Inside the residence, there was absolutely no one who could respond to Chu Yuan; all he could hear was his own increasingly hurried footsteps.
Stepping over the already collapsed doorway, Chu Yuan walked onto the street searching for the figures of Chu Wanqing and Xia Liuli.
Since the incident involving Yu Chuan and Chu Wanqing, the small vendors had returned to the streets, and the street had become slightly lively again.
"Fa... Father!"
Chu Yuan spotted Chu Wanqing leaning against the wall and rushed over immediately.
Upon getting closer and seeing clearly, Chu Yuan’s heart tightened—Chu Wanqing’s left arm was gone.
"Father... Father, open your eyes... Yuan'er is here, Father, please don't stay silent."
"Father, why are you bleeding so much? Father..."
Chu Yuan violently tore a piece of cloth from his clothes and tightly wrapped it around Chu Wanqing's severed arm.
"Father, I'm taking you home!"
Chu Yuan, relying on his small frame, dragged Chu Wanqing bit by bit.
"Isn't that Chu Yuan?"
"Chu Yuan? He isn't dead?"
"Hmph, the spawn of the Demonic Cult shouldn't be alive in this world!"
The neighbors looked at Chu Yuan and Chu Wanqing with mockery.
"Hurry up and get back home, better yet, don't come out for the rest of your life. People from the Demonic Cult are not welcome here."
Hearing this, Chu Yuan roared back with a voice choked with tears, "We are not the spawn of the Demonic Cult!"
"Shut up! Whether you are Demonic Cult scum or not, anyone who opposes the Sacred Hall is destined to be no good."
Someone picked up a stone and threw it toward Chu Yuan, "Hurry up and get lost!"
Chu Yuan could not defend himself; he had only stayed inside as his Father instructed, yet he was inexplicably branded as the spawn of the Demonic Cult.
He didn't know why the Mountain City Residents had suddenly become like this; it seemed that in their eyes, he had suddenly become an unforgivable villain.
"Fine, I'll leave."
Chu Yuan knew he couldn't ask or answer anything now, so he turned and dragged his father's body step by step toward home.
After returning home, Chu Yuan dug a deep pit in the backyard and stared at his father's body for a long time without reacting.
Finally, having made up his mind, he dragged his father's remains into the pit, and then placed Chu Wanqing's severed arm, which he had found, into the pit as well.
Staring at his father's slightly weathered and bloodless face, Chu Yuan hardened his heart and covered Chu Wanqing with dirt.
After burying Chu Wanqing, Chu Yuan collapsed onto the ground, still unable to process everything that had just happened.
"Mother must still be alive, yes, she must still be alive! I have to go find Mother."
Chu Yuan stepped out the door once more, believing his Mother was still alive, and determined to find her.
From searching inside the city to outside the city, from the Mountain forest to the wilderness, Chu Yuan could find no trace of his Mother.
Finally, Chu Yuan arrived at the place where Yu Chuan and Xia Liuli had fought. Seeing the scratches and bloodstains before him, he concluded that his Mother must be nearby.
But when Chu Yuan reached the large tree, he saw the bloodstains but no sign of a person.
After searching the entire Mountain forest without finding any trace, Chu Yuan, having not eaten for a day, finally collapsed.
Exhausted, Chu Yuan lay on the grass, gazing up at the sky for a long time, unable to calm down, feeling as if he had merged completely with the utterly silent Mountain forest.
He had buried his Father with his own hands, and now there wasn't even a single clue about his Mother's whereabouts.
"Not finding Mother means Mother is still alive, still alive..."
Chu Yuan silently comforted himself in his heart.
"The Sacred Hall... That's right, it must be the Sacred Hall. They killed Father, and now Mother's whereabouts are unknown."
"They call themselves the great sect of the Righteous Path, a famous cultivation family, yet they commit such heinous and inhumane acts."
"I... I must go to the Sacred Hall!"
An extremely bold idea suddenly popped into Chu Yuan's mind.
An hour later, Chu Yuan forced himself up, dragging his weary body, and walked back into the city with heavy steps.
When the people in the city saw Chu Yuan return, disdain and disgust appeared on all their faces.
"I thought he went to find death, why is he back again."
"Don't bother with him; just pretend he doesn't exist and let him fend for himself."
The words reaching his ears were like knives, carving into Chu Yuan's heart, one slice after another.
Chu Yuan finally walked back home; his blue robe was already stained with blood and dirt, and his hair hung messily over his shoulders, making him look no different from a beggar.
A rumbling sound echoed, and Chu Yuan looked down, touching his stomach, swallowing hard. His stomach felt like a fiercely burning Flames right then, an unbearable sensation.
The house had already become a ruin, and Chu Yuan couldn't find anything to fill his stomach.
"Why? Why treat me like this!"
Chu Yuan roared with all his might, as if trying to vent all the grievances, anger, and unwillingness in his heart.
However, at this moment, he was utterly exhausted both physically and mentally; the surging emotion lasted only a moment before rapidly receding like the tide, suppressed deep within his heart.
Just then, a round Steamed Bun suddenly rolled over from a distance, stopping right at Chu Yuan's feet.
Chu Yuan instinctively bent down, picked up the Steamed Bun, and without caring if it was covered in dust, shoved it directly into his mouth, chewing vigorously.
The hunger instantly subsided, but his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the direction from which the Steamed Bun had rolled.
Not far away, a petite and exquisite figure stood quietly by his house entrance.
It was a little girl with a delicate and pretty face, wearing two cute pigtails, and her pair of watery, bright eyes were currently looking at him filled with concern.
"Wan'er..." Chu Yuan murmured softly, his voice carrying a hint of undisguised surprise.
This girl named Wan'er was only two years younger than him.
Back then, the two of them often went out together to play; whether it was the bustling market in the streets and alleys, or the quiet paths amidst the green mountains and clear waters outside the city, their joyful footprints and bell-like laughter had been left behind.
Wan'er especially loved spending time with Chu Yuan; whenever she discovered anything new and interesting, her first thought was to bring it to share with Chu Yuan.
And Chu Yuan always took great care of Wan'er, always thinking of her first when he had delicious food or fun toys.
At this moment, seeing the ragged and haggard Chu Yuan before her, Wan'er's heart couldn't help but ache, and her eyes gradually grew moist.
She forced back her tears and said, "Brother Yuan'er, when I just passed the Steamed Bun shop, I smelled the aroma and couldn't resist buying a steamer basket of Steamed Buns."
"But I bought too many, I couldn't possibly finish them all, so I quickly brought them over for Brother Yuan'er."
After saying this, Wan'er paused, cautiously observing Chu Yuan's reaction, then continued, "Mother said I'm not allowed to come find Brother Yuan'er to play anymore, but it's okay, I'll find a way to sneak out and visit you."
"It's just... I hope Brother Yuan'er doesn't find me annoying." After saying these words, Wan'er seemed afraid of hearing Chu Yuan refuse, so she abruptly turned around and ran back as fast as she could.
Chu Yuan stared blankly at Wan'er's receding back, still tightly clutching the Steamed Bun that was still slightly warm, and a surge of warmth flooded his heart.
He knew that even though life was full of hardship and trials, at least there were still people like Wan'er who genuinely cared for him.
Chu Yuan got up and walked to the door, wolfing down the Steamed Buns one in each hand, and smiled bitterly while watching Wan'er's retreating figure.
"There were eight Steamed Buns in a steamer basket. Not counting the one I just ate, there are seven left at the door."
"This girl, she can't even lie properly; she could have left me six Steamed Buns."
Chu Yuan carefully placed the uneaten Steamed Buns back into the cloth bag; he knew these were his only remaining provisions.
Wan'er couldn't buy him Steamed Buns every day, and he couldn't rely solely on this little girl, Wan'er, to survive.
"Good, I'll set off tonight, to the Sacred Hall!"
At the hour of Hai (9 PM to 11 PM), Chu Yuan packed his bundle and stepped out the door. He had nothing to take except a Wooden Box left by his Father and a Jade Pendant left by his Mother.
The uneaten Steamed Buns were tucked tightly into his embrace. He stared at the house full of memories for a long time before finally choosing to turn and leave.
He must find the Sacred Hall.
The streets were deserted at this hour; all the Mountain City Residents had extinguished their lamps and gone to rest.
Chu Yuan walked alone on the path near the Mountain Cliff, and not long after walking, he heard the sound of trickling water.
Looking at his own filthy long robes, which also emitted a dirty and foul smell, Chu Yuan decided to go and clean himself up briefly.
The lake surface at night was as still as a mirror; the moonlight spilled onto the water, like a silver mirror that captivated one's soul, and Chu Yuan had reached the lakeside.
Chu Yuan took off his long robe and placed it on the ground, putting his bundle and the remaining Steamed Buns on top of it.
Just as he was about to step into the water to wash, he saw a figure with fair skin standing in the lake water.
The figure seemed to sense Chu Yuan's approach as well, striking the lake surface with one palm, causing water to splash everywhere.
Taking advantage of Chu Yuan turning to raise his hand to block, the figure quickly got up and hid behind a rock.
While dressing, the person asked in a childish voice, "Who are you!"
"I'm not a young lady! I am just a Mountain City Resident. I just felt my current appearance was too unsightly, so I thought of coming here to clean up."