Chapter 51 Saving the Child-Eu só aceitei discípulos por acaso, como eles se tornaram Grandes Imperadores?(Espalhadas como estrelas sobre o rio inteiro.)

Lu Qianqiu was both furious and annoyed. Surrounded by her subordinates, she cursed the reckless perpetrator while ordering them to quickly find an inn so she could change out of her mud-stained clothes.

Although her originally overbearing demeanor was now obscured by her disheveled state, the malice in her eyes did not diminish in the slightest as she hurried away with her entourage.

Watching Lu Qianqiu’s receding figure, Ye Xinghe gave a slight shake of his head before leading Ximen Feixue directly into the mountains.

The vegetation in the southwestern mountains was dense, with towering ancient trees and mountain mists lingering like a fairy realm.

The master and disciple proceeded slowly along the winding mountain path, occasionally keeping watch on their surroundings while Ximen Feixue searched for any traces of ancient fallen leaves.

As they reached a relatively open valley, Ximen Feixue inadvertently raised his head and suddenly caught sight of a tiny figure struggling to climb the opposite cliff face.

The cliff was steep and perilous, standing at a nearly ninety-degree vertical angle, with only a few rock crevices and sparse vines providing any purchase.

The child’s slender and small figure appeared all the more insignificant against the immense cliff.

Ximen Feixue felt a jolt in his heart and was just about to shout a warning when the child’s foot suddenly slipped.

In an instant, the child lost his balance and plummeted straight down from a height of a hundred meters like a kite with a broken string.

A sharp cry of alarm instantly echoed through the valley.

Without a second thought, Ximen Feixue tapped the ground lightly with the tip of his foot, his entire body soaring upward like a flash of white lightning.

With a few agile twists and turns in mid-air, he rapidly closed in on the falling child.

At this moment, paralyzed by extreme terror, the child’s face was as pale as paper, his eyes tightly shut, and his hands flailing wildly in the air.

Ximen Feixue extended his arms and caught the child securely.

Then, using the momentum of the descent, he skillfully adjusted his posture and drifted gently back to the ground.

The entire sequence of movements was executed in one smooth motion, akin to an immortal descending to the mortal world.

It took a long time for the child to recover his senses after landing.

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Ximen Feixue before him; a trace of bewilderment flashed through his eyes, followed immediately by overwhelming gratitude.

"Thank you, older brother, for saving my life!" the child said with a trembling voice, his little face still retaining a trace of pallor from the shock.

Ye Xinghe stepped forward, squatted down, and asked gently, "Child, why were you climbing such a dangerous cliff? There are perils lurking everywhere in these mountains; one misstep could cost you your life."

The child raised his head and looked at Ye Xinghe, "I was gathering herbs. Someone in my family fell gravely ill and requires a precious herb for treatment. I heard that it might be found here in the southwestern mountains, so I ventured here to search for it."

A thought stirred in Ye Xinghe’s heart.

They happened to be looking for herbs as well, and since this child had just demonstrated such proficient cliff-climbing skills, he must have spent years operating deep within these mountains.

"What kind of herb are you looking for?" Ye Xinghe continued to ask.

The child bit his lip and replied, "It is an herb called the Spirit You Grass. I once saw it recorded in an ancient text, which stated that it grows on the sheer precipices and perilous cliffs of the southwestern mountains and possesses the power to bring the dead back to life. I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't bear to watch my family member pass away, so I had no choice but to take the risk."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xinghe pondered silently to himself.

He had indeed heard of the Spirit You Grass before. It was indeed an extremely rare and precious herb, but its growing conditions were exceptionally harsh, making it immensely difficult to harvest.

For one so young to possess such courage and filial piety was truly remarkable.

Ximen Feixue gently stroked the child’s head and said, "You are a very brave child. But you must never take such risks again. If anything had happened to you, how heartbroken your family would have been."

The child nodded sensibly, "I understand, older brother. If you hadn't saved me in time today, I'm afraid I would have already..."

As he spoke, his eye rims turned slightly red, as if recalling the perilous scene from moments before.

Ye Xinghe stood up, surveyed his surroundings, and said, "The southwestern mountains are vast with an abundance of herbs. Perhaps we can help you search for the Spirit You Grass."

The child’s eyes instantly lit up, a surprised and delighted smile blooming across his face.

"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, senior!"

Ye Xinghe hurriedly asked, "Child, you have been gathering herbs in these mountains for quite some time; have you ever seen an herb called the ancient fallen leaf?"

The child blinked and replied with innocent naivety, "I have. My family actually has some at home. Originally, I planned to wait until I had gathered enough Spirit You Grass before taking the ancient fallen leaves to town to sell them in exchange for money to treat my family member."

Hearing this, a look of delight appeared on Ye Xinghe’s face. He quickly reached into his robe, pulled out two heavy large ingots of silver, and said, "Child, I am in urgent need of ancient fallen leaves to save someone. Can you sell the ones your family has to me? These two large silver ingots should be enough to compensate you."

The child looked at the two large ingots of silver and hesitated for a moment.

Though his heart was somewhat tempted by this unexpected wealth, when he thought of how Ye Xinghe and Ximen Feixue had just saved his life, he nodded without further hesitation.

"Uncle, since you saved me, you can just take the ancient fallen leaves. I don't want any money."

Ye Xinghe gently patted the child’s head and smiled, "Child, it is wonderful that you possess such a grateful heart, but your family also has a sick person who needs money for treatment. You should keep this money."

The child gratefully accepted the silver ingots and carefully tucked them away.

Ye Xinghe then said, "Child, let us help you find the Spirit You Grass first. Rest assured, with us here, we will do our utmost to help you find it."

He remembered seeing similar plants when he arrived.

They ventured deeper into the mountains.

A faint mist hung over the valley, and the surrounding vegetation grew lush and dense.

"Over there,"

Ye Xinghe suddenly pointed with sharp eyes.

Ximen Feixue and the child looked in the direction Ye Xinghe indicated, only to see faint black figures slithering around the bushes.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be dense clusters of venomous snakes.

Those venomous snakes flicked their forked tongues and emitted a chilling hissing sound.

Seeing this scene, the child’s body trembled involuntarily, tears welling up in his eyes until he finally could not hold them back and burst into sobs.

"What should we do? With so many venomous snakes, how can we get past?"

Ximen Feixue quickly pulled the child behind him and comforted him, "Don't be afraid, child. With me here, I won't let these venomous snakes harm you."

Seeing the venomous snakes blocking their path, Ximen Feixue raised an eyebrow and unhesitatingly flourished his sword.

A chilling radiance flashed from the long sword in his hand as he precisely struck the vital spots of the venomous snakes. Those venomous snakes were cut apart before they could even react, their remains writhing on the ground while fresh blood stained the surrounding grass.

The child watched from the side with glowing eyes, deeply captivated by Ximen Feixue's elegant and fierce swordsmanship. His bright, clear eyes widened as he blurted out,

"Older brother is amazing!"

Ximen Feixue smiled faintly, sheathed his sword, and took the child's hand as they walked slowly toward the Spirit You Grass.