C53 The Clues of His Life

"An infant? How could there possibly be an infant in this pile of dead?" the old man exclaimed in astonishment.

"Old man, didn't you walk around and take a good look?" I pressed.

The old man gave a wry smile in response to my question. "Who would dare linger in such a place? The Hundred Ghost Slope was a living hell that day, not the natural park we used to explore. I couldn't bear to look any longer."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Although the old man hadn't seen me, my foster father wouldn't deceive me. I must have been there...

Lost in thought, the old man suddenly turned to me and asked, "Changsheng, why do you bring up an infant being in that pile of bodies?"

"Because..." I initially intended to tell him everything, but considering my recent experiences, I decided to lie.

The old man didn't seem suspicious. Something appeared to cross his mind, and he furrowed his brow before saying, "Hold on, now that you've mentioned an infant, something comes to mind! I recall seeing a pregnant woman among those people on the thirteenth. She looked to be in her twenties, quite young and beautiful."

"A pregnant woman! Are you sure you're not mistaken?" I exclaimed, shocked.

The old man emphatically nodded and said, "I'm absolutely certain. I was puzzled as to why there was a pregnant woman with such a big belly among those menacing folks. She looked ready to give birth..."

At his words, I was shaken to the core and eagerly asked, "What... What did this pregnant woman look like? Who is she? Do you have any idea?"

"Who she is, I couldn't tell you. But judging by her attire, she must be from the Miao people. She was associated with the Gu Masters from Miaojiang," the old man explained.

"Miao..." A thought flashed through my mind... That's it, the painting among my foster father's belongings! The woman in the painting was a Miao girl.

My foster father's dying wish was for me to deliver that painting to Miss Luo Qing of the Jade Cave Miao Village.

Could it be that Miss Luo Qing is my birth mother? And what of my foster father's connection to Miss Luo Qing? Surely my foster father couldn't actually be my biological father...

According to the elder, the incident over a decade ago claimed the lives of hundreds, all of whom were masters from the Supernatural World. My foster father should have been aware of it. Why did he never mention it before his passing?

Upon reflection, though, it seemed overly dramatic. If my foster father had instructed me to deliver the painting to Miss Luo Qing, it implied she was still alive.

I regretted not bringing the painting with me to Hundred Ghost Slope. Had I known I'd uncover so many clues, I would have let the elder identify it right there.

Regardless, I was determined to visit Jade Cave Miao Village while I still could, to honor my foster father's dying wish and unravel the mystery of my origins.

Noticing my distraction, the elder tapped my arm with his pipe and inquired, "Young man, what's on your mind?"

Snapping out of it, I smiled and shook my head. "Nothing at all. Please, continue with your story," I urged.

He sighed, "There's not much more to tell. That blood rain persisted for three days and nights. Since then, Yin Spirit Mountain has become even more sinister. At night, the cries of ghosts and howls of wolves fill the air, driving away all the villagers within a hundred miles. That's why you found only an abandoned village upon your arrival."

"Old man, isn't it dangerous for you to live here alone?" I asked, puzzled. The elder, a Mountain Protecting Craftsman, didn't possess the skills to banish demons or ghosts.

He explained, "We Mountain Protecting Craftsmen have worshipped the Mountain God Master for generations and are thus shielded by his protection. We have no fear of the mountain's spirits."

I nodded in understanding. In the faint light, I saw the lengthy chains behind the elder, suggesting he could live another thirty or forty years.

I surmised that this must be the Mountain God's blessing, allowing this devout believer and humble craftsman to live a life free from serious ailments, possibly exceeding a century.

Whenever the Mountain God is mentioned, I'm instantly reminded of the eerie wolf-headed, human-bodied statue within the Mountain God Temple. Compelled by curiosity, I couldn't resist asking, "Elder, why does the Mountain God of Yin Spirit Mountain take the form of a wolf-headed man?"