Chapter 20

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Many people knelt on the ground in despair, powerless.

This was their home, built through the hard work of generations. Yet, in the face of a disaster like this, human strength felt insignificant, like an ant trying to shake a tree. With a fire of this magnitude, unless a torrential downpour struck at this very moment to quench the flames, it was impossible to extinguish it with mere human effort.

Some began to bow their heads, others beat their chests and stomped their feet, while some couldn’t bear to look. Many prayed to the Bodhisattva for protection, hoping for a miracle.

But the night sky remained calm—there was no thunder, no lightning, and certainly no rain.

The howling wind and blazing fire seemed to mock their futile attempts. Despair weighed heavily on the hearts of the people, as if they had been plunged into an icy abyss. Both physically and emotionally, they were chilled to the bone, feeling powerless against the raging inferno. The ferocious fire expanded its domain with reckless abandon, waves of heat surging toward them, amplifying the tension and panic in the crowd.

And then, suddenly, the raging sea of flames stopped.

It was as if an invisible wall had descended from the sky, dividing the street in two. On one side was the sea of flames, and on the other, the surviving human world.

“Is… is the fire no longer spreading?” a plump middle-aged woman asked in a trembling voice, pointing towards the inferno with one hand while tugging at her husband with the other.

The east wind continued to blow fiercely, and the enormous flames had already consumed the entire Dan Yang government office. Though the fire raged with ferocity, it no longer spread beyond its current boundary.

“Yes, yes!” The man nodded repeatedly, his voice choking up as he clasped his hands together in prayer, his face filled with emotion. “It’s the Bodhisattva showing mercy!”

“Our house is saved?” The middle-aged woman’s voice shook with excitement.

Some of the townsfolk hugged each other in small groups, overwhelmed by the relief of having survived. Not far away, from the shadow of an alley, a slender figure dressed in purple slowly emerged, a fluffy kitten perched on her shoulder.

Gu Yan Fei’s crystal-clear black eyes sparkled eerily in the glow of the fire.

“Whoosh—” She let out a long breath and whispered to herself, in a voice only she could hear, “That was close.”

Her right hand rested on her chest, with her slender index and middle fingers pressed together. Thin ash-like flakes drifted down from between her fingers. On her shoulder, the tri-colored kitten held a talisman in its mouth, its fluffy tail brushing against her slender neck. With a light kick from its hind legs, it leaped gracefully onto the nearest wutong tree.

The treetop rustled, shaking loose a few withered leaves. The kitten, small and agile, bounded nimbly across the branches, leaping from one to the next, steadily climbing higher… It moved with incredible agility, weaving through the fire until it finally landed atop the high outer wall of the Dan Yang government office. There, it pressed the talisman it had carried onto the wall.

In an instant, the ground and the walls surrounding the government office shuddered. Sparks, dust, and embers flickered violently for a moment. The invisible barrier seemed to shrink, tightening its grip on the roaring sea of flames, containing the fire within its boundary. The talisman on the wall burned to ashes in the blink of an eye, blending into the surrounding soot and debris.

The kitten, having completed its task, retraced its path with a few light leaps and landed steadily back on Gu Yan Fei’s left shoulder. “Meow! Meow!”

The kitten raised its chin proudly, meowing several times in a row as if to boast of its accomplishment, its tail practically pointing skyward.

Gu Yan Fei absentmindedly stroked the kitten’s back, her gaze still fixed on the firestorm ahead, her eyes gradually narrowing and focusing. This small world had far too little spiritual energy. She had no choice but to compensate with quantity. She had used up all the talismans she had drawn recently and even set up a talisman array, barely managing to contain the blaze.

She had come so close to losing herself in the process…

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but her face remained pale. A suffocating sensation spread through her chest, and suddenly, a mouthful of blood burst from her lips, dripping onto the ground. Her cherry-red lips, stained with the fresh blood, appeared as though she had applied a vivid crimson lipstick, their striking beauty almost eerie.

Reaching to her waist, she pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the corners of her mouth. After spitting out the blood, Gu Yan Fei immediately felt a noticeable lightness in her body. Her meridians cleared, as if she had undergone a process of purification.

Gu Yan Fei blinked, her mind clear as a mirror: this was the karmic reward from this small world.

Even though there was very little spiritual energy here, karmic merit was something that applied equally to all beings in every small world. This was an unchanging law.

The kitten let out a delighted “meow,” its eyes narrowing in contentment. Its fur visibly became softer and smoother, as if it had been rejuvenated. Content, it rubbed its head against Gu Yan Fei’s neck, its mood lifted. Ah, following the boss does indeed come with benefits!

Gu Yan Fei lifted her gaze toward the still-burning Dan Yang government office and smiled.

On the day she returned to Dan Yang City, she had noticed the ominous black clouds swirling above the city—a bad omen. She had immediately cast a divination and learned that a great disaster was about to strike Dan Yang City. And she was the only turning point in this impending catastrophe, which was why she had chosen to stay.

Gu Yan Fei raised her right hand and began calculating again, her slender fingers moving deftly. This time, there were no obstacles. Moments later, she smiled and withdrew her hand, satisfied. Originally, Dan Yang City was destined to be mostly destroyed by this fire, with countless casualties—only a third of the population would have survived. But now, the disaster had been averted.

Her master had always said that Tianwen Sect focused on accumulating karmic merit. She had lost a bit of vital blood, but in exchange, she had earned great merit. It was worth it!

With a graceful flick of her sleeve, Gu Yan Fei turned to leave. As she turned, her gaze swept across the small alley next to the Dan Yang government office. Standing calmly at the alley’s entrance was a young man in a white cloak—Chu Yi.

Not far behind Chu Yi, Xiao Shi was striding in the opposite direction, carrying the little girl and soothingly asking, “Where’s your home? Big brother will take you to find your parents, okay?”

Xiao Shi hadn’t noticed Gu Yan Fei, but Chu Yi had. He smiled faintly, meeting her gaze from a distance.

As their eyes locked, time seemed to stop for a moment.

The Dan Yang government office beside him was completely consumed by the sea of flames, like a massive bonfire. The burning light wrapped Chu Yi in a reddish glow, casting his features in a striking, almost ethereal brilliance. His eyes, as bright as stars, were calm and deep, fixed intently on her.

For a moment, their gazes held. Chu Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, as though he felt the heat. He casually adjusted the tie of his cloak, and soft embers danced around his neck, where the collar of his robe revealed a glimpse of his graceful collarbone, subtly glimmering in the firelight.

He smiled faintly, and Gu Yan Fei returned his smile, her lips curving gently. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away, offering no farewell, leaving without the slightest hint of attachment.

Chu Yi watched her quietly, his eyes following her until her figure disappeared into the dense night. Only when she was out of sight did he finally lower his gaze. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out the red silk pouch once more.

Inside, all that remained were a few small fragments of ash, no larger than fingernails.