177: The beginning of despair

The Barbarian army could not withstand the extreme pressure from Shen Lian and ultimately chose to retreat.

In this battle, Shen Lian single-handedly slaughtered two hundred thousand Barbarians, thoroughly terrifying them and preventing any further advance.

"We won!"

The defending soldiers on the city wall immediately cheered, celebrating this glorious victory together.

"General Shen! You are truly the God of War of Lonely City!"

Amidst waves of cheers like a tsunami, Shen Lian, covered in blood, slowly exhaled a turbid breath.

Lonely City finally got a brief respite.

"Alas..."

Yun Shang let out a helpless sigh upon seeing this.

"If time could have stopped at that moment, perhaps all the tragedies that followed would never have happened."

Yuan Nian was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What happened later?"

Yun Shang did not speak, merely activating the hui guang mirror.

The scene where the two stood changed again.

And this time, the image made even Yuan Nian frown, which was rare for him.

In the image, they were still within Lonely City.

But there were no longer bloody scenes of battle, nor the cheers of the city's inhabitants.

There was only a desolate scene so cruel it made a hero feel forlorn.

In the image, a month after the Barbarian retreat, the Sect Masters of the Seven Great Sects arrived at Lonely City with a boy no older than seventeen.

And Shen Lian, who had repelled Barbarian invasions for sixty years, was now bound by iron chains, kneeling before an interrogation platform, awaiting judgment.

"Shen Lian, do you admit your guilt!"

"You have occupied Lonely City for sixty years, abused its citizens, treated them like cattle and horses; do you still possess even a shred of the righteous heart of a Cultivator?"

"We Cultivators should have compassion for the world, but what have you done?"

"If the city's people hadn't found a way to contact us, who knows how long you, this Devil Cultivator, would have continued to poison them!"

"Shen Lian, you are truly a disgrace to us Cultivators!"

For a time, the Seven Great Sect Masters condemned Shen Lian's tyrannical actions during his sixty years of guarding Lonely City.

Shen Lian, however, was fearless, kneeling motionlessly on the ground.

After the Sect Masters finished speaking, Shen Lian raised his weathered face and sneered at them: "Shen Lian has always acted with a clear conscience, so what crime have I committed!

In these sixty years, how many people did I send to ask for your aid, but did you respond to me?"

Upon hearing this, a Sect Master immediately roared, "Still daring to quibble even on the verge of death? Go ask the people in the city what they think of you!"

Shen Lian frowned: "I have protected them for sixty years, repelling two hundred and eighty-seven Barbarian invasions during that time. The city's people understand me best."

"Is that so?"

At this moment, the boy walked up to Shen Lian with a smile.

"That's just your self-righteous rhetoric. The true thoughts of the city's people must be expressed by them personally."

After speaking, the boy walked to the front of the platform and shouted, "Dear elders, the Devil Head has been subdued by the seven Sect Masters. You no longer need to worry about being persecuted by this person.

Starting today, the Seven Great Sects of the Great Wilderness will send Advanced Cultivators to garrison this city,

to protect your safety. Now, I need you to speak out everything Shen Lian has done over the years.

Do not be afraid, with the seven Sect Masters here, justice will surely be served for you."

As soon as his voice fell, someone immediately jumped out, pointing at Shen Lian and shouting, "Shen Lian, you Devil Head, may you die a terrible death!

My son was only thirteen, and you forced him to build city walls, causing him to become sick. Give me back my son's health!"

Another person stepped forward and loudly condemned, "Shen Lian, you beast, you forced us to repair houses and even tore down my roof to mend the city walls, leaving my whole family to live in a straw hut."

"You wouldn't let us leave the city, trapping us here just to satisfy your desire to control us, didn't you? You are truly malicious to the extreme!"

"You forced us to eat only one pancake a day, not even distributing vegetables and fruits. Were you trying to starve us into weakness so we would be at your beck and call?"

"Kill him! Die!"

Soon, rotten leaves, stones, and rotten eggs flew towards Shen Lian on the platform.

When he heard such evaluations of himself in the hearts of the common people, he couldn't help but let out a self-mocking laugh.

"What exactly did I protect for these sixty years? Forget it, it was all my own doing, I should have understood long ago."

Just as Shen Lian felt utterly disappointed, a tender voice rang out in the crowd.

"Big Brother is a good person, don't hit him!"

Shen Lian, who had completely despaired of humanity, suddenly looked up and scanned his surroundings upon hearing this voice.

He saw Xiao Tao, her eyes red, using all her strength to stop the surrounding people from assaulting him.

However, she was too small, and her negligible strength could not stop the frenzied crowd.

"Xiao Tao, go back to your mother, it's dangerous here!"

"Big Brother, you are a good person. Xiao Tao cannot let people bully you."

Xiao Tao, disregarding everything, squeezed through the crowd and ran towards the interrogation platform.

"Dangerous, go back! Be obedient!"

If there was anyone in this city still worth Shen Lian's concern, it was Xiao Tao.

He didn't want to see anything happen to the child and tried hard to get up.

But the Profound-grade iron chains binding him were so tight he couldn't move an inch.

"Big Brother!"

When Xiao Tao's tender hand touched Shen Lian's cheek, he felt that these sixty years had not been wasted.

"Xiao Tao..."

"Big Brother, I won't let them hurt you."

Xiao Tao nodded vigorously at Shen Lian, then turned to try and stop the raging crowd.

But the next moment, the boy grabbed Xiao Tao.

"This is not a place for a little girl like you. Get down."

"Let go of me, you big bad guy, big bad guy!"

The boy's pupils contracted: "What did you say? Do you know who I am? I am the Son of Destiny!"

"Pfft."

The Son of Destiny's response was Xiao Tao's spit.

The Son of Destiny, spat upon, immediately flew into a rage. Facing Xiao Tao's disgusted gaze, he felt as if he had suffered immense humiliation.

"Do you know what you're doing! I am the Son of Destiny, the Son of Destiny!

Do you understand the weight of these four words! You should revere me like a god, why are you humiliating me like this!"

He held Xiao Tao and shook her frantically.

"Put her down, she's just a child!"

Shen Lian disregarded his injuries and tried to get up to save Xiao Tao.

Bang—

After only two steps, a Disciple of the Seven Sects struck his leg fiercely with a staff, forcing Shen Lian to his knees instantly.

"Bad guy, I'll bite you!"

On the other side, Xiao Tao, completely ignoring who the Son of Destiny in front of her was, bit down hard on his palm.

"You're looking for death!"

The Son of Destiny roared in anger and directly lifted Xiao Tao high into the air.

"Stop! Stop it!"

Shen Lian's eyes were bloodshot as he let out an enraged roar at the Son of Destiny.

But the next moment, the Son of Destiny violently slammed Xiao Tao onto the ground.

A booming sound rang out, and Xiao Tao immediately fell silent, lying motionless on the shattered stone platform.

The scene instantly became eerily quiet.

"No~"

Shen Lian rushed directly to Xiao Tao. Upon seeing Xiao Tao's tragic state, bleeding from all seven orifices, he cried out in despair.

"Big Brother..."

Xiao Tao's faint voice, like a wisp of smoke, reached him.

Shen Lian immediately bent down, pressing his ear to Xiao Tao's face.

"Big Brother, run, Xiao Tao... doesn't want... to see Big Brother... get... hurt..."

Tears silently streamed down Shen Lian's face, dripping onto the gradually cooling corpse.

Feeling a vibrant life slowly depart, Shen Lian's heart shattered completely at that moment.

At this moment, the Son of Destiny finally sobered up. He looked at the scene with a half-smile, then hurriedly explained to everyone: "I didn't mean to, everyone saw, it was her fault, that's why I... it's all him!"

Suddenly, the Son of Destiny pointed at Shen Lian.

"It's all his fault! It's all his fault!"

Instantly, cries of condemnation erupted again, with all fingers pointing at Shen Lian.

"Kill him!"

"Still daring to harm people!"

"Go to hell, you demon!"

At this moment, Shen Lian's pupils gradually turned dark red.

"System, re-bind me, take me out of here, and Xiao Tao's body."