Ye Yan closed his eyes again. The pain in his dantian began to subside, but the burning sensation from his blocked meridians felt like thousands of needles piercing him. His body was not only thin, but had also suffered severe physical torture.
"The spiritual power in this world is too thin," he thought with a frown. "If this were the Nine Heavens Realm, wounds like this could be
healed in the blink of an eye with the help of a Resurrection Pill. Here, even circulating a little Qi is so difficult."
Ye Yan opened his eyes, staring coldly at the crescent moon hanging above him—the same moon, but a different realm. Memories of the banquet night, the jade cup raised by Zhen Wu, the calm smile on his friend's face as the spear pierced his heart, haunted him once more.
Zhen Wu—the Spear Emperor. That name was engraved in his bones and soul.
You betrayed my trust, don't expect to get away with it.
Ye Yan's breath caught, his hands clenched. His goal was clear: return to the Nine Heavens Realm and kill Zhen Wu, even if he had to destroy the entire sky.
However, now, he was just Ye Mu, a teenager who had just died alone in the forest.
Ye Mu.
"Why are you wandering around in the forest when your body is so weak?" Ye Yan muttered, his voice hoarse again. "And why is your soul still lingering?"
He turned to the little sparrow that had now managed to jump onto a low branch, pecking at a beetle. Ye Mu, inside the bird's body, looked completely innocent, as if his death was merely a change of clothes.
Ye Yan didn't care about Ye Mu, but he needed information.
"Ye Mu," Ye Yan called, his voice soft.
The sparrow immediately flew onto Ye Yan's shoulder.
"Yes, Brother? Do you want this beetle? It's very delicious!" Ye Mu cheerfully offered the dirty little beetle.
Ye Yan felt the corners of his lips twitch. He resisted the urge to throw the bird away. "No. Tell me, what happened before you... fell?"
Ye Mu tilted his head, his eyes blinking innocently. "Fell? I don't know. I only remember Grandpa telling me to pick up a branch in the forest. Then I saw a huge rabbit, I wanted to bring it home to show Grandpa but I got lost."
"A rabbit?" Ye Yan furrowed his brows. That didn't sound like an attack from a cultivator. It sounded more like an accident. If that was the case, why were there so many scars on his body?
"Did someone hit you? Or force you to eat something?" Ye Yan pressed, his eyes sharp.
Ye Mu shook his little head. "No. I just remember Uncle Li getting angry and taking my porridge. Then Grandpa Chen gave me dry bread. After eating, I was told to go get a twig."
Uncle Li? Porridge? Dry bread?
Ye Yan realized that Ye Mu's tragedy was far more grim and simple than the intrigues of the Heavenly Realm. This was a story of poverty and ordinary human cruelty. The physical wounds on his body were the result of beatings and starvation.
"How old are you?" Ye Yan narrowed his eyes, sensing something strange about Ye Mu's behavior.
Ye Mu answered spontaneously, "7 years old."
In the Nine Heavens Realm, I was the Emperor who ruled over thousands of gods. Now, I am in the body of a mentally disabled child.
The irony was piercing.
Ye Yan sighed, stabilizing his emotions. His revenge on Zhen Wu would take a long time, but to start over, he had to become the new Ye Yan, firmly rooted in this world.
"Ye Mu," said Ye Yan, pointing to the southwest, where Ye Mu said his village was. "Show me where you live. We have to find your Grandfather Chen."
"Frozen Wind Village!" Ye Mu cheered, flapping his wings happily. "I can fly now, Brother! I'll lead the way!"
The sparrow jumped off Ye Yan's shoulder and flew unsteadily between the trees. Ye Yan smiled thinly—coldly and deadly.
"Frozen Wind Village," he repeated. "Very well, this place will be the starting point for the Sky Emperor's resurrection."
He strengthened his steps. Each step felt painful and heavy, as if he were walking on a pile of sharp objects. But the hatred in his heart continued to burn, consuming all the pain. This time, he would never trust anyone.
Zhen Wu, wait for me. When I return, I will give you a feast you will never forget.
Under the fading moonlight, Ye Yan stepped out of the dense forest, heading into the darkness of the Frozen Wind Village, with a small bird flying cheerfully above his head.
....
Ye Mu, in the form of a sparrow, guided Ye Yan through the bushes and winding tree roots. For a Sky Emperor who had once crossed galaxies in a single breath, this short journey felt like a cruel punishment. Every step Ye Mu's body took sent a piercing pain through him, testing Ye Yan's patience.
"Brother, we'll be there soon!" Ye Mu, who now appeared skilled at flying after several attempts and falls, called out joyfully from the pine tree branch.
Ye Yan only snorted. He had channeled his remaining Qi into his main meridians to ease the pain, but this body was a dry well. There was not enough spiritual power to support even the most basic recovery techniques of the Nine Heavens Realm.
After a while, a small, shabby village appeared from behind the morning mist. The air was piercingly cold, befitting the name of the place: Frozen Wind Village.
The village looked even poorer than Ye Yan had imagined. Dilapidated wooden houses with thatched roofs that were about to collapse, surrounded by rotten bamboo fences. Dim light from small torches could still be seen in some corners, fighting against the darkness before dawn.
"That's Mumu's house!" Ye Mu pointed to a small hut located in the darkest corner of the village. Compared to the other houses, the hut looked the most shabby and isolated.
Ye Yan frowned. Even the dwellings of lowly cultivators in the Mortal Realm were far more decent than this. The owner of this body truly lived in misery.
As they approached, a skinny dog tied near the well began to bark. The dog's barking immediately woke up a heavily bearded man who rushed out of the hut next door. The man looked at Ye Yan with suspicious and angry eyes.
"Who are you? Daring to wander around here," the man snapped, his eyes glancing from top to bottom, then a disgusted smile appeared on his face.
"Oh, it's that fool Ye Mu," he sneered, laughing loudly. "I thought you had been eaten by wolves in the forest."
Ye Yan felt the sparrow on his shoulder tremble in fear, Ye Mu's body curled up on his neck. "Brother... That's Uncle Li."
Ye Yan stood still, letting a cold aura envelop him. Even though he couldn't release his powerful Qi, the gaze of a Heavenly Emperor was enough to make Uncle Li stumble back a step.
Ye Yan stared at Uncle Li, his eyes as cold as ice. "Move aside."
Uncle Li was taken aback. Normally, Ye Mu would tremble in fear or just bow his head without speaking. The sudden courage and dangerous aura emanating from the skinny young man made him hesitate.
"What did you say?" Uncle Li tried to steady his voice, but it trembled slightly. "How dare you speak rudely to me, you idiot!"
Just as Uncle Li was about to step forward, a wooden stick slammed into the ground between them.
Bam!
"Old Li!" A hoarse but firm voice broke the tension.
Ye Yan turned his head. A very thin old man with a long white beard and a hunched back stood in front of Ye Mu's hut. He wore an old robe that had been patched here and there, but his eyes were clear and sharp, revealing a rare kindness and wisdom.
"Grandfather Chen..." Uncle Li clicked his tongue in annoyance, unhappy with the Old Man's arrival.
"Only you would protect this Monster." Uncle Li snorted, glaring sharply at Ye Yan one last time before turning back into his hut.
Grandpa Chen turned to face Ye Yan. His sharp eyes observed Ye Yan's pale face and the dirty scars on his body. Warmth appeared in his eyes.
"Mumu, you made Grandpa worry. Did you go to the forest again?" Grandpa Chen spoke softly, but Ye Yan felt deep sadness behind his voice.
Ye Yan opened his mouth, but before he could answer, Ye Mu the sparrow flew over and landed on Grandpa Chen's shoulder.
"Grandpa Chen, Mumu is here! Mumu has wings now!" Ye Mu chirped happily.
Grandpa Chen, who couldn't see Ye Mu's soul, just stared at the sparrow in confusion. Then he smiled gently, thinking it was a wild bird.
Ye Yan's eyebrows furrowed slightly, something was strange. From Grandpa Chen's words, it sounded as if he wasn't the one who sent Ye Mu to the forest. And what did Uncle Li mean?