At this moment, joy and sorrow coexisted. Some experienced the joy of reuniting with loved ones, their faces radiant with happiness. Meanwhile, others grieved the loss of close friends and family.
Zhang Chunfeng searched the crowd repeatedly, anxiety growing as he failed to spot any trace of Wang Hong. Despite his familiarity with the faces in the crowd, he couldn't find Wang Hong. Every stone's placement was etched in his memory.
If Wang Hong were here, he should have noticed Zhang Chunfeng by now. Standing alone for a while, he refused to believe that Wang Hong could have perished in the Beast Tide. Nevertheless, to find solace, he needed confirmation either seeing Wang Hong alive or his lifeless body.
With determination, Zhang Chunfeng set off towards Jin'an City.
"Senior Zhang, wait for us!"
Zhang Chunfeng hadn't gone far when two Foundation Building Cultivators quickly caught up.
"Yes," they nodded, their expressions heavy.
Ling Shuai, in the mid-stage of Foundation Building, and Zhou Qian, in the early stage but at the third level, provided brief introductions. All three headed towards Jin'an City's West Gate, still swarmed with Demonic Beasts, their strength insufficient for a direct entry.
Jin'an City was now under complete control of the Demonic Beasts. They circled the city but found no suitable entry point. Only at the East Gate, with fewer Demonic Beasts and signs of a battle, did they discover hope someone had successfully escaped.
This discovery heightened Zhang Chunfeng's confidence, especially seeing the traces of a body cultivator's fight. However, the group couldn't be sure if Wang Hong was among those who escaped. If he was still hiding in the city, they risked missing the opportunity.
"In fact, I know of an abandoned secret passage that leads underground into the city," Ling Shuai hesitated before revealing.
"Oh? Fellow Daoist Ling, please share! Where is it?" Zhou Qian asked eagerly.
"Outside the north city wall, on a small hill," Ling Shuai pointed north.
"Let's go there now. Ling Dao friend, please lead the way," Zhou Qian urged.
"Alright, please follow me!" Ling Shuai, decisive in his choice, led the way north.
After reaching a discreet mountain cave, Ling Shuai, having entered first, found the path ahead blocked by a collapse. They spent two hours digging through, relying on the convenience of Immortal Cultivators using Flying Swords. Eventually, they emerged in a large underground chamber in Jin'an City that seemed like the base of a clandestine organization.
Ling Shuai skillfully located a hidden mechanism in a brick, revealing a staircase. As they followed, another door appeared at the end of the platform.
Zhang Chunfeng extended his Divine Sense outside and found a pool of congealed blood with dragged traces.
Suddenly, Ling Shuai's expression changed, and he swiftly rushed out.
Zhang Chunfeng and Zhou Qian followed, finding Ling Shuai's disappearance. Following the blood trail, they reached a corner where Ling Shuai had just slain a Demonic Beast, his Flying Sword still unsheathed.
Unfazed, he stood with clenched fists, fingers embedded in his flesh, blood slowly dripping. Ignoring everything, his gaze was fixed on a corner where a half-eaten corpse lay.
The female corpse, missing half her body, exhibited signs of brutal tearing. Her face, with half its flesh devoured, still held an expression of extreme terror. Bite marks covered her body, and her distended abdomen suggested she was pregnant.
Ling Shuai, dragging his heavy legs, slowly approached the female corpse and gently cradled her in his arms. Trembling hands delicately wiped the blood from her face with his sleeve.
Tears streamed down his face like a waterfall, his teeth biting into his lip, mixing blood with the tears as it dripped from his chin. Zhang Chunfeng sensed Ling Shuai's shaky breath, clearly suppressing intense emotions.
Zhang Chunfeng and Zhou Qian silently observed, hesitant to disturb. They couldn't find words to console Ling Shuai; any words seemed feeble in this moment.
Ling Shuai carefully arranged the woman's appearance, each movement meticulous, as if any added pressure might harm her.
Suddenly, Ling Shuai paused; he sensed a slight movement in the woman's abdomen. Leaning in, he carefully inspected, and after a moment, a hint of joy appeared on his face.
With a small knife, he spoke to the corpse, "Xiao Ya, I'm sorry. For the sake of our child, I must bring you some pain."
He cut the woman's abdomen, amniotic fluid gushing out. Within, a tiny body curled up.
Gently, Ling Shuai pulled the infant out, sensing its extremely faint life force. Holding a small piece of the umbilical cord, he infused a weak Spiritual Power to sustain the baby's vitality.
Only then did he have the chance to clean the newborn. When he cleared the mouth and nose, the baby finally cried, marking her entrance into the world.
After that cry, the baby returned to silence, breathing faintly.
The first cry wasn't the baby's initiative; while in the mother's womb, the lungs were in a contracted state, devoid of air. Only upon entering the world did external air fill the lungs, eliciting the first cry.
Ling Shuai found a robe and gently wrapped the baby. He then temporarily covered the woman's body with another robe, placing it in a Storage Bag.
Once everything was settled, Ling Shuai, holding the baby, walked out silently, with Zhang Chunfeng and Zhou Qian following.
Only when they exited the courtyard did Ling Shuai's emotions stabilize a bit. He turned to the two and asked, "Do you have any clues about the person you're looking for?"
"Yes," both Zhang Chunfeng and Zhou Qian replied.
After a brief discussion, they decided to search for Zhou Qian's brother first.
Zhou Qian led the way this time, navigating through less populated alleys to avoid encounters with Demonic Beasts. Ling Shuai's Spirit Weapon, capable of concealing their aura, proved invaluable.
In a chaotic Jin'an City, they had to be cautious. Once three-tier Demonic Beasts returned, organizing the Demonic Beasts in the city, they'd have no place to hide.
Unfortunately, they had to return the way they came. Zhang Chunfeng and Zhou Qian held onto a sliver of hope, especially considering the signs of survivors outside the East Gate.
After emerging from the small mountain cave, Ling Shuai carefully unwrapped the baby's robe.
The baby girl, premature and feeble, lay barely clinging to life. Ling Shuai searched his Storage Bag, but nothing suitable for her emerged.
"Friends, do you have any food that could nourish this baby? If you have any Spiritual Meals that can replenish her essence and blood, it would be greatly appreciated," Ling Shuai asked with a hint of trepidation. He knew the odds were slim.
Generally, Cultivators carried a few fasting pills for convenience, rarely bringing other food. Even if some carried Spirit Meals, finding something suitable for a newborn was challenging.
The baby, born prematurely, needed nourishment to survive, and their only hope was through food.
Zhou Qian shook her head, and Ling Shuai's disappointment briefly flashed across his face.
Zhang Chunfeng thought for a moment, then pulled out a ceramic jar from his Storage Bag, handing it to Ling Shuai, saying, "How about this?"
[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]