178: Heaven has wronged Shen Lian

The scene in the hui guang mirror shifted, revealing Shen Lian covered in blood, carrying Little Tao's corpse into a dense forest.

Shen Lian said nothing, digging the soil with his bare hands.

At this moment, heavy rain began to fall from the sky, but as it poured onto Shen Lian, he felt not a hint of cold.

After a long while, Shen Lian picked up Little Tao's corpse and carefully placed her into the pit.

"Little Tao..."

He murmured softly, his face covered in what could not be distinguished as tears or rain.

As the first clump of damp yellow soil covered Little Tao's cheek, buried along with her was his burning heart.

After burying Little Tao, Shen Lian knelt before the grave for seven days and seven nights without moving once.

By the morning of the eighth day, not a trace of human emotion could be seen in Shen Lian's bloodshot eyes.

Yuan Nian felt a shock in his heart; this was the Shen Lian he was familiar with.

So, Shen Lian was not born cold and crazy; everything was caused by being forced into it.

"Little Tao, rest assured, I will personally avenge you. You were the last person in this world who made me believe that human nature is inherently good."

"I promise you, from now on, I will live only for myself. No person or thing will ever be able to stir the slightest ripple in me again!"

After saying this, he slowly stood up and suddenly lifted his head, his gaze directed straight at Yun Shang and Yuan Nian.

Yuan Nian instinctively prepared to activate his Dao Rhyme in defense, but was stopped by Yun Shang.

"Stay calm, this is the Shen Lian of the past."

Yuan Nian then realized they were currently in the time of the past.

Shen Lian pointed his finger toward the Void Realm (the direction where the Heavenly Dao resided).

"Heaven, since you cannot tolerate me, then I shall be Heaven-Defying. Since the first two times did not make you realize your mistakes, then from now on, prepare to welcome Shen Lian's revenge!"

"Son of Destiny? A person of Heaven's mandate? Let's see if the spokesperson you designated can withstand my frenzied fury!"

After speaking, he turned around abruptly.

"What does Heaven matter? What does Earth matter!"

"Wherever Shen Lian steps, it shall be a Chaos purgatory! Hahahaha!"

The moment the wild laughter began, the Shen Lian who still held a final shred of expectation for the common people and fate died completely.

What remained was only a madman walking the Heaven-Defying path, wanting to challenge the Heavenly Dao.

"Sigh."

After watching Shen Lian's transformation, Yuan Nian also sighed slightly.

Yun Shang retracted the hui guang mirror, and the two returned to Qiongyu Tower once again.

"The Heavenly Dao does not distinguish between right and wrong; it only exists to maintain order in a region. Yet, it was because of the Heavenly Dao's prejudice that such a terrifying existence was created."

"Tell me, is the Heavenly Dao really not wrong?"

Faced with Yun Shang's question, Yuan Nian remained silent for a long time.

"What happened later?"

Half an incense stick of time later, Yuan Nian asked.

"Less than half a year after Shen Lian left, the Barbarian tribe staged a comeback. The three thousand Cultivators in the city were completely unprepared. Under the Barbarians' offensive, they didn't even last a cup of tea's time before the city walls were breached. The seventy thousand commoners in the city were all massacred by the Barbarians; not a single living soul was left. What's laughable is that during those six months, while Shen Lian was there, they had fruit and cakes to eat every day; not a single person had starved to death in sixty years. But after that Son of Destiny arrived, in just half a year, thirty thousand people starved to death. What a fine Son of Destiny. When the city fell, he was already in the Eastern Wasteland Continent, having become a Saint, flirting and making love with the Saintess. When he learned of the destruction of the Lonely City, he just calmly said that life and death are determined by fate, made a symbolic lament, and then gained countless praises."

Yuan Nian: "When the Lonely City was destroyed, did those commoners have any regrets?"

Yun Shang: "The four words 'regret not back then' cannot even describe the despair they felt at that time. After all, the Cultivators of the seven Sects would never care about their lives. Only Shen Lian would take the treasures from his own cultivation and exchange them for food for the Mortals, supporting them through these sixty years. From the moment they smeared the hero who saved them, the tragedy in the dark had already been destined."

Yuan Nian: "Then that Son of Destiny..."

Yun Shang: "Twenty years later, Shen Lian returned for revenge. The Son of Destiny, along with his seventeen wives and their descendants, were all decapitated by Shen Lian and offered before Little Tao's grave. The one hundred and thirty-seven Sects of the Eastern Wasteland Holy Land were all destroyed. Three hundred thousand Cultivators, whether Sect Leaders or ordinary Disciples, were all executed. The seven major Sects of the Great Wilderness were left with none; their heads were piled into a mountain, forming a Jingguan. This is the transformed Shen Lian, who shredded every script and arrangement laid out by the Heavenly Dao to pieces. Looking back at everything, the layout set by the Heavenly Dao was just a joke."

Yuan Nian clenched his fists: "He is truly vicious by nature; even those on the Demonic Path would feel inferior."

Yun Shang: "Is the Heavenly Dao not the same? Without the intervention of the Heavenly Dao, would the Shen Lian of today exist? All Karma was planted by the obsession of the Heavenly Dao."

Yuan Nian: "Then what do you intend to do?"

Yun Shang: "I want to guide Shen Lian to find his original nature. Su Mengyao is the Son of Destiny I specifically chose. She possesses what Shen Lian lacked most in the past. I hope she can make a change in Shen Lian, even if it is just a little bit."

Yuan Nian: "Fine, I will not stop you from doing what you want, but I must warn you: making Shen Lian regain his original intention is much harder than you think."

Yun Shang: "If you don't try, how can you make a premature conclusion?"

Yuan Nian remained silent for a long moment: "Do you think we haven't tried? We failed long ago!"

Yun Shang: "I still want to try one more time."

"Hmph."

Yuan Nian instantly transformed into a halo of Dao Rhyme.

"Yun Shang, you must remember your identity. The will of the Heavenly Dao cannot be changed due to personal selfishness. If you suffer the backlash of the Great Dao Law, no one can save you."

"Also, pay attention to the whereabouts of the Dao Lineage. Sixty thousand eras ago, Shen Zhao intervened, which prevented the tragedy of the Heavenly Dao's demise. Now, everything depends on us."

After saying this, he had already disappeared from this Realm Boundary.

Yun Shang muttered to herself: "The Great Dao Law? That person named Shen Zhao had already tried it tens of thousands of years ago, but unfortunately, he advocated for the Dao of Nature. Even now, none of you are willing to bow your heads and choose Shen Lian. Since that is the case, I, the Heavenly Dao of the Primordial Continent, will take the lead..."

...

The netherworld chariot sped toward the Medicine King Glazed Valley.

"Little Tao, a familiar name..."

Shen Lian, sitting inside the carriage, suddenly murmured softly, causing Du Bingyan to glance at him.

"Revered Master, what did you call just now?"

Shen Lian slowly opened his eyes and looked quietly at Du Bingyan.

Du Bingyan hurriedly lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Du Bingyan, answer me, do you think I am a Devil Head who kills innocents indiscriminately?"

Du Bingyan shook her head instinctively: "No, Revered Master is definitely not a Devil Head who kills innocents indiscriminately. In this Disciple's eyes, Revered Master is the best Revered Master in this world!"

"Tell the truth. Don't give me these flowery words. I want your most genuine thoughts from within."

Du Bingyan: "Revered Master, I don't know how others see it, but in this Disciple's eyes, you are a hero who dares to act and take responsibility. This Disciple feels honored to have such a Revered Master."

Shen Lian: "Then tell me, was I too harsh on Su Mengyao?"

Du Bingyan did not speak, really not knowing how to answer this question.

"In your heart, you feel that I was too harsh on her, right?" Shen Lian shook his Folding Fan lightly and said calmly, "Actually, she was not wrong at all in this matter. Reason tells me that what she did was right."

Du Bingyan was suddenly surprised, looking at Shen Lian with an incredulous gaze, simply unable to believe that these words could come from his mouth.

"Do not look at me with such eyes. I am very clear about right and wrong in my heart, but what angers me is why she acted without my consent."

"Revered Master, Junior Sister was also afraid that she wouldn't be able to persuade you at the time, which is why she did that."

"I am aware of all this." Shen Lian closed his eyes and replied, "This matter ends here. We will talk about it after we go back."

Du Bingyan felt a surge of joy upon hearing this, planning to find an opportunity later to use the sound transmission stone to tell Su Mengyao this news; she knew she would definitely be very happy.

"We are about to arrive at Medicine King Valley."

Perhaps feeling that the topic was awkward, Shen Lian diverted the conversation with a reminder, then flashed directly outside the curtain.

"Who goes there? Stop right there!"

Just as he stepped out of the carriage, two green palm Qi approached him head-on.

"Get lost, trash!"

With a low growl, a wave of Qi rippled out, directly shattering the two incoming palm attacks.

The aftershock of the sound wave even directly knocked the two people ten miles away to the ground on the spot.