Chu Yang's eyes were fierce as he bit down hard on his finger, causing bright red blood to flow from the wound. He then fed the blood to Chu Nan-Nan, who was in swaddling clothes, her tiny hands grasping Chu Yang's finger, sucking on it.
Gradually, her cries subsided.
Chu Yang let out a small sigh of relief.
To prevent the wound from closing too quickly and stopping the blood flow, Chu Yang repeatedly bit his finger, continuously feeding his sister with his blood.
After a long while, Chu Nan-Nan fell asleep peacefully in Chu Yang's arms.
...
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror.
Chu Nan-Nan, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but feel slightly moved. She had never known that, as an infant, the Emperor had fed her with his blood.
The surrounding cultivators were also deeply moved.
Human nature is inherently good.
Even the Emperor, who would later commit countless atrocities, had once harbored a pure heart as a child.
A seven-year-old boy, in such dire straits, could go to such lengths for his sister. It was enough to evoke deep admiration and sorrow.
Ye Fan was the first to speak, "Everyone, even though the Emperor did much for Chu Nan-Nan in his childhood, let us not forget the heinous acts he committed later. He eventually tried to kill Chu Nan-Nan for the supreme bone she possessed!"
These words brought everyone back to reality.
Indeed, the current Emperor still had some humanity, but later on... it was a different story.
...
Inside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror.
Chu Yang had no idea how much time had passed outside, and the surroundings had become quiet, suggesting that the wicked man had likely left.
For an exalted cultivator, two ordinary children were hardly worth a second thought.
With this in mind, Chu Yang began to climb out of the pit, carrying Chu Nan-Nan on his back.
He had no tools to aid him, relying solely on his small hands to grip the dirt and stones, inching his way up.
He fell multiple times and failed repeatedly, but his determination never wavered.
Despite his hands becoming bloodied and raw, his eyes remained resolute, never considering giving up.
The night grew deeper.
In the distance, wolves howled, and other fierce beasts roared.
After countless attempts, Chu Yang finally climbed out of the pit.
He lay on the grassy ground, panting heavily. His clothes were tattered, but seeing Chu Nan-Nan's peaceful face brought a smile to his lips.
After resting for a moment, Chu Yang stood up again.
He looked towards his village, resolutely deciding to return.
When Chu Yang finally made it back to the village, he was greeted by a scene of carnage. The villagers had all been slaughtered, the stench of blood permeating the air.
The village stream ran red with blood.
Chu Yang rushed to his home, where his parents lay in pools of blood.
The sight was horrific, a scene from a nightmare.
His mother, with a slight tremor, opened her eyes with great difficulty, seeing Chu Yang and shedding tears.
She forced a faint, sorrowful smile and weakly said, "Yang'er..."
"I'm sorry, your father and I won't be able to watch you and your sister grow up."
"You are the older brother, you must remember to protect your sister, let her grow up happily. This is the duty of an older brother. As long as you both are healthy and happy, we can die without regrets..."
With those words, Chu Yang's mother fell silent forever.
Chu Yang was overcome with grief, screaming hysterically, "No! Mother, don't go!"
"Father! Mother!"
After a long time, Chu Yang's face became expressionless. He buried his parents and then knelt in front of their simple graves, knocking his head against the ground nine times.
He picked up the bloodstained wooden sword and left the village that had raised him.
It was as if overnight, Chu Yang had matured significantly.
...
Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror.
The cultivators were at a loss for words. Such a catastrophe falling upon a seven-year-old boy, bearing such deep hatred and sorrow, would be enough to crush an adult.
How could a seven-year-old boy endure this? Yet, the Emperor did not fall. Instead, he rose step by step to become the strongest in the Three Realms, standing at the top of the pyramid, unrivaled.
Nie Fengyun felt heavy-hearted. Even as Chu Yang's best friend from those days, he had never known the hardships the Emperor endured in his childhood.
...
Chu Yang entered a dense forest.
This forest was full of dangers but was the only way down the mountain.
With the village destroyed, staying there would mean eventual starvation for him and Nan-Nan.
Even with countless dangers ahead, he was determined to proceed.
Chu Yang roughly bandaged his wounds, carried Chu Nan-Nan on his back, and with the wooden sword in hand, entered the beast-infested forest.
The sun shone brightly, illuminating the earth.
Chu Yang found a fruit tree. His eyes lit up; he hadn't eaten anything since the previous day and was starving.
He recognized the fruit, a common variety that his father used to pick for him.
The fist-sized red fruit was enticing. Chu Yang climbed the tree and picked ten fruits.
After wiping the fruit clean, he held it seriously to Chu Nan-Nan's mouth, saying, "Sister, eat up!"
This scene made many of the cultivators outside the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror chuckle. The current Chu Nan-Nan didn't even have teeth and couldn't speak, so how could she eat the fruit? Chu Yang realized this too, and after thinking for a moment, he put the fruit into his own mouth.
He chewed the fruit and then fed it to the swaddled Chu Nan-Nan directly from his mouth.
Ye Fan, watching this scene, almost exploded with anger. He had been trying to bring Chu Nan-Nan into his harem, but he hadn't expected that her first kiss would be taken by the Emperor in such a manner.
Luckily, he only grumbled inwardly. No one noticed his expression as everyone was focused on the scenes within the Heavenly Emperor's Mirror.
After filling their stomachs a bit, Chu Yang continued on his journey with Chu Nan-Nan on his back.
He knew he couldn't survive solely on these fruits. His sister was still young and needed milk to get proper nutrition.
Whether it was goat's milk, cow's milk, or beast milk, any would do.
The journey remained relatively peaceful, without any beast attacks.
This allowed Chu Yang to relax slightly, though his mind remained tense. Any encounter with a beast would spell danger for both him and his sister.
But sometimes, what you fear most is what you encounter! "Roar!"
A roar echoed as a leopard with spotted fur appeared, staring menacingly at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang also noticed the fierce leopard.
His hand, gripping the wooden sword, began to sweat.
Swish! The leopard lost its patience and quickly lunged at Chu Yang.
Everyone watching outside the mirror felt puzzled. How could the Emperor, now just a mortal, possibly stand a chance against a beast?