Chapter 42: Encounter in the Mist

In the mountainous wilderness north of Liangjing, the surroundings were quiet and the air was fresh. The morning sun shone through the thin mist onto the lush green grasslands of the mountains.

A winding river flowed slowly through the green grass, its water crystal clear. Occasionally, a few egrets would fly by, landing on the surface and creating ripples.

The surroundings were full of natural tranquility and harmony, as if everything was in a primitive, undisturbed state.

Lin Fan stood by the river, looking down at his clothes, only to find they had become tattered and worn.

He shook his head slightly, as if waking from some kind of illusion, and looked up to scan his surroundings.

The scene before him did not resemble the cold, technological world of modern society; it was more like an ancient era—the prehistoric era before the Gregorian calendar.

Just as he was puzzled, a fresh figure caught his eye.

A young woman was standing by the river, washing clothes with her head bowed. Her sleeves fluttered gently in the wind, revealing her fair skin.

Her movements were gentle and elegant, as if she had merged with this tranquil nature.

After finishing the laundry, the woman carried it to a wooden hut not far away and hung the wet clothes on a wooden pole. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on her, outlining her silhouette.

Lin Fan was slightly stunned; the woman's figure seemed somewhat familiar.

With every gentle movement she made, fragments of memory flashed through Lin Fan's mind—her smile, her aura—all so familiar, as if he had seen her countless times before.

"What is going on…" Lin Fan rubbed his temples, feeling as if everything was becoming blurry.

He felt a strong pull in his mind, as if the woman had an inseparable connection with him, yet he could not clearly recall what it was.

Just then, the woman turned around and happened to meet Lin Fan's gaze.

Her eyes were clear, seemingly carrying a hint of surprise, but more so a trace of faint indifference and aloofness.

"Who are you?" Her voice was crisp and soft, carrying a bit of unfamiliar wariness.

Lin Fan's heart sank suddenly, as if something had been stirred within him. He wanted to respond, but suddenly realized he didn't know how to answer.

"I…" Lin Fan's voice was a bit hoarse as his gaze lingered on the woman's face for a moment.

His thoughts were in chaos, and he had almost forgotten the reason he had come here.

Finally, he took a deep breath, looked up, and his eyes became firm: "My name is Lin Fan, I must have stumbled in here by mistake."

The woman did not show much panic; she just frowned slightly, as if sizing him up.

"Stumbled in?" She smiled lightly, "You are no ordinary person."

Lin Fan was puzzled, his heart stirred, and he suddenly realized that the woman before him might not be as simple as she appeared.

Her temperament was extraordinary, and her every gesture exuded an otherworldly air. There was a subtle feeling, as if she did not belong in this world.

"Who are you?" Lin Fan asked tentatively.

The woman was silent for a moment, then said softly: "My name is Bai Youyou. Although I don't know why you appeared here, I don't think you would have come here without a reason."

"Bai Youyou…" Lin Fan muttered to himself, his heart trembling.

This name seemed to remind him of some distant memories, as if in this quiet world, he had some deep connection with this name.

"Where did you come from? And why did you appear here?" Bai Youyou asked again. Her gaze was deep, as if she could see through everything about Lin Fan.

Lin Fan only felt a blur in his mind, his thoughts surging constantly, and he did not know how to answer.

He looked down at the world-breaking pendant in his hand and suddenly realized that perhaps this was the key to his arrival here.

"I seem to have forgotten a lot of things. I'm not sure why I came here, perhaps it is fate that we met."

Bai Youyou's smile was gentle and clear, like a clear spring in the mountains, without a hint of seduction; everything was just the most genuine and natural expression of her heart.

She had no affectation, nor did she deliberately display charm; she just smiled simply, her eyes gentle and calm.

"Since it is fate's arrangement, then you can stay here for the time being," she said softly.

"I have been waiting for him to return alone, and it is a bit lonely. It is good that you are here; I can have some company."

Lin Fan was stunned for a moment, his heart tightened suddenly, as if a sharp pain pierced through his mind.

"Waiting for whom?" Lin Fan asked unconsciously.

"Waiting for Brother Bai Yi. He went to Liangjing to take the imperial examinations. I am waiting for him to return and marry me."

Lin Fan's mind felt a sudden sharp pain; certain fragments of the past appeared in his mind, only to disappear quickly.

He tried hard to grasp those broken memories, but everything was too blurry, too distant, and impossible to catch.

"Brother Bai Yi…" Lin Fan repeated the name in a low voice, feeling as if he were about to get lost in an endless mist.

He tried hard to open his eyes, forcing himself to concentrate.

Although his mind was in chaos, he still struggled to remain calm and responded softly:

"Alright! Then I hope he passes the exam soon and returns to marry you."

In his words, he vaguely felt a suppressed pain; the sense of emptiness from his lost memories made him even more confused.

Bai Youyou did not seem to notice Lin Fan's discomfort; instead, she continued to look at him with a natural, warm attitude, a faint smile playing on her lips.

She turned slowly and walked toward the small wooden hut, saying softly: "You should rest for a while. There is food and water in the house; use them first, and I will make you some food in a while."

Lin Fan stood where he was, took a deep breath, and felt the chaos in his mind gradually intensify.

He felt trapped in a situation from which he could not escape, as if all things were beginning to revolve around that blurry past, and his true self was gradually losing control.

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down, but that indescribable anxiety still entangled him.

"Drink this first; perhaps you will feel better." Bai Youyou handed a bamboo tube to Lin Fan, interrupting his thoughts.

Lin Fan drank the clear water in the bamboo tube in one gulp, feeling a coolness quickly permeate his body, and the mist in his mind gradually dissipated.

The scene before him became increasingly clear. Especially Bai Youyou's figure, illuminated by the lake's reflection, appeared particularly moving.

Lin Fan stared at her involuntarily, muttering to himself, "You are so beautiful."

Hearing this, Bai Youyou chuckled, her smile like a spring breeze brushing against one's face, so gentle that one could not help but be intoxicated.

"It's a pity you came too late; I already have someone I like."

In the days that followed, Lin Fan accompanied Bai Youyou, spending countless sunrises and sunsets together.

Bai Youyou still rose early every morning to weave nets, fish, and plant spirit trees.

Lin Fan silently accompanied her, while also utilizing the rich Spiritual Qi here to continuously improve his cultivation.

In the era before the Gregorian calendar, spiritual power was abundant, and Lin Fan's cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, soaring rapidly.

As time passed, the spirit plants by the lake gradually grew lush and thick with foliage, like a sea of green.

Bai Youyou would always sit quietly under the tree at dusk, gazing at the deep lake, her eyes revealing a complex emotion.

She never forgot Bai Yi. Whenever night fell, she would lie on the bed and softly call his name, as if he were still by her side.