Chapter 1

In the height of summer, not a single cloud was in the sky.

The scorching sun shone directly upon the earth.

At the top of a hill in Cangy County, a young man with a rather delicate appearance stood under the blazing sun, sweating profusely as he cleared the weeds around the graves.

The young man's name was Qin Zhengfan, and he was twenty-three years old, a doctoral student at Nanjiang University.

He was clearing the graves of his grandparents and parents.

His grandparents had passed away of old age, while his parents had died in an accident.

Today was the fourth anniversary of his parents' passing, and Qin Zhengfan had climbed the mountain early in the morning to pay his respects to his four beloved elders buried here.

After paying his respects and clearing the weeds around the graves, Qin Zhengfan stood silently in front of the graves for a long time. It wasn't until the sun climbed higher and the heat became unbearable, causing a burning sensation on his skin, that he wiped his wet eyes, took a deep breath, bowed three times to the graves, and then started down the mountain.

The hill was a desolate place, overgrown with weeds, and there were almost no trees to provide shade along the path.

Qin Zhengfan was walking quickly when he suddenly saw an old man lying across the mountain path.

The old man had disheveled hair and several festering sores on his head, and his body emitted a foul odor of decay.

Qin Zhengfan was a kind and simple scholar, and he had a special affection for the elderly, as his grandparents had doted on him since he was young.

Seeing the old man lying alone on the mountain path in such hot weather, he didn't hesitate to help, despite the old man's filth and stench. He quickly went over, helped him sit up against his body, and asked with concern, "Old man, where are you feeling unwell? Where is your home?"

"Where is my home?" The old man's body trembled slightly, and his eyes revealed a look of confusion and sorrow.

"My home is far away. Young man, you don't need to worry about me. I'm not unwell; I just need to lie down for a while." The old man quickly regained his composure and said with a hint of melancholy.

Seeing the old man's sorrow and the sadness in his voice, Qin Zhengfan thought the old man's children might be unfilial or that his family had already passed away. He couldn't help but think of himself, an orphan, and his beloved grandparents who had passed away. His heart filled with compassion, and he blurted out, "That won't do. The sores on your head need to be treated with medicine. Besides, this is a graveyard, and there are often snakes and insects around. If you stay here, something bad will happen."

"Something bad?" The old man seemed to find this amusing and finally looked up at Qin Zhengfan.

As he looked, a flash of sharp intelligence appeared in his seemingly cloudy eyes.

"Yes, you will definitely be in trouble if you stay here alone." Qin Zhengfan nodded firmly.

"Death is the end of all things. If something bad happens, let it happen. Young man, you should go on your way and leave me alone." The old man sighed.

"That's absolutely not acceptable! How about this, you come home with me?" Qin Zhengfan suggested.

"Then what? You can see that I am old and weak, and I am alone. You can take care of me for a while, but not for the rest of my life. What's the point? It would be better to let me die here in peace." The old man shook his head.

Thinking of the old man lying alone in the desolate wilderness, waiting for death to come, Qin Zhengfan felt a lump in his throat. He couldn't control his sympathy and blurted out, "Who says I can't take care of you for the rest of your life? I have an old house in the village that is empty. You can live there. As for food and expenses, you won't need much, and I have some savings left by my parents. My mentor also provides me with a living allowance. If I save carefully, it should be enough for a year. Once I graduate and find a job, we won't have to worry about expenses anymore."

"Would you really take care of me for the rest of my life?" The old man's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he looked at Qin Zhengfan with disbelief.

"Of course. An elder in the family is a treasure. Now, I live alone, and I am young and need guidance from an elder. If you come to live with me, it will be a blessing for me." As he spoke, Qin Zhengfan squatted down, not minding the old man's filth or stench, and carried him on his back without hesitation.

The old man, lying on Qin Zhengfan's back, looked at his profile, and his cloudy eyes gradually revealed a look of gratitude.

"I never thought that in my final days, I would meet a young man with a constitution so compatible with mine and such a kind and simple heart. Perhaps this is fate. Well, even though I was forced to guard Tianfeng Star for eight hundred years, I have lived there for eight hundred years, so I will make one last effort." The old man, who was actually Fang Hong, made a decision after a moment of thought.

Qin Zhengfan, of course, had no idea that the old man on his back was not an ordinary elder.

He only knew that he could not leave the old man behind.

Moreover, although the old man was dirty and emitted a foul odor, Qin Zhengfan felt an inexplicable sense of closeness and trust, and he didn't even consider the possibility that the old man might be a bad person.

This was actually not in line with his usually cautious nature.

The mountain path was already difficult to walk, and carrying an old man made it even more challenging. Soon, Qin Zhengfan was drenched in sweat, and his legs felt as heavy as lead, but he didn't complain. On the contrary, he answered all the old man's questions patiently without any impatience.

When they stopped to rest, Qin Zhengfan was especially careful when he put Fang Hong down, showing no signs of fatigue or impatience, and he didn't utter a single word of complaint.

"Grandpa, look, that's Fengwan Village ahead. Just hold on a little longer, and we'll be home in an hour at most." As the sun set, Qin Zhengfan climbed to the top of a hill and pointed to a small hill by the sea below, panting.

"You have a kind and simple heart, and you are persistent and determined. You are very good!" As Qin Zhengfan finished speaking, he heard Fang Hong's approving voice. Then he felt a dizzying sensation, and everything went black. When he woke up, he found himself lying on the ground in front of his parents' graves.

By then, the sun had almost set, and the sky was gradually darkening. The mountain wind blew, and dry leaves fell, bringing a chill.

"Ow-ow-ow—"

In the distance, the mournful cries of night owls echoed through the desolate graveyard.

Even though Qin Zhengfan usually didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, he was startled when he found himself inexplicably back at his parents' graves as the sky grew dark, the wind howled, and the owls cried. His heart pounded loudly, and the eerie sounds in the graveyard made the scene even more terrifying.

"This should be the graves of your family. When I die, bury me under this cypress tree!" A voice suddenly rang out.

Qin Zhengfan jumped in fright and saw a middle-aged man standing under a cypress tree, his hands behind his back.

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