Chapter 160

I tightly grabbed Xiao Changsheng's shoulder, over‑excitement made me unable to stop trembling.

"Xiao Changsheng, where did you see this Huangjing? Tell Uncle quickly, where was it?"

My gaze burned hot as I stared at Xiao Changsheng's youthful face, my breathing quickened and the exhaled breath grew heavier. At that moment, my mind held only one thought revolving: Zheng Ge is saved, Big Sister-in-law is finally saved.

Xiao Changsheng scratched his little head, recalling carefully, then his chubby little hand pointed outside the temple door.

"It's back there on the rear mountain..." Xiao Changsheng counted on his fingers, then gave me a detailed recollection again of where he had seen the Huangjing, and the approximate direction.

"Alright, you lead Uncle there now!" Immediately, I shouldered my travel pack, lifted Xiao Changsheng, and ran off in the direction he pointed.

Overly excited, I failed to notice that when I lifted Xiao Changsheng, he revealed a complex gaze at that moment—somewhat tactful, somewhat desolate.

………………

"Xiao Changsheng, have we arrived?" I wiped the sweat from my forehead and asked the Xiao Changsheng in my arms.

Holding Xiao Changsheng, we set out from the ruined temple, passed through a long curtain cave, then climbed over many steep, uneven small slopes.

Xiao Changsheng directed me onward all the way; as time passed, I realized the place he spoke of was not just far—it was practically on opposite sides of east and west. Only when we reached the spot he pointed to did I notice the sky had gradually darkened.

"Uncle, it's just ahead not far!" Xiao Changsheng extended two little fingers and pointed ahead not far away.

Not far ahead was a waterfall, turbulent water pouring down from the mountaintop. To keep my travel pack and clothes dry, I could only carefully step across the rocks spaced here and there.

As I stepped over a dense thicket, my eyes suddenly brightened, and I realized this place was a hidden paradise.

Yes, it's a hidden paradise; the moment I stepped onto the meadow, a breeze blew toward me, mingling with the fragrance of wild grasses. At that moment I felt as if I were deep in a flourishing peach blossom spring. Here, besides all kinds of wild medicinal herbs, there were countless bright, dripping little flowers. Tall, upright phoenix trees, hills blanketed with autumn chrysanthemums, reeds swaying gracefully—a small spot that seemed to contain all things in the world.

All kinds of flowers and grasses that ought not to grow together were thriving side by side here, their combination so natural that there was not a hint of discord.

Yet what is astonishing is that amid this lush green meadow, a vacuum zone remains in the middle; although the surrounding wild grass is lush and vibrant, full of vigorous life, at this central point there happens to be a withered plant?

Indeed, it is a withered plant; its leaves resemble reeds but have no vitality— not only does the stem look sun‑wilted, even the edge leaves droop limp. This withered plant is half my height, utterly out of place among the surroundings.

Yet this plant gave me a strange illusion: the surrounding flora seemed to encircle it in reverence, serving it as king, merely twining around it. In the lowest posture, they submitted to it wholeheartedly and gladly.

"Um… Xiao Changsheng, is this the place you meant?" I scratched my head, bewildered, asking the Xiao Changsheng beside me. Although there are many wild medicinal herbs here, there is not a trace of Huangjing at all.

Could the Huangjing have hidden itself? I thought that, but at that moment another problem simultaneously surfaced in my mind.

This place is at least two or three kilometers from that ruined temple; even an adult walking would feel tired, so how could a little child like Xiao Changsheng have such stamina?

Moreover, a child's memory could hardly be that good—being able to recall this winding nine‑turn eighteen‑bend route and reach the destination accurately. Even I doubt I could remember the path after walking it once, let alone that Xiao Changsheng saw the Huangjing at night.

In an instant, my hairs stood on end; the breeze blowing toward me seemed to turn into a bone‑chilling wind that pierced my lungs, making gooseflesh erupt all over my body.

Could it be… Xiao Changsheng is a monster!

I furtively placed the Huaguang Seal behind me, straining to keep my emotions steady, showing no trace of tension. Then I crouched, fixing both eyes on Xiao Changsheng, and asked solemnly.

"Xiao Changsheng……"

"Mm," Xiao Changsheng turned his head and locked eyes with me.

"Tell Uncle, what exactly are you?" My palms were already sweating; indeed, I was now so nervous I was at a loss, unable to stop thinking: if Xiao Changsheng really is a monster, what should I do, what should I do?

"Uncle……" Xiao Changsheng suddenly split his mouth open, giving me an innocent grin.

"Mm……" That pure smile dazed me.

"Next time, don't be so foolish?" Xiao Changsheng hooked my nose, and before I could react, he turned and walked away.

"Without a big black dog's nose, even on a moonlit night you couldn't find me." As Xiao Changsheng slowly walked away, he suddenly turned, and a bell‑like laugh rang out,

"Uncle, you are a good person!" The distant Xiao Changsheng said earnestly to me.

In my almost dazed stare, Xiao Changsheng's body gradually drifted away, then slowly merged into that withered plant.

"Uncle, hurry up, or the big monkey will come back!" Those were his last words to me before his silhouette vanished.

And after Xiao Changsheng's body merged into the withered plant, the already blackened, withered plant unexpectedly renewed its vigorous vitality, its leaves gradually shifting from gray‑black to a lush green.

Beneath that stem lay evidently a palm‑sized piece of "ginger," this ginger resembling a baby infant; though it is a medicinal herb, it had taken human form—exactly the monster Xiao Changsheng described to me in the ruined temple.

As I slowly approached that ginger, the familiar warm current flowed through me again. At that moment I finally understood everything.

I understood why I hadn't died after being poisoned; I understood why Xiao Changsheng could, even in pitch‑black night, clearly see the movements of the Mountain Ghost Hand.

It turned out he was the Huangjing I had been seeking, the spirit of the matured Huangjing. It was he who saved me with his own essence and blood.

It must be so; otherwise, where would that blood‑linked warm current come from?

As I slowly approached him, that feeling grew stronger; at this moment a sense of helplessness welled up in my heart. Though I had come to seize the Huangjing, when it was right before my eyes I could not help but reach out to strike.

Xiao Changsheng's appearance and smile lingered before my eyes, that warm current, this inexplicable feeling, still flowed through me.

"Xiao Changsheng…… sob sob!" As my hand was about to touch him, my tears fell uncontrollably.

No one understands how I feel now; I have met a child. The first time I saw him, I actually had the thought of starting a family, he made me mistakenly believe my future child would be like him. Recalling his tiger‑headed, tiger‑brained self, his face smeared with pastry crumbs in a sorry state, my heart felt so warm.

When my life hung by a thread, it was again he who used his own essence and blood to revive me.

Spiritual beings differ from humans; cultivation is not easy, each drop of blood requires a long span of years to replenish. I know he must have expended his essence and blood to save me, so after returning to his true form he could neither speak nor move even a step.

Perhaps he is unwilling to move, waiting for me to dig out his root‑heart.

But Xiao Changsheng, you make it so I can hardly bring myself to strike. To dig out your heart—isn't that like digging out Uncle's heart?

I slumped to my knees, eyes blood‑red, tears streaming. Each time I gritted my teeth, drew the small knife, and moved toward Xiao Changsheng, that trembling hand ultimately fell limp.

Dong Yumin and Chen Zheng await my return to save them; as long as I bring back the Huangjing's root‑heart, I can revive two lives. Yet you ask me how to strike, when this so‑called Huangjing is merely an innocent, artless child.

To save lives, I personally deprived a life. Tell me, is what I did really right? How is my conduct any different from that of beasts?

The hand gripping the knife trembled already… that bright blade's flash, the pain it inflicted, was my heart.