The dread of death enveloped Ale, paralyzing her with fear. She cried out in terror. She had not yet become a warrior, had not yet seen the world atop the precipice; she did not want to die!
Xiao Man, who had been some distance away from Ale, saw her falling from the sky. She swiftly dove in front of Ale, reaching out to catch her. Her body paused, then Xiao Man gathered her strength, using the momentum to surge upwards. Ale’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Master, we're flying!"
"What, do you like flying very much?" Xiao Man asked playfully.
"I do. I want to be like Master and be able to fly freely."
"I'm not a bird-man, how could I fly freely!" Xiao Man corrected. "It's just a technique that allows temporary suspension in the air, not actual flight like a bird."
"Master, can people really fly like birds?" Ale asked curiously.
"That, you'll have to ask a friend of mine. See if she can make some amazing contraptions that allow people to fly." Xiao Man, holding Ale, soared high into the sky and then descended, landing safely on the ground. This elicited cheers from a group of children.
"Master, is your friend very powerful?"
"Extremely powerful. She can create mechanical beasts as agile as fierce beasts, and she makes all sorts of ingenious hidden weapons, capable of allowing a frail person to kill a master." Xiao Man said proudly. It wasn't empty boasting; with Mo Mo's skills, given the materials, she could craft the most exquisite mechanical weapons!
"Master, where is your friend?"
"I don't know. We lost touch. Perhaps she's looking for me somewhere in the Cangxuan Continent." Xiao Man looked up at the towering cliffs that reached into the clouds. "Therefore, I must ascend."
"I want to go up with you!"
"You, you are still too young. With your little arms and legs, if you want to ascend, you'll likely have to wait a few more years. Don't expect me to help you up; I can't," Xiao Man tapped Ale on the head. "You have to ascend with your own abilities."
"I will definitely ascend with my own abilities!"
"Good, I'll be looking forward to it." Xiao Man called for Shan Yun to return. The children continued practicing climbing the precipice. To prevent accidental falls, each child was tied with a rope, so even if they fell, they wouldn't be killed.
"Elder, I want to ascend with you. I want to see what's truly up there!" Shan Yun's voice was gentle, yet very firm. Just as Xiao Man had said, one had to see and experience the outside world oneself to truly know the truth.
"Aren't you afraid the outside world will be different from what you imagine?" Xiao Man asked teasingly.
Shan Yun shook her head. "I am prepared. I want to see if the outside world is the same as our tribe."
"Broadly speaking, there shouldn't be much difference. It's just that they don't pursue three meals a day, but rather more advanced things," Xiao Man said with a sigh. "They might pursue power, fame, perhaps money, or even women."
"Elder, what do you pursue?"
Xiao Man slowly said, "I only wish for my family to be reunited and my friends to be well."
"Just that?"
"But it is precisely this simple request that is incredibly difficult for me."
"Why?" Shan Yun was puzzled. Is it so hard to be together as a family?
"Because someone captured my mother and brought my friend and me here. I don't even know if my mother and friend are alive or dead."
"And someone could capture your mother from your hands? That person must be very powerful, right?"
Xiao Man fell silent. Powerful? Of course, they were. If she hadn't been reborn, she would never have known he was the one plotting behind her back. Even with a second life and all the foresight, she still couldn't kill him; instead, he escaped.
"He is a very formidable person, cold-blooded and heartless, cruel and ruthless."
Xiao Man had attempted to climb the precipice multiple times, but still couldn't see the top. And the wild boar tusks were limited; she had to make more preparations.
Shan Yun practiced daily with the group of children, exercising their bodies, climbing the precipice, and hunting fierce beasts. From a delicate young lady, she transformed into a confident and valiant female warrior.
Qi Hong watched the girl he cherished transform into this, feeling an indescribable emotion. He liked the gentle, shy Shan Yun who smiled demurely. But this Shan Yun, who could effortlessly throw people to the ground, left him somewhat at a loss.
"Patriarch, aren't you going to stop her?" Qi Hong saw the Patriarch watching Shan Yun with a complex expression as she fought like a man, taking down the tribe's men. Did the Patriarch not feel uncomfortable? His obedient and gentle daughter had been trained by the Elder into this state; wasn't he angry?
"Stop what?" The Patriarch's gaze never left Shan Yun. He had always believed that women were inherently weak and needed protection, but now his belief was wavering. He realized women were not weak; they had simply been perceived as too frail.
"Shan Yun is not the Shan Yun she used to be."
The Patriarch withdrew his gaze and looked at Qi Hong. Confusion was etched on Qi Hong's face. He didn't like this version of Shan Yun. He preferred when Shan Yun looked at him with adoration, but now Shan Yun only looked at Xiao Man with admiration, and she hadn't spoken to him in a long time.
"Qi Hong, what do you think Shan Yun should be like?"
"Gentle and lovable, someone you'd want to hold in your hands and cherish."
"What if your hands can't hold her?" Shan Da asked softly. "If those hands can't hold her, wouldn't she fall to the ground and break?"
"That's impossible, Patriarch. I can definitely take care of Shan Yun..." Before he could finish, Qi Hong remembered Shan Yun being offered as a sacrifice. At that time, he hadn't even had the courage to resist, and he lowered his head in frustration.
Shan Da looked at Shan Yun in the arena, sparring with others. Shan Yun lacked combat experience and was no match for seasoned opponents. However, against others, she could use leverage to defeat them. He was a father. He used to hope for a man to be his daughter's shield, to protect her her whole life. But after the sacrificial incident, he finally understood that no one could be his daughter's shield, not even himself. Only by becoming strong herself could she protect herself.
Therefore, he believed that the current Shan Yun was the best Shan Yun: strong, brave, and full of hope. He firmly believed that such a Shan Yun would not despair or surrender no matter what difficulties she faced. And Shan Yun's transformation was all thanks to Elder Xiao!
"Qi Hong, I hope Shan Yun will grow into a strong pine tree that fears no wind or rain, capable of facing the storm alone, rather than needing protection everywhere."