The world outside was peaceful, bathed in an almost uniform light.
Liu Sandao led Bai Suxiang through the colossal immortal trees. Bai Suxiang, watching the clouds drift by, was filled with wonder, momentarily forgetting they were here to rescue Fu Ruhai.
"These trees shouldn't bear fruit, otherwise, how could anyone pick the fruit from such tall trees?" Bai Suxiang murmured to herself.
"Have you forgotten this is the immortal realm?" Liu Sandao asked softly.
"Oh, right! Hahaha."
Bai Suxiang couldn't quite grasp her own logic; it wasn't like her. It seemed everything had changed since she woke up that day.
As they spoke, they soon flew far, far away from Fu Dian.
"None, still none. As expected, such tall trees don't bear fruit."
Liu Sandao didn't care if they found the fruit or not. He simply wanted to change his mood, to shift his thinking to find a way to decipher the riddle of Old Ancestor Fuling and uncover the answer he sought.
They continued flying, searching, though it was Bai Suxiang who was doing most of the looking.
"Sigh, forget it, I'm too tired. Let's just go back. No point in searching further. We'd be better off focusing our minds on those books!" Bai Suxiang expressed her weariness with a sigh, her courage faltering.
Liu Sandao ignored her, continuing to fly forward, pulling Bai Suxiang along.
"Hey! Did you hear me? I said, let's go back!" Bai Suxiang yelled, planting her feet firmly and breaking free from Liu Sandao's grasp.
Liu Sandao turned his head abruptly and pulled Bai Suxiang back towards him.
"Whoa! You..."
Bai Suxiang was caught off guard by Liu Sandao's sudden pull.
But in the instant she turned her head, she saw that the trees ahead were laden with fruit. Round, large, and vibrantly red, they hung there, alluringly ripe.
"Wow! Fruit, such big fruit!"
"I understand now, so that's how it is."
Liu Sandao offered no reply, nor did he acknowledge Bai Suxiang's exclamation.
He had found the way to solve the ancestor's riddle. The phrase "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven" was merely a lead-in to "nine-nine-one." By consolidating everything into one, the method would naturally reveal itself.
Bai Suxiang had wanted to pick the fruit, but Liu Sandao gave her no chance, and this time, she couldn't break free.
As soon as they entered the study, Liu Sandao began arranging the books, stacking them high.
"The answer is 'nine-nine-one.' Arrange these books as I say!" Liu Sandao instructed, as he started stacking the books on the floor, one atop another.
"Does 'nine-nine-one' really mean stacking them up, rather than laying them out?" Bai Suxiang wondered aloud as she helped Liu Sandao by handing him books.
Initially, Liu Sandao didn't respond, stacking them according to his first instinct. But as the pile grew taller, almost reaching the height of a bookshelf, there was no surprising effect.
"I say, why don't we try laying them out flat?" Bai Suxiang suggested again, seeing no hope. Liu Sandao's confidence wavered. Logically, this should have worked, but there was no sign of it.
Finally, after the stack exceeded the bookshelf's height, he decided to change his approach and start over.
This time, they laid the books out flat.
The first book placed was one with the character "Fu" (福). The second was a book with the character "Gen" (根). Then, where the third book was to be placed, an "eye"-shaped pattern appeared.
"That's it, that's it! Look, the 'eye' has appeared!" Bai Suxiang exclaimed excitedly, greatly encouraging Liu Sandao.
Following the riddle, Liu Sandao stood at the position of the "eye" and then placed the "Gen" and "Fu" books behind it. A pattern with six slots then appeared.
These six slots resembled compartments for placing books, as if they were meant to be inserted. Liu Sandao attempted to place a "Fu" book, and a "Gen" book in the second space, but it wouldn't fit.
He tried placing the "Gen" book in a slot parallel to the "Fu" book, and it slid in easily.
So that's how it worked.
After that, things became much easier to understand. Liu Sandao placed the books in order, and when he finally placed the ninth "Fu" book, a magical scene unfolded.
At the very spot where the first book was placed, a path emerged, the complete opposite of the book arrangement.
In other words, as Liu Sandao continued placing books, the path moved further away from him. If anyone were to walk on it, it would have to be Bai Suxiang.
However, the path was dark and seemed to extend only a short distance.
"Try going over there! Be careful!" Liu Sandao urged Bai Suxiang. The path looked as if it were inside the room, posing no immediate danger.
Bai Suxiang naturally stepped onto it. Fortunately, it was firm and did not give way.
"I understand. Now, hand me the books one by one again!" Liu Sandao instructed.
"Nine-nine-one," meaning starting from the beginning.
Bai Suxiang began handing Liu Sandao the books, one after another. With the experience from the first attempt, this time was much faster.
Soon, the path had extended further.
"So we have to arrange all the books! This will be easy now!" Bai Suxiang remarked.
It was strange. Bai Suxiang was an ordinary mortal, yet since arriving in the immortal realm, she hadn't felt hunger or even the slightest thirst.
Immortals were said to be able to go without eating or drinking, but Bai Suxiang, though not an immortal, also didn't eat or drink.
This made Bai Suxiang suspicious. "Does arriving in the heavens mean I've died?"
"Do you think I've died?" Bai Suxiang turned and asked Liu Sandao.
"What makes you say that?" Liu Sandao replied.
"I've been here for a while, yet I don't feel hungry or thirsty. Isn't that strange?"
This was a question Liu Sandao had never considered. In all his years, this was his first time bringing a mortal to the immortal realm, and he had never encountered such a situation.
As for whether a mortal who ascended to the immortal realm had actually died, he truly didn't know.
"Ouch!"
As Liu Sandao was deep in thought, Bai Suxiang let out a cry of pain.
Liu Sandao peered closely and burst into laughter.
It turned out that to confirm she was alive, Bai Suxiang had pinched her own thigh hard.
"Don't laugh! I'm alive, I'm alive!" Liu Sandao roared with laughter.
He had never seen anyone so foolish, so harsh on themselves. A pinch to confirm sensation was enough; why go to such lengths, hurting herself, not someone else?
Bai Suxiang sat not far from Liu Sandao, rubbing her sore leg.
Liu Sandao quickly placed the remaining books in a specific order into the final nine slots.
A total of nine segments of the path were formed, completing the arrangement of all the books.
"Alright, it's finally done. Quick, let's go take a look!"