Before the clouds had even covered the sky, it was already dark on the ground. The clear sky had suddenly turned into night, and the wind was howling and whistling in my ears!
Lightning also arrived at this time, and with a thunderclap, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked, as lightning and thunder gathered.
The sky seemed to have been blasted open, and the torrential rain arrived as expected.
The houses nestled in the valley began to emit various sounds of wind and rain.
The tall, blue-brick and tiled houses were now groaning and howling in the strong wind.
Some of the roof tiles were even blown off;
A child, who looked only six or seven years old, tugged at a seemingly venerable old man in fear, trying to hide behind him.
But the terrifying lightning seemed to have targeted a child behind the old man, and it continued to strike the sky with all its might.
The lightning transforms into various shapes in the air, dazzling the eye; one moment it's in the shape of a python.
One moment it's an upright arrow, the next it transforms into a golden beam, and it can even explode with dazzling colors.
Thunder rumbled in unison, instantly transforming the sky into a stage for a grand opera, creating a beauty that defied easy comprehension.
"Knock knock knock~"
The powerful knocking, accompanied by the roar of the storm, reached the ears of the people in the valley, and the gatekeeper opened the door.
A man wearing a straw hat and a raincoat was seen holding a swaddled baby in his arms. The baby in the swaddled baby did not cry and looked like he was on the verge of death.
When the man saw the door open, his eyes filled with tears or rain, and he called out in a trembling voice, "I want to see the Valley Master, I want to see the Valley Master."
The doorman led him to the lobby, which was empty and cold. The man felt uneasy.
This is his Guan family's child. Now that Yao'er has passed away, he must save this child.
This is his and Yao'er's fate! This is the child Yao'er risked her life to give birth to!
"Amitabha! Benevolent Lord, what brings you to my Guiling Valley in such a storm?" An elderly man with an air of otherworldly wisdom, who appeared to be about fifty or sixty years old, looked at the man standing in the hall and spoke calmly.
"Are you the Valley Master of Guiling Valley?"
"I am a man from the capital, surnamed Guan. My wife unfortunately passed away during childbirth, leaving behind a daughter who is also on the verge of death. I was passing by when I came across an old Taoist priest named Fang."
I've heard that the Valley Master can save my daughter's life, therefore I implore the Valley Master to lend a helping hand and save my poor child.
As he spoke, the man knelt on the ground and began kowtowing repeatedly.
The old man, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, gestured for the child to help the person up. He stepped forward, looked at the infant in swaddling clothes, and took the baby from the swaddling clothes. His tone was completely calm. "Go back! Keep the child for now."
"You don't need to bother us until you're four years old. Just go about your own business."
"Valley Master, this..."
"Go then. This woman is destined for a calamity, and she should overcome it in this way. Come back to pick her up when the child is five years old!"
The old man took the child away, and the man knelt on the ground and kowtowed deeply before leaving, looking back every few steps.
The child looked at the swaddled baby in his master's hands and, somewhat frightened, tugged at the old man's clothes.
"Master, can this little sister still be saved?" The child's voice rang out in the rainy night, giving people a very peaceful feeling.
The old man stroked his beard with one hand, held the baby in his left arm, looked down and saw that the baby was breathing heavily but not very well, and did not speak.
The person was placed in a yellow jasmine wood box with several holes in it. The room was warm and cozy. The old Taoist priest raised his hand and began chanting to the box.
Then, the whisk in his hand gently drooped down, and a faint light enveloped the area around the box as he swept it across.
The old man stroked his beard, satisfied, and led the child away.
"Qi'er, take good care of this little sister."
"Yes, I will follow Master's teachings!"
The child's name is Lan Shanqi. He is a disciple of Daoist Qiongshan of Guiling Valley. He is seven years old this year and is also the next successor of Guiling Valley.
The old man is the master of Guiling Valley, Qiongshan Daoist, who has been studying Taoist magic and practicing medicine under his master.
Nowadays, he is seen by the world as an old god, but he rarely saves people; those he saves are all destined to be saved.
The woman placed in the yellow chrysanthemum wooden box was Guan Zhiyue, the legitimate daughter of the General of the Cavalry in the capital.
A poor child, whose mother died in childbirth shortly after birth, was on the verge of death himself, if not for the guidance of the wandering Taoist priest.
She has probably already left this world completely along with her mother; her life ended before it even began.
As time passed, Guan Zhiyue survived in the yellow chrysanthemum wooden box, and her heartbeat returned to normal. However, her body was still extremely weak, and she often needed to take medicine.
Four-month-old Guan Zhiyue was taken out of the yellow chrysanthemum wooden box. The first thing she said to Qiongshan Daoist was, "Ah," which made Qiongshan Daoist beam with joy.
He gently tapped Guan Zhiyue's brow with his hand, speaking softly and with a kind smile: "As long as you are alive, you will be carefree and joyful. Even if you suffer in life, you will be at ease."
"Oh, ah..." Guan Zhiyue blew out bubbles and grinned at Qiongshan. Lan Shanqi heard the child's voice.
Pulling at the hem of Qiongshan Daoist's robe, she tried to stand on tiptoe, wanting to see what the baby in the swaddling clothes looked like.
"Master, may I see my sister?" Lan Shanqi tugged at Qiongshan Daoist's clothes, and stood on tiptoe as if trying to see her.
This is the first infant they have treated at Guiling Valley; the others are all older children, not as young as Guan Zhiyue.
Qiongshan Daoist squatted down, holding Guan Zhiyue, to be level with Lan Shanqi, and moved the baby in his arms slightly towards Lan Shanqi.
Lan Shanqi stared at Guan Zhiyue in her swaddling clothes, her big, dark eyes filled with curiosity and joy.
At this moment, Guan Zhiyue's eyebrows hadn't even fully grown in yet, and you could see a little bit of soft hair, but her eyes were unusually large.
Guan Zhiyue, sparkling like the stars in the sky and occasionally able to utter a sound or two, became Lan Shanqi's most cherished treasure.
Looking at Master Qiongshan with anticipation, he said, "Master, may I hug my little sister? I want to hug her too!"
Master Qiongshan nodded and then said, "Go sit over there. Let me hold you for a bit. You're still too small, and your little sister is quite strong. You probably won't be able to hold her."
Lan Shanqi was curious. Guan Zhiyue was so small, how much strength could she possibly have? He was a little man! How could he not be able to hold her?
Despite his doubts, Lan Shanqi obediently sat down to the side, raising his hands high, hoping that his master would let him hold the child.
Qiongshan Taoist bent down and placed Guan Zhiyue in Lan Shanqi's arms. He also squatted down in front of them, afraid that Lan Shanqi would drop the child.
Lan Shanqi felt his heart pounding, as if he were very nervous. However, his sister seemed really heavy, making him feel somewhat strained.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com