Chapter 34: Reunion

Chapter 34: Reunion

His expression barely changed, and he just grunted in acknowledgment. He raised a hand, and Chen Xue flew to his side.

Shen Lian held his long sword, just like that cold, towering figure from before.

His snow-white robes fluttered in the fierce wind, his gaze cold and distant, his whole body bathed in the glow of the sunset clouds.

Beneath him stood the Old Emperor and Duke Shen, both wearing envious expressions.

Shen Lian looked away and turned without a second thought, flying into the rosy light.

But Shen Lian hadn't expected the passage to be so dangerous too.

The milky-white passage was filled with raging winds, and Shen Lian had no choice but to grip Chen Xue and channel his spiritual power to fend off the fierce winds.

The gale seemed to sense Shen Lian's resistance and hit back with twice the force.

Eerie, piercing howls filled his ears. Shen Lian could see others like him, also making their way through the passage and fighting the winds.

Some were completely swallowed up, while others turned back.

Even Shen Lian's snow-white robes were soon stained with blood.

But Shen Lian showed no sign of backing down. He held Chen Xue tightly.

His eyes were full of cold resolve.

He would never again be that pitiful wretch everyone could push around.

A crack appeared ahead of Shen Lian, and beyond it lay a dreamlike, otherworldly paradise.

Shen Lian slashed through the wind with his sword, hearing shattering sounds from all around.

And he walked step by step toward that world of cultivation.

No one—no one—could stop him from cultivating immortality.

Finally, Shen Lian broke through, but collapsed from exhaustion onto the soft ground.

Shen Lian caught his breath. Since he'd started cultivating, he rarely felt such stabbing pain anymore.

Shen Lian rolled over onto his back on the grass.

Before long, he could feel spiritual energy from all directions surging into his body.

The spiritual energy here was richer and denser than it was down below.

Chen Xue had told him long ago that the world he was in had thin spiritual energy, but in the cultivation world, spiritual energy was everywhere.

Shen Lian greedily absorbed the spiritual energy from all around, completely unaware that a group of people had already gathered nearby.

When Shen Lian had rested enough and was about to get up to find some clothes, a group of people appeared in front of him. "Who are you? Why are you out here alone in the middle of nowhere?"

Shen Lian was startled. He looked at the group of handsome young cultivators in silver-and-white robes. "You all are—"

The cultivators were equally astonished when they saw Shen Lian's face. Despite his disheveled state, his striking beauty couldn't be hidden.

And Shen Lian quietly tightened his hold on Chen Xue.

He knew the cultivation world was cruel—people might smile at you one moment and draw their swords on you the next.

Some would even kill their own family for treasure.

More importantly, Shen Lian couldn't see through the cultivation levels of the people in front of him at all.

He could only sense a terrifying pressure bearing down on him.

Seeing the wariness in Shen Lian's eyes, the lead cultivator spoke gently, "Don't worry. We're not the kind of evil heretics who rob and kill. We're a righteous sect—the Tianheng Sect."

"There's an evil entity lurking around here. We've been sent to get rid of it."

"Why are you out here alone in tattered clothes? Are you from Qingyun City?"

Shen Lian's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he said softly, "I don't know. I woke up and found myself here. My head was badly injured too, like something had hit me."

The lead cultivator saw Shen Lian's pure, innocent face—especially his eyes, moist and soft, carrying a hint of vulnerability and a touch of pitifulness.

His gaze froze for a moment before returning to normal. "Maybe you ran into the evil entity. Follow behind our group. Once we've cleared it out, we'll take you back."

Shen Lian immediately nodded, flashing a gentle, radiant smile. "Thank you."

The man was momentarily dazzled by his smile again, and only snapped back to reality when he caught the others' teasing looks. He cleared his throat. "You can call me Cultivator Zheng."

Shen Lian said softly, "Immortal Master Zheng."

Shen Lian concealed all his aura and followed behind the group, watching as the leader, Zheng Huifeng, quickly located the evil entity.

Shen Lian glanced at it—the thing was grotesque and hideous, sickening just to look at.

If this had been before, Shen Lian might have been afraid, but now he could face it calmly.

Zheng Huifeng and the others joined forces to form a formation. The cultivators hovered in midair like celestial beings, quickly trapping the evil entity inside. Then Zheng Huifeng thrust his sword into it.

Chen Xue's expression changed. "Master, get back!"

But it was too late. Though Shen Lian retreated quickly, he still caught the shockwave. His body felt like a mountain had crushed down on him, and a wave of metallic sweetness surged up his throat.

He quickly looked up at the cultivators fighting.

The attack hadn't even been aimed at him, yet he felt like his organs were being shattered?

Shen Lian tried desperately to back away, but his legs were rooted to the ground.

Chen Xue explained, "Master, your cultivation level is too low right now."

One of the female cultivators standing by saw Shen Lian's condition and exclaimed, "Sorry! I forgot about you."

She waved her hand, casting a protective barrier around Shen Lian.

Shen Lian immediately felt his body grow lighter.

The female cultivator said gently, "Are you alright? Our bad—we forgot you're just an ordinary person."

Shen Lian was silent for a moment. An ordinary person?

To these people, a Nascent Soul cultivator was just some ordinary guy.

No wonder they'd just pick him up like that.

Shen Lian gave the female cultivator a sweet smile. "I'm fine, sister."

"Sister?" The female cultivator chuckled. "You're only about twenty, right? I'm over a hundred."

Shen Lian froze for a second, then quickly said, "You really can't tell."

The female cultivator was about to say more when Zheng Huifeng brought his sword down, and the evil entity vanished amidst its struggles.

They turned back and finally noticed Shen Lian's pale face.

Zheng Huifeng said, sounding guilty, "You okay?"

Shen Lian shook his head. "I'm fine."

But Zheng Huifeng gave him a look. "You say you're fine, but your insides are practically shredded. Let me take you back to the sect for treatment first."

"Once you're better, I'll take you back to Qingshan City."

Shen Lian's heart skipped a beat. The cultivators in this sect all seemed pretty decent.

If he could get in, maybe he could stay.

Shen Lian hesitated. "I'm just a regular person, so I'm afraid..."

"Don't worry," the female cultivator said, grinning. "Our Tianheng Sect isn't that strict. Let's go."

Shen Lian smiled and nodded.

The female cultivator's name was Jiang Jingning. She quickly got to chatting with Shen Lian, and when she found out he'd taken a hit to the head, she felt even more sorry for him.

Shen Lian soon followed them to a huge, grand gate.

Above it read "Tianheng Sect."

Shen Lian's eyes lit up.

So this—was a sect.

The next moment, Shen Lian saw countless immortal cranes flying overhead, and cultivators streaming out one after another.

Even Jiang Jingning looked a little excited.

Seeing Shen Lian's curious look, she explained, "You probably don't know this, but this is just a branch sect. Over at the Tianheng Main Sect, a once-in-a-generation genius has come to pick cultivators to join the main sect."

"The one doing the picking is a total prodigy! Everyone knows his name!"