The Buddhist faith dictates that one shaves their head and removes all facial hair upon taking precepts and leaving the secular life. This outward sign of purity and renunciation is referred to as the “silk of vexation,” acknowledging hair as a source of attachment and worldly concern.

The old woman began recounting her tale, a flicker of past joy still dancing in her eyes. Yet, her head of once vibrant green silk had long since been touched by frost. Where fragrant grasses once flourished, the twilight of the years had settled.

“When I was gathering spirit silk,” she murmured, “he descended from the heavens. His smile was warm and gentle, his face handsome. He said, ‘Girl…'”

“…girl…”

She savored those two words, gazing at her own dry, withered hands, and fell into a sudden silence. All the regrets, the melancholies, the memories etched deep, the reluctant farewells – all were contained within that profound stillness.

Finally, she swept past a wealth of untold stories: “Later, he stayed here. He was wise and decisive, surpassing all men in the world. He discovered the newborn Divine Dragonwood, and he helped us complete our final migration. It was also he who found a way to deal with Yan Xiao.”

“He discovered that Yan Xiao grows strong by absorbing the power of resentment. Heads are its sustenance, and resentment is its provision. And because it was born in the Sen Hai Yuan Realm, it is the very source of hatred in this realm. No one born here can truly kill it.”

Hearing this, Jiang Wang noticed something amiss: “You said ‘he.’ When did he appear in the Sen Hai Yuan Realm?”

The old priestess’s eyes met his with a deep gaze: “You are as clever as he was.”

“Indeed, he appeared more than five hundred years ago. The time of the Dragon God’s silence has not yet stretched to a thousand years. More than five hundred years ago, a Dragon God messenger descended. However, that was during the most chaotic period of the Sen Hai Yuan Realm. The only Holy Clan member who found the Dragon God messenger alive was he.”

“But he did not undergo the verification of the Altar of Trees, and thus did not appear on the Dragon God’s Response Seat. This is why the matter could be kept hidden. Now, apart from me, no one in the Holy Clan knows that a Dragon God messenger descended more than five hundred years ago.”

Why did the matter of the Dragon God messenger’s descent more than five hundred years ago need to be hidden?

What kind of chaos characterized the Sen Hai Yuan Realm during that period, and what was its cause?

The answer to the first question was easily deduced. The feelings between that descended one and the old priestess likely wouldn’t have been permitted within the Sen Hai Holy Clan. Perhaps even… more than five hundred years ago, the relationship between the Dragon God messenger and the Sen Hai Holy Clan was merely one of expediency and cooperation?

As for the second question, Jiang Wang was unsure whether he should ask. Such a question concerned a dark period, and asking might not yield an answer.

After weighing the matter carefully, Jiang Wang finally asked: “Did he not want to leave?”

The corner of the old woman’s mouth curved upwards again: “He said I was unique and shouldn’t share a name with others. He gave me a name: ‘Xiao Fan’.”

The old woman seemed to be answering a different question.

But the answer lay within her words.

For that descended one, she was his vexation, his worry.

So of course, he wouldn’t want to leave.

For some reason, Jiang Wang suddenly thought of it at this moment – no wonder Qing Seven Tree always harbored the thought of “making things right.”

In the immeasurable passage of time, when white hair covers one’s temples, to have such a person, such an experience, that can bring a smile to your face when you think of it – how beautiful is that?

No wonder the old priestess possessed a certain understanding of the outside world and was clear about the purpose of the Dragon God messenger. With such a predecessor, a Dragon God messenger, by her side day and night, what could she not know?

Regarding the identity of the Dragon God messenger, that predecessor was a blatant ‘traitor,’ yet Jiang Wang couldn’t bring himself to feel resentment.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Wang posed another question: “Yan Xiao cries out and must consume a hundred heads. I see that not many of the Holy Clan warriors seem to participate in the ‘Xiang Hunting’.”

The priestess replied: “Xiang Hunting is a form of honor, only the most excellent of the Holy Clan warriors can participate. And Yan Xiao’s cry for a hundred heads doesn’t all require human heads. This is also why Holy Clan warriors often need to hunt – simply to stockpile the heads of wild beasts.”

Jiang Wang nodded, indicating his understanding.

The priestess continued: “He tried to kill Yan Xiao alone, but after so many years of growth, he was also no match.”

“But after multiple battles, he gained a certain understanding of Yan Xiao. He discovered that Yan Xiao was born of the human race, human heads were its main food, and human resentment was the source of its power.”

Jiang Wang was genuinely impressed: “That predecessor did so much.”

“As I said, he was a great man unparalleled in the world.” The old woman accepted this admiration on his behalf and continued: “After understanding the sustenance of Yan Xiao, he began to think of targeted methods.”

“Those who offer their heads must not harbor resentment in their hearts. Or at least, the resentment must not be too heavy.”

“So, according to his suggestion, I stepped forward and led the formulation of the ‘Xiang Hunting’ tradition. We let the warriors of the clan respect and recognize this tradition, viewing it as an honor rather than a sacrifice. They die with heroic spirits and without hearts full of resentment. In this way, Yan Xiao’s power not only doesn’t grow but instead slowly weakens due to the lack of human resentment to supplement it. It has been weakening all the way to now, and finally, we see an opportunity to eliminate it.”

The “Xiang Hunting” tradition of the Sen Hai Holy Clan was completed under human guidance!

That descended one, in order to eliminate Yan Xiao, laid down a strategy that has continued for over five hundred years. His foresight was indeed far-reaching, and his methods were grand.

“If Yan Xiao doesn’t wait for you all to offer heads, but directly hunts, kills, and devours heads itself, wouldn’t the meaning of Xiang Hunting cease to exist?” Jiang Wang asked again.

“Offering heads is a form of ceremony, just like those earliest owl heads hung on wooden poles. It needs to draw power from this kind of ceremony. That’s why it creates terror.”

“That is to say, directly killing people and then devouring heads does not allow it to gain power.”

So Yan Xiao simply wanted to exert pressure, forcing people to offer their heads to it.

Jiang Wang roughly understood and asked again: “Why didn’t you tell us these things at the beginning?”

The old woman’s response was very direct: “I didn’t know if you could be trusted. This opportunity is too important; we have waited for over five hundred years. I don’t want to waste it.”

“Then why do you feel I can be trusted now?”

“That messenger, Su Qi, after recognizing you, considered you a trustworthy person. This indicates that you have a very good reputation where you come from.” The old priestess said: “When you went to hunt the snake, I was actually observing you. In times of danger, you were willing to rescue your companions. In times of difficulty, you were willing to bear heavy responsibility… So I felt you were a trustworthy person, like he was.”

The “he” in the priestess’s mouth was, of course, that predecessor, the descended one.

“I dare not compare myself to the person in your heart.” Jiang Wang hesitated for a moment, still asking: “I don’t know how he is now…”

“You are not exactly like him, but there are many places where you are very similar.” The old woman said.

It seemed that in her eyes, being similar to that person in certain aspects was the greatest praise.

She said slowly: “He left a long time ago.”

“Did that predecessor not accept the Dragon God’s baptism?” Jiang Wang asked.

After becoming a member of the Sen Hai Holy Clan, one’s lifespan should be increased. Given that predecessor’s experience of multiple battles with an unweakened Yan Xiao at that time, his strength should have far surpassed Jiang Wang’s current level.

The priestess had said that if Jiang Wang accepted the Dragon God’s baptism, his lifespan could reach a thousand years.

If that predecessor had chosen to accept the Dragon God’s baptism, his lifespan should have been even greater. Since he didn’t plan to leave the Sen Hai Yuan Realm, there was no reason for him to refuse.

The old woman was silent for a moment and said: “He had his own faith.”

This was an unexpected answer.