Ten Years

Through the secret passage.

His mother, Su Yun, successfully left Zhang Family Fortress.

However, less than half an hour had passed.

When pursuers from the Myriad Demons Sect arrived.

Clearly, the secret passage in the room had been discovered.

Left with no other choice, Su Yun could only place Lin Yuan in a concealed patch of grass.

"I'll draw them away."

"I'll come back for you later."

After saying that, Su Yun headed in another direction.

As the wife of Zhang Kun, a first-rate expert, Su Yun was naturally no ordinary person.

Even though she had just given birth, her strength was no weaker than that of a third- or fourth-rate expert, and her lightness skill was exceptional.

Yet.

Two or three hours passed.

And Su Yun still had not returned.

She probably won't be coming back.

Lin Yuan silently thought to himself.

If she had shaken off the pursuers, she would have returned long ago.

The fact that she had not returned.

Meant that she had failed to shake them off.

The consequences of failing to shake off the pursuers needed no explanation.

"Ah."

Lin Yuan let out a quiet sigh.

Just moments ago, he had been the highly anticipated heir of Zhang Family Fortress.

But now, he had nothing.

"This is troublesome."

Lin Yuan furrowed his brow slightly.

Now was not the time for lamenting.

His most urgent concern was how to survive.

This time, Lin Yuan's situation was extremely difficult.

As a newborn infant, Lin Yuan did not dare make any major movements.

If he left his swaddling clothes as a newborn, the only outcome would be freezing to death.

As for crying loudly to attract the attention of others?

Lin Yuan had no idea whether the people he attracted would be pursuers from the Demon Sect.

Moreover, the place where Lin Yuan currently was seemed extremely remote and uninhabited.

He feared that if he made even the slightest sound.

Wolves, tigers, and leopards would come for him.

To those fierce beasts, a human infant was a delicious meal.

"What a pity."

"If only I had a few more months."

"No, even a few days would do."

Lin Yuan felt helpless.

With Heaven-Defying Comprehension, as long as Lin Yuan had time, he could rapidly grow stronger.

During his first traversal, Lin Yuan had been only three years old when he comprehended the Great Arhat Buddha Fist and entered the Innate Realm.

Though an infant's body came with many restrictions, it was not incapable of doing anything. At the very least, he would have some ability to resist.

Soon.

Night fell.

The temperature began to drop rapidly as well.

Even wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lin Yuan felt waves of cold.

Any other infant would probably have started crying by now.

But Lin Yuan did not, because he knew that once he cried.

He would draw nearby wild beasts over and be carried off and devoured by them.

However.

Even so.

The natural milky scent of an infant still faintly spread outward.

Before long.

Lin Yuan heard rustling from the grass not far away.

Judging by the sound, it was clearly not made by a person.

"What should I do?"

Lin Yuan's heartbeat began to quicken.

If it was not made by a person, then it was a wild beast.

Lin Yuan had no way to deal with wild beasts. To them, he was a meal, and they would feel no sympathy whatsoever.

As the rustling drew closer and closer.

Lin Yuan gradually slowed his breathing.

At the same time.

Lin Yuan's gaze.

Suddenly fell upon the dead leaves and withered wood on the ground.

This was the wilderness, where plants grew in abundance, and dead leaves and withered wood were everywhere.

As Lin Yuan stared at the dead leaves and withered wood, countless flashes of insight suddenly surged through his mind.

Your comprehension is heaven-defying. By observing withered wood, you have comprehended the Withered Wood Breathing Technique.

Withered Wood Breathing Technique: Through a special breathing rhythm, conceal all traces of aura and imitate the form of withered wood.

In an instant.

Lin Yuan's aura became even more concealed.

The faint milky scent that had lingered around him vanished.

Even Lin Yuan's fair, tender skin began to darken toward the color of withered wood.

From afar, Lin Yuan looked like a piece of dead wood wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Awoo."

Several meters away, an adult wolf froze. It sniffed the air and let out a puzzled growl.

After wandering around nearby for quite some time and confirming that there was no scent of food, the wolf could only turn and leave.

Inside the swaddling clothes, Lin Yuan's aura had vanished, but his consciousness remained clear. Once he realized that the rustling had faded away, he finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"The Withered Wood Breathing Technique?"

Lin Yuan maintained this secret aura-concealing technique.

In truth, during his first traversal, Lin Yuan had comprehended many secret techniques for concealing one's aura.

However.

Those aura-concealing techniques all required the support of internal energy or True Qi.

But Lin Yuan was currently only an infant. Where could he possibly have internal energy or True Qi?

The newly created Withered Wood Breathing Technique, on the other hand, achieved the purpose of concealing one's aura simply by adjusting one's breathing rhythm.

It was something the current Lin Yuan could use.

"For now, there shouldn't be any danger."

Lin Yuan constantly surveyed his surroundings, never lowering his guard.

Time slowly passed.

In the blink of an eye, half a day went by.

Lin Yuan felt an intense hunger.

Every cell in his body screamed with hunger.

Your comprehension is heaven-defying. Tormented by hunger, you have comprehended the Hibernation Breathing Art.

Heaven-Defying Comprehension saved Lin Yuan once again. The Hibernation Breathing Art could greatly reduce his body's consumption. Combined with the Withered Wood Breathing Art, it made Lin Yuan no different from an actual piece of withered wood.

Two days later.

Lin Yuan maintained only the last sliver of consciousness.

Just then.

A Daoist dressed in a Daoist robe descended from the sky.

"Someone's here?"

"And he's a Daoist?"

Lin Yuan's spirits lifted.

This was the first living person he had seen in two days.

"Never mind."

"If this continues, I'll really die."

Lin Yuan quickly dispelled the Withered Wood Breathing Technique and the Hibernation Breathing Art.

Although the Hibernation Breathing Art could greatly reduce his body's consumption.

It only reduced it.

As a newborn infant, lasting two days was already his limit.

If he delayed any longer, even the Hibernation Breathing Art would not be able to sustain him.

With that thought, Lin Yuan used all his strength and began to cry loudly.

As the infant's cries rang out.

The Daoist clearly heard them.

"An abandoned infant?"

The Daoist appeared middle-aged, his expression filled with exhaustion.

"Hm?"

"An abandoned infant from Zhang Family Fortress?"

The Daoist immediately guessed Lin Yuan's identity from the pattern on his swaddling clothes.

"This jade pendant? Brother Zhang's jade pendant? This is Brother Zhang's child?"

The Daoist's eyes suddenly reddened.

He was Changqing Daoist. Several months ago, Zhang Kun had sent him a letter.

It said that he had discovered traces of the Myriad Demons Sect.

Changqing Daoist immediately set out for Zhang Family Fortress.

However, he was ambushed by several Dharma Protectors of the Myriad Demons Sect along the way.

They delayed him for several days.

By the time he arrived again.

Everyone in Zhang Family Fortress had already been slaughtered.

Just as Changqing Daoist was overwhelmed with grief and preparing to return to Dragon Tiger Mountain to report the matter.

He unexpectedly heard Lin Yuan's cries, and this infant was even Zhang Kun's son.

"Good, good, good."

"Brother Zhang's bloodline lives on."

"Brother Zhang's bloodline has not been cut off."

Changqing Daoist immediately picked Lin Yuan up and reached out to examine him.

In Changqing Daoist's view.

A newborn infant like Lin Yuan.

Would likely freeze to death after being left in the wilderness for half a day.

Though he did not know how long Lin Yuan had been here, judging from the surroundings, it had clearly been more than half a day.

Thus, Changqing Daoist intended to use his own True Qi to replenish the infant's origin.

Though doing so would also greatly drain him, Changqing Daoist did not care.

Because his late arrival had led to the massacre of Zhang Family Fortress. If he could not even protect its last remaining bloodline now.

He would truly have no face to remain alive in this world.

"Hm?"

"His body hasn't suffered any harm?"

Changqing Daoist was stunned.

He discovered that the infant's body was very healthy. Other than weakened blood and Qi, which was likely due to hunger, there was nothing seriously wrong.

"Unbelievable."

Changqing Daoist murmured to himself.

"Child, from now on, you are one of Dragon Tiger Mountain's people."

Changqing Daoist held Lin Yuan in his arms.

He immediately set off back to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

True Martial Grand Hall, Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Changqing Daoist stood before Azure Lord and recounted the entire matter.

Azure Lord was the Manor Head of this generation of Dragon Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Manor, a highly respected grandmaster in the martial world.

"The Myriad Demons Sect's current sect master is a man of great talent and vision. He has already entered the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, which is why he ordered his disciples to raid and plunder everywhere, to bolster the sect's demonic might."

Azure Lord spoke slowly.

Then he took Lin Yuan from Changqing Daoist's arms.

"Poor child."

Azure Lord let out a long sigh.

"Fort Master Zhang spent his life upholding justice and aiding the weak. He died at the hands of the Myriad Demons Sect. My Celestial Master Manor will never let this matter rest."

"By the way, has the child been named?"

Azure Lord asked.

"I found a jade pendant in his swaddling clothes, engraved with the two characters 'Shanfeng.'"

"It should have been the name Brother Zhang gave the child."

Changqing Daoist said softly.

"Shanfeng, Shanfeng."

"Very well. From now on, you shall be called Zhang Shanfeng."

Azure Lord said slowly.

And so, Lin Yuan settled down on Dragon Tiger Mountain.

At first, Changqing Daoist worried that Lin Yuan would cry and fuss, disturbing the others.

But after spending a few days with him, Changqing Daoist discovered that Lin Yuan was incredibly well-behaved.

He had never cried or fussed. Whenever he was hungry, he would simply open his round, bright eyes and stare at him.

He was almost too sensible.

As for the milk an infant needed, there were many villages beneath Dragon Tiger Mountain, and quite a few women there had recently given birth.

Changqing Daoist shamelessly asked those women for some milk, barely managing to keep Lin Yuan alive.

And just like that, ten years passed.