Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

They began to ponder: Although Qi Jianlin was well-behaved and sensible, he wasn't their own flesh and blood. What if this adopted child took on the title of eldest son? What if, after they passed away, wouldn't this outsider take most of the family fortune? Thinking of this, the Qian couple grew increasingly restless, unable to sleep at night.

Gradually, this worry turned into actual action. Their attitude towards Qi Jianlin changed dramatically, from initial warm and caring inquiries to cold and harsh words and loud scolding. Poor Qi Jianlin, completely unaware of the reason, continued to serve his adoptive parents wholeheartedly.

However, the Qian couple refused to give up. Their behavior became increasingly extreme, even reaching the point of using violence against Qi Jianlin. The warm and harmonious family they once were was gone, replaced by endless indifference and violence. Faced with such unfair treatment, Qi Jianlin could only endure silently, tears welling in his eyes, but he dared not resist in the slightest...

In this suffocating, oppressive atmosphere, Qi Jianlin's already scarred body now bore even more wounds. Scars, old and new, interwoven like a hideous spider web, covered his entire body. Each merciless lash felt like a sharp blade piercing his heart, bringing piercing pain. Yet, even so, Qi Jianlin chose to endure silently.

He had hoped countless times, hoping that the former couple, who had once cared so deeply for him, would suddenly find their conscience and return to the warm love and care they once had. However, reality was cruel. With each lash of the whip, the last shred of hope in his heart gradually faded. A deep sense of despair, like a tide, overwhelmed him, leaving him no longer able to harbor any illusions about the future.

On that dark night, the Qian couple assaulted him once again, this time with exceptional ferocity. Every punch and every slap was filled with endless hatred and anger. Finally, he could no longer withstand the beatings, and his vision went black before he lost consciousness.

After an unknown amount of time, he slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a dense forest. All around him was pitch black, with only a faint moonlight filtering through the leaves. He looked around in confusion, filled with fear and doubt: Had the Qian couple, believing him to be dead, abandoned him here? Or had they grown tired of him and mercilessly abandoned him?

At that moment, a deep, unfamiliar roar echoed from afar, piercing the stillness of the night. This was followed by the clashing of wild beasts, as if a fierce life-or-death struggle were unfolding not far away. The faint growl, like the roar of a demon, sent chills down Qi Jianlin's spine, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Despite growing up in the countryside, Qi Jianlin harbored a deep fear of the nighttime woods. Back home, his parents constantly warned him not to spend the night in the mountains, let alone venture into them at night. The villagers knew the woods at night were fraught with danger and unknown hazards. Even experienced hunters would cautiously tread only on the outskirts of the forest, never venturing deep into the mysterious and terrifying depths of the mountains.

Qi Jianlin was so frightened that he trembled all over, not daring to breathe. He stood there like a statue, not daring to move. At this moment, various thoughts flashed through his mind, and he finally decided to rely on the tree-climbing skills he had learned as a child to seek a glimmer of hope.

He stared wide-eyed and nervously looked around until he finally spotted a sturdy, leafy pine tree not far ahead. The tree stood like a towering tower in the woods.

Despite the sharp pain in his body, Qi Jianlin ignored it. He gritted his teeth and dragged his heavy steps, moving forward towards the tree one step at a time. Every step he took seemed to exhaust all his strength.

Finally reaching the tree, he began to carefully observe the trunk, trying to find a suitable angle to climb. After some exploration, he finally found a relatively easy place to hold on. Then he carefully stretched out his hands, tightly grasped the trunk, pushed off the ground with his feet, and moved his body upwards little by little.

Due to excessive fear and physical exhaustion, Qi Jianlin's movements were clumsy and laborious. But he had only one belief in his heart: he must climb to the top! In this way, after a long and arduous effort, he finally succeeded in climbing the tree.

Sitting high on a branch, Qi Jianlin gasped for breath, his heart pounding. He knew that most hunters weren't very good at climbing trees. However, if he encountered a particularly ferocious beast, like a wild boar, he wouldn't be able to fight it in his current state. So, he quickly untied the rope around his waist and tied himself tightly to the tree, hoping to avoid becoming a predator's meal.

Just as Qi Jianlin felt the onset of sleepiness, his eyelids growing heavy, and he was about to drift off to sleep, the sudden, chaotic sound of running shattered the tranquility of the forest. This sudden noise was like a thunderclap, instantly jolting Qi Jianlin out of his trance.

He snapped his eyes open, his body subconsciously tensing as he looked warily in the direction of the sound. Deep within the dense forest, to the south, he saw strangely shaped, blurry figures darting through it at breakneck speed. As they raced, the leaves in their path were tossed aside, as if propelled by an invisible force, rapidly spreading to the sides. Simultaneously, a rustling and snapping sound could be heard from the underbrush, as if some enormous creature were rampaging through it.

Before long, these mysterious figures arrived not far from Qi Jianlin. Standing high up, he carefully observed the scene before him. The first thing he saw was a tall man leaning against a tree, breathing heavily and heavily. He was dressed in black, his face covered with a black cloth, making it impossible to see his true features.

Following closely behind the black-clad, masked man was another man. Unlike the former, this man wore a gorgeous brocade robe and was also uncovered. However, he had a glittering object tucked into his waist. As he ran after him, the glittering object swayed with his movements, reflecting a dazzling light that occasionally caught Qi Jianlin's eye, forcing him to squint to observe.

At this critical moment, everyone saw a figure rushing towards them like lightning. The speed of the person approaching was jaw-dropping, and in the blink of an eye, he was already close. Holding a sharp blade, he pounced on the man in black without hesitation. In a flash of the blade, he slashed straight at the man's neck, leaving no trace!

The man in black was already exhausted, panting so hard he looked like he would collapse at any moment. However, facing such a fierce attack, he still tried his best to twist his head to the side, trying to avoid the fatal blow. Although his movements were a bit awkward, he managed to avoid the vital part.

But the man who arrived later was clearly not going to let him go easily. He swung the sharp blade in his hand and instantly stabbed it into the black-clad man's shoulder. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, staining the surrounding ground red.

The severely wounded man in black groaned in pain, but he refused to give in. Enduring the excruciating pain, he gritted his teeth and engaged the man in splendid clothing in a fierce close-quarters fight. For a moment, fists and kicks crisscrossed the air, the two sides going back and forth, neither giving in.

Unfortunately, the man in black eventually lost the upper hand due to exhaustion. Meanwhile, the man in elegant attire grew more courageous as the fight progressed, his moves becoming increasingly ruthless and cunning. Finally, after a brief standoff, the man in elegant attire seized the opportunity and swung his sword, accurately piercing the man in black's chest. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the blade stabbed the man's heart twice.

Following this brutal action, the man in black's body trembled violently several times, and then he fell limply to the ground, motionless. Thus, this thrilling life-and-death contest ended with the man in black's defeat.

Just as the mysterious figure, who had just killed the man in black, turned to leave, a faint but distinctly heavy breathing sound came from the tree above. He instantly became alert and looked up to see a thin boy, seemingly no more than ten years old, tied up and trapped on the tree trunk.

Instantly, a fierce look flashed in the mysterious figure's eyes, and murderous intent surged. He raised the gleaming blade in his hand, ready to lunge at the poor child. In the nick of time, the child, as if sensing the imminent danger, pleaded in terror, "Sir, spare my life! I'm just a homeless, pathetic creature. Please spare me! If you'll spare my life, I'll serve you like a slave for the rest of my life, in return for your kindness!"

The mysterious figure in gorgeous attire was moved upon hearing this. His tense expression relaxed slightly, revealing a hint of curiosity and interest. After a moment's thought, he sternly shouted at the child in the tree, "Get down here first!"

The child named Qi Jianlin trembled uncontrollably at the command, but he didn't hesitate. Trembling, he slowly climbed down the tree trunk and plopped down on his knees before the man in finery. He kowtowed repeatedly and begged bitterly, "Sir, please have mercy on me! Spare my worthless life!"

At this moment, the man in the finery looked at the pale, tearful child in front of him, his lips curled up slightly, and he said with interest, "Okay, if that's the case, then from now on you will follow me. Remember, from now on, whatever I tell you to do, you must do it obediently. You must not disobey in the slightest, otherwise you will bear the consequences!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Jianlin nodded repeatedly as if he had been pardoned, "Yes, yes, sir. I understand, and I will follow your instructions!"