"Thank you, my lord, truly!" In a small wooden hut, the fragrance of freshly burning amber wood incense filled the air.
On the ground, the hay stems were layered in a thick, even coating to provide insulation from the upcoming winter. On top of these hay stems, numerous rose petals trailed near the door.
Stretching towards the bed in the corner—opposite to the door—its striking red color smeared the hay below.
The rose petals, on the other hand, seemed visibly dull near the bed. Almost as if they'd been walked upon countless times.
This was the unique wedding tradition of Lu Bai Village—to welcome the newlywed couple with a path of flowers.
It was believed that the flower path would help stabilize their new wishes and support their lives with its everlasting fragrance.
Today marked the seventh day of their wedding. The faint aroma of roses had already been engraved deep into the floor.
Yet, for some reason, the couple prostrated themselves in the other corner of their house.
"It is only because of your benevolent grace that my husband." The young woman paused, bowing her head further. Kneeling together with her young husband, their noses rubbed against the soft hay.
Draped in a long blue robe, her long hair cascaded down her back.
Before them, a small wooden log was placed on the hay. On top, several palm-sized stones were placed one upon another, each varying in size and shape. In front of these stones, three amber wood incense sticks were freshly lit.
The woman slowly raised her head, revealing her striking facial features. Pale skin, dark brown eyes, and cherry-red lips.
"It's all thanks to your grace that my husband's hemorrhoids have been cured." Her voice came soft and low, tears forming in her eyes.
She quickly cleaned her eyes with her long sleeves and smiled brightly before the rocks.
"Thank you, my lord." Her voice chimed through the room.
As she said that, the young man slowly raised his head. He extended his hand forward and slowly placed it on her shoulder.
"Wu'er," he called out, his voice gentle and calm. "I do not wish to be rude, but do you truly think that somewhere out there, there's a god who looks after us, mortals?"
Having lived in the Lu Bai Village his entire life, Fei Zhi had never heard of any such deity. To him, his survival only depended on his own hunting skills.
But when he married his wife, he was introduced to a new world of beliefs. A belief that there's always someone watching. Not with animosity, but with affection.
Naturally, such a belief sounded like nothing more than a fantasy to Fei Zhi. But to not hurt his wife's heart, he accepted it without hesitation.
He knew that such beliefs could never be revealed to the people of Lu Bai Village. Thus, he created a small shrine to enshrine his wife's belief in his own house with the best of his abilities.
But after witnessing the intensity of his wife's beliefs, he couldn't help but worry.
'How would she react once she gets to know that such a deity doesn't exist?'
'Wouldn't she be heartbroken?'
All sorts of questions arose in his mind. But in the end, his will stood resolute.
'So what if there truly isn't such a being in this world? For the sake of her smile, I wouldn't mind kneeling before these stones for all my life.'
Just as she was about to respond to his previous question, Fei Zhi waved his hand and gently smiled.
"It's fine. If you believe in him," he moved his eyes towards the small shrine, "then so do I."
Cupping his hands in reverence, he bowed before the stones once. Then, he looked at her.
"In the future, I hope you will teach me the proper rituals for the prayers." He chuckled affectionately.
Seeing his gesture, she couldn't help but wonder—' How lucky am I to be chosen as your wife?
Her eyes drooped low, her face turning a soft hue of red. She slowly held onto his hands and nodded. "I will... Definitely..."
Whether the belief in mere stones was right or wrong, Fei Zhi didn't know. But he knew that his choice wasn't wrong.
If God were real, then he should naturally believe in him. But even if the deity truly never existed, how could she ever know? After all, stones never talk.
But little did he know that someone truly was watching over them. Through the stones? No.
Stones were but a part of his existence. But so was everything else.
He wasn't trapped inside the stones. It was just a part of the perception that mortals had created to praise the unseeable.
Even as the couple exchanged innocent gazes, he couldn't help but watch from afar.
Their voices faded into the night—but beyond the reach of mortal sight, someone heard every word.
In a desolate space, a soft hum echoed from the symphony of countless stars being born and erased at the same time.
"How lucky," lying directly over the fabric of space and time, Feng Liang couldn't help but wonder.
His long white hair was held together by a small crown at the top of his head before flowing down his back majestically.
His eyes shimmered in a bright cerulean hue, and his face was handsome enough to woo every heavenly beauty in existence.
Draped in long dark robes, he silently looked down over the myriads of worlds. His face was emotionless, as if nothing in the countless worlds could entertain him anymore.
For the past few millennia, he had always come here into this private space and spent ages looking at different worlds.
The more he watched the lives of others, let it be animals, beasts, or humans, the more enticed he became.
For countless years, he had possessed powers that far surpassed anyone's imagination. From being called a monster to being revered as a literal god—he had experienced it all.
Yet, he didn't feel satisfied.
"To kill as I please, to help as I please... What is the meaning of such a life, if that is all I'm allowed to do? What is the meaning of such powers, if I cannot enjoy the normal life that I have wished for since the very beginning?"