Chapter 3, The Cry of the Infant

The infant was brought here two months ago, and the visitor entrusted it to the priest of the Qingshui clan, instructing him to nurture and care for it. The person who initially brought the child is the woman present today; the infant may have been found by her while she was passing through the mountains and fields, and she rescued him and delivered him to the nearest tribe.

The altar, constructed of solid bluestone, has collapsed halfway, rendering it unrecognizable from its original sacred and solemn appearance. This is the battlefield where the Qing Shui clan resisted until the very end. Although no traces of bodies remain, one can still sense the lingering atmosphere of brutality. An invisible force is summoned, lifting heavy bluestones into the air, and a corner of the remaining altar is dismantled, along with the ruins of a nearby building being removed.

The woman held this crying little one in her arms, appearing somewhat at a loss. It was evident that she had little experience and could only use her magical powers to soothe the child. The baby was healthy and uninjured, crying loudly and full of spirit. No matter how powerful the woman's abilities were, she was utterly helpless against this infant, who was completely unaware of the world.

Starshine: "But in this condition, how long can he endure in hatred, and how much longer can he sustain it? More importantly, how long can you, the Master of Slaughter, wait?"

Even though the young lady was not ordinary, she did not attract much attention from Li Qingshui at the time. In recent years, many merchants have come to the fortress of the Qing Shui clan, exchanging items produced in the Bayuan region for unique products from the mountains. However, today Li Qingshui realized that he had overlooked her back then; this woman turned out to be such a master, and her demeanor had been perfectly restrained at that time.

She hovered above the ruins, standing in mid-air. If a wise person were to sense with their spiritual awareness, they would perceive as if a pair of transparent, invisible wings were unfurling behind her. This was a spell formed from condensed wind, executed with the aid of a magical artifact, allowing her to soar through the skies. At this moment, however, fine beads of sweat were emerging from her delicate and petite nose, clearly indicating that she had rushed from a great distance.

Bai Sha: "I have also studied many so-called mountain deities' cultivation. I have just sensed that he has merged his own aura with this tree hill. As long as the vitality of the tree hill is not extinguished, he can continue to live, like a stone in the mountains that cannot move or speak, until the end of his lifespan"

After a while, the woman seemed to suddenly come to her senses and waved her sleeve to cast a spell. In the distant mountains and forests, a rain of flowers began to swirl, with countless unknown wildflower petals glistening with morning dew, and sweet nectar being gathered and collected by delicate magic. In the air, it coalesced into droplets, which then merged into a slow stream, enveloped by an invisible force and delivered into the infant's mouth

In the past, when the young Emperor Haotian observed the flying birds and roaming beasts of the world, he studied the innate abilities and divine powers of various monsters, intending to comprehend their mysteries and create the Swallowing Form Technique. Now, Li Qingshui is unable to ascertain whether this woman has mastered the Swallowing Form Technique; he can only speculate that there is a strong possibility of it, causing a surge of doubts in his mind

On the night the tragedy occurred, the priest of the clan heard the warning of the mountain god, foretelling that there would be a night raid by villains, and the Qing Shui clan was facing imminent disaster. The priest must have urgently opened the secret chamber and taken out several powerful magical artifacts for the clan members to fight with, perhaps inadvertently leaving this infant in the secret chamber.

At present, Li Qing Shui can perceive the situation in the Yuan Shen much like an ordinary person's naked eye. Therefore, he did not see the pair of invisible wings formed by condensed wind that unfolded behind the woman as she flew in. However, based on his scriptures and books, he judged that the woman's cultivation was still inferior to his; at least, she did not possess the ability to fly freely. She must have relied on some kind of magical artifact or special technique.

This infant is not a member of the Qingshui clan. It is possible that the priest did not want him to perish alongside the Qingshui family, or perhaps he recalled the promise made when taking in the infant—to do his utmost to care for him—thus leaving a glimmer of hope for the child. As for whether he can survive, it is left to fate.

The current Tree of Qiu has not only become a place that confines the clear waters and a waiting ground for the white calamity, but it has also turned into a rare medicinal field secretly owned by the Chi Wang Qiu faction. Having harvested the ripe Langgan fruits and collected the resin of the dragon blood tree, Xing Yao also ordered the excavation of a batch of dragon tree blood resin. The tree nodes of the dragon blood treasure tree naturally exude resin, which, upon solidifying and dropping to the ground, becomes dragon tree blood resin. This substance is not only a spiritual medicine that aids in cultivation but also has many other uses.

Dissolving dragon's blood resin with secret methods and integrating it into the roots of plants is one of the methods for cultivating rare medicinal fields, enabling the growth of some rare spiritual herbs, which thrive better and faster. In this mountain, there are hundreds of dragon blood trees, and over the years, a significant amount of dragon's blood resin has accumulated in the soil and rocks. The growth of the exquisite forest at the peak is closely related to this. Xingyao and his team only collected a portion of the dragon's blood resin buried in the surface layer of the soil and rocks; they also intend to preserve the medicinal fields here. In this mountain, there are hundreds of dragon blood trees, and over the years, a significant amount of dragon's blood resin has accumulated in the soil and rocks. The growth of the exquisite forest at the peak is closely related to this. Xingyao and his team only collected a portion of the dragon's blood resin buried in the surface layer of the soil and rocks; they also intend to preserve the medicinal fields here

The woman should not have known that there was a secret chamber beneath the altar; she was merely searching for this infant, or more precisely, for an object that could be sensed through magical means on the infant. A deep brown vine ring was fastened around the infant's left ankle, appearing unremarkable yet made from the rare Tianqing vine, its surface gleaming with a lustrous sheen, as if it had been caressed for a long time

He knew that the woman had flown over, able to 'see' within the primordial spirit. In fact, given his current condition, his ordinary eyes could no longer discern the scenery beyond the hills; he could only sense it through the remnants condensed by the mysterious laws of the mountain deity. He did not need to open his eyes; this was merely a subconscious action, indicating that his state of mind had been greatly stirred.

If Bai Sha's subordinates are injured, they will immediately be attacked by a group of Qing Shui clan members, resulting in casualties that are at least ten times that of the injured. At this moment, the Qing Shui clan has already been destroyed; how should the remaining matters be handled

The fortified town has turned into ruins, and a profound silence envelops the valley surrounded by mountains. The flames that ignited last night have startled the surrounding birds and beasts, and the fire has not yet been completely extinguished, with wisps of blue smoke still rising from the embers of the ruins

After all this was done, it was already dusk the next day. Xing Yao reported to Bai Sha: "Master Sha, the spiritual herbs collected from the hill are already a significant harvest. However, you led the group out of the mountain in the name of slaying the demon king and ordered that this matter must not be disclosed. How should we explain this when we return to Chiwang Hill?"

Amidst the ruins, a baby miraculously survived. The priest of the Suisui clan fought valiantly to the death, yet left this child in a secret chamber, awaiting a glimmer of seemingly impossible hope. If others were to witness this scene, they might rejoice that the Suisui clan still has a last surviving heir. However, Qing Shui could only sigh inwardly, for he knew that this baby was not a member of the Suisui clan.

Bai Sha nodded and said: "The things he won't tell me, as long as the opportunity arises, he will definitely tell his successor, and the purpose is for revenge. The reason he is still alive is that this belief is supporting him! This is the simplest principle, and I understand it too"

The baby stopped crying, and after a while, surprisingly fell asleep in the woman's arms, a lovely smile still gracing the chubby little face. The woman looked down at the child, her gaze revealing tenderness, yet her slightly furrowed brows indicated that she was unsure of what to do.

Then why did Bai Sha not kill him, but instead let him see that this infant had survived? What was he trying to achieve? Was he hoping to make him regard this infant as the only surviving member of the Qing Shui clan, with the intention of nurturing him as a successor in the future? However, if he had already thought of these things, how could he possibly do such a thing?

In the area of the three thousand li Ba Yuan and its surroundings, only Chi Wang Qiu possesses the secret transmission of the Swallowing Form Technique. If this woman has truly mastered the Swallowing Form Technique, she is most likely a master from Chi Wang Qiu. The lord of Chi Wang Qiu, Bai Sha, exterminated the Qing Shui clan but left this infant behind, and the woman immediately came to rescue the infant. What is the connection between these events?

Bai Sha and Xing Yao departed at dusk the following day, quietly vanishing among the myriad mountains and valleys as night gradually descended. This also reflects the boldness of skilled individuals; in the wilderness, no resident of the various tribes dares to travel at night. Not to mention the threat posed by fierce birds and strange beasts, the inability to see the path at night means that even a slight misstep in the treacherous mountains could lead to a fall into the abyss

The Dragon Blood Tree has become quite rare in its natural wild environment, and the cultivation of the Langgan tree is particularly difficult, making transplantation nearly impossible. Such a grove of exquisite trees is truly hard to find in the world. There is also a Langgan tree in the Red Lookout Hill of Baisha, but there is only one, which was painstakingly nurtured through countless secret methods over a hundred years, successfully cultivated with great care.

Starshine: "But in this condition, how can he find a successor?"

The sky blue vine has the effects of calming the mind, moisturizing the skin, and promoting blood circulation. This vine ring resembles a bracelet, with a curved shape and a notch. It has excellent elasticity, allowing it to be opened and slipped onto the wrist. However, the infant's wrist is clearly too slender, so it was placed on the ankle instead. Moreover, this bracelet appears to have undergone magical refinement, making it exceptionally resilient and enhancing its efficacy.

In general, the number of injured in battles is often much greater than the number of fatalities; however, today's situation is different. This is not a battle but a pure act of genocide, and the scene is exceptionally brutal. In the end, even the elderly, women, and children of the Qingshui clan took up arms, fiercely striking at the vital points of the slaughterers. Each enemy killed was an act of revenge for themselves and their kin

Although the Water Spirit is a mountain deity and can be aware of events occurring within a radius of two hundred miles, he is certainly not constantly focused on the nearly endless trivial matters. Recently, he was at a critical juncture in his cultivation, about to enter seclusion for tribulation, so he did not pay much attention to the mundane affairs of the various tribes, merely being aware that such matters existed.

Suddenly, an invisible wave of magical energy emanated from the ground beside the altar, quickly dissipating within the spell cast by the woman, as if some kind of formation had been disrupted. A bamboo basket, lined with soft grass and animal skins, flew out, and from within the basket came the sudden sound of a baby's cry.

Starshine: "Do you still want him to live? Since he did not speak today, he will never fulfill your wishes."

There is actually a survivor here, a male infant who is less than one year old. At the bottom of the altar, there is a secret chamber that, apart from the priests of the Qing Shui clan throughout the generations, is unknown to the other clan members. Someone has hidden him and the books here, sealing the entrance to the secret chamber and using a concealment array to mask his presence

The muscular man named Xing Yao is a disciple of Bai Sha and also his most trusted confidant. At this moment, Xing Yao looked at Li Qingshui, who was sitting motionless on the stone platform, and inquired with his mind: "Master Sha, have you obtained it?"

Another dawn has arrived, with a faint blue haze lingering in the valley, exuding an indescribable essence. At last, the sound of birdsong can be heard from the surrounding mountains and forests, as a few brightly colored tree herons fly by, seemingly startled by something, changing direction in mid-air to avoid the ruins of the fortress.

As the sunlight crossed the ridge and illuminated the ground, another person arrived here. This individual had seemingly flown down from the heavens, dressed in a pure white gown, the hem and cuffs subtly tinged with a faint golden hue, resembling a white cloud adorned with golden edges in the glow of dawn. This person was a woman, appearing to be in her late teens, with long hair cascading like black satin. Her exquisite features and graceful figure, along with her fair skin that shimmered like jade, made her resemble a fairy descended to the mortal realm

The woman seemed to be using powerful magical abilities to sense and search for something among the ruins. Suddenly, her expression changed, and she flew down to the center of the ruins, pointing an object in her hand forward. The ground was covered with charred ashes, surrounded by burned and collapsed buildings, with the altar of the fortress ahead.

If he were not in his current condition, how could I rest assured to let him live? Yet his persistence in living indicates that there is still a possibility of success. He is the mountain god here, still able to hear the prayers coming from the altars of various tribes, aware of the events occurring within a hundred miles. Unfortunately, the means at his disposal have become quite limited, and I am also looking forward to seeing what he will do next

Bai Sha smiled: "Today, having obtained such a large quantity of Langgan fruit, even if I cannot consume it to achieve immortality, it will at least help me extend my life by several decades. This alone makes the journey worthwhile! After leaving the Shude Hill, we will go and slay that Rock-scaled Beast; I know where it is, and what I said before was not mere words. ... ... Let us depart first; the subsequent matters here will be entrusted to you after we have dealt with the Demon King."

After much contemplation and speculation, he could not arrive at a completely reasonable explanation. Shui suddenly felt quite ridiculous, realizing that he had overthought the matter, as he had just overlooked the simplest fact—no one could send a baby as an undercover agent

Dragon's blood resin and dragon tree blood are indeed healing elixirs. The Chiwangqiu sect possesses its own secret methods for healing using these substances, allowing the injured to receive temporary treatment within the grove of trees.

As he was about to take the final step on the path to ascend to the heavens, all his previous efforts were in vain, and his entire cultivation was destroyed, suffering an irreversible injury to both body and spirit. He struggled to merge his own breath with that of the tree hill, allowing him to continue living in a state of mere survival.

Bai Sha turned around and said: "Xing Yao, the matters of the aftermath will be entrusted to you. Do not leave any clues related to Chi Wang Qiu. Today's events must be kept absolutely confidential; no one is to disclose any details, not even when returning to Chi Wang Qiu. As for how to speak of it in the future, I will teach you myself"

Bai Sha did not kill him, and he is also aware of Bai Sha's purpose in sparing his life. Li Qing Shui is the mountain deity worshipped by various tribes within a radius of two hundred miles. Even now, he is still able to know what is happening in this area; however, he cannot move or speak, and it is even more difficult for him to communicate with others as the mountain deity, as he used to do.

The Starry Radiance left no trace that could lead to the clues of Chiwang Hill, not even the weapons destroyed in battle were left behind. The ruins bore no corpses; the remains of the Qing Shui clan and the fallen subordinates of Bai Sha had all turned to ashes. The final fire that obliterated the bodies was imbued with supernatural power, thus it burned thoroughly, leaving only countless gray ashes that floated upwards with the rising air currents, slowly scattering across the mountains and fields.

However, the secret chamber beneath the altar was not constructed by the priests of the Qing Shui clan throughout the generations, but was personally built by Li Qing Shui to serve as a secret place for the clan members to store their most precious items, including the ritual implements passed down through the generations

The infant was brought by this woman. Could it be that she intends to leave it within the Qing Shui clan as an undercover agent, to grow up beside the priest in hopes of eventually obtaining his secret teachings? If Bai Sha originally had such a plan, and then heard that he had entered seclusion to undergo tribulation, if he successfully passes the tribulation, he will soon ascend to the heavens. Has this arrangement already lost its purpose, prompting her to take subsequent actions?

The Qingshui clan, numbering over 1,600 individuals, did not depart; they remain here, transformed into ashes. It is difficult for ordinary people to trace their remnants, yet this woman can sense them clearly. She swiftly waved the object in her hand, resembling a white bamboo staff, and a refreshing aura spread across the sky, as if carrying invisible raindrops. The embers of the flames in the ruins were finally extinguished, and the drifting smoke gradually dissipated, restoring the freshness of the air in the valley

In the mountains, there are dozens of Langgan trees, from which Baisha has harvested all the ripe Langgan fruits. There are also hundreds of Dragon Blood trees in this area, and he has instructed his men to collect the dragon blood resin using a secret method at noon. However, Baisha did not touch the unripe Langgan fruits, nor did he harm the roots of the Langgan and Dragon Blood trees, allowing them to remain in place to continue growing, so that he could return to harvest them periodically

Bai Sha: "With his cultivation level, if he wishes to end his own life, I cannot stop him. However, in this situation, his determination to continue living speaks volumes. Given his hatred towards me, as long as there is even a slight possibility of revenge, he will not give up. Although he no longer speaks, how could I not understand what he is thinking?"

Such items are rare for ordinary people, but for a master like her, they are merely trivial objects, perhaps left behind for the infant in a moment of convenience. Li Qing Shui speculated that there were traces of divine consciousness left by a woman on the vine ring. As long as the concentrated divine power within it had not dissipated, she could sense its presence, which enabled her to locate the child

And I can at least wait another hundred years, even if I ultimately do not achieve the desired outcome, there is no loss. During these hundred years, I still have the hope of traversing the path to ascend to the heavens, and it is not necessary to obtain his secret teachings. I am merely giving him an opportunity, allowing him to believe he can grasp the chance of hope, and this is also my opportunity

Starshine: "Are you saying that he will find a successor and teach everything he knows in his lifetime to this successor? What you cannot obtain from him can still be acquired from his successor at that time"

In a state of confusion, the clear water closed its eyes again, merely observing within the spirit. The baby's cries were loud; the woman bent down to lift the infant from the bamboo basket, and the baby began to wave its chubby little arms and legs, crying even louder, as if it had suffered a great injustice—surely it was thirsty and hungry

... ...

Bai Sha once disguised herself as a merchant along with her subordinates to buy members of the Qing Shui clan. Could it be her? But what about this infant? The woman first came two months ago, but later, due to Qing Shui's seclusion and tribulations, she was completely unaware of external matters. Although he is a mountain deity, he can only rely on deduction to judge things he does not understand. After careful observation, he finally unraveled a mystery and understood how that woman discovered the secret chamber. Although he is a mountain deity, he can only rely on deduction to judge things he does not understand. After careful observation, he finally unraveled a mystery and understood how that woman discovered the secret chamber

The frail infant had already spent a day and a night in darkness, and when he was met with the blinding sunlight, his cries were still resoundingly loud

The woman on the hill of Shude is reminiscing about the past. Two months ago, she arrived at the fortress of the Qing Shui clan along with a group of merchants, traveling on the rugged mountain path leading to Bayuan. Judging by her attire at that time, she was not a girl from an ordinary family; those merchants were likely her escorts.

This infant has temporarily escaped a calamity, even a master like Xing Yao did not detect him. However, after the annihilation of the Qing Shui clan, it is even less likely that anyone will discover this secret chamber, and this child would helplessly perish in the darkness below. Fortunately, at this moment, he has been found by this woman

Qingshui was unaware that there was a baby in the secret chamber. When he initially warned the priest of the Qingshui clan, he was already severely injured. Shortly thereafter, Baisha ascended to the peak and pressed him for the secret teachings, leaving him with no time to spare. At this moment, although he could still perceive the situation outside of Shudeqiu through his primordial spirit, it was beyond the reach of ordinary human senses, and he was unable to glimpse into the underground secret chamber.

In the distance, the tree hidden from the world atop the hill suddenly opened its eyes like a stone statue, its gaze directed towards the altar from which the cries of a baby emanated amidst the ruins of the fortress. The tree had long been immobile; even the mere act of struggling to open its eyes felt as heavy as lifting two mountain peaks, appearing as if the stone statue had developed cracks.

However, what intrigued Li Qingshui even more than the infant was this woman. How could she have discovered this secret chamber and the infant within it? Li Qingshui was well aware of how hidden the chamber he had built with his own hands was. Even if it were him in his prime, it would have been difficult to detect it unless the local mountain deity had already known of its existence. Yet this woman managed to find it so precisely!

... ...

Bai Sha shook his head and gestured for Xing Yao to follow him away from the peak. They floated down the mountain and reached outside the formation, at which point he conveyed with his divine sense: "As long as the water remains clear, we still have hope"

Li Qingshui should also be able to anticipate that Bai Sha would monitor him, so when searching for a successor, he would make every effort to avoid Bai Sha's surveillance, or he might mistakenly believe he could evade scrutiny. Nevertheless, as long as there is a glimmer of hope for revenge, Li Qingshui will not give up trying; after all, he no longer cares about the risks involved, and Bai Sha is precisely waiting for this opportunity

The woman gazed at the ruins of the fortress, her eyes filled with shock. She had clearly sensed that something had transpired here, but it was too late by the time she arrived. The Qing Shui clan had inexplicably vanished, and no one knew where they had gone. Yet, amidst the smoke and ashes, the woman detected a trace of a terrifying presence.

Bai Sha retained the array surrounding the hill of the tree and quietly set up another array to monitor Li Qingshui's movements at any time. Currently, Li Qingshui can still "see" what happens within a radius of one hundred miles, but it has become very difficult for him to communicate with the outside world. Even if he barely gathers his divine thoughts using the mysterious methods of the mountain god to communicate with someone outside, Bai Sha would immediately become aware of it.