Looking at the foxian woman covered in wounds before him, the man sighed softly, then extended his hand. A gentle power gathered in his palm.
"This is…?!"
With the man's action, the heavily injured Asun felt a peculiar power slowly merging into her body.
Then, the woman watched in amazement as the severe injuries inflicted on her by Duan Han healed at a visible speed under the effect of this power.
"Thank… Thank you for saving my life, esteemed sir…"
Asun, whose injuries had fully healed, stood up from the ground and bowed deeply to the man before her, overcome with gratitude.
"It's nothing, just a small effort. You were willing to go this far for a little girl who should have had nothing to do with you. That deserves praise."
The man shook his head, then shifted his gaze back to the little Yunli in his arms. As he gazed at the sleeping little girl, a trace of pity and heartache flashed through his deep, universe-like eyes.
"Esteemed sir, may I ask for your honorable name?"
Asun asked cautiously, seemingly afraid that she might accidentally anger this great figure of unknown origin.
"My name is not important. You may call me Fan. In a while, the Cloud Knights should arrive here. I will take Yunli with me for now."
"I will send her back after some time."
...…
"Daddy, no! Mommy!"
In little Yunli's dream, she helplessly watched her father swing the demonic sword in his hand, slashing again and again at her closest family, friends, and relatives…
The father wielding the demonic sword was like an Asura from hell. Wherever his gaze fell—be it humans, beasts, or Abundance monstrosities—all fell and perished under his chaotic sword strikes.
Once no more 'life' remained in the man's sight, Han Guang, who had completely become a puppet of the demonic sword, turned his gaze toward his wife and daughter.
As a mother, Han Guang's wife could not simply watch her daughter die under her own father's sword. Thus, to protect her daughter, Yunli's mother ultimately died under Han Guang's sword and collapsed in front of Yunli.
Bright red blood dyed her clothes. The dazed girl reached out and touched her mother's face. The still-warm blood stained the girl's fingers.
"No… No!"
With a despairing cry, the sleeping little Yunli suddenly woke from her nightmare. She looked at her own hands in terror.
However, it was not as the girl had feared. At this moment, there was no crimson on her hands—after all… it had only been a dream.
"You're awake."
Just as the girl's heart was in turmoil, a somewhat unfamiliar voice suddenly entered her ears. The already hypersensitive girl jumped in fright. She fearfully wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, leaving only half her head exposed as she observed her surroundings.
"It's you…"
When she clearly saw the person before her, the originally frightened little Yunli cried out in surprise.
Glossy black short hair with silver strands scattered within like stars, a pure white Xianzhou-style long robe with golden-thread lining, and finally, an incomparably handsome face that surpassed ordinary people by countless times.
Little Yunli remembered clearly—it was this person who had saved her from the gates of the Flamewheel Forging Palace.
"Mhm, it seems you still remember me. Good."
Fan nodded, a trace of gratification appearing on his face. It was worth saving this little one after all.
"Let me introduce myself. I am a passing merchant. You may call me Fan, you poor little thing."
"Poor little thing?… Oh right, my daddy and mommy…!"
Hearing Fan's words, little Yunli seemed to recall something. Her face instantly turned pale, her lips bloodless, and her eyes filled with grief.
After a long while, the girl seemed to find a sliver of hope. She raised her head somewhat woodenly and looked toward the savior before her, as if seeking an answer from him.
"Sigh~"
Meeting little Yunli's hopeful gaze, Fan ultimately sighed helplessly and gently shook his head, shattering the last trace of hope in the girl's heart.
"I… I no longer have any family…"
Tears slid down the girl's cheeks. After truly confirming that her parents were no longer in this world, the girl seemed to lose all attachments. The light in her pupils gradually dimmed, and she fell into utter despair.
"No, you still have me, little Yunli."
With pity, Fan reached out and gently stroked little Yunli's slightly messy hair. Then he tenderly pulled the poor girl, who had lost her parents at a young age, into his embrace and softly patted her back.
"Uuu… Waaah!!…!!"
Perhaps sensing the kindness of the person before her, little Yunli, whose emotions had long been on the verge of collapse, suddenly burst like a dam. Her tears poured down her cheeks.
"Cry, go ahead and cry. Let everything out. After this cry, we still have to keep moving forward…"
Finally, after crying for who knows how long, Yunli's tears gradually subsided. She looked at the man before her, then at the white robe that had been soaked by her tears.
Little Yunli pursed her lips, a cute blush appearing on her face. "Big Brother Fan, I'm sorry. I accidentally dirtied your clothes. How about this—I'll wash them for you?"
"It's fine. Big Brother has his own way."
Fan lightly flicked his collar. Like magic, the originally tear-stained collar instantly became spotless again, as if those tear marks had never existed.
"So amazing. Is this the power of the Path?"
Little Yunli watched the man's actions with amazement. Her big eyes were filled with curiosity and longing. Even the grief of losing her parents was temporarily suppressed in this moment.
As a native of the Xianzhou, with parents serving in the Six Commissions, Yunli naturally knew more about the laws of the world than ordinary children. She had naturally come into contact with things like 'Path power.' After all, in a broad sense, every person on the Xianzhou could be considered a follower of the [Hunt] Path.