My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

"If it's just for survival, why make me witness the suffering of all living beings..."

Ruan Chayan rolled her eyes at Luo Hanying's sorrowful appearance: "Speak properly, or I'll slap you!"

"You've read too many pedantic books and made yourself stupid!"

Luo Hanying felt embarrassed to continue being sentimental after Ruan Chayan's words. She awkwardly scratched her forehead and said, "I was just feeling sentimental."

Everyone cultivates in order to survive, yet now even such a simple wish is difficult to fulfill. They might perish at any moment; it's truly lamentable.

Ruan Chayan pressed down on Luo Hanying's shoulder and said seriously, "Don't think about what other people are doing. We are not from this world. As long as we complete the mission, we can go back to live a peaceful and happy life. Can you be a little selfish?"

Don't ruin your hard-earned life before you've even made any progress on your mission. Your parents are still waiting for you to come home. We promised to rent a place together, find jobs, and get a cat after graduation. Do you remember?

Forget about them. I can't even help Jin Si, who is bound to me. What else can we do?

Luo Hanying's nose tingled, and she almost cried. With red eyes and a red nose, she said, "I know, I was just confused."

She and they were ultimately from different worlds. Once she returned to the modern world, everything here would be a fleeting memory, a dream destined to be forgotten. What difference was there between these living people and NPCs in a game?

Just as Ruan Chayan was about to speak, Luo Hanying took out a communication jade slip, and his master Tong Wei's voice came from the other end: "Little Luo, are you still in Qiuxi City?"

Luo Hanying replied, "Yes, I'm with the survivors."

“I heard about what happened in Qiuxi City from the other elders. Although such things happen all the time, we cannot sit idly by.”

Since the sect simply couldn't spare anyone to help in the Western Barbarian Divine Continent, I contacted the Yunliubai family, located at the border of the Western Barbarian Divine Continent and the Southern Yue Divine Continent, as well as the Wenyuan Academy, which was heading west from the Eastern Lai Divine Continent to save the world.

They will arrive in Qiuxi City in eight days at most.

I know that you and Xiao Ruan are going to the Guangxu Secret Realm with Xiao Ji. The secret realm will not open for some time, so I would like to trouble you to protect them for a while longer within your capabilities until the Bai family and the academy arrive.

Xiao Luo, remember this: if you really can't handle it, your own life is the most important thing.

Luo Hanying readily agreed, her mood brightening considerably.

Ruan Chayan felt a pang of emotion as she listened to Tong Wei's words; Tong Wei's indifference and selfishness seemed particularly ugly at this moment.

After confirming the approximate location with Tong Wei, Luo Hanying cut off the communication. She then told Widow Qiao that reinforcements were coming soon. Widow Qiao was overjoyed and relayed the exciting news.

The cave was filled with laughter and joy for a moment.

In the evening, Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying discovered that most people were consuming fasting pills, while the children would receive a bowl of minced meat noodles from Widow Qiao.

Only then did the two realize that Widow Qiao's inn's specialty was braised beef and beef noodle soup. Her storage bag contained many semi-finished ingredients. Because the children had just begun to cultivate qi, and some even had no spiritual roots at all, the fasting pills were given to the adults, while the children could eat normal food at her place.

After leaving the crowd, Widow Qiao couldn't help but worry: "Even though I own a shop, I don't have much stock left after half a month."

However, according to Xiao Luo, holding on for another eight days shouldn't be a problem.

Ruan Chayan couldn't understand why they were hiding here, why they didn't just go to the surrounding towns and start a new life. She thought so and asked so.

How could Widow Joe support so many people all by herself?

Although they are disabled, since they can send people out to seek help, leaving this place should not be difficult. Leaving Qiuxi City is better than staying and hiding, constantly worrying about being caught and sacrificed by Taibai Pavilion.

When the topic came up, Widow Qiao was a little embarrassed: "Those who were willing to leave have already left. We are reluctant to leave the place where we have lived for hundreds of years."

My husband's grave is here too, how can I just abandon him and leave?

The families of the elderly and children are still in Qiuxi City. We didn't have time to save them back then, and they might be imprisoned now, or perhaps they weren't sacrificed?

Clinging to these faint hopes, everyone stayed.

Widow Qiao sighed as she looked at Ruan Chayan's furrowed brows: "I know you can't understand our feelings for this place. But even if we leave Qiuxi City, with the Canglan Realm in such chaos now, where is there a safe place? It's better to die in our own hometown."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Chayan said nothing more.

Upon hearing that their fasting pills only provided a one-day feeling of fullness, Luo Hanying took out her own fasting pills from the monthly offerings of the disciples of the Shiren Sect. One fasting pill from the Shiren Sect could last for two days.

She handed the jade bottle containing the elixirs to Widow Qiao, who, knowing the situation there, allowed her to distribute them.

Ruan Chayan looked at Luo Hanying spreading warmth, her feelings complicated: "You know what? I feel like you're the kind of saintly figure described in novels. It's not meant to be derogatory, but you really care about these strangers."

You used to prepare meat soup for the refugees; even now, seeing it with my own eyes, I still find it unbelievable.

Luo Hanying became somewhat reserved after Ruan Chayan's words: "It's alright, anyway, I've successfully abstained from grains, so I won't take the abstinence pills even if they're in my hand."

The meat broth back then was the same. I don't really need to eat to live, but they would die if they didn't have anything to eat, so I thought that if I could save them, I should.

"When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven." I still remember saying when I became a disciple of Tong Wei that I did not seek to benefit all under heaven, but only to cultivate my own virtue.

Although I still need to cultivate myself, I now have the ability to benefit the people, and naturally I still want to help them.

Looking at the stars in the sky, Luo Hanying smiled and said, "Back then, Xiange said that Confucian scholars should cultivate a righteous spirit and that they should sacrifice themselves for the sake of the people. I didn't take it seriously."

Now, reflecting on it and wondering when I will achieve such success, I finally understand its meaning.

However, I also know that actions should be judged by their deeds, not their intentions, because there are few perfect people in the world when it comes to intentions.

Regardless of whether I possess a strong sense of righteousness or not, it doesn't change the fact that I genuinely want to do something for them. I feel incredibly happy about it, and I feel so noble, hahaha~

Ruan Chayan laughed along, deeply moved by Luo Hanying's appearance.

Ruan Chayan liked Luo Hanying's warmth, which is why she opened her heart to her and became her only and best friend.

Wasn't it all thanks to Luo Hanying's persistent warmth that they were able to become good friends back then?