Chapter 88: A Difficult and Long Journey, Once Left Behind Troubles
The rural man’s words left Chen Changsheng dumbfounded, and Gongsun Huaiyu beside him had a face full of questions.
How did the “big fat sheep” turn into “Master Uncle”?
Seeing the crowd of onlookers gradually increasing around them, Chen Changsheng calmly said, “This isn’t a good place to talk; can we find a quieter spot?”
“Look at my brain; how could I not notice something so simple?”
Saying this, the rural man led Chen Changsheng to a wooden house.
After shutting the doors and windows, the rural man looked at Chen Changsheng with excitement and then spoke to Gongsun Huaiyu beside him.
“Huaiyu, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and greet your Master Uncle!”
Facing the rural man’s demands, Gongsun Huaiyu’s face was filled with reluctance.
At this moment, Chen Changsheng waved his hand and said, “Let’s put aside the formalities for now; come closer; I have something to say to you.”
Upon hearing this, the rural man wiped away the tears in his eyes with excitement.
“That’s right; the teacher is a sentimental person, and he must have left behind a lot of final words before he passed.”
“Don’t worry, junior brother; I will definitely fulfill the teacher’s last wishes.”
As he spoke, the rural man leaned in closer.
“Swish!”
Chen Changsheng reached out his right hand, grabbing the rural man’s ear, and pulled that “honest” head closer to himself.
At the same time, Chen Changsheng’s tone became somewhat cold.
“A-Li, did I ever tell you that you’re not my disciple?”
“It’s only been a few years; have you turned my words into mere wind in your ears?”
Hearing that familiar tone, the rural man was momentarily stunned.
He looked up again, and that familiar gaze reappeared.
A person’s appearance may change, but eyes cannot lie.
For the eyes are the window to the soul; there can be identical people in the world, but there will never be identical hearts.
“Xiancha… is it really you?”
“What do you think?”
After saying this, Chen Changsheng released A-Li’s ear.
Facing Chen Changsheng’s gaze, A-Li felt like a child who had made a mistake, uncomfortable all over.
At the same time, Gongsun Huaiyu was so shocked that her jaw dropped.
She had once heard her master say that all his abilities were taught by a mysterious “Xiancha.”
However, this Xiancha never acknowledged having him as a disciple.
Although the earlier situation hadn’t been explicitly stated, it was clear to anyone that the Chen Changsheng before them was that mysterious “Xiancha.”
Seeing A-Li’s expression, Chen Changsheng waved his hand at Gongsun Huaiyu.
“You can go out first; I have some words to share with your master.”
Hearing this, Gongsun Huaiyu cast a questioning glance at A-Li.
“Xiancha’s words are my words; go out.”
Although she had countless doubts in her heart, Gongsun Huaiyu chose to comply with her master’s instruction.
“Bang!”
After Gongsun Huaiyu left, A-Li immediately knelt down before Chen Changsheng.
“A-Li failed to keep the promise and taught the master’s techniques without permission; I ask for your punishment.”
Looking at A-Li kneeling on the ground, Chen Changsheng sighed lightly and shook his head.
“I don’t blame you for the techniques. What I can’t understand is why you didn’t remember my admonition.”
“I once told you that if you want to carve a bloody path in the cultivation world, you must not leave yourself any weaknesses.”
“But look at you now; not only have you taken in disciples, but you’ve also created a hidden paradise.”
“Do you really think there’s no one in the world who can see through your little tricks?”
“Those sacred grounds and families standing on this land have foundations beyond your imagination.”
“What will you do if one day they find this place?”
Faced with Chen Changsheng’s questioning, A-Li only kept his head lowered in silence.
He knew full well that creating this hidden paradise was indeed a wrong choice.
“Back then, how strong was the Thunder Beast race, yet they were still buried by weak me.”
“Now the Seventy Wolf Smoke is still inferior to the Thunder Beast race; the forces of the sacred grounds are far stronger than I was back then.”
“I’m curious, how dare you do this?”
Hearing this, A-Li’s lips twitched slightly as he softly said, “They are all the orphaned brothers who fought alongside me.”
“There was a time when their identities were exposed; if I didn’t take action, they would only have faced d*ath.”
“Did I ever tell you that once you’ve stepped onto the path of cultivation, you must let go of ‘feelings’?”
“If you can’t let go of this ‘feeling,’ why did you step into it in the first place…?”
“Xiancha, did you manage to do that?”
A-Li looked up at Chen Changsheng.
Faced with A-Li’s clear gaze, Chen Changsheng was momentarily speechless.
According to the system’s rules, as long as he surpassed one-tenth of his total lifespan during his awakening period, he could enter the next slumber.
Thus, the fastest and most perfect way to grow stronger was to keep on sleeping.
Yet, throughout these years, Chen Changsheng always lived up to the limit of his awakening time before proceeding to the next slumber.
This way, his speed of growth would slow considerably.
The reason for choosing such a slower method was that Chen Changsheng couldn’t let go of the “feeling” in his heart.
He didn’t want to become a cold machine, nor did he want to let his loved ones d*e in endless waiting.
After a long time, Chen Changsheng spoke again.
“Walking the path of cultivation with ‘feelings’ is painful and long.”
“Precisely because I know the pain within, I wanted to help you avoid it, but in the end, you still followed my old path.”
“Now do you understand why I repeatedly rejected A-Man?”
“It’s just that the affection between A-Man and me is romantic, while your ties with those outside resemble brotherly bonds.”
“Both of these ‘feelings’ cut into the heart more painfully than a kn*fe!”
“I cannot stop A-Man’s d*ath, and you also cannot prevent their demise.”
“In a battle of great principles, bloodshed is inevitable; are you truly ready for this?”
Faced with Chen Changsheng’s words, A-Li smiled bitterly and said, “Xiancha, I can’t turn back now.”
“Sigh~” Chen Changsheng sighed lightly, saying helplessly, “Get up.”
“Since you can’t turn back, you must tread carefully on the path ahead.”
“Every time someone outside dies, a kn*fe will cut into your heart.”
“Now tell me about these past events; how did you come to have a deadly feud with the Kunlun Sacred Ground?”
Upon hearing this, A-Li organized his thoughts and began, “It was when Jiang Bufan asked Xiancha to come out from seclusion.”
“Xiancha politely declined, which greatly angered Jiang Bufan.”
“For a long time, he couldn’t find Xiancha, so he targeted me everywhere, trying to force Xiancha to appear.”
“As time passed, the conflicts grew, and we fought for over seven hundred battles.”
“He became the Master of the Kunlun Sacred Ground, and I became the leader of the Seventy Wolf Smoke.”
After figuring out the whole matter, Chen Changsheng gently tapped his fingers on the table.
