Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Baili Xi walked out of the capital. Standing at the city gate, he gazed upon the bustling scene before him, a wave of indescribable emotion welling up in his heart. This capital, as the political, economic, and cultural center of the entire country, gathered countless talents and resources, displaying an unparalleled prosperity and vitality.

He couldn't help but think of his master's expectations and instructions for him. His master had recommended that he come to the capital to find someone who could help him realize his ambitions. Now, he had finally arrived here, standing on this stage full of opportunities.

Bailixi took a deep breath, breathing in the atmosphere of the capital, his heart filled with confidence and determination. He believed that with his talent and hard work, he would be able to find his place here. He would use his wisdom and courage to pursue his ideals and demonstrate his own value.

At this moment, Bailixi's ambitions soared, as if he had already foreseen a glorious future. He knew the road ahead might be filled with challenges, but he remained undaunted. He firmly believed that as long as he persevered, he would be able to overcome all difficulties and achieve his life goals.

The streets of the capital were bustling with activity, a constant stream of people flowing through them. Baili Xi strolled through them, observing his surroundings with great interest. The prosperity of the place filled him with yearning, as if it heralded endless possibilities. However, just as he was absorbed in the bustling scene, he was suddenly bumped into by a figure.

Baili Xi took a closer look and found that it was a little beggar. The little beggar was terrified and apologized repeatedly: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..." Baili Xi smiled, patted the dust off his body, waved his hand, and said he didn't care: "No problem, you can go." The little beggar nodded gratefully and hurried away.

Baili Xi continued walking, but after a few steps, he noticed something was wrong—the purse that had been hanging from his waist had disappeared! He suddenly realized that the collision wasn't accidental, but rather that the beggar had done it on purpose. He couldn't help but sigh, "I've just arrived and wanted to realize my ambitions, but I didn't expect to encounter something like this."

However, Baili Xi remained undeterred. He believed in his own talents and abilities, and firmly believed that more opportunities awaited him in the future. Despite this setback, he remained confident and looked forward to realizing his dreams in this land.

He said to himself, "Bailixi, Bailixi, where you fell, you must get up from there! Since my purse is lost, I must find it and regain my lost face!" So he began to follow the trail and the direction the child had gone. Sure enough, he soon caught up with the child.

He saw the child take his silver to the bun shop and buy a large basket of buns, then turn around and walk out of the city. Baili Xi followed him slowly, wanting to see what the child was going to do. He saw the child walk into a dilapidated temple and tremblingly took out some meat buns and some dried meat from his pocket.

He said to the three children in front of him who were younger than him, "I got some food today, come and eat it!" The three children immediately surrounded him and kept shouting, "Brother, brother, I want to eat, I want to eat..." The three children looked trembling all over, haggard, with almost no meat on their bodies, and they were all dirty, but on their faces, Baili Xi saw a strong desire to survive.

The little boy who touched Baili Creek seemed to be the eldest of the group. He patiently comforted the other two, "Don't fight, don't fight! Everyone will get one. You're lucky today! You bought such a big bun!" he said, showing off the steaming buns in his hand. Then, he added, "Let's go back and boil some water, and then we can eat them together with the hot water. That way, no one will choke. Don't rush, take your time." The two children listened to him, nodded obediently, and followed him obediently.

Baili Xi quietly hid outside the dilapidated temple, his gaze through the crack in the door falling on the group of children inside. They happily ate buns, their faces filled with satisfied and happy smiles. He couldn't help but sigh. How could such pitiful people exist in this world? Had he stayed in the mountains for too long, so he was completely ignorant of the suffering of the world?

These children looked emaciated and ragged, clearly suffering from chronic hunger. Their eyes revealed a deep longing and helplessness that moved one's heart. Yet, they were now incredibly happy over a few buns, a simple satisfaction that deeply shocked Bailixi.

He couldn't help but think of his own past, which he had also experienced hardships, but compared to these children, he seemed relatively fortunate. He secretly resolved to do his best to help those in need and bring warmth and love to more people. At the same time, he realized that he could no longer avoid reality and must bravely face the difficulties and challenges of life.

Bailixi watched them finish their meal before he gently walked to the front of the dilapidated temple and slowly sat down by the fire. At this moment, the little boy who had bumped into him showed an extremely panicked look on his face and quickly stood up. The other three children also looked nervous and confused. One of the children asked anxiously, "Brother, who is he? Why is he here?" The taller boy replied, "I just met this person outside. He is very kind and gave all this food to us."

Hearing this, the three frail children's faces immediately showed gratitude. One of the children with a small face and big eyes said, "Brother, you are such a kind person! You even gave us some meat buns to eat. They are so delicious. I haven't tasted meat buns in a long time..." As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes.

Baili Xi didn't expose the older boy's lie after hearing this. He narrowed his eyes slightly, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a gentle smile, and nodded gently to show his understanding: "Yes, is the food I treated you delicious?"

After hearing this, the children showed satisfied expressions and answered in unison: "Delicious!"

Bailixi felt a warm feeling in his heart as he watched the children's faces beam with happiness. He gently patted their heads and said, "If you're hungry, I'll treat you tomorrow. But..." He paused, his eyes fixed on the oldest boy, and continued, "Can I stay in your dilapidated temple for a night? I don't have anywhere else to go. Could you please let me stay here for a night?"

The children looked at each other, hesitant. Then, the smallest and weakest child raised his head, looked at Bailixi, nodded firmly, and agreed, "Okay, brother, you stay here. We're just staying here temporarily in such a big, dilapidated temple."

Seeing this, the other children nodded in agreement.

Baili Xi smiled gratefully and said softly, "Thank you. I'll trouble you all tonight." After that, he walked to a corner of the temple, found a relatively clean place to sit down and prepare to rest.

After the big boy helped Bailixi sit down, he hurried to the corner of the wall, picked up a handful of dry straw, and walked quickly to Bailixi. Big brother, these dry straws are spread on the ground for you so that you won’t feel cold. Bailixi looked at the kind big boy in front of him, and his heart was full of emotion. He smiled and said to the big boy: "Thank you, little friend." Hearing Bailixi's thanks, the big boy felt a little embarrassed, and a blush appeared on his face. If he hadn't stolen Bailixi's money, he wouldn't have no place to live. Thinking of this, the big boy lowered his head guiltily and said in a low voice: "I'm sorry..."

Bailixi heard his "I'm sorry," and she smiled helplessly. "It's okay, go to sleep!" His voice was calm and gentle, as if he didn't care about what had just happened. However, deep down, she felt a deep sense of loss and loneliness. She didn't know why she felt this way. Perhaps it was because she was full of expectations for the world, but she was always unable to find them.

He gazed upon this innocent child, his heart filled with pity and helplessness. He wished so much that every child in the world could have a warm home, free from homelessness. However, reality cruelly taught him that this was only a distant dream. Every time he saw those displaced, helpless children, his heart ached. They should have been enjoying the joys of childhood, yet were forced to endure the hardships and difficulties of life. This stark contrast filled him with immense pain and anger. Faced with this reality, he began to question his own abilities and worth. He felt that his efforts seemed insignificant, unable to change the current state of society. This feeling of powerlessness led him into deep self-doubt and self-blame. However, despite this inner struggle and anguish, he did not give up. He knew that every small action could bring about change. He was determined to continue fighting for these children and to use his strength to help more people in need.

The bonfire gradually died down, the night deepened, and all was silent. The four children lay on the dry straw, huddled together in the corner for warmth, and fell into a deep sleep. Their breathing was steady, as if they had forgotten the cold and hardship around them.

Baili Xi sat quietly, gazing at the children across from him. A complex wave of emotions welled up within him, like a surging tide. What he saw before him was only the tip of the iceberg of suffering. In those unknown, dark corners, how many ordinary people struggled for the trivialities of life, just to make a living? These children were just a fraction of that number, representing countless souls struggling amidst poverty and hardship.

He thought about his past life. Although he had experienced some hardships, they were insignificant compared to these children. At this moment, he felt a strong sense of responsibility. He realized that he could no longer sit idly by and do something to change this situation.

In this quiet night, Bailixi's heart was deeply touched, and he decided to find a way to help these poor children and more people in distress.

The night was deep, and moonlight shone through the window onto the ground, illuminating Bailixi's determined face. He silently vowed to use his strength to bring a little warmth and hope to the world.