Chapter 2 – Daoist Longshan
Under the cover of night.
Flames soared into the sky, and the surging tongues of fire devoured both the Snow Plum Pavilion and the people within.
A group of men in black stood watching the growing sea of fire with cold indifference—ruthless and merciless. Occasionally, when someone barely escaped from the flames, unable to bear the heat, they were immediately beheaded with a single stroke.
Lord Feng's lips curled into a slow smile.
He wanted to personally watch the Snow Plum Manor turn to ash.
The fire grew even fiercer.
In the distance, a black-clad subordinate rushed over in a panic.
"Lord Feng! Daoist Longshan of the Zhenwu Sect is already on his way here. Should we retreat now?"
Lord Feng's brows furrowed deeply, a flash of dread flickering in his eyes.
"Wasn't that old bull-nosed Daoist supposed to arrive tomorrow? Why is he here early?"
"I don't know, my lord."
"Useless!"
Lord Feng coldly snorted, then finally gave the order:
"Withdraw!"
Daoist Longshan was an unparalleled genius, rumored to have inherited the True Martial legacy. His sudden rise in the Dayan Dynasty had made quite a name for himself. Later, he even rebuilt the Zhenwu Sect(True martial sect) and earned respect among Daoist factions throughout the land.
It was said he was close to stepping into the Heaven-Man realm. Even with superior numbers, they had no guarantee of defeating him.
Lord Feng gave the manor one last long look as it was swallowed by fire.
In such intense flames, ordinary martial artists couldn't possibly survive—let alone a newborn infant. The child was probably already unconscious, turned to charcoal in its sleep.
He let out a cold laugh, and the group of black-clad men vanished into the night like a gust of wind.
…
Inside a secret compartment.
Ning Qi could feel the rising heat all around him—shocked and furious.
He hadn't expected them to be this cruel. After slaughtering everyone in the manor, they even wanted to burn the entire place to ash.
A chill surfaced in his eyes.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that—the urgent matter was survival.
His Innate Fetal Breathing Technique continued to circulate, slowing the incoming heat somewhat. But with the flames growing fiercer and closing in on the secret compartment, death was inevitable.
He had just been born—no mobility, no food. If not for the breathing technique he had created, he'd already be dead.
Even so…
This situation still looked like a dead end.
"What should I do?"
Ning Qi's mind raced. Amid the raging fire, he vaguely heard the black-clad men had retreated.
"Daoist Longshan? Zhenwu Sect? Is this Daoist a friend of my parents—or just a righteous passerby?"
Countless thoughts crossed Ning Qi's mind.
He realized his only chance for survival might lie with this Daoist Longshan.
He curled deeper into his swaddling cloth, which was made from special material and offered some comfort. He had to endure until the Daoist arrived—and more importantly, be discovered.
"Sound!"
"I must make my cries loud enough to be heard over the roaring fire!"
Although Daoist Longshan was a top expert and would likely notice his breath once he exited the fetal breathing state, Ning Qi wanted to ensure he did everything in his power.
"How do I make the sound louder?"
"Merge it with my breath… project it outward… An infant's cry is already sharp—if I can control the vocal vibrations just right…"
…
One inspiration after another surfaced in his mind.
He began moving his mouth, guiding his innate qi. He had a strong feeling that when he cried out, it would be piercingly loud.
This was a sound technique—Ning Qi decided to call it the Sonic Resonance Method.
A light shone in his eyes.
If he weren't currently powerless, he could even create a whole martial art based on sound waves—something like the Buddhist Lion's Roar from his previous life's wuxia novels!
This was the power of full-level comprehension.
Everything was ready.
He waited.
"Daoist Longshan, you'd better hurry!"
If the Daoist arrived too late, he'd be nothing but a burnt corpse.
The heat was unbearable now, with the building collapsing around him in flames. If not for the special construction of this compartment, he'd already be crushed to death.
…
The night deepened.
But Snow Plum Manor was lit like day. The inferno dyed the sky red.
When Daoist Longshan arrived and saw the scene, fury surged in his eyes.
"Vile fiends!"
He had come by invitation—never expecting to find such a massacre. The cruelty of it was monstrous.
He shouted in rage, and powerful energy surged from his palms like a misty rain, descending to suppress the flames.
Some fires were extinguished—but others flared up even more violently.
His face darkened.
Had he arrived earlier, he might have smothered the flames completely. Now, the situation was irreversible. Even if he gave his all, he could save nothing but broken ruins.
Protected by his energy, he walked unharmed through the fire, calling out loudly:
"Master Ning!"
"Swordswoman Jiang!"
"Daoist Longshan is here!"
He feared the couple were dead, but still held onto hope.
He shouted again and again—but no reply came.
He grew more remorseful. Had he arrived just half a day earlier…
Suddenly—
He stopped.
He seemed to hear the faint sound of a baby crying.
At first, he thought it was an illusion. How could a baby survive this?
But then—the crying grew clearer. It was real.
"There's someone alive!"
Daoist Longshan was thrilled.
He soared toward the sound, energy surging from his palm to snuff out the fire in that area.
Stepping closer, his eyes widened in surprise.
The crying came from a hidden compartment.
Channeling his energy like a blade, he carefully cut it open—and there, wrapped in swaddling cloth, lay a small infant.
Looking at the baby, Daoist Longshan's eyes filled with wonder. As soon as the compartment opened, the baby stopped crying, and simply stared at him—as if the crying had been meant to draw him in.
Not only that—
He felt the temperature inside. Though slightly better than outside, it was still a miracle for a newborn to have survived this long.
Even so, the baby's cheeks were already turning red.
"This child… truly lucky to be alive!"
He gently picked up Ning Qi and found a jade pendant inscribed with the character Qi, along with a scroll titled Night Plum Sword Art.
"That sword art was created by Master Ning and Lady Jiang—it must mean this is their child."
Daoist Longshan sighed.
"Perhaps this is fate. Maybe they protected you in spirit, allowing you to survive."
"From now on, your name shall be Ning Qi."
As he finished speaking—
To his surprise, the baby smiled.
"You little rascal… already so perceptive. Able to distinguish friend from foe. You'll surely be extraordinary one day."
Ning Qi was also studying the middle-aged Daoist: gray robe, goat beard, calm and kind features—easy to trust at a glance.
He had heard the Daoist's voice calling, and used the Sonic Resonance Method to cry out. Now, finally safe, he could relax.
After transmigrating straight into danger—only to survive as a newborn—he couldn't help but feel relief and drift into sleep when he heard his name had remained unchanged.
Daoist Longshan panicked.
He quickly checked Ning Qi's pulse, then sighed in relief upon realizing it was just exhaustion from overuse of energy.
But then—shock returned to his eyes.
This child's innate qi was unusually strong.
"No wonder he survived. That cry just now… it also had a technique to it?"
"Could it be… a child born with wisdom?"
He gazed at Ning Qi with growing awe.
This was undoubtedly a rare jade of great potential.
Solid innate foundation, extraordinary insight, and clever beyond belief.
"Master Ning… Lady Jiang… you left behind such a brilliant son. You may rest in peace."
"I will take him as my disciple, raise him, and teach him well. As for your killers—I will find them!"
Looking at the Snow Plum Manor still burning behind him, Daoist Longshan made a silent vow.
…
The next day.
Daoist Longshan stood before a pair of memorial tombs with Ning Qi in his arms.
These were for Ning Qi's parents. The fire had burned so fiercely, there were no bodies—only symbolic graves remained.
Ning Qi had eaten and was awake now.
He stared at the tombs with complex emotions.
He had just transmigrated—now already an orphan. But the warmth from his mother's gaze before her death still lingered in his memory. They had died to protect him. He could never forget.
"One day—I will avenge you both."
He remembered that "Lord Feng" and the murderers from yesterday. Cold killing intent surged in his heart.
They not only killed his parents—they almost burned him alive.
This grudge must be repaid.
With full-level comprehension, as long as he had a safe place to grow, he could progress rapidly. Revenge would not be far away.
And now…
He had that safe haven.
Daoist Longshan sighed. His thoughts turned into a gentle smile as he looked down at Ning Qi:
"You little rascal… from today on, you are my ninth disciple."
"Come with me—let's return to the mountain."
It wasn't time to investigate the killers yet. Only after Ning Qi was settled and safe could he pursue justice. After all, those who wiped out Snow Plum Manor overnight were no small threat—Master Ning and Lady Jiang had not been weak.
Seeing Ning Qi smile, Daoist Longshan felt uplifted.
He held the baby, and soared into the sky.
(End of Chapter)