Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess

The next morning, the two packed their luggage and set off.

Their destination was a place named Moon Pond.

Although Jiang Shouzhong did not understand why the woman insisted on going to this place, he could only agree since she had made up her mind. After all, she never listened to his suggestions.

Jiang Shouzhong thought he was still amidst the Ten Thousand Mountains. However, upon exiting the bamboo forest, he realized they were at the border of Dazhou.

"North of the Meng River Valley in the Ten Thousand Mountains lies the border of Dazhou. We are right here,"

Li Guanshi explained lightly.

Jiang Shouzhong, used to frequent teleportation, was not surprised.

Nevertheless, upon thinking about Li Guanshi's master's bamboo house hidden in the Ten Thousand Mountains, his heart inevitably stirred up some peculiar speculations.

"Master is human, not a demon."

Perhaps sensing Jiang Shouzhong's thoughts, Li Guanshi's cool voice rang out once more.

Jiang Shouzhong smiled awkwardly and pointed towards the small town ahead, saying, "Let's buy a horse first. We can't keep walking on foot all the time."

"Okay."

Li Guanshi nodded slightly and then took a pre-prepared veil from her luggage and wore it over her face, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as autumn waters.

Watching Li Guanshi put on the veil, Jiang Shouzhong secretly sighed with relief.

To be honest, he was worried that this free-spirited yet somewhat stubborn woman might refuse to wear the veil.

After all, her beauty was too outstanding. Walking openly without concealment might invite unnecessary trouble.

Although he retained a bit of cultivation to deal with ordinary bandits, during these chaotic times, encountering someone highly skilled could be quite troublesome.

The two entered the small town; the streets were rather deserted with few vendors.

Jiang Shouzhong chose a strong horse at a stable, bought some dry food enough to support them for a long journey, and a few thick and durable garments.

Occasionally, they saw battalions of troops passing by, kicking up dust.

They continued riding on a desolate path, the surrounding scenery becoming increasingly bleak and forlorn.

As far as the eye could see, there were groups of people fleeing from famine and hardship.

During the journey, Jiang Shouzhong saw a woman in ragged clothing.

She held a skinny, emaciated baby tightly in her arms. The baby's eyes were closed, its complexion was as yellow as wax paper, and its breath was faint, barely displaying a sign of life.

The woman sobbed quietly while softly comforting the child, her eyes filled with dull despair.

Feeling compassion, Jiang Shouzhong dismounted and gave them some dry food and water.

Whenever encountering other refugees, women, children, or the elderly, Jiang Shouzhong tried his best to offer some help.

Li Guanshi remained quietly on her horse, gazing coldly at it all, with little emotion in her eyes.

Through her long cultivation journey, the separation and reunion, the joys and sorrows among humans no longer stirred her emotions.

She had long been accustomed to viewing worldly matters with a transcendent posture, as if everything was like grass and dust.

At nightfall, they found a dilapidated temple to rest.

Jiang Shouzhong gathered some dry wood and lit a fire.

The flames flickered in the darkness, reflecting their faces, intertwined with light and shadow.

"There are countless hardships in the world; can you save them all? It's merely their fate."

Li Guanshi spoke flatly.

Jiang Shouzhong paused his movements, then gently stirred the firewood, smiling:

"In my hometown, there's a saying, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' Though I'm not some omnipotent superhero, can't be the savior of the world, but within my capabilities, helping these people also eases my conscience."

Li Guanshi did not respond, merely gazed quietly at the dancing flames, her eyes deep in thought.

Soon after, some refugees also found their way to this dilapidated temple.

Jiang Shouzhong warmly made room and started chatting with them.

These refugees were escaping drought and war, trying to find a way to survive for themselves and their families.

Especially an elderly man with one arm, faced dire hardship.

His hometown suffered from drought, leaving no harvest, yet the official taxes didn't reduce at all. Then came the war; his family couldn't survive. His son and daughter-in-law were sold as laborers for a morsel of food, their fates unknown.

He could only take his little grandson to seek life, but the grandson got lost halfway…

Saying so, the old man couldn't help shedding tears.

Listening, Jiang Shouzhong was very moved, but he could only offer gentle solace.

Li Guanshi remained silent, quietly sitting aside.

Noticing the woman's expression, a thought suddenly arose in Jiang Shouzhong's mind.

Thus, in the following days, he deliberately chose some ruined paths to advance.

Everywhere they went was a scene of devastation.

Refugees could be seen everywhere along the way.

It was supposed to be the season of growing crops, but the farmland was barren, the earth cracked like tortoise shells, showing no sign of life.

A group of ragged villagers numbly dug in the fields, hoping to find even a single grain left behind.

Jiang Shouzhong also saw a child, bare bones protruding, lying on the ground, desperately digging at the cracked earth, seemingly wanting to extract something to fill his stomach.

"In turbulent times, those who suffer are the civilians, indeed."

Jiang Shouzhong sighed deeply.

Li Guanshi looked at the scene before her, her expression still as calm and indifferent as usual, yet her eyes held a touch more contemplation.