Chapter 62

(First update of the day, please give free recommendations daily, and new readers, please add to your bookshelf!)

The evil spirits in the underworld were stirring, and Su Qinnian caught a whiff of the putrid odor.

Outside Baiyun Peak.

The two disciples guarding the gate were still there, but after several days, the looks they gave Su Qinnian were no longer filled with disdain and suspicion, only speculation remained.

Without a word, they did not stop him, watching as Su Qinnian's figure disappeared inside the gate. The two disciples exchanged glances, only to sigh.

"I heard that Li Qinghe from Xiaoyao Valley returned last night, severely injured, but he managed to slay a four-eared demon bear."

"This is a terrifying beast even more formidable than a demon tiger or a blood-eyed lion. On this land, apart from demon rhinos and mammoth demon elephants, it stands at the pinnacle of demon beasts."

"Li Zhenan, the son of the Fifth Rank General who guarded the Northern Sea, Li Jintao, who wielded the Sword of Surging Waves, was a pity. A great master of swordsmanship, he lost two towns due to a martial arts dispute, and tens of thousands of civilians were massacred..."

...

Deep within the outer courtyard, the air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs, even a bit pungent. The little boy in Su Qinnian's arms woke up, his weak eyes wide open, staring at Su Qinnian. "Big brother, am I cured? Can I practice martial arts now?"

"Do you really want to practice martial arts?"

Su Qinnian glanced at him. The little boy was very strong, even a bit stubborn. Despite the demonic aura eroding his body, he hadn't shed a single tear in days, and his eyes grew even more determined.

"I want to practice martial arts. With great martial arts, no one will be able to harm me, my father and mother, or my grandparents. I will defeat them and stop them from doing evil."

Looking at the little boy's serious gaze, Su Qinnian asked curiously, "Evil people came to harm you and your family. Since they are evil, why not kill them? If you defeat them, they might still do evil."

Hesitating for a moment, the little boy's voice lowered, mumbling, "But, but they have fathers and mothers, and grandparents too..."

By the end, the little boy's voice was barely audible. Su Qinnian was slightly taken aback, then gently stroked his young head, took a deep breath, and said, "You are not wrong, good child. You will definitely be able to practice martial arts and become a great martial artist."

"Really?" The little boy exclaimed in surprise, his eyes shining.

"Really, I promise."

Su Qinnian nodded, his gaze serious. Although the world's principles are not so simple, and the boundaries between good and evil, truth and falsehood, are never clear, he still wanted to plant this seed of light.

"You have arrived."

In the courtyard, Daoist Jingwu spoke, glancing at the little boy and frowning. "The loss of primordial energy is quite significant. It seems that the medicinal power of a hundred-year-old ginseng is still insufficient. However, the efficacy of medicine can only go so far. Even a two-hundred or three-hundred-year-old ginseng would not change much."

"Do our best and leave the rest to fate."

Not far away, a tall figure in a deep blue robe turned around. He looked like an ordinary person, about middle-aged, with an ordinary appearance but long, jet-black hair.

Incomprehensible!

This was Su Qinnian's first reaction. He had just entered the courtyard, and his mental energy had not detected another life force here. Only when this person spoke did he finally realize there was someone else.

The deep blue robe, according to Wudang's custom, was only worn by those of the Guardian rank. The identity of this person was clear.

A Guardian from Danzao Peak, one of the seventy-two peaks of Wudang.

Su Qinnian had some understanding of Danzao Peak. It was a holy place for Daoist alchemy in Wudang, excelling in medical principles and alchemy, and was well-known throughout the empire.

Especially the Yin-Yang Wuji Pill from Danzao Peak, known as the Daoist Holy Pill, could help top-tier figures glimpse the secrets of the pinnacle, attracting countless martial artists and even major sects, noble families, and the imperial court, making it extremely rare.

Su Qinnian bowed. "Greetings, Guardian."

"A gentleman is open and honest, with a righteous heart. I believe the successor of the Xiuming Dao."

The Guardian from Danzao Peak suddenly spoke, then took the little boy and walked to the center of the courtyard. There was a large tub of boiling medicinal water, filled with ginseng slices, astragalus, polygonum, lingzhi, and other tonics, as well as some common herbs like cat's ear, and some unknown, colorful, and somewhat eerie insects.

Looking at the Guardian's back, Su Qinnian suddenly felt a bit melancholic. Although he was one of the inheritors of Qingyang Peak, he was not very familiar with its history. The battle five hundred years ago was a mystery, and the glory of Qingyang Peak back then seemed far from what he could grasp just by observing the past in the spirit world.

"Are you afraid?"

"Uncle, I'm not afraid."

The little boy was not at all shy. He bit his pale lips and, following the Guardian's instructions, took off his clothes, revealing a withered, pale body, his blood and qi dim, with a sickly yellow hue.

"Demons harming people, unforgivable!"

Daoist Jingwu, seeing this, his eyes turned cold. A child who should have had a carefree childhood was targeted by demons, his primordial energy and foundation destroyed. Even if he were saved, he would likely not live past thirty, and practicing martial arts would be impossible, his bones and foundation ruined.

For a three-year-old child, this was cruel. He did not say it aloud but gently placed the little boy in the tub of medicinal water, using ancient techniques to massage his body, relax his meridians, and facilitate the absorption of the medicine.

Buzz!

The Guardian from Danzao Peak acted, his hand reaching out as if plucking a star from the sky. Instantly, Su Qinnian felt a vast, indescribable aura. For a moment, he seemed to see a vast sea of stars, a giant hand larger than the sun and moon, grabbing a massive star and pulling it down.

In his spirit sea, his mental energy was suppressed, unable to break free, and the air around him became stagnant, a restraining force enveloping him.

However, this restraining force was not directed at him. Even so, Su Qinnian could imagine that if the Guardian truly acted, he would be like meat on a chopping board, unable to move.

"This is a top-tier figure in the martial world, already delving into the mental realm, with deep expertise. In front of such a person, I cannot easily use the 'Mihun Dafa,' as it would likely be detected and even exposed."

As Su Qinnian pondered, the Guardian's palm captured a faint, chaotic energy, emitting a powerful, indescribable life force. Even from a distance, it made Su Qinnian's body tremble, his blood and qi yearning for it.

Primordial energy of heaven and earth!

Su Qinnian focused, the energy's aura was similar to the mysterious power he felt when breaking through the 'Mihun Dafa,' but also different.

Snap!

The primordial energy was then infused into the little boy's Baihui point at the top of his head, and his complexion quickly regained some color.

...

A day later.

Qingshan Town, Jiuli Ridge.

Su Qinnian bid farewell to the old man from the Hu family, who had come to see him off, and walked through the village. Passing by the temple of Sanfeng, he saw several new, tall incense burners in front of it, with smoke curling up. Many villagers were coming and going, and more were servants from the Hu family, carrying incense, candles, and fruits to offer to the temple.

The incense in the temple was even more prosperous.

Feeling a sense of foreboding, his mental energy broke free, but was blocked by an invisible force at the temple entrance, unable to enter.

"An ancient saying goes, 'Three feet above one's head, there are gods.' Is it true? Or is it the manifestation of a martial artist's power?"

Su Qinnian pondered, retracting his mental energy. He vaguely felt a vast, star-like eye in the distance, calmly scanning over him.

For a moment, he felt uneasy, but as he retracted his mental energy, the gaze dissipated into nothingness.

Half an hour later, leaving Qingshan Town, he stepped onto the main road. Su Qinnian's eyes turned cold, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp.

Silently, a sword tip emerged from the nearby wilderness, reaching within three inches of his body in an instant. (First update of the day, please give free recommendations daily, and new readers, please add to your bookshelf!)