Watching Mu Changqing's excited and enlightened expression, Mo Yi felt a bit confused.
But she could clearly sense the transformation in Mu Changqing's demeanor.
From being aloof and detached, he now appeared amiable and calm.
It was as if… Mu Changqing was now truly a mortal, integrated into the dust of the world.
This Mu Changqing, lacking some of his ethereal aura, felt more like a worldly traveler.
With the wine taking hold, Mu Changqing smiled freely and casually, leaning against a large rock.
"Good, good, well said, 'Borrowing others' paths to forge one's own,' Mo Yi, thank you."
At this moment, Mu Changqing's demeanor was leisurely and amiable, devoid of any condescension towards others.
He held the wine pot in his right hand and idly played with the black and gold belt in his left.
Hearing this, Mo Yi quickly shook her head, shyly and unsure, saying,
"I… I haven't helped you at all, it's your extraordinary comprehension."
Mu Changqing said no more, drinking with the moon, his heart filled with emotions.
Ambition surged, spirited and youthful, like his younger days.
He stood up and drank fiercely with the Great Desert tribesmen, joining the celebrations around the bonfire in their traditional manner.
The sudden change caught the Great Desert tribesmen by surprise.
But soon, they accepted Mu Changqing. After all, for the beings of the Great Wilderness, straightforwardness and boldness were their essence.
Mo Yi sat where she was, propping her chin with her small hand, watching Mu Changqing with a touch of infatuation, a complex emotion spreading through her.
The next day, Mu Changqing woke up from the bed in the stone house, his eyes hazy, his head throbbing from the lingering effects of the wine.
"The mortal world? I can't hold my liquor!"
Mu Changqing pushed himself up with his arms, pressing his forehead in exasperation to alleviate the discomfort.
He couldn't remember the last time he had been so drunk.
To experience this kind of drunken stupor again was indeed a peculiar feeling.
Just then, a door opened, and Mo Yi entered the room with a water basin, her expression a little shy.
Seeing Mu Changqing sit up, she quickly put down the basin and said softly with concern,
"You're awake, teacher. Shouldn't you rest a little longer? You were too… unrestrained yesterday, and I couldn't stop you."
As she spoke, Mo Yi subtly observed Mu Changqing, truly amazed by his behavior the previous night.
But because of this, Mo Yi's heart was stirred even more. Mu Changqing's descent from an ethereal being to the mortal realm had evoked a sense of inexplicable closeness within her.
If Mu Changqing remained an ethereal immortal, his aura as transcendent as ever,
She would have felt an insurmountable distance, a sense of untouchability.
But now, Mu Changqing's casual and approachable attitude truly made her heart flutter.
Mu Changqing smiled, unconcerned, with no trace of embarrassment on his face.
He simply shook his head, casually wiped himself, tidied his black robe, and walked out of the room, his gaze calmly surveying the entire Great Desert tribe.
Ancient beast bones, inscribed with Daoist patterns, were scattered everywhere.
The earth itself bore ancient mountain textures, and the very air held the essence of the Great Wilderness.
It was different from the current Hongmeng, not spiritual energy, but a diluted form of primal power.
Because it was primal power, even diluted, it was immensely potent.
Coupled with the world's dilapidated state, the incomplete Dao and fragmented rules and order,
It made it difficult to ascend to immortality here, and lifespans were not eternal; it was a world of declining Dharma.
Mu Changqing walked alone among the Great Desert tribesmen, greeting them with a smile whenever he encountered their wild spirits.
He seemed to have completely integrated into the world of the Great Wilderness, becoming a mortal, without any trace of his former "Burial Emperor" persona.
Mo Yi quietly followed behind him, her simple eyes seemingly holding the vastness of stars and seas, her gaze filled with curiosity about Mu Changqing's actions.
Mu Changqing was aware of Mo Yi's thoughts but paid them no mind.
He wandered, exploring the Great Desert tribe, carefully sensing the mountain textures and the incomplete laws of the Great Dao, the broken rules and order.
In this era of declining Dharma and extinguished spirit, comprehending various laws as a mortal was extremely difficult.
Even more so, the supreme creation principle from the Gray Ancestral Origin, containing the peak of the world, all known supreme truths.
If Mu Changqing were to comprehend it with his true self, it would not be difficult.
But that would lose its meaning, the meaning of emulation and reference.
He wanted to take each step, following the Dao of the Gray Ancestral Origin, savoring and comprehending it slowly, retracing it.
This process might be arduous, long, perhaps requiring a span of time beyond human imagination.
But he didn't mind; he was already eternal and immortal, and time held no meaning for him.
In the beginning, Mu Changqing would even crouch down to touch and sense a completely ordinary beast bone, extending his slender, fair hand.
Mo Yi, curious, walked up and squatted beside him, her graceful figure expressing her puzzled inquiry.
"Teacher, these bones are found everywhere in the Great Wilderness, they are the most common White-striped Chicken bones. Is there anything special about them?"
Mo Yi tilted her small head, her expression holding a rare innocence and curiosity for her age.
Mu Changqing smiled at this, his demeanor amiable, and patiently explained,
"Do not underestimate the small; the most fundamental truths of all things in the world originate from tiny, easily overlooked objects.
Therefore, although it only lived for two and a half years, its existence was brief, it is the origin of the ancient beasts. Perhaps the Great Desolation True Phoenix you know also evolved from the White-striped Chicken."
Hearing this, Mo Yi's exquisite mouth opened wide, disbelief flashing across her face, followed by an expression of admiration and amazement.
"Teacher is truly extraordinary, your words are so profound."
Mu Changqing glanced at Mo Yi, chuckled, and said no more.
He didn't care whether Mo Yi understood his meaning, for it was not important.
Thus, Mu Changqing became a unique sight within the Great Desert tribe, spending his days wandering aimlessly.
This behavior naturally led to some discussion.
But ultimately, it was suppressed by the chief of the Great Desert tribe.
Time flew by, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Mu Changqing finally stopped sensing inanimate objects. Within a radius of a hundred miles around the entire Great Desert tribe, Mu Changqing had thoroughly understood all the mountain textures, beast bones, and Daoist rhymes.
He understood the essence of the original genesis, comprehending the fundamental nature of the Great Wilderness's Dao through the body of a mortal.
One day, the chief, accompanied by several strong men, approached Mu Changqing. Their faces showed no discernible joy or sorrow.
Mu Changqing sensed their presence, put down a Qing Mang beast bone he was holding, stood up, brushed off the dust from his hands, and smiled.
"May I know what guidance the chief has for me?"
The chief paused for a moment before speaking directly,
"Mr. Mu, you have been in our tribe for over a year. Your actions have been somewhat unusual, which I can understand. However, you claimed to be a person of great fortune. Yet, in a year's time, you seem to have brought no benefit to our tribe… Even if I don't mind, there is dissent within the tribe…!"
The chief of the Great Desert tribe's meaning was clear: if Mu Changqing wished to continue residing there, and could not bring benefits to the Great Desert tribe, he would not be qualified to stay.
Mu Changqing remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised his eyes, signaling to Mo Yi, who stood behind the chief and was about to speak, to calm down.