Yi Lian was extremely excited to see the three of them.

Thanks to Lao Ren’s treatment, Yi Lian’s condition had slightly improved.

“Yi Lian, how did you and Heijiao get here? And how did you end up like this?”

One looked like a beggar, while the other was a half-dead invalid.

Heijiao sighed and said, “I met Yi Lian in the Mortal Realm twenty years ago. At that time, Yi Lian had lost his divine power and was just an ordinary person. He fell ill upon arriving in the Mortal Realm, and his health was in a dire state. It was a little beggar who saved him…”

Yi Lian coughed twice and continued, “Back then, the Sun and Moon Chess scattered, and I had nowhere to go. I traveled through the three realms, but there was no place for me. I was often bullied by others. Eventually, I ended up in the Mortal Realm where I met a little boy, a beggar. He was very kind to me; he didn’t mind my illness. He went out every day to find food and money to treat my illness. To me, he was the only friend I had in the world during all those years.”

This matter dates back to twenty years ago.

That year, a heavy snowstorm blanketed the Mortal Realm for three consecutive days, covering the entire Baiqiao Town in white. The people suffered greatly, and many perished in the snow.

In the snow over a foot thick, a thin, ragged man walked with difficulty, leaning on a wooden stick, limping. His bare feet stepped into the snow, and he occasionally let out a hoarse cough.

In such freezing weather, with the biting cold wind, the man quickly lost consciousness.

Just when he thought he was about to die, a childish voice woke him up.

When Yi Lian opened his eyes, he found himself in a dilapidated house with a leaking roof. But at that moment, it was a shelter from the wind and rain for him.

“Brother, you’re awake.”

Yi Lian turned his head and saw a little boy next to him, smiling at him with bright eyes.

“Who are you?”

Yi Lian sat up and asked in a raspy voice.

The little boy happily introduced himself, “My name is Xiao Jing. What’s your name?”

“I…”

Yi Lian’s voice was interrupted by a disheveled-looking man.

“Xiao Jing, now that he’s awake, let him go.” The man’s tone was unfriendly.

Xiao Jing turned around, pleading, “Bro A Yu, he just woke up, and he’s sick. Where do you expect him to go?”

The disheveled man named A Yu replied indifferently, “He can go wherever he wants. We don’t take in strangers, Xiao Jing. Right now, the mountain pass is sealed by snow, and there are plenty of people frozen to death by the roadside. We need to look after ourselves and not meddle in other people’s affairs.”

Xiao Jing continued to argue, insisting on keeping Yi Lian.

As Yi Lian looked around, he finally realized that the dilapidated house was crowded with people, most of whom were beggars. They were huddled around small fires in groups of two or three, all glaring at him with hostility.

Being a sensible person, Yi Lian understood that they were already kind enough to save him and had no obligation to take him in.

Struggling to his feet, Yi Lian interrupted the argument between Xiao Jing and Bro A Yu.

“Thank you all for saving my life. Xiao Jing, you don’t need to insist. I’m already grateful that you saved me and I dare not ask for more. My health is indeed failing. Farewell, everyone.”

Yi Lian walked barefoot to the old wooden door. Xiao Jing wanted to stop him, but Bro A Yu held him back.

When the wooden door was opened, the raging wind and snow felt like sharp blades slicing Yi Lian’s face and body.

Yi Lian stepped into the vast expanse of snow and closed the wooden door behind him.

Walking alone on the street, Yi Lian hugged his arms tightly. His disheveled hair was covered in snow, his eyebrows seemed to be frosted, and his cheeks were red from the cold. A row of footprints trailed behind him, his bare feet turning purple from frostbite and gradually becoming numb.

In such a blizzard, Yi Lian knew very well that he wouldn’t survive.

Although he didn’t know where he should go, he only knew he had to keep walking forward. The road didn’t seem that long, but at that moment, it felt endless.

The only sound in his ears was the howling wind; his body gradually stiffened, and he found it harder to move.

Thud!

Eventually, he collapsed into the snow, leaving a dent where he fell.

In a daze, Yi Lian recalled the past—enduring numerous trials and overcoming countless obstacles to finally become one of the Sun and Moon Chess. The days at the Sun and Moon Chess were dull but carefree. The six of them supported and cared for each other.

When did they decide to disband?

It was after the Devil Clan was sealed. They had grown tired of the endless fighting and killing, ultimately losing themselves in the process.

At that time, the six of them unanimously decided to go their separate ways and lead the lives they each desired. Years later, after having traveled to many places and met many people, Yi Lian realized that apart from tracking and killing, he seemed to be good at nothing else. Without his immortal power, he was like a useless person, rejected by everyone.

In his dream, Yun Zi, Jiu Kan, Lao Ren, Heijiao, and Xi He were laughing and fooling around as they approached Yi Lian, taking him by surprise with playful attacks. Those were actually good days.

Yi Lian felt his body bathed in warm sunlight, gradually warming up. A faint childish voice reached his ears, becoming clearer.

When he opened his eyes, a boy with bright, dark eyes was staring at him. “Brother, you’re awake.”

“It’s you,” Yi Lian said, moving his body. The stiffness eased as he looked around. It was completely dark except for a small fire not far away, illuminating him and the boy.

“Don’t worry. This is my secret place. No one else knows about it, so no one will drive you away.”

The child’s voice was young yet sincere. Yi Lian moved his lips and softly said, “Thank you, Xiao Jing.”

Xiao Jing’s large eyes curved into crescents. “You’re welcome. Oh, and I found these shoes. They’re too big for me, so you can have them.”

Xiao Jing placed a ragged cloth bundle in front of Yi Lian and then ran back to the fire, seeming to bake something.

Yi Lian gently opened the cloth bundle and found an old pair of shoes. Though worn, they were clean and obviously meant for an adult. Naturally, they were too big for the seven or eight-year-old Xiao Jing.

Looking towards the fire, Yi Lian saw the faint light illuminating the child’s thin face. Despite his fragile frame, the boy worked tirelessly without a hint of complaint, his movements clumsy yet earnest.

A warmth spread through Yi Lian’s heart, as if that little fire had melted the ice that had long sealed it.

Since then, Yi Lian had a place to stay, but his frail body could not bear the strain, deteriorating more each day in the incessant snowstorm.

Xiao Jing never uttered a word of complaint. Every day, he braved the storm to bring Yi Lian food, and sometimes medicine, before hurrying back into the blizzard.

The heavy snowstorm raged on for three more days. Suddenly, one day, Xiao Jing brought a doctor over to treat Yi Lian, which startled him. Yi Lian asked Xiao Jing where he got the money to hire a doctor. Xiao Jing, his eyes crinkling with pride, smiled at Yi Lian and said, “Don’t worry. I have my ways.”

That day, the doctor also gave Xiao Jing a prescription. Xiao Jing ran out hastily with the prescription and returned shortly after with a lot of medicine. He instructed Yi Lian to take it daily and then left in a hurry, just like before.

This time, Xiao Jing never came back.

Yi Lian lay in the hut for two more days, but Xiao Jing didn’t show up. Growing increasingly anxious, Yi Lian left the house and realized for the first time that the snow had stopped. Everywhere on the streets, people were shoveling snow. Dragging his sick body through the streets, Yi Lian found A Yu and the others. They, too, had not seen Xiao Jing for three days.

Yi Lian searched elsewhere for an entire day but still found no trace of Xiao Jing.

Until late at night, when the biting cold wind pierced through his bones. Exhausted, Yi Lian slumped on the street corner, feeling lost and helpless. He overheard small groups of people discussing something as they passed by, some with beaming smiles, others sighing deeply.

Listening closely, Yi Lian caught a few key words.

Little beggar, holy child sacrifice, Heavenly Punishment…

Yi Lian, frantic with worry, grabbed someone passing by and shouted, “What were you just talking about? Which little beggar? Where is he?!”

The passersby thought he was mad and dared not respond. Finally, Yi Lian investigated on his own and uncovered the truth.

In Baiqiao Town, there was a wealthy merchant who had invited a group of Taoist Priests to perform a ritual to determine when the relentless snowstorm would end.

The priests spouted nonsensical claims, saying it was Heavenly Punishment and that only by finding a holy child to sacrifice could they appease it.

The wealthy merchant then scoured far and wide. He happened upon Xiao Jing and decided he would be the holy child. Xiao Jing knew nothing about Heavenly Punishment or being a holy child. He only knew that if he agreed to be the holy child, he would earn enough money to get a doctor for Yi Lian.

So, he went.

Upon learning the truth, Yi Lian went to the merchant’s house, only to be beaten and thrown out. After several attempts, barely escaping with his life, Jiu Kan happened to pass by and recognized Yi Lian.

The merchant and his family were dead, and those Taoist Priests were almost all hunted down by Jiu Kan. However, three of them were still at large. The priest they encountered today was one of those three.