16: Chapter 16 The Tragedy of Qingqiu

The Wuzhui Horse galloped across the wilderness for an entire afternoon. The terrain of the Eastern Desolate Region was completely different from that of Great Yan. There were no smooth official roads or orderly farmlands, only rolling hills and an endless grassland. Occasionally, a few lonely large trees could be seen, their canopies spreading out like umbrellas, casting long shadows under the setting sun. Su Xiaohu sat behind Chen Yuanji, her arms wrapped around his waist and her body leaning slightly forward, burying her face in his back. She had been trembling—not from the cold, but from fear. Chen Yuanji could feel her small body shaking like a frightened little beast. He didn't speak, but simply slowed the horse's pace slightly to make the ride less jarring.

"How much further?" he asked.

"Almost there," Su Xiaohu's muffled voice came from behind him. "Once we cross that mountain ahead, we'll be in the territory of the Qingqiu Tribe."

Chen Yuanji looked up. In the distance was a hill that wasn't too high, covered in Red-leaf Trees that looked like a burning flame from afar. Behind the hill, several wisps of smoke were faintly visible—no, it wasn't cooking smoke, it was black smoke. It was the residual smoke from a fire. Chen Yuanji frowned and urged the horse to speed up. The Wuzhui Horse seemed to sense something as well, its four hooves flying as it bolted toward the hill. The moment they crossed the hill, Chen Yuanji saw the full view of the Qingqiu Tribe. It was a village of significant size, built against the mountain in an orderly fashion. At the village entrance stood a thirty-foot-tall stone tablet carved with the two large characters for 'Qingqiu' in the Yao Race script, curvy and winding like snakes. But now, the village had been turned into ruins. Houses had collapsed, walls were charred black, and traces of fire were everywhere. The air was thick with the smell of char and blood, so strong it was nauseating. The stone tablet at the village entrance had been snapped in half, its upper portion lying on the ground, shattered into several pieces.

Su Xiaohu jumped off the horse and ran stumbling toward the village. "No... no..." Her voice carried a sob as tears burst from her eyes.

Chen Yuanji didn't stop her; he simply led the horse and followed behind her. The carnage in the village was even worse than he had expected. Bodies were everywhere—the elderly, those in their prime, women, and even children. They had died in various ways: some were killed by a Sharp Weapon, some had their internal organs shattered by Yuan Power, and others had been burned to charcoal by flames. Su Xiaohu stopped in front of one body and knelt down. It was the corpse of a middle-aged woman whose features bore a resemblance to Su Xiaohu; she was likely her mother. There was a wound on the woman so deep the bone was visible, extending from her left shoulder to her right ribs, nearly splitting her in two.

"Mother... Mother..." Su Xiaohu held the woman's body and wailed loudly.

Chen Yuanji stood to the side, watching all this in silence. His expression was calm, but the veins on the hand holding the reins bulged. In his past life, he had seen too much life and death, and his heart had long since become as hard as iron. However, the tragedy before him still caused a surge of fury to rise within him. To slaughter a tribe and not even spare the elderly or children... who did this? He crouched down and carefully examined the wounds on one body. The cut was smooth and even, a kill with a single strike. The blade technique was precise and ruthless, not something an ordinary Martial Artist could achieve. Furthermore, there were traces of Yuan Power burns at the edges of the wound, indicating that the perpetrator's cultivation was not low—at least at the Guiyuan Realm or above. He stood up and took another walk around the village. The village layout was very methodical, with paths left between houses and a plaza in the center that likely served as a gathering place for the tribe. A wooden stake stood in the plaza, and a shriveled corpse was tied to it. The corpse wore a grey robe and had a palm print on its chest; the print was deeply recessed, and all the ribs were shattered.

Chen Yuanji's pupils constricted slightly as he drew closer. The face of the corpse was no longer recognizable, but the robes reminded him of Elder Xuan. It was a grey robe of the same style and material. Elder Shen? Chen Yuanji's heart sank. Elder Xuan had told him to find Elder Shen, saying that Elder Shen could protect him. But looking at the current situation, he feared Elder Shen had met with disaster. He carefully examined the palm print and found a trace of a familiar aura remaining within it. Tiandao Sect—it was the people of the Tiandao Sect who had done this.

Chen Yuanji closed his eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart. Why did the Tiandao Sect slaughter the Qingqiu Tribe? Was it to find something? Or to hunt someone down? The answer was no longer important. What mattered was that the Tiandao Sect now owed him another debt of blood.

"Brother Chen."

Su Xiaohu's voice came from behind him, raspy and exhausted. Chen Yuanji turned to see Su Xiaohu standing behind him, tear stains still on her face, but her eyes were no longer those of the trembling little girl from before. In those amber eyes, something else had appeared—hatred.

"I want revenge," Su Xiaohu said, emphasizing every word.

Chen Yuanji looked at her and remained silent for a moment. "You cannot beat them."

"I know," Su Xiaohu clenched her fists. "But I can get stronger. I can Cultivate, I can become very, very strong—strong enough to kill those wicked people."

"Cultivation takes time."

"I'm not afraid of how long it takes." Su Xiaohu looked up, staring directly into Chen Yuanji's eyes. "Brother Chen, can you teach me?"

Chen Yuanji didn't answer. He looked at Su Xiaohu and saw determination in her eyes, but also fear. It wasn't that she wasn't afraid, but rather that she had hidden her fear behind her determination.

"I can teach you," Chen Yuanji said. "But my skills are not something just anyone can learn."

"I'm not afraid of hardship."

"It's not a matter of hardship." Chen Yuanji shook his head. "My skills do not Cultivate Yuan Power; they Cultivate the Physical Body. The Yao Race Physique is different from that of the Human Race. Whether you can practice it, I cannot guarantee."

Su Xiaohu bit her lip. "Then I must try anyway."

Chen Yuanji looked at her and suddenly remembered how he was when he first underwent Transmigration. Back then, he was the same—possessing nothing but a heart set on becoming stronger. "Fine." He nodded. "I will teach you."

Su Xiaohu's eyes lit up and tears welled up again, but this time, they were tears of gratitude. "Thank you, Brother Chen."

"Don't be so quick to thank me." Chen Yuanji turned and walked toward the Wuzhui Horse. "First, let's find a place to settle down and bury your mother and your tribespeople. Then, we'll find a way to locate Elder Shen—if he isn't dead."

"Elder Shen, he..." Su Xiaohu looked toward the shriveled corpse in the plaza.

"That isn't Elder Shen," Chen Yuanji said. "The robes are the same, but the body type is wrong. Besides, Elder Shen is an expert at the Shentong Realm or above; he wouldn't die so easily."

Su Xiaohu blanked for a moment, hope rekindling in her eyes. "Really?"

"Really." Chen Yuanji wasn't a hundred percent certain, but for now, that was all he could say.

Su Xiaohu nodded, wiped her tears, and began helping Chen Yuanji gather the remains of her tribespeople. The two worked through the entire night before all one hundred and thirty-seven remains of the Qingqiu Tribe were buried. Chen Yuanji dug a large pit on the hillside behind the village, placed the remains inside one by one, and then filled it with soil and erected a monument. On the tombstone, the words "Tomb of the One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Martyrs of the Qingqiu Tribe" were carved in the script of the Human Race.

Su Xiaohu knelt before the grave, kowtowed three times, and then stood up, turning to look at Chen Yuanji. "Brother Chen, let's go."

"Go where?"

"To find Elder Shen," Su Xiaohu said. "Elder Shen has lived in the Eastern Desolate Region for many years and has several residences. I know one of them, and it's not far from here."

Chen Yuanji nodded, led the Wuzhui Horse over, flipped onto its back, and pulled Su Xiaohu up behind him. "Hyah!" The Wuzhui Horse neighed and galloped east along the mountain ridge. Behind them, the ruins of the Qingqiu Tribe gradually receded into the morning light, leaving only that broken stone tablet standing at the village entrance as if it were telling a story.

Elder Shen's other residence in the Eastern Desolate Region was located deep within a mountain. It was a small courtyard built of bluestone, with three main rooms and two wing rooms, and an old locust tree planted in the yard. The courtyard was nestled against the mountain and near water, with a quiet and elegant environment—it was indeed a good place for seclusion. But there was no one in the yard. Chen Yuanji pushed open the door to the main room; a thin layer of dust had settled inside, indicating that no one had lived there recently. He carefully checked every room but found no trace of Elder Shen.

"Elder Shen isn't here," he said as he walked out of the room to Su Xiaohu, who was waiting in the yard.

"Then what should we do?" Su Xiaohu asked anxiously.

Chen Yuanji thought for a moment. "Wait. Elder Xuan said Elder Shen is an old friend of his. If Elder Shen is still alive, he will return here sooner or later. We'll stay here for now, Cultivating while we wait."

Su Xiaohu nodded. "Okay."

In the days that followed, the two of them settled into the small courtyard. Chen Yuanji practiced Guoshu during the day and taught Su Xiaohu at night. The Yao Race Physique was indeed different from that of the Human Race—her bones and muscles were more flexible and her blood and Qi were more vigorous, but her perception of force was not as keen as a human's.

"Zhan Zhuang is the foundation of Internal Family Boxing." Chen Yuanji stood in the yard, assuming the Three-Body Stance. "Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, with your center of gravity on the Yongquan point. Bend your knees slightly, keep the tailbone centered, hollow the chest and pull up the back, and maintain an empty neck with upward energy."

Su Xiaohu followed his example and stood in position, but before even half the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed, her legs began to tremble.

"Endure," Chen Yuanji said. "Stake Training is forged through persistence. Stand for at least two hours every day. When you can stand for two hours without trembling, that's when you'll start learning the fist techniques."

"Two hours..." Su Xiaohu gritted her teeth and continued to endure.

Chen Yuanji looked at her, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. This young girl, though her Aptitude wasn't top-tier, had a stubborn streak that refused to admit defeat. This kind of drive was more important than talent. Seven days passed, and Su Xiaohu could already stand for an hour without trembling. Ten days passed, and she could feel the circulation of her blood and Qi during Stake Training. Half a month passed, and she felt the existence of 'Bright Force' for the first time.

"Brother Chen, I think... I felt it," Su Xiaohu said excitedly.

"Felt what?"

"A kind of power. It rises from the soles of my feet, passes through my legs, waist, back, and shoulders, and gathers in my hands." Su Xiaohu clenched her fist. "It's not very strong, but it definitely exists."

Chen Yuanji nodded. "That is Bright Force. You took half a month to develop Bright Force; your speed is faster than mine."

"Really?" Su Xiaohu's eyes were bright and sparkling.

"Really." Chen Yuanji wasn't lying to her. In his past life, it took him three months to develop Bright Force; in this life, with the assistance of the ancient jade, it took seven days. For Su Xiaohu to take half a month was indeed considered fast.

"But Bright Force is only the beginning," Chen Yuanji added. "Dark Jin, Transformation Jin, Dan Power, Gang Energy, and the God Realm—each successive Realm is ten times harder than the last. Your road is still very long."

"I'm not afraid," Su Xiaohu said seriously.

Chen Yuanji looked at her, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. This girl was a bit like his past self. That night, while Chen Yuanji was Cultivating in his room, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps coming from outside the courtyard. He opened his eyes and gripped the short blade at his waist. The footsteps were light and steady, each step perfectly on rhythm. The newcomer's cultivation was not low—at least at the Guiyuan Realm or above. Chen Yuanji stood up, walked to the window, and looked out. Under the moonlight, an old man stood at the courtyard gate, his hair white, his face thin, wearing a grey robe. It was a grey robe of the same style as Elder Xuan's.

Chen Yuanji's heart stirred, and he pushed open the door and walked out. The old man was slightly stunned to see him, then his gaze fell upon the short blade at Chen Yuanji's waist as if he were sizing something up.

"Who are you?" the old man asked, his voice raspy.

"Chen Yuanji," Chen Yuanji did not hide his identity. "Elder Xuan sent me."

The old man's eyes lit up. "Elder Xuan? You know that old man Xuan?"

"He helped me a lot in Great Yan. He's currently been injured by the people of the Tiandao Sect, and I don't know where he went." Chen Yuanji pulled the Jade Slip Elder Xuan had given him from his robe. "This is what Elder Xuan asked me to give to you."

The old man took the Jade Slip, glanced at it, and then closed his eyes, remaining silent for a long time. When he opened them again, a trace of sadness had appeared in his eyes.

"Old man Xuan... he still ended up taking this step." The old man sighed. "I told him back then not to return to the Zhongyuan Region and not to provoke the Tiandao Sect. He wouldn't listen; he insisted on going back for revenge. Now look at him, his life and death unknown."

"Are you Elder Shen?" Chen Yuanji asked.

"Shen Wuchang," the old man nodded. "An old friend of old man Xuan. Come in; let's talk inside."

The three of them entered the house. Elder Shen lit an oil lamp, the dim light casting flickering shadows around the room. Elder Shen sat in a chair and looked at Chen Yuanji with a piercing gaze.

"Old man Xuan sent you to find me because he wanted me to protect you," Elder Shen said bluntly. "But I cannot protect you for nothing. Tell me, what skills do you have that make you worth the risk?"

Chen Yuanji didn't speak. Instead, he stood up and walked into the yard. Standing under the moonlight, he assumed the Three-Body Stance and then threw a punch. Crushing Fist. The second stage of Dark Jin—Vibration.

*Bang!* The air exploded with a boom. A large tree thirty feet away shook violently, its leaves falling like rain. A deep fist print appeared on the trunk, surrounded by fine cracks that spread like a spiderweb. Elder Shen's pupils constricted slightly. He walked to the tree and reached out to touch the fist print. The moment his fingers brushed the trunk, a residual vibrational force traveled through, making his fingertips go numb.

"No Yuan Power fluctuations, just pure strength," Elder Shen murmured. "But this isn't ordinary strength. This vibration... how did you do it?"

"Dark Jin," Chen Yuanji said. "The second Realm of Internal Family Boxing. The force is like a wave, advancing layer by layer, penetrating the skin to damage the internal organs."

"Internal Family Boxing?" Elder Shen frowned. "I've never heard of it."

"Elder Xuan hadn't heard of it either," Chen Yuanji said. "But after he learned it, he said this art is not inferior to any Divine Ability."

Elder Shen was silent for a long time before finally nodding.

"If old man Xuan trusts you, then I trust you." He looked at Chen Yuanji. "You can stay here with me for as long as you like. But I have one condition."

"What condition?"

"Teach me this Internal Family Boxing you spoke of."

Chen Yuanji looked at Elder Shen and suddenly smiled.

"Alright."