90: Chen Hai and Jiang Ning

Shen Jinhuan sat expressionlessly on the stone bench.

However, her heart was filled with anticipation.

She hoped Jiang Ning could give her a reason, one that could persuade her to let go of the past.

Jiang Ning didn't speak.

The young girl was still quite disheveled today.

After a major battle, Shen Jinhuan's body was covered in many bloodstains.

Coupled with the pressure she had felt from several Elders in Dan Shuzis Cave Residence, even her spiritual silk dress had some scuff marks.

Fortunately, the young girl also Cultivated Body Refining, so it didn't cause any harm to her body, though her energy was slightly depleted.

Jiang Ning wanted to remind Shen Jinhuan to rest, but after thinking about it, he felt that Shen Jinhuan would rather hear him talk about this matter.

He took out a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone from his Storage Pouch.

Jiang Ning began to draw directly on the stone table.

He wasn't skilled at drawing, but with Spiritual Qi to control the brush and ink, making them follow his imagination to merely depict form without conveying meaning was achievable.

Shen Jinhuan frowned.

On the white paper,

Jiang Ning outlined the silhouette of a middle-aged man; his appearance was ordinary, and while he looked gentle, there was a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.

Who is this?

Shen Jinhuan's mind was a bit muddled.

She didn't recognize this person, yet she felt an extraordinary familiarity.

After Jiang Ning finished drawing, he wrote two characters in the blank space: Chen Hai.

He put down the brush.

He looked at Shen Jinhuan earnestly and asked, "Do you have any impression of this person, this name?"

"Hmm..."

Shen Jinhuan shook her head, then nodded.

Finally, she frowned and said disheartenedly, "I don't know him. Is he related to this matter?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning stared intently into Shen Jinhuan's eyes, slowing his speech and enunciating clearly, "This person is the Sixth Elder of the Bixiao Sect, Chen Hai."

The Sixth Elder of the Bixiao Sect, Chen Hai?

Shen Jinhuan's pupils contracted sharply; she reacted for a few seconds, then stared at Jiang Ning.

The young girl crossed her arms, meeting Jiang Ning's gaze.

She said indifferently, "Jiang Ning, even if you're lying to me, can't you come up with a more plausible reason?"

Shen Jinhuan was very disappointed.

She recognized the words "Chen Hai," "Bixiao Sect," and "Sixth Elder," but when put together, she couldn't understand.

Is this how one lies to someone?

If Chen Hai was the Sixth Elder of the Bixiao Sect, then who was Jiang Ning?

And with so many people in the Bixiao Sect, did no one suspect anything?

This lie was too fake.

Shen Jinhuan felt that Jiang Ning didn't even bother to put effort into thinking of a reason to deceive her.

But... was there a need to tell such an obvious lie that didn't even require debunking?

The lie was so fake that she even felt that such an absurd lie might be hiding a secret.

Jiang Ning subconsciously reached out to touch Shen Jinhuan's head.

Remembering that their most direct conflict was now exposed, he awkwardly withdrew his hand.

Jiang Ning sat down, face to face with Shen Jinhuan.

"Let me tell you something. It might sound a bit outrageous, but this is indeed my explanation to you."

"I am not from this world. The first time I came here was in the Law Enforcement Hall. At that time, you were being questioned by the Second Elder for trespassing into the Forbidden Ground.

I was new and didn't understand the full story, but I just felt that it was too unfair for a room full of people to bully a little girl.

Especially when I heard that both you and Yun Qingyao had trespassed into the Forbidden Ground, but why was Yun Qingyao praised while you were to be whipped? I felt it was unjust, and that these people were like madmen with double standards."

As he spoke, Jiang Ning kept looking at Shen Jinhuan.

Watching the young girl's expression change from a deep frown, to a slight loosening, and then to a look of sadness, he knew that Shen Jinhuan was listening.

Jiang Ning continued, "The Heavenly Dao altered everyone's memories."

Shen Jinhuan: !!!

She opened her mouth in shock.

Thinking about how she didn't recognize Chen Hai yet felt a strange familiarity, she subconsciously began to ponder, to empathize, and to believe what Jiang Ning was saying.

Jiang Ning didn't use "your world is a novel" to explain, but rather used "Heavenly Dao" instead.

Firstly, cultivators held more reverence for the "Heavenly Dao."

Secondly, he was afraid that mentioning the "novel" would cause Shen Jinhuan's worldview to collapse.

"The Heavenly Dao altered your memories, making me completely replace this person, Chen Hai."

"As compensation, I not only gained Chen Hai's memories, took over Chen Hai's Cultivation, but also obtained a unique talent."

"I didn't say it before because I thought you wouldn't believe me and would think I was making excuses; I'm saying it now because if I don't, you'll continue to do things that harm yourself."

"Huanhuan, please don't do things that don't cherish yourself because of these obsessions in your heart, okay?"

Jiang Ning finished speaking.

Shen Jinhuan fell into a long silence.

In just a few short sentences, the amount of information was immense.

But upon reflection, it seemed to be true.

Jiang Ning had started being good to her ever since that incident in the Law Enforcement Hall.

That day, she had countless times suspected that Jiang Ning's kindness towards her was either a malicious scheme, a sudden change of heart, or even that he had undergone Possession.

After that, Jiang Ning also seemed to have become a different person.

The Revered Master in her memory, whose gentleness was an act for others, was violent, impatient, and ruthless behind closed doors.

But ever since that time in the Law Enforcement Hall, Revered Master seemed to have truly become gentle and jade-like, and his approach to Cultivation also changed completely.

Especially his Cultivation progress, it was simply terrifying!

All these "unreasonable" things, when attributed to the hand of the "Heavenly Dao," suddenly seemed "reasonable."

In the cultivation world, the most unfathomable thing was the Heavenly Dao.

Those who could glimpse a bit of the Heavenly Dao's Law could stand at the pinnacle of this cultivation world.

As for why the "Heavenly Dao" would want Jiang Ning to replace "Chen Hai," that was not something one could ponder.

The "Heavenly Dao" was inherently mysterious.

Shen Jinhuan somewhat believed it.

Because who would bring up such a huge stack of supporting explanations for a "clumsy lie"?

What's the difference between this and making a whole plate of dumplings just for a dish of vinegar?

If this wasn't true, then why didn't Jiang Ning choose a better excuse?

Shen Jinhuan felt a little flutter of excitement in her heart.

If it was true, then this person had been good to her from the very beginning when they met.

Aside from her mother, no one else had ever been so kind to her!

Just thinking about it made Shen Jinhuan happy; her toes in her embroidered shoes lightly tapped, and her legs unconsciously drew together.

How wonderful.

But she held back, not letting such an expression show on her face, only lowering her head and fiddling with her hands.

Jiang Ning saw Shen Jinhuan with her head down, silent for a long time.

He was still a bit nervous inside.

People all have emotions.

If at first he only felt pity and apprehension towards this villainous demoness from the novel, now, he had truly developed some Revered Master-disciple affection.

He truly cared for Shen Jinhuan as a junior.

"Huanhuan... I..."

Jiang Ning hadn't expected such a result from speaking out; he anxiously scratched his hair and sighed, "No matter if you believe it or not, the matter is truly..."

"Mm, I believe you."

Shen Jinhuan lifted her pretty face, her eyes red and tearful, but she was smiling happily.

"Revered Master, I believe you."