Ringing the Bell for a Hundred Years, I Became the Sect’s Ancestor – Chapter 51

Chapter 51: The Child

Li Qian declined the generous invitation of the Ming Family Head, changed to a fast horse, and left the West Dock Mine, returning to the Divine Sword Sect.

He rode tirelessly all the way, traveling day and night.

Late at night, as he passed by a village, he saw many houses engulfed in flames.

He remembered that when he had passed by earlier, the village was bustling with adults working and children playing, a peaceful scene of rural life.

How could it have become like this in the blink of an eye?

“Was it horse bandits or mountain bandits who plundered and massacred the village?”

Li Qian frowned slightly.

Although he had heard of such things, he had never witnessed them firsthand.

Horse bandits might kill people while plundering for money, but they rarely carried out such wanton slaughter. To horse bandits, these villages were like leeks, to be harvested repeatedly over the years.

He paused for a long time outside the village.

Apart from the crackling sound of the fire, there was no other sound.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

After some consideration, Li Qian pulled on the reins, guiding his horse slowly towards the burning village.

Near each burning house, corpses lay scattered all over the ground.

Almost every house had them.

The villagers had died in various ways, the scene too gruesome to bear.

There were adults, children, and the elderly.

“The time of death for most of them should be no more than an hour.”

Li Qian extended his spiritual perception, finding many traces.

It was too tragic.

The entire village had become a land of death.

Who knew what powerful force this village had offended to suffer such a cruel fate?

He walked around the village.

There were no survivors.

He estimated that two or three hundred people had died.

The entire village had been massacred.

“Sigh, without strength, one is powerless to resist such slaughter.”

Li Qian sighed in his heart.

Although he was now an Innate Martial Artist and possessed greater self-preservation abilities compared to these ordinary villagers, he couldn’t help but think, what would become of him if he faced an irresistible force?

He could only diligently cultivate through bell ringing and enhance his cultivation and strength.

Just as he was about to leave, he vaguely heard a crying sound, seemingly mixed with the splashing of water.

Li Qian’s mind became highly alert.

One hand reached for the hilt of his precious sword.

After listening for a while longer, he suddenly moved, leaping from his horse and swiftly arriving at the well outside a house that had been burned to ruins.

A headless male corpse lay sprawled by the well.

The head, which had rolled to the side, stared blankly at the sky, blood streaming from its eyes.

The crying sound was coming from the well.

Li Qian stood by the well.

The well was narrow and deep, and with it being nighttime, it was almost impossible to see what was inside.

However, with his spiritual perception, Li Qian could still sense the situation within.

He saw a five or six-year-old child floating in the well water, occasionally slapping the surface with their hands.

The water level was estimated to be four or five meters below the well opening.

Not to mention a child this young, even an adult male would be unable to climb out if they fell in.

The child seemed to have cried themselves out, floating on their back in the well water, only making faint sobs.

Li Qian was a little surprised.

This small child had actually managed to survive in the well.

It must be because the child happened to be floating on their back, conserving their energy.

However, without rescue, they would still drown eventually.

After observing the surroundings with his spiritual perception, Li Qian moved, jumping into the well.

Moments later, he emerged from the well, holding the child.

Although he didn’t want to meddle in other people’s affairs, he couldn’t just stand by and watch the child struggle in the well water.

The child’s body was ice-cold from being submerged in the chilly well water for so long, their small face pale.

Li Qian channeled a breath of True Qi into the child’s body, dispelling the cold.

At the same time, he took out a Qi and Blood Pill, scraped off a tiny bit of powder, and fed it to the child.

After a while, the child’s condition improved significantly.

Perhaps from exhaustion, the child quickly fell asleep.

“You child, I don’t know if you’re lucky or unlucky.”

Li Qian sighed.

Although he had saved the child, what should he do with them?

He couldn’t possibly raise them himself.

“It seems I can only take them to Sword’s Edge City and find a family to adopt them.”

Li Qian pondered.

So, Li Qian, holding the child with one hand, leaped onto his horse, pulled on the reins, and galloped away from the still-burning village.

The next morning.

Li Qian, who had been riding without stopping, noticed that the child in his arms had woken up.

The child stared at Li Qian with wide eyes.

They were very quiet.

Li Qian looked down and felt something was amiss.

◈◈◈

The child’s eyes, although seemingly calm, had a hint of dullness.

“Little one, what’s your name?”

Li Qian slowed down and asked the child in his arms.

The child just stared, not speaking, their face blank.

Could they have been frightened silly?

Li Qian shook his head, took out another Qi and Blood Pill, scraped off a tiny bit of powder and fed it to the child, swallowing the rest himself. Then he continued on his way.

Finally, in the afternoon, he reached Sword’s Edge City.

“This child, just one look and you can tell they’re a bit slow. No one will adopt them.”

“If I were to adopt, I’d definitely adopt a smarter one, preferably with good root bone talent. What’s the use of adopting this foolish child?”

“This child is quite good-looking, it’s just a pity they seem so silly.”

Li Qian went through several families with the help of a mediator in Sword’s Edge City, but they all shook their heads and refused to adopt after scrutinizing the child.

Having no other choice, Li Qian could only take the child back to the Divine Sword Sect for now.

He planned to return to Sword’s Edge City tomorrow. If there was really no one willing to adopt, he would have to rent a house and buy a maid to take care of the child.

It wouldn’t cost much anyway.

When Li Qian returned to the Divine Sword Sect, the Inner Sect disciple guarding the mountain gate simply registered their arrival.

Inner Sect disciples of Innate level and above, or elders, were qualified to take on disciples outside the sect and bring them back to the Divine Sword Sect to be registered as formal disciples.

Of course, there was a quota.

This was mainly to prevent an overflow of formal disciples and to avoid elder disciples abusing their power to benefit their own families and descendants.

As an Innate level Inner Sect disciple, Li Qian was already qualified to take on disciples.

Instead of going to the Mission Hall to report his completed task, he went straight back to the Time Bell Pavilion.

“You sit here.”

Li Qian placed the child in the bell tower room.

The child looked at Li Qian blankly, remaining very quiet.

Li Qian went to the bell platform and began to calculate the time, restarting the stopped hourglass.

After some effort, Li Qian managed to figure out the approximate time.

As for accuracy, he could only wait for the Gong and Drum Room to strike the gong, or for the sun to rise tomorrow to make a more precise measurement.

After finishing, Li Qian returned to the bell tower. The child was still sitting quietly, not moving at all.

Truly a fool.

Li Qian shook his head.

Tomorrow, he would send the child to Sword’s Edge City and find someone to take care of them.

When it was time for the You Hour, Li Qian struck the bell and then began his cultivation.

After completing a Great Heavenly Cycle of the Heartless Sword Manual, Li Qian felt refreshed.

He hadn’t cultivated for three days while he was out, and it felt very unusual.

After all, one less day of practice meant one day’s delay in his cultivation progress.

Not to mention the delay in refining the Time Bell.

It was getting late.

Li Qian hurried back to the bell tower to prepare dinner.

The child was still the same.

Not moving at all.

Such quietness was good, at least he didn’t have to worry about them.

After the meal was ready, footsteps approached, and his master, Zhou Buping, walked into the bell tower with his hands behind his back.

“Eh, who’s this child?”

Zhou Buping was surprised to see the child sitting there.

Upon seeing the stranger, the child’s face showed fear, and they immediately hid behind Li Qian, who had just emerged from the kitchen, their body trembling.

“Little one, don’t be afraid.”

Li Qian wasn’t surprised. The child had reacted the same way when they encountered strangers before, clearly having been severely frightened.

As for why they weren’t afraid of him, it was probably because he had rescued them from the well.

Li Qian pulled the child to the dining table and comforted them. Then he said to his master, “Master, I saved this child on the road.”

Then he briefly explained what had happened.

“Hmm, this child isn’t just frightened, it seems their mind is a bit slow. It’s not convenient for you to keep them by your side, just find someone to take care of them.”

Zhou Buping nodded.

During the meal, the child, although seemingly a bit slow, sat politely and devoured the food with their chopsticks.

It was obvious they were truly hungry.

After the meal, Li Qian asked the child to sit to the side.

The child obediently went and sat there, their expression blank, their eyes unfocused, lacking any spark.

“Master, I found this thing inside an Earth Dragon Exotic Insect while I was on my mission.”

Taking advantage of his master’s presence, Li Qian took out the black stone from his bag.

“What’s this?”

Master Zhou Buping was stunned upon seeing the black stone. His expression immediately turned serious.