Five years later.

Amidst the vast mountain ranges of the East Desolate, ferocious beasts roamed, and ghastly spirits appeared, as all sorts of terrifying sounds reverberated in the darkness, threatening to tear apart the heavens and earth.

It was as though some great terror lurked, striking fear into these creatures with their frightened roars.

Within a gentle valley in the mountains, a small village of a few dozen households nestled there!

Under the endlessly dark night sky, a few faint glimmers of light twinkled, like candle flames swaying in the storm, giving the impression they might be extinguished at any moment.

For some reason, tonight's rain was exceptionally heavy, the thunder and lightning extraordinarily fierce, resembling the prelude to a tempestuous storm, instilling shock and unease.

Yet the villagers of the small village remained unaffected; even if some were startled awake by the thunder, they merely took a glance and fell back to sleep.

Except for a little girl in a rundown thatched cottage.

After being awakened by the thunder, she curled up in a corner of the room, gazing out at the heavy rain with a frightened expression, choking up subconsciously: "Brother... when are you returning?!"

...

The next day, early morning.

After a night of heavy rain, it finally stopped!

Bird chirps and insect songs added a hint of vitality to the serene little mountain village.

The air was filled with the fresh scent after the rain.

In a valley south of the village, there was a tall stone platform with a Five-Colored Transmission Array on it, used for teleportation across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Five years ago.

It was from here that Ye Hao was taken away by the Great Xia Divine General Yu Ming.

For five years, Ye Xian'er came here daily, waiting for her brother's return, which led to the village children teasing her as a fool.

Today, Ye Xian'er did the same, arriving early here after waking up from her dreams.

Compared to five years ago, Ye Xian'er had grown considerably taller.

Despite wearing coarse linen clothes and looking somewhat malnourished, her bright eyes revealed her liveliness.

"Brother... why haven't you come back yet!"

"Nannan misses you!"

Ye Xian'er stared at the Five-Colored Transmission Array for a long time, her bright eyes becoming teary as she incessantly called out her brother Ye Hao's name, hoping he would emerge from the array.

But no matter how much she called out, her brother did not appear.

"Brother, come out! Wuuu..."

"Nannan is suffering!"

"Ergouzi and the others bully me, saying I'm a child with no parents!"

"And Grandpa Village Chief too..."

Only here, would Ye Xian'er let out all the pent-up emotions inside her, hoping her cries would reach her brother at the other end of the Transmission Array.

Wishing that her brother Ye Hao would return through the Five-Colored Transmission Array and take her away from this place that filled her with sorrow.

Unfortunately, the Five-Colored Transmission Array had shown no reaction since it was activated five years ago by the Great Xia Divine General Yu Ming, who took Ye Hao away with him.

Ye Xian'er was already nine years old, but because of long-term malnutrition, she appeared quite frail, seeming to be only about six or seven.

It was evident that she had not had an easy life over the years.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be showing signs of malnutrition.

Ye Xian'er cried for a long while before she finally raised her hand to wipe away the tears from her face. She turned towards the Five-Colored Transmission Array and said, "Brother... I'll be going first, I'll come to see you again tomorrow!" After speaking, she walked towards the village, turning back three steps for each one she took.

...

The next morning, Ye Xian'er's slender figure reappeared by the Five-Colored Transmission Array, just like yesterday, ceaselessly telling her stories and crying out, venting the heaviness and nostalgia in her heart.

Day after day, year after year.

Another two years passed!

During this time, Ye Xian'er was still the same Ye Xian'er, just taller than before, but still pale and thin from malnutrition.

Compared to two years ago, her appearance was a bit more pitiable: her clothes dirty and tattered, many parts were damaged as if they had been violently torn, and one of her straw sandals was missing.

Her tiny figure looked really pitiful.

Today, she arrived at the Five-Colored Transmission Array and did not immediately start crying. She looked around to make sure there was no one else present before silently shedding tears.

She had gotten up later than usual this morning and encountered Ergouzi and his gang, who often bullied her, at the entrance of the village.

As a result, she was severely tormented by them.

That's why she looked so wretched.

"Brother, it's been seven years and three months since you left. Nannan has grown up now. She can cook, wash clothes, chop wood, and do farm work...."

As she spoke, Ye Xian'er's voice began to choke up.

When Ye Hao was around, life was hard—they often went from one meal with no certainty of the next, but she felt so happy!

Because Ye Hao never let her do those things.

But ever since Ye Hao was taken away by the Great Xia Divine General, she was made to do those chores by the village chief's family, or else she would have nothing to eat.

With the village chief's family hosting quite a number of people, several of whom were around the same age as Ye Xian'er and were either his grandchildren or granddaughters, their status far surpassed hers countless times over.

Hence, she became their laborer.

Ye Xian'er had often thought of fleeing this place, but remembering what Ye Hao said when he left, she would suppress the urge to leave and do things that people of her age shouldn't have to handle.

Yet, all of this didn't matter. As long as she could wait for her brother's return, everything was worth it.

"Brother, Nannan will go first!"

"Tomorrow I will come here to wait for you again!"

Ye Xian'er wiped the tears from her face and rose to walk towards the village.

However, she had not walked far when she heard the voices of Ergouzi and others.

"Little beggar, so you're here!"

"Run... keep running..."

"Let's see where you can run to this time?"

"..."

Hearing the voices,

Ye Xian'er instinctively stopped.

Six or seven older children appeared in front of her, exactly the ones who often bullied her, Ergouzi, and his group.

When these older children bullied Ye Xian'er, they didn't care about her feelings at all, hurling all kinds of provocative and hurtful words that they really shouldn't be saying at their age.

One of them, not satisfied with just using words, violently snatched away the bronze ring from Ye Xian'er's hand.

He broke the bronze ring right in front of Ye Xian'er, and threw it on the ground, stomping on it furiously.

"Little beggar, did you not hear? Huh... You dare to run, will you run now?"

This kid was Ergouzi, the village chief's grandson, the ringleader of the group, who often took pleasure in bullying Ye Xian'er.

While Ye Hao was still around, he did the same thing.

But, after being brutally thrashed by Ye Hao several times, he no longer dared to bully Ye Xian'er in Ye Hao's presence.

Now that Ye Hao was gone, he feared nothing.

He'd often bring a bunch of "little brothers" from the village to bully Ye Xian'er, the orphan who stayed at the village chief's house, to get back for the beatings he had suffered from Ye Hao in the past.

"Dog brother, why waste words?! Just hit her!"

The village chief's grandson pushed Ye Xian'er to the ground and laughed arrogantly, completely devoid of sympathy, clearly accustomed to such acts.

"Yeah! Dog brother, why bother talking to this bastard kid?! Just keep hitting her until she listens!"

Another older child also chimed in.

Like the village chief's grandson, he started punching and kicking Ye Xian'er without a hint of compassion.

"Right!"

Ergouzi thought so too.

For someone like Ye Xian'er, an orphan with neither father nor mother, there was no need for consideration.

Even if he really beat her up, no one would defend her.

Then, under Ergouzi's direction, a group of six or seven older children started to batter Ye Xian'er with punches and kicks, rendering her already wretched appearance even more pitiful.

Oddly though, despite being besieged by six or seven people, Ye Xian'er didn't make a sound. She just stared intently at the broken bronze ring on the ground, as if the person being beaten wasn't her.

"Feels good!"

After a while of beating,

Ergouzi and the others grew tired.

They stopped and laughed heartily to one side, completely indifferent to Ye Xian'er, who was covered in wounds.

In their eyes, no matter how severe the injuries Ye Xian'er suffered, it was not their concern.

Even if they killed her, no one would trouble them.

...

To be continued, stay tuned!

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