Chapter 23 - The Sweet Scent of Blood

Shen Lian could not bear to watch. The man in green was too violent, and it seemed that Ling Chongxiao was going to lose soon.

Right at this moment, Ling Chongxiao's lower abdomen collapsed without any premonition, as if it was a thin layer of paper.

Experts like the man in green calculated their every move, and their estimation of the decisive timing in the battle was usually accurate.

However, he did not think that Ling Chongxiao could react to his move of 'retrieving chestnut from the fire' even after he had taken a blow from the Deity Vanquishing Sword.

Although momentum led his palm rushing against the wind, he did not manage to touch Ling Chongxiao's body.

The vicious strike fuelled by momentum was lost in the action. It was as though the momentous move got sunk into the quicksand.

Shen Lian picked up a scent. It was a special and pleasant scent, with a hint of sweetness.

Ling Chongxiao's greenish brows turned red, and blood droplets formed on it.

The scent was from these blood droplets. It was because of his Qi and blood condensate too quickly and led to an explosion. He could not lock all of his vitality up despite having calmed the white tiger.

This was a foreshadowing of the enormous strength that Ling Chongxiao was about to emanate.

Ling Chongxiao turned his palm strike into a fist and straightened it out to look like a giant wooden shaft of a Chinese spear that stood against the wind.

The changes took place so quickly that even Shen Lian was not mentally ready for it. He did not think that a winner would emerge so suddenly, and what a shocking result indeed.

The man in green fell out of the hall like a kite and was drenched by the rain.

Like the countless time the man in green had slaughtered in the past, he himself was slaughtered this time around.

His eyes were filled with blood, but there was no hint of fear on his face. His expression was the expression he had when he dealt his last move – proud with a dash of relief.

However, nothing could change the fact that he had lost. It was an utter defeat.

A wisp of green smoke rose from the man in green's body and floated in the rain. It was mixed up with hints of blood, something that even a storm could not wash away.

One knock coming from the wooden fish, a reminder to rethink and contemplate.

The crisp tone of the wooden fish triumphed over those of gold and precious stones; it vibrated through and dispersed the green smoke. Eventually, the smoke returned to the man in green's body, and nothing strange happened.

Shen Lian did not sigh. He had no pity for the man in green. Though, he felt something that was indescribable.

He wondered if the man in green would have walked on the same path if he could do it all over.

Treating human lives in such a cavalier manner, it was not only the lives of others that he did not cherish, but his own as well.

The reason why his life did not last was due to him lacking the respect for it.

A gush of warmth returned to his body, and he felt it coursing all over him. He was slightly feverish. By the time he regained his composure, he found himself standing again.

Ling Chongxiao's green brows were red, but he did not look brutal. The way he looked was comparable to that of a Daoist expert, patiently cultivating in the midst of the cruel world.

Just like the Dizang, the bodhisattva who was at peace and at ease even when he was in the midst of evil spirits.

Partly because of his baldness, Ling Chongxiao looked even more like an enlightened monk.

Shen Lian stifled a laugh.

As he was staring at Ling Chongxiao's bald head, Ling Chongxiao had noticed him.

"Baldy baldy, no worries when it rains, others have umbrellas, while I have my bald head. Young child, you should not be this disrespectful to a.d.u.l.ts," he patted Shen Lian's forehead and hummed.

"Eh, I'm not a child. And you really can't sing," Shen Lian replied in a serious tone.

"Children hate it when people call them a child," Ling Chongxiao smiled.

Shen Lian was disturbed by Ling Chongxiao's weird sense of humor. He noticed that Ling Chongxiao's eyes were still fixated on the man in green's corpse in the rain. That was when he realized that maybe Ling Chongxiao was trying to express his emotions.

After all, the man in green was his Junior Apprentice-Brother. They had been learning together for many years.

The man in green was merciless, but the same could not be said about Ling Chongxiao. Shen Lian finally realized the difference between the man in green and Ling Chongxiao.

The man in green was not attached to anything else other than Daoism. He had no care in the world, which turned him into a cruel man, an extremist who had no loved ones.

However, Ling Chongxiao saw himself as a human; he experienced joy, anger, grief, and happiness, and was fraught with love, hate, attachment, and vengeance.

There was no saying that who was better suited for the cultivation of Daoism. Despite being alive, Ling Chongxiao was not a true expert of Daoism, but he was definitely more approachable than the man in green.

...

It did not take long before Old Master Shen caught wind that the man in green had gone missing. Attacking a snake and left it to survive, that would be a sure-fire way to bring harm to oneself. Old Master Shen knew this too well.

The moment he received the news, the entire Shen family was on a state of lockdown.

What worried Old Master Shen more was that, when news came from the town hall, the messenger sent his regards to Shen Lian.

He found it weird. Being the detailed person that he was, he knew that something was up.

However, he did not think that Shen Lian would escape from his surveillance and gone to the State Governor, gaining access to the man in green.

The reason why Governor Shuo sent words to Old Master Shen was to test the waters and check if he was aware of this. Anyhow, he was never going to admit that Shen Lian was in the prison and had disappeared along with the man in green.

As to whether Shen Lian was alive or dead, Governor Shuo had no idea. He was hoping that the Shen family would not find out how Shen Lian got access to the prison through him.

This had been weighing on Governor Shuo's mind for a long time. Until one day, he got news that Shen Lian had returned to the Shen family in one piece.

Finally, Governor Shuo could be relieved. His only question was what happened to the man in green. Despite knowing that Shen Lian had the answer he wanted, he could not find a chance to ask.

Three days later, Governor Shuo's chance came.

The biggest inn Old Master Shen owned in town was handed over to Shen Lian. Tongfu Inn was under Shen Lian management now.

The sign was clear - Old Master Shen was grooming Shen Lian as the heir to the Shen family.

Back on that day, the entire Shen family was on lockdown, it was not until evening that Shen Lian returned from praying to his mother. Shen Qingsan and Old Master Shen were beyond relieved.

At the same time, the bodyguards who were following Shen Lian returned as well.

They were following Shen Lian in secret but had lost him. Dreading the severe punishment, they started searching for Shen Lian around Qielan temple.

When they finally found him in the mountains, Shen Lian was drenched by the rain.

There was a monk next to him, he was fair and looked neat. They were walking on the mountain trail.

When the bodyguards came in front of Shen Lian, the monk left without saying a word, and he did not so much as take a glance at them.

It was a rainy day, and the mountain trail was steep and slippery. The monk did not seem affected by it. It was as if he was brisk-walking on flat terrain, and had disappeared from their sight in a matter of seconds.

Some of the curious bodyguards asked Shen Lian about the monk.

Shen Lian smiled politely, but he did not reply. He followed the bodyguards back to the Shen family.

When Shen Lian got back to the Shen family, all he said was the man in green was dead. He did not elaborate on the matter, and not even Old Master Shen could get an extra word out of him.

Though, Shen Lian did accept Old Master Shen's request for him to manage one of the inns. Old Master Shen was not a petty person, what more Shen Lian had finally succ.u.mbed and was willing to dabble in the family business.

This was why he handed over Tongfu Inn, one of the biggest and oldest shops in town to Shen Lian.