"Don't worry too much, young friend. We will find Immortal Master Ze Fang as soon as possible. This child is still young and likely hungry. Let's have the kitchen prepare something for him," Yan Yu asked tentatively. Ze Fang was no simple person, and it was impossible he was abducted from the City Lord's manor. It was highly probable that Ze Fang had left the manor himself, yet no one within the manor had seen him depart.
"I'll go to the kitchen and see what he can eat," Xiao Man said, carrying the child away.
Poisonous Lady immediately pulled Shan Yun aside. "You still say he's not her son? Look at how concerned she is, holding him everywhere and even going to the kitchen herself to cook. Shan Yun, tell me honestly, was this child born to you?"
Shan Yun was between laughter and tears. If this child were to be born, it should be to Xiao Man herself, so how could it be hers? If she hadn't strictly forbidden them from revealing her female identity, she would have truly wanted to tell them, "I am a woman, and she is a woman. It's impossible for us to have children together!"
"No."
"Then who is this child's mother?"
"Who knows," Shan Yun replied perfunctorily. Even she felt the child looked very much like Xiao Man, and the child resembled Xiao Man so much that even she thought he was Xiao Man's son, let alone others.
Xiao Man cooked a fragrant fish fillet congee for Ze Fang, along with two savory side dishes. However, Ze Fang couldn't even hold his chopsticks steadily. Xiao Man sighed and could only feed him.
"I wonder whose parents could be so heartless as to abandon you outside alone. There are so many bad people out here; aren't they afraid something will happen?" Xiao Man blew on the congee to cool it and fed Ze Fang spoonful by spoonful. Ze Fang obediently cooperated, finishing the entire bowl of congee. No matter where Xiao Man went, he clung to her, refusing to let go.
Xiao Man noticed blood seeping through the bandage on his wrist and couldn't help but be surprised. Her wound medicine was extremely effective at stopping bleeding, so why was blood still seeping out? She unwrapped the bandage to find that the wound on Ze Fang's hand showed no signs of healing, and the bleeding hadn't even stopped.
"How could this be?" Xiao Man was shocked. If the blood kept flowing, how could this child endure it? She fed Ze Fang a few blood-replenishing pills, attempting to stop the bleeding, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't stop it. After finally coaxing Ze Fang to sleep, she summoned Qin Lao.
"Old Ancestor, do you know what's happening? Why can't the bleeding be stopped?" Xiao Man asked Qin Lao.
Qin Lao stared at the wound on Ze Fang's arm for a long time, his brow furrowed into a mountain. "This looks like a wound from a lightning tribulation."
"Lightning tribulation?" Xiao Man couldn't believe it. "Such a young child, and an ordinary person at that, can withstand a lightning tribulation? A single strike should turn him into ashes."
"But this wound truly looks like it was inflicted by heavenly lightning. As far as I know, only being struck by the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder would result in a wound that takes so long to heal. This is because the thunderous power would roam within the injured person's body, preventing the wound from healing and making the punished person suffer excruciating pain."
"Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, what is that?"
"Divine punishment," Qin Lao explained. "When a Nascent Soul cultivator enters the Soul Transformation stage, they endure a heavenly lightning strike. However, the heavenly lightning endured during cultivation is used to temper the body. The Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, on the other hand, is for punishing those who have committed a transgression. It damages not only the cultivator's physical body but also their soul. If they cannot endure it, the lightest consequence is the ruin of their foundation; the heaviest is annihilation. But why would the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder strike a child with no spiritual power?"
"How can I remove the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder power from his body?" Xiao Man looked at Ze Fang, whose face was contorted in pain in his sleep, and asked Qin Lao.
Qin Lao spread his hands. "Don't look at me; I don't know how. I barely survived one lightning tribulation, which almost cost me my life. I couldn't even withstand the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, let alone you. Besides, even if I knew how, I wouldn't tell you. Moreover, you only met this child by chance. Why risk your life for him?"
Xiao Man stayed in the room, watching Ze Fang curled up like a shrimp in pain, his face contorted with suffering. Although he was merely a stranger child, a pang of affection arose in Xiao Man's heart. She reached out to wipe the sweat from Ze Fang's forehead, as if this child were truly her own.
Ze Fang grabbed Xiao Man's hand and bit down on it. Xiao Man cried out in pain and quickly pinched Ze Fang's jaw, forcing him to let go. She swiftly placed a detoxification pill into his mouth, fearing Ze Fang would be poisoned by her blood.
However, whether it was due to the detoxification pill or the taste of her blood, Ze Fang's pained expression seemed to lessen.
Seeing that he was no longer in as much pain, Xiao Man breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still worried about Ze Fang's safety. Shan Yun entered silently and shook her head at Xiao Man. Xi Wen and Qi Hong had not been found yet, and now Ze Fang was lost. The Boss must be very uneasy.
"How is the young master?"
"He's asleep," Xiao Man tucked the child in and, still worried, fed him more blood-replenishing medicine. If the wound didn't heal, even an adult might not be able to bear it, let alone a child.
"Boss, is this really not your child?" Shan Yun asked hesitantly. He couldn't be blamed; the child truly resembled Xiao Man so much.
"I do have a child, but my child is only two years old," Xiao Man said softly. "From the moment he was born, I didn't have a chance to hold him properly before I left. I'm afraid he doesn't even know what I look like. Seeing this child, I suddenly thought of my own child. I wonder if he is eating well, sleeping well, and staying warm?"
Shan Yun fell silent, not wanting to inadvertently bring up Xiao Man's painful memories.
"What do you plan to do with this child?"
"He is so young, it's impossible he came to Wuji City alone. His family must be in Wuji City. Until I find his family, I will look after him for now."
"Then we will continue to search for Qi Hong and Ze Fang."
"Prioritize safety and try to avoid conflict with anyone," Xiao Man's eyes turned slightly cold. "Do not approach the strongholds of the Cang Lang Sect and the Five Poisons Sect. If you encounter anyone from these two sects, try to avoid them as well. Also, find the Hou brothers; they are more adept at gathering information."
"Yes."
When Ze Fang woke up, Xiao Man was leaning against the headboard, her eyes closed in feigned sleep. Ze Fang moved slightly, and Xiao Man woke up, her eyes snapping open instantly. The sharpness of that moment startled Ze Fang.
"You're awake. Does your wound hurt?"
Ze Fang nodded and said in a milky voice, "It hurts like fire burning."
Hearing him speak, Xiao Man breathed a sigh of relief. "So you can talk. What's your name?"
"Xiao... Xiao Qi," Ze Fang originally intended to tell Xiao Man that he was Ze Fang, but then he feared Xiao Man would question him about how he became this way. He immediately changed his words, tugged at Xiao Man's sleeve, and nestled into her embrace. "Brother, I'm hurting."
"I'll blow on it for you. If I blow on your wound, it won't hurt as much." Xiao Man was solely focused on alleviating Ze Fang's pain, unaware of how gentle she appeared in Ze Fang's eyes at that moment.