139: Shen Lian's suggestion

"What do you want with me?"

"An Immortal Venerable told me to deliver this letter to you, Immortal Venerable."

The young boy immediately pulled a letter from his tattered clothes and tremblingly handed it to Shen Lian.

Shen Lian took the letter, tore it open, and glanced at it.

"Ha."

After reading the contents of the letter, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The message on the letter was simple and clear: Lord Youyang had incited Song Xiangyun, the Alliance Leader of the Northern Domain Profound Sect Alliance, to call upon all major Sects to exterminate Shen Lian and hold a pledge rally at Tianji Mountain on the tenth of the third lunar month.

He knew at a glance that this information had been sent by Clear Moon.

"Song Xiangyun, I originally intended to head to the Spirit Realm to deal with Su Yuheng and Mu Yaoguang before coming to settle things with you. Since you are actively seeking death, you shall be the next one to settle down inside the human emperor cauldron."

"You want to protect the Righteous Path and exterminate me? Then I shall see for myself exactly what kind of mettle you, the Northern Domain Alliance Leader, truly possess!"

There was not a trace of worry on Shen Lian's face about being besieged by the Righteous Path; instead, he was filled with excitement and thrill.

Declaring war on the world, fighting until the sky turned dark, and indulging in the thrill of a life-and-death struggle—that was the Dao he pursued.

Since this white-eyed wolf wanted to give him this opportunity, he would naturally have to repay him well.

"Tianji Mountain, is it? Then I shall go there in person, and let you all experience the Battle Intent of Shen Lian!"

After he finished speaking, the paper in his hand instantly turned into dust and scattered.

At this moment, the young boy asked cautiously: "Immortal Venerable, may I leave now?"

Shen Lian unfurled his Folding Fan and waved his hand to signal him to leave.

The young boy bowed to Shen Lian, then turned and limped down the mountain.

"Wait."

Seeing this, Shen Lian suddenly called out to the young boy.

"Does the Immortal Venerable have any other instructions?"

Shen Lian walked in front of the boy, gently waving his Folding Fan.

Only then did he notice that the boy's leg was bleeding continuously, and there were signs of bruising and injury all over his body.

"What is your name?"

"Reporting to the Immortal Venerable, my name is Meng Huaijing."

"What happened to your injuries?"

Meng Huaijing touched his leg and squeezed out a smile as he replied: "It is nothing, I just fell while climbing Wuji Mountain. It does not matter. If the Immortal Venerable has no other matters, I will head back."

After speaking, Meng Huaijing bowed respectfully to Shen Lian and turned to walk down the mountain.

Suddenly, a surge of Spiritual Qi struck from behind.

Before Meng Huaijing could react, his entire body was enveloped by a cerulean halo of light, which slowly lifted him into the Void Realm.

"Ah~"

A strange sensation spread throughout Meng Huaijing's entire body, and after a painful cry, he dropped back to the ground as if drained of all strength.

When he got back up, he realized that his injuries had healed, and he felt incredibly comfortable.

After a brief silence, Meng Huaijing immediately reacted, turned around, and knelt before Shen Lian: "Thank you, Immortal Venerable, for saving me."

"Get up."

Shen Lian walked over to him.

"Do you still have any family?"

Meng Huaijing: "A few days ago, my parents were murdered by people from Prince Jings Estate. Now, there is only my sister and me left at home."

At this point, Meng Huaijing suddenly wore a pleading expression: "Immortal Venerable, you are so powerful that you were able to heal my injuries instantly. Could I beg you to take me in to Cultivate?"

Shen Lian's gaze sharpened: "You want to step onto the path of cultivation?"

Meng Huaijing nodded vigorously: "Yes. As long as I have strength, my parents would not have been murdered. As long as I have the ability, I can also protect my sister. Please, Immortal Venerable, take me as your Disciple. As long as you agree, I will do whatever you want. I beg you, will you?"

He kowtowed directly to Shen Lian, each thud resounding on the ground.

Shen Lian's expression remained unchanged, completely unmoved by Meng Huaijing's display.

"Get up. I will not agree to take you as my Disciple."

"Why, Revered Master? Is it because I am poor? If so, I… I can wash your clothes and cook for you, and I can obey any of your commands."

"Enough."

Shen Lian shouted in a deep voice, raising his hand to release a surge of Spiritual Qi that forcibly lifted Meng Huaijing from the ground.

"The path of cultivation is far more treacherous than you imagine. If you truly want to protect your sister, then take her to find a safe place and live out the rest of your lives in peace."

As he spoke, he took a money pouch from his storage ring.

"The gold and silver inside this are enough for you and your sister to live without worry. Go find a safe place and live a good life. As for cultivation, it is best never to touch it, because once you step into it, there is no turning back."

After speaking, he solemnly placed the money pouch into Meng Huaijing's hand, then turned and manifested the netherworld chariot.

"Get on. I will give you a ride."

Meng Huaijing couldn't help but grip the money pouch in his hand tightly, looked at Shen Lian, and immediately followed him.

...

In just seven short days, the once orderly Xuan Sheng Immortal Dynasty was filled with the flames of war everywhere.

Descending from Wuji Mountain, everywhere Shen Lian looked, the roadsides were covered in blood, severed limbs, and corpses in miserable states of death.

"Stupid power struggles will never cease because of the wails of ants. trash will only fall into an endless Reincarnation time and time again, and only by losing their lives like gamblers will this ridiculous and pathetic farce end."

After this sarcastic remark, the netherworld chariot stopped at the entrance of a small village.

"Thank you, Immortal Venerable."

"Take your sister and leave."

Shen Lian tossed out that sentence and returned in the direction of Wuji Mountain.

After bowing respectfully to Shen Lian's receding figure, Meng Huaijing took a deep breath and turned to walk toward his home.

However, as soon as he entered the village, he felt that the villagers' gazes upon him carried a hint of strangeness.

Some people even pointed and whispered at him.

Just as Meng Huaijing was feeling confused, a villager suddenly called out to him: "Little Jing, congratulations."

"Congratulations? Congratulations for what?"

Meng Huaijing was completely bewildered.

"Your sister has been chosen by the leader of the Azure Dragon Gang next door to marry his son. Why aren't you hurrying to get ready?"

"What did you say! My sister is only eight years old!"

"I know, but they are just looking for your sister to have a ghost wedding with his son, hahaha."

"No!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Huaijing immediately shoved past the villager and ran toward his home for his life.

Just as he entered the house, he suddenly seemed to trip over something and fell heavily to the ground.

Before he could react, he was pulled up.

"Brother~"

A timid call allowed Meng Huaijing's spirit to gradually recover.

Looking closely, he saw his sister, Meng Yu, being pressed onto a chair by two burly men, looking at him with eager eyes.

"You are her brother?"

A hooligan covered in tattoos stood up, twisted his neck, and looked at Meng Huaijing.

"Just in time to inform you: from now on, your sister will be having a ghost wedding with our Young Lord. For your sister, a mere mortal, to be buried in the same grave as our Azure Dragon Gang's Young Lord is a great blessing. You must be grateful, hahaha."

"Beast!"

Meng Huaijing roared and made a move to rush over.

But he was small and weak, and was tightly restrained by the Azure Dragon Gang Disciple behind him, unable to move at all.

"You dare curse us? Beat him!"

At the tattooed man's command, Meng Huaijing was immediately pushed to the ground, and then the surrounding thugs swarmed over and began punching and kicking him.