the girl’s hands and raising his other hand to strike her.

A sharp crack rang out as the powerful slap sent the girl sprawling to the ground. Still seething, the man raised his hand for another blow.

But before he could strike, his hand was caught and blocked. Following the red sleeve with his eyes, he saw Ye Zihan, who had stepped in to help.

The man was momentarily stunned. Seeing that his opponent was just a boy, he sneered, “Kid, meddling in others’ affairs won’t do you any good.”

In a place like this, survival meant not concerning yourself with right and wrong—unless you had the strength to ba