Chapter 361: Heaven's Will

"The wind today is exceptionally boisterous," a figure in a theatrical robe remarked, sitting in a rocking chair and facing the wind-swept landscape.

Behind him, several figures were busily clearing away benches from beneath the stage. Hearing his words, the youngest disciple, Mo Jiao, asked doubtfully, "Master, the wind isn't bad today. Wasn't it much stronger the past two days?"

"Hmph, how could you youngsters possibly understand the profound meaning behind your master's words?" The figure in the robe slowly rocked in his chair. "When one reaches my level, every single word contains the righteousness of heaven and earth. Each word is a gem, and its profound meaning... that's something many spend their entire lives trying to grasp, yet still..."

"Master, could you lift your feet?" A young man in white clothes, holding a broom, spoke earnestly from the side.

The Master: ...

Resigned, he lifted his feet into the air, leaning back in the rocking chair, and continued, "Ruyu, when your master is expounding on the principles of heaven and earth, please try not to interrupt next time. After all, these are things your master rarely shares with outsiders. If you can comprehend even a little of them, then..."

"Understood, Master," the young man called Ruyu nodded earnestly. "You can put your feet down now."

"...Alright."

"Senior Disciple Brother, I'm almost done packing up here," Mo Jiao clapped his hands and walked over. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm done sweeping too."

"Speaking of which, we only had two audience members today... and neither seemed to have any spiritual understanding. They fell asleep in less than five minutes."

"I've said it before, we should prepare some snacks for them. Maybe that would keep them awake a bit longer?"

"...Senior Disciple Brother, we can barely afford to eat ourselves. Where would we get money for snacks for them?" Mo Jiao shook his head helplessly.

The Senior Disciple Brother in white fell silent.

"What are you thinking?"

"Fourth Junior, do you think... performing 'breaking a stone on one's chest' would earn us money?"

Mo Jiao eyed him. "Senior Disciple Brother, I don't think your physique is suited for that... How about we let Third Senior Disciple Brother do it?"

In the distance, a tall figure paused slightly, quietly smoothed his sleeve, and with his back to everyone, replied coolly and majestically: "Hmph, grandstanding... I will not associate with your kind."

The Senior Disciple Brother and Mo Jiao let out a long sigh.

"It doesn't matter," the Master in the rocking chair said unhurriedly. "If they lack spiritual understanding, they lack it. It wouldn't help even if you held their eyelids open to make them watch the whole show. Just perform well; everything else will follow heaven's will."

The disciples exchanged glances, then lowered their heads and replied, "Yes."

The sun gradually sank in the west. Smoke curled from chimneys in the distant town, and this desolate, forgotten land was slowly enveloped by darkness.

"I'll do one last check of the props. After all, we have another performance tomorrow, and it would be troublesome if anything were missing." Mo Jiao glanced at the disordered stage and turned to walk backstage.

The Senior Disciple Brother in white stood beside the rocking chair, watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon, and spoke softly: "Master, are we still performing here tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"But surely no one in this town will come to see us again?"

"Your master said, everything happens by fate... Perhaps there are fated people in this town; it's just that the time isn't right yet?"

The Senior Disciple Brother in white was silent for a moment. "Are you sure it's not because you're too lazy to move the stage?"

The Master jolted slightly and glared at him. "Hmph, Ruyu, Ruyu, what kind of talk is that? Do you truly think your master is such a lazy person?"

The Senior Disciple Brother in white nodded earnestly. "Yes, after all, when we're working, you're always just watching."

"You, you, you..."

The Master's fan-wielding hand sped up slightly in anger, the wind rustling his hair. "Your master calls this 'waiting for an opportune moment to strike while resting.' Besides, isn't not moving the stage also for your own good? It's tiring to move things around so much... Say no more, we must perform here for three consecutive shows, unless, heaven's will dictates we leave."

The Senior Disciple Brother in white nodded helplessly. Just as he was about to leave, Mo Jiao came rushing towards them!

"Master! This is bad!"

"What is it? Why so flustered..."

"It seems someone reported our illegal performance! There are city enforcement officers... no, police officers coming this way!"

"What?!"

The Master shot up from his rocking chair. "I knew that audience member this afternoon was shifty! Nothing good comes from such types!"

"Quick! Pack up the stage! We're leaving!! Don't leave anything behind!"

The Senior Disciple Brother: ???

"Master, didn't you say..."

"Say what?! If we're caught, we'll have to pay a fine! Hurry! Go help!"

The three disciples hastily dragged the stage equipment, fleeing from the wilderness through the night, like a street food vendor chased by city enforcement. They ran for several kilometers before finally stopping, panting and drenched in sweat, in a deserted corner.

"Master... where do we go next?" Mo Jiao wiped the sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but ask.

The Master patted the dust from his theatrical robe, looked in a certain direction, and after a long while, smiled resignedly. "Such is the will of heaven..."

"What?"

"Let's go. We'll head to Willow Town."

"Willow Town? That place is so far away, almost half a realm away... Why go there?"

The Master's lips curled into a slight smile. "Naturally, it's because there's a good show to watch."

The setting sun gradually dipped below the horizon. Along the dim riverbank, a hand suddenly burst from the water, gripping tightly onto a protruding rock.

"Hoo... hoo... hoo..."

The Painter of Umbrellas' wet hair emerged from the water, and he gasped for air, his face deathly pale.

He gritted his teeth, slowly pulled himself out of the water, and lay on the bank like a dead fish. A gentle breeze swept along the shore, willow branches danced lightly above him, and the street was so quiet that only his ragged breaths and coughs could be heard.

"Unit 031, Lin Xi, respond if you read me!"

"Lin Xi!! Respond if you read me!"

"Are you still alive, Lin Xi?"

Consecutive voices came from the walkie-talkie in his embrace, sounding choppy due to being submerged in the water.

Lin Xi lay on the ground, taking a while to recover before pulling it out and speaking weakly: "...I'm still alive."

"Your requested Level 4 support has arrived. Please confirm if the enemy is dead?"

A flash of the recent scene crossed Lin Xi's mind, and his mouth twitched slightly. Holding the walkie-talkie, he cursed: "...Him? He wasn't struck dead even in the center of the ink lightning! I almost died from the aftershock... Luckily, I fell into the river at the end and escaped by following the current..."

"Damn it, how can he not die after being struck like that?! What kind of monster is he?!"