The Great Yan Dynasty.
Qingzhou.
Plum Snow Manor.
Petals of plum blossoms, white as snow, fluttered and fell. Mixed with splashes of blood, the scene was one of bleak desolation. Shouts of killing shattered the former peace and beauty of the manor.
"Kill!"
"Today, Plum Snow Manor—leave no chickens or dogs alive!"
"Don't let a single ant escape!"
Cold, merciless voices cut through the wintry air, sending a chill deep into the bones.
It was in such an environment that Ning Qi regained consciousness.
"Did I… transmigrate?"
He couldn't help but wonder. Just a second ago, he was on his deathbed, counting down the final moments of his life. The next moment, he had turned from an adult into an infant—caught in what appeared to be a massacre.
Yes.
Ning Qi was absolutely sure that he had become a newborn baby. The warmth of the swaddling cloth dulled the discomfort of his tiny body, and no matter how bad the situation was, it was already better than his previous life.
In that life, he had suffered from a rare, incurable disease that gradually paralyzed his entire body. He spent his last few years bedridden, ultimately dying alone and in darkness.
"At least… I'm alive again. Even if the situation is dire."
Maybe it was due to the transmigration, but Ning Qi could understand the meaning of the voices around him quite easily.
The murderous voices reached his ears. The woman holding him trembled slightly as she fled rapidly. Ning Qi himself became tense. Who would want to face death again the moment they were reborn?
He struggled to open his eyes, but crusted secretions clung to his eyelids.
From his angle, he couldn't see the woman's full face, but her delicate, pale chin gave off a gentle, warming feeling. Ning Qi felt a strange connection with her—almost as if their bloodlines resonated.
"Is she… my mother in this life?"
Just as he had this thought, the young woman burst into a study room. She quickly tapped a specific pattern on a hidden mechanism, and a dark compartment opened.
The woman bent down and gently placed Ning Qi inside.
With the dim light, Ning Qi could finally make out her features.
She had a gentle and elegant appearance, and her eyes were full of softness. A mother's light, new and tender, radiated from her, enough to move one's heart.
The woman's weak and sorrowful voice rang out:
"Qier, you must survive. I must go help your father face the enemy. If the gods protect you, please do not blame us in the future…"
Ning Qi felt a warm kiss on his forehead. A few tears dropped onto his cheeks. The sorrow and reluctance in her gentle gaze were almost tangible.
Then, she turned resolutely, activated the mechanism, and darkness enveloped Ning Qi once again.
A wave of sadness surged through him.
Although he had just transmigrated, the bloodline resonance was no illusion—she was truly his biological mother. Even with such a brief encounter, the love she held for him was unmistakable.
But now… her chances of survival were slim.
From her tone and her weakened body—having just given birth and now forced to fight—things looked grim. Whoever their enemies were, they'd clearly waited for this vulnerable moment to strike like venomous snakes, showing no mercy.
To be thrown into such danger immediately after transmigrating, Ning Qi's nerves were already stretched thin.
He didn't want to die again.
He began to listen closely.
Though the thick walls of the hidden compartment muffled most of the noise, the sounds of battle drew nearer—metal clashing, explosions, and violent shouts.
From this, Ning Qi gleaned two facts:
First, this world's power level was likely very high.
Second, Plum Snow Manor was about to fall.
His heart sank.
"What do I do? If the enemies slaughter everyone, can I really avoid being found?"
He knew he was in a hidden compartment and seemingly safe for now. But if the enemy had techniques to detect breathing or life signs?
This world was clearly full of powerhouses. He wouldn't bet his life on luck.
He tried to still his movements within the swaddle, quieting even his breathing.
But a sense of dread gnawed at him.
Especially as the sounds of shouting subsided, replaced by footsteps, doors being kicked down, and cries for mercy. The feeling of danger grew stronger.
A terrifying premonition formed in his heart—he was going to be found.
His parents were probably already dead.
But Ning Qi had no time to grieve. The danger was too close.
"Search! Search every corner thoroughly!"
"Leave no one alive!"
"Especially Ning Ye and Jiang Xuemei's child—find him! Cut the grass, remove the roots!"
The malicious voice sent Ning Qi's heart into a frenzy.
He desperately tried to suppress all bodily sounds, but as an infant, he couldn't control his reflexes.
"What do I do? What do I do?"
His mind raced.
He was a powerless baby. He couldn't move, let alone run. His only hope was to remain undetected.
Then—
The world suddenly fell silent.
Time and light seemed to lose meaning.
Ning Qi felt his mind shift into a mysterious state—as if he could do anything, control everything.
But the feeling lasted only a moment.
Then, the chaos of the world returned.
And then—
A flash of spiritual light surged through his mind.
Instantly, Ning Qi understood.
His transmigration had triggered something extraordinary. His mind now brimmed with unparalleled insight. His comprehension had reached an unfathomable level.
The light revealed his past lives—this was his 100th life.
In his previous 99 lifetimes, he had suffered endless torment. Even the start of this life was filled with hardship.
"Hundred lifetimes of suffering… Has Heaven finally shown mercy and given me a golden finger?"
Ning Qi was stunned.
Then, overjoyed.
He hadn't forgotten his current danger and immediately began to meditate.
As the light faded, he understood that his current comprehension level was the maximum his current life force could bear—unmatched by anyone.
"In other words, as long as my life force increases, my comprehension will always be at the peak. No one can rival me!"
"This is full-level comprehension! Always at full level!"
Joy surged in his heart.
It was his beacon of hope.
He could feel his mind operating at unimaginable speed. Each thought branched into countless possibilities—divine insight beyond mortal understanding.
"Full-level comprehension is amazing… but it doesn't make me a powerhouse instantly. First, I must escape this danger."
Before, he couldn't control his breathing or heartbeat. But now, he could fully sense and manipulate his body.
Outside, the chaos intensified.
Ning Qi's mind accelerated.
"In my past life, I heard about fetal breathing—where babies in the womb breathe without nose or mouth."
"I've just been born. My body hasn't fully adapted to external air. Occasionally, I can still enter that fetal state. I couldn't sense it before… but now I can. Not only can I sense it, I can master it!"
"That warm current flowing in me… could it be innate qi? So mysterious! If I guide it into a specific circulation pattern, it strengthens my infant body and lets me stop breathing…"
One thought led to another. Ning Qi quickly entered that miraculous state, merging it with his innate qi.
His chaotic heartbeat and breathing soon calmed, growing faint—then vanishing entirely.
If someone saw him now, they might think he was a dead baby.
Ning Qi's eyes gleamed.
"I'll call this breathing method Innate Fetal Breath Art."
It wasn't some martial art. Just a special breathing method based on the baby's state. But with the help of innate qi, it was incredibly powerful.
He fully activated the Innate Fetal Breath Art.
Warm currents flowed within him. Even with his mouth and nose closed, he felt no discomfort. His pores subtly opened and closed, replacing normal breathing. Even his growing hunger faded substantially.
Truly miraculous.
The unease in Ning Qi's heart finally subsided a little.
With heightened perception from his fetal breath state, he could clearly hear everything outside.
Footsteps approached constantly. People entered the study multiple times. Sword slashes and explosions echoed—they were destroying everything.
Probably with sword energy or similar powers. It terrified Ning Qi.
Fortunately, Plum Snow Manor was big. This study wasn't very eye-catching. Since he hadn't exposed himself, the area wasn't searched carefully.
Others weren't so lucky. Servants and maids who tried to hide were dragged out and executed on the spot.
On the roof of the manor, a burly man in black frowned. His left hand clutched a sword wound on his shoulder. His right hand waved sword energy, cutting buildings in half. Occasionally, he uncovered stragglers—but the process was slow.
More importantly, there was still no sign of Ning Ye's child.
He grew increasingly frustrated.
Black-clad subordinates gathered around and respectfully reported:
"Lord Feng, we've searched everywhere. No signs of the baby. We even tried sensing every corner, but couldn't detect any cries or heartbeats. Could it be that…"
Before they finished—
Lord Feng waved them off and said coldly:
"Impossible."
"Jiang Xuemei just gave birth. I personally killed both her and Ning Ye. There's no way the child could have been sent away."
His eyes turned fierce as he scanned the manor. Then, he violently released more sword energy and dashed around the estate—but still found no trace of the baby.
Finally, he let out a sinister smile.
"You're good at hiding…"
"Burn it. Burn Plum Snow Manor to ashes!"
(End of Chapter)