The villagers soon noticed something was amiss on Chi Li Mu's side.
As a child with Immortal aptitude, she naturally drew much attention—especially from Man Xiong Mu.
Chi Li Mu was quickly taken away by Man Xiong Mu. She was still far too young to face matters of life and death, and the subsequent funeral arrangements were handled by the villagers themselves.
The little girl clutched Wu Tian tightly, as though holding onto her last lifeline, refusing to let go.
Man Xiong Mu brought her to a bamboo lodge that the clan chief had prepared in advance. As the noise outside gradually faded, the room fell into quiet stillness.
Seeing the child's silence—her forced composure hiding deep grief—he couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Little Chi Li," he said gently, "don't be sad. The methods of Skull Mountain can bridge yin and yang, even touch upon life and death."
"If you cultivate diligently, it may not be impossible for you to see your grandfather again in the future."
"Really?"Chi Li Mu's eyes instantly lit up.
In less than a year, she had lost two loved ones. Now, aside from the White Dragon pup in her arms, she had no family left.
Man Xiong Mu gently patted her head. "Of course it's true. Uncle wouldn't lie to you."
"Little Chi Li, I will teach you a breathing method. From this moment on, you must begin cultivating immediately. You must not delay. Do you understand?"
She nodded vigorously. "I will cultivate diligently!"
Man Xiong Mu's tone grew solemn. "What I am about to teach you is a secret inheritance of Skull Mountain. You must not pass it on to anyone else—otherwise, calamity will follow."
"And those without Immortal roots who attempt to cultivate it will only bring death upon themselves."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Though young, children of the Southern Frontier matured early—and Chi Li Mu was especially sharp. She nodded seriously.
"I understand, Uncle. I won't tell anyone."
Man Xiong Mu relaxed slightly. Someone with Immortal aptitude was exceedingly rare, and as his own clanswoman, he naturally cherished her.
Though Skull Mountain's techniques did indeed involve yin-yang communion, the dead could not truly be revived. His earlier words had merely been comfort; when she grew older, she would understand his intentions.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind. His gaze briefly swept over Wu Tian.
Some half-spirit creatures possessed intelligence rivaling human children, and White Dogs were naturally clever—but the method he would teach required Immortal roots. Only spirit creatures or Immortal children could cultivate it.
There was no need to worry about the White Dog learning it.
"The breathing method I'm about to teach you consists of eighteen ancient sounds," Man Xiong Mu began."In essence, it is a sound-mantra technique. Through these eighteen tones, the five organs and six bowels are shaken, resonating with heaven and earth, drawing in refined essence…"
Before he could finish, he noticed Chi Li Mu's confused expression and chuckled softly. He stopped the explanation and began directly teaching the eighteen ancient sounds.
Chi Li Mu was quick-witted. Before long, she had memorized all eighteen sounds flawlessly.
"Little Chi Li, I still must visit the other villages. Stay here and cultivate the breathing method obediently. When I return to the mountain, I'll take you with me."
Only after confirming repeatedly that she had memorized everything perfectly did Man Xiong Mu feel at ease.
She nodded obediently.
Man Xiong Mu could not linger in the village. He still had to巡查 the eighteen villages, and with Chi Li Mu newly bereaved, he left after passing down the method—riding the black wind away.
From beginning to end, Wu Tian—who had been hiding quietly in Chi Li Mu's arms—had memorized the breathing method in its entirety.
With no elders left to care for her, the clan chief arranged for villagers to tend to Chi Li Mu's daily needs, allowing her to remain in the bamboo lodge prepared for Skull Mountain's envoy.
Returning her home now would only reopen wounds.Moreover, funerary rites involved many rituals—seeing them would only deepen her sorrow.
Having obtained the breathing method, Wu Tian devoted all his attention to it.
The system panel appeared.
Nether-Communion Mantra (通幽咒):A secret Skull Mountain breathing technique. Immortal children who cultivate it may draw in heaven-and-earth essence to cleanse the body. When perfected, it condenses Nether Qi, forming the foundation of all Skull Mountain arts.
Though also classified as a skill, its difficulty far surpassed anything Wu Tian had cultivated before.
It was easy to learn—but nearly impossible to master.
Even Skull Mountain disciples often failed to bring it to completion, turning to other methods midway and damaging their foundations.
Wu Tian began cultivating the mantra within the bamboo lodge.
With the system panel's guidance, every cultivation attempt was flawless—precise to the extreme. Each repetition brought tangible progress.
The longer he practiced, the more he sensed the system's profound mystery.
The eighteen ancient sounds had to be recited in exact rhythm and cadence, vibrating the internal organs. For ordinary people, even entry required long years.
Wu Tian, however, succeeded effortlessly.
As he chanted, his five organs and six bowels thundered like rolling thunder—or ghostly wails.
When the sound first arose, Chi Li Mu jumped in fright, but quickly realized what was happening.
"Bai Long'er, are you cultivating the breathing method Uncle Man Xiong taught?"Her eyes widened in amazement. "That method is so hard—I barely memorized it. I didn't expect you to already be cultivating! My Bai Long'er is so smart!"
"But… Uncle Man Xiong said we can't pass it to others!"
A worried look flashed across her delicate face—then she burst into laughter.
"Oh, right! You're not a person—you're a little white dog!"
"That doesn't count as telling someone else! Heehee!"
She clapped her soft little hands and puffed out her cheeks."If you can do it, Bai Long'er, then I can't fall behind either!"
She sat cross-legged and began cultivating according to Man Xiong Mu's guidance.
Wu Tian had long realized that cultivating the Nether-Communion Mantra alone brought him no benefit—in fact, the violent organ vibrations could prove fatal over time.
Only by activating his Qi-Devouring talent simultaneously could he safely draw in essence and nourish himself.
Yet unlike before, the essence drawn through the mantra was purer—and clearly attributed.Streams of wind-aspected essence, like pale green silk ribbons, flowed through his nose and mouth, nourishing his organs.
Using both abilities together consumed immense mental energy, and prolonged use strained the organs.
Wu Tian discovered his current limit: once in the morning and once at night, fifteen minutes each time—with mandatory rest in between.
Seven days later, Chi Li Mu finally entered the beginner stage.
Wu Tian couldn't tell whether her progress was fast or slow—but the phenomena she produced far exceeded his own.
Whenever he entered Qi-devouring, he could sense an overwhelming concentration of essence around her—burning like flames.
As Chi Li Mu chanted, crimson-hued essence surged like glowing霞 clouds, enveloping her entire body in divine radiance.
Ordinary people couldn't see this—only hearing thunderous sounds and ghostlike murmurs.
"Chi Li Mu's cultivation talent… is terrifying."
Wu Tian's own cultivation time was short, and the amount of wind essence he could draw was minuscule by comparison.
Chi Li Mu could cultivate for half an hour from the very start. If not for her young body's limits, she might last even longer.
This realization made Wu Tian understand:
He wasn't some heaven-blessed spiritual beast.He was merely an ordinary white dog—standing at the threshold of cultivation only because of the system panel.
"I can't afford to slack off."
After her grandfather's funeral concluded, Wu Tian resumed hunting with the team during the day.
Chi Li Mu immersed herself in cultivation, temporarily forgetting her grief. After resting for an hour or two, she could cultivate again—her efficiency far surpassing Wu Tian's.
(End of Chapter)