Chapter 44: Childhood Memories

Watching You Qing leave, Yue Dong said coldly, "If this person were not in this place, he would already be dead."

Qing Lan gave a slight sigh, a trace of complexity flashing in her gaze: "After all, he also contributed his share of strength when resisting the beast tide, and I originally did not wish to bicker with him."

At this point, she paused slightly. "Forget it, dealing with such a person is too exhausting. We should also ascend the mountain."

Yue Dong turned back, her expression solemn and resolute: "You must succeed in your breakthrough. If your inner demon is that group of people from the Mu family, do not dwell on it too excessively. The muddy and unbearable past is already in the past, and there are many wonderful things waiting for you in the future."

Qing Lan smiled faintly and said softly, "Mm, rest assured. You must also be careful. Barring any accidents, you will be the most outstanding disciple of this trial. Be extremely cautious and do not be deceived by the Misty Mirror Spirit."

Yue Dong nodded earnestly, and the two of them stepped into the dense forest.

"Whoosh!"

A flash of clear light swept past, and the two figures seemed to be gently erased by an invisible hand. Immediately, their surroundings were swallowed by a surging white fog.

Qing Lan opened her eyes. What met her sight was a thick mist that seemed almost heavy enough to drip moisture, accompanied by boundless and profound darkness.

It felt as if the flow of time had come to a standstill.

She stepped closer to examine it closely. This white fog was very similar to the mist around the old man at the Southern Sky Boundary Stone, but the sensation it gave her was completely different; the fog here was bone-chillingly cold.

As the fog slowly climbed from her ankles, gradually submerging her legs and rising up to her chest, Qing Lan felt a trace of suffocation, as if she were about to be engulfed by something.

When she opened her eyes again, her consciousness gradually waking from its haze, the scene before her had completely changed.

She found herself in an oppressively hot forest. Not far away, the outlines of a few buildings loomed faintly amidst the shifting shadows of the trees. She felt a vague sense of familiarity, yet could not recall why.

Before she could take a step, a ragged little girl suddenly darted past from the side. Like an untimely gust of wind, she passed right through Qing Lan's body without any obstruction.

She looked down at herself—realizing she was being gently lifted by the white fog, existing merely as a phantom.

The girl was covered in tatters and unspeakably filthy. She clutched a withered, shriveled mantou tightly in her hand, rapidly biting into it as she ran, swallowing with great difficulty.

Behind her, several ragged individuals, presumably beggars, chased after her with wooden clubs in hand, wearing vicious expressions as if she had snatched away the most precious treasure in their lives.

"Catch her!"

"Don't let her get away!"

"You damned little wretch, how dare you steal our food!"

"See if I don't beat you to death!"

Threatening shouts accompanied the whistling wind of swinging clubs, pressing closer by the step. Hearing these words, the girl wore a panicked expression and continued to run frantically.

The group ran from outside the town deeper into the forest, and the surrounding figures gradually dwindled—they had reached Singing Mountain. Failing to notice the subtle change in the terrain, the girl tripped over a protruding rock, crashed heavily to the ground, and slid a long way forward, her body covered in cuts from small stones.

Enduring the pain, she opened her eyes to see a middle-aged man dressed in black.

The man's expression was indifferent. The beggars chasing behind the girl caught up, but upon seeing the extraordinary and luxuriously dressed man before them, they hesitated for a moment, not daring to step forward.

A spark of hope arose in the girl's heart, and she stared blankly at the man. However, the man's expression remained aloof, showing no intention of rescuing her whatsoever as he turned and walked away.

Seeing this, the beggars' unease vanished, replaced once more by ferocity. Realizing the girl had no one to protect her, they immediately swarmed around her.

Shivering, the girl wore oversized clothes picked up from somewhere else, making her frame appear exceptionally frail. She cautiously held out the remaining half of a mantou, which had already grown cold, and her voice was as thin as a mosquito's buzz: "I... I was really too hungry. I'm sorry, I'll return the mantou to you..."

The beggar leader twisted his face into a ferocious sneer and scoffed, "Return it to us? Do you think returning it means you can escape unscathed?"

"You actually dared to steal our things."

"That's right, we have to give you a good beating to teach you a lesson!"

As those thick, arm-sized wooden clubs were about to land on the girl, she wrapped her hands around her head and cried out involuntarily, "Ah!"

With the girl's scream, an incomparably intense wood-element spiritual energy suddenly erupted. Like an ancient slumbering tree suddenly awakening, it burst forth from within her body, transforming into a dazzling emerald radiance. The transient blast of airflow sent the approaching beggars stumbling and scattering in all directions.

The middle-aged man, who had already walked away, suddenly halted his steps. He whipped around sharply, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes—she was actually a girl capable of awakening a spiritual root?

Shocked by this green light and fearing that some powerful cultivator had descended, the group of beggars was about to drop to their knees, but the green light dissipated and nothing happened.

They failed to notice that the cuts and bruises on the girl's body were healing at an astonishing speed.

Angered by their own momentary fear, they swung a heavy club straight down toward the girl's head.

"Whoosh!"

As if the air were being torn apart, a streak of crimson suddenly blossomed, and blood splattered everywhere!

The club merely landed softly near the girl. Feeling no intense pain, she slowly lowered her defensive arms and opened her eyes to look. Standing before her was a towering man in black, while not far away, those beggars lay on the ground, drenched in blood and dead.

A dazed look flickered in the girl's eyes. The man gently bent down, the corners of his mouth curving into a warm smile as he asked gently, "Tell me, what is your name?"

The girl shook her head.

She had no name, nor did she know where she came from.

Seeing her response, the warmth in the man's eyes deepened. It was obvious she was an orphan with no background.

He muttered to himself, "How utterly perfect..."

He then took the girl's hand and said gently to her, "Come with me. I will take you to a place where you can eat your fill and wear warm clothes, alright?"

The girl understood half-heartedly. Sensing keenly that she had no room to resist, she nodded.

Seeing her so compliant, the man's smile grew even deeper. Holding her hand, he walked toward the Mu family estate.

Under the shade of the trees nearby, Qing Lan stood quietly, gazing at the eyebrows and eyes of the girl that so closely resembled her own.

Everything became crystal clear in her heart—she had originally been brought into the Mu family by Mu Feng.

Pausing for a moment with a trace of doubt in her heart, she followed after them nonetheless.

...

Brought into the Mu family estate, the girl was greeted by immaculate living quarters. The room was spacious and well-lit, and the bed was laid out with soft, warm quilts that exuded a reassuring scent, leaving her somewhat at a loss.

The servants nearby bathed and dressed her, the warm water sliding over her skin to wash away years of accumulated grime.

She transformed into a delicately carved, jade-like little girl.

Gazing at her own pretty reflection in the mirror, she seemed almost unable to believe it, continuously reaching out with her small hands to pat her face and hair, messing it up until she looked dusty again.

In the room, Qing Lan stood aside with a gaze as gentle as water. Watching the girl's expressions, she could not help but let out a soft laugh.

At that moment, Mu Feng walked in, and her smile instantly vanished.

Mu Feng greeted the girl gently, "Are you getting used to the food and living here?"

The girl nodded blankly. Mu Feng produced a jade bottle of medicinal pills and extracted one deep-yellow pill from it.

A look of faint reluctance flashed across his face as he looked at the pill, after which he said to the girl, "Your body is too weak. This is a spiritual pill that can make up for the deficiencies of these past few years and help you grow better. Eat it quickly."

Obediently, the girl swallowed it.

Mu Feng watched her quietly with a smile.

Soon, a sudden and violent headache overwhelmed the girl. The pain was momentarily unbearable, and she collapsed heavily to the floor, clutching her head tightly. Her petite body writhed helplessly, instantly creasing the pretty dress she had just put on.

Meanwhile, Mu Feng stood up and watched the girl quietly in this state. There was not a trace of smile left on his face, which was instead filled with a bone-chilling coldness.