Such Bitter Resentment!
At this moment, the Western Continent was covered in dark clouds, flashing with lightning and whipped by a sudden fierce gale, resembling the arrival of doomsday.
Suddenly, the thunder gathered in the high heavens crashed down all at once, weaving an inescapable giant net that tightly bound the fleeing Gu Shi. Strike after strike of lightning precisely bombarded his body. Gu Shi raised his sword to block, but with a single hit, the longsword in his hand snapped in half. He forcibly swallowed the sweet taste of blood surging up his throat. The terrifying pressure made even his soul tremble, yet he still forced himself to calm down, collecting his focus to respond.
A village less than three hundred miles away from Gu Shi was completely engulfed by the heavenly lightning. Lightning pillars thicker than ancient trees struck rooftops, and the houses instantly turned to fine powder. When the Wuxiang Sect disciples who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion saw this terrifying scene, they simultaneously halted their steps; with such destructive force, this village was beyond saving.
Cries shook the heavens within the village, especially the piercing screams of children, but no one dared to brave the lightning to run outside, all of them hiding inside their houses. Shen Yunsheng paused for only a fraction of a second before rushing in. The disciple beside him hurriedly grabbed him, shouting sternly, “Are you crazy? Going over there now is pure suicide.”
Shen Yunsheng gave him a cold glance. “Let go.”
The disciple refused to let go. “You are a person of the Wuxiang Sect. You cannot die here.”
Without a second word, Shen Yunsheng pressed his sword horizontally against the disciple’s neck. “Either I go save people, or everyone present dies with me.”
The disciple stared at him in disbelief. “Your life is still in the elder’s hands. If you kill us, you won’t last three breaths either.”
Applying pressure with his hand, Shen Yunsheng caused a bloody scratch to immediately appear on the disciple’s neck. “Then let us all die together.”
Frightened, the disciple hurriedly pleaded, “No, no, no, you go, you go, we won’t stop you.”
Shen Yunsheng withdrew his sword, flew up to the midair above the village, and set up a barrier using his own strength to protect the entire village within it. The thunder roared, and the occasional stray bolt of heavenly lightning smashed against the barrier, shattering it into pieces. Enduring heavenly lightning far exceeding his own cultivation realm, Shen Yunsheng immediately spilled blood from the corners of his mouth, yet he retreated not a single step. Instead, he mustered his breath, pouring all his remaining spiritual power into repairing the barrier.
In the distance, the Wuxiang Sect disciples saw this. Someone spoke up, “He is not going to hold on. Should we go help?”
“Help with what? If he wants to die, let him die. Do you not understand the elder’s intention? An ungrateful ingrate can just die if he dies.”
“Alas, what a pity. If only Shen Yunsheng had come to our Wuxiang Sect in the first place; he is truly a good person. For so long since coming to the sect, eight out of ten days he is outside slaying demons.”
“What use is just slaying demons? It cannot bring the sect a shred of benefit, and mortal ants can just die when they die. Only someone as stupid as him is willing to risk his life to save them.”
“You cannot put it entirely that way. Isn’t cultivation meant to protect the weak?”
“You just entered the sect and do not understand. Cultivation is about attaining eternal youth, extracting the power of heaven and earth to nourish oneself, and ascending to the upper realms, not some bullshit protection of the weak.”
Amidst the argument, Shen Yunsheng had already weathered three waves of the lightning tribulation. As the range of the tribulation narrowed, the village at the bottom finally broke free from the striking zone of the tribulation. Letting out a breath, Shen Yunsheng abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood. At the same time, the people in the village could no longer hear the thunder. Opening their windows and seeing immortals protecting them, they poured out en masse, kneeling on the open ground to kowtow and worship, “Thank you, immortal, for saving our lives!” “Thank you, immortal, for saving our lives!”
As their voices fell, an extremely faint golden light descended from the gloomy vault of heaven, sinking into Shen Yunsheng’s body. Barely managing to steady his posture, he glanced toward the distant Wuxiang Sect disciples, then turned around without hesitation and flew toward the center of the lightning tribulation.
The Wuxiang Sect disciples were dumbfounded. “Where did he go?”
At this moment, Gu Shi at the center of the lightning tribulation had already been battered beyond recognition by the lightning. Half-kneeling on the mountain peak, he raised his head to gaze at the dense mass of heavenly lightning overhead, gritting his teeth as he stood up. He could not die; he had finally managed to gain the ability to cultivate, he still had so many things left undone, and he absolutely could not die.
“Boom.” A bolt of heavenly lightning struck him, and Gu Shi once again collapsed heavily to his knees. His internal organs felt as though they were being torn apart with excruciating pain, and blood continuously gushed from the corners of his mouth. The spiritual power within his body had long since been depleted, and he could no longer feel a shred of spiritual Qi fluctuation in the surroundings; outputting without inputting, his path to survival was completely cut off. A chilling premonition rose in his heart: this world was erasing him.
Erasing him, this anomaly.
Such bitter resentment!
If the ending was already predetermined, then he would be arrogant just once. Gu Shi stood up, opened his arms, and laughed wildly as he roared, “Come on then, heartless heavens! If you cannot kill me today, then wait for me to turn you upside down!”
Following his shout, all the heavenly lightning slowly gathered, condensing into a thick purple bolt of lightning. The fierce wind blew a dirge, and the heavenly lightning paved a path of destruction. At this moment of certain death and erasure, a white figure burst into Gu Shi’s blood-red vision. Recognizing who it was, his heart skipped a beat, and he shouted fiercely, “Go back.”
As for Shen Yunsheng who had rushed over, he was also visibly stunned upon seeing him, yet he did not pause. Instead, he drove his spiritual power, speeding up as he flew toward Gu Shi. With his spiritual power exhausted, Gu Shi could only roar sternly at Shen Yunsheng, “Run.”
Shen Yunsheng stopped beside Gu Shi. He did not look at the heavenly lightning, staring only at Gu Shi with a tone that was cold and forceful, “Everything of the past, I repay you in full today. Make sure to carry forward the Yuandao Sect so it is never bullied again.”
Gu Shi was practically losing his mind. It would be one thing if he died, but if the male lead died, could this world even continue to exist?
“No, I do not want your repayment.”
“Boom.”
The purple heavenly lightning suddenly struck down, the biting white light blindingly piercing. Shen Yunsheng abruptly blocked in front of Gu Shi. Gu Shi felt his entire body’s meridians tear inch by inch, his spiritual platform collapsing with a resounding crash. At this moment of certain death, he caught sight of an extremely faint layer of golden light surfacing on Shen Yunsheng’s body. The heavenly lightning shattered the golden light, light spots scattering and dissipating, while the might of the lightning weakened accordingly. At the same time, Gu Shi felt thin spiritual power frantically pour into his body, filling his withered spirit fields once more.
Gritting his teeth, Gu Shi discharged all the spiritual power he had just condensed, colliding fiercely with the heavenly lightning. The most ferocious offensive had already been neutralized, and the heavenly lightning gradually lost its strength, slowly dissipating.
Successfully advancing to Nascent Soul, Gu Shi’s perception grew increasingly powerful. He clearly sensed several probing gazes around him; since his cultivation had not yet recovered, he immediately picked up the heavily injured and unconscious Shen Yunsheng, bolted into the deep forest, and found a mountain cave to rest temporarily.
Shen Yunsheng was charred black all over from the lightning strike, but he still had breath left. As expected of the male lead, after channeling some spiritual power to protect his heart meridian, Gu Shi placed him aside and began meditating to recover from his injuries.
At this time, Gu Yan’s group and Chen Ci’s group finally arrived at the Western Continent. Enemies meeting each other led to eyes turning extra red, but since both sides shouldered important business, they merely exchanged a few sharp words before parting ways.
Chen Ci reunited with the Wuxiang Sect disciples. Chen Ci asked, “Who was undergoing the tribulation?”
The disciple replied, “Reporting to the Second Elder, it was too far away so this disciple did not see clearly, but Shen Yunsheng rushed over, and his situation is unknown.”
Frowning, Chen Ci sent a message to the sect. Upon learning that Shen Yunsheng’s life plaque remained unbroken, a scheme immediately formed in his mind. “With such a terrifying lightning tribulation, Shen Yunsheng will either be dead or severely injured. Scatter out and search; you must find him.”
“Understood.”
As night deepened, footsteps sounded from not far away. Since his injuries had not yet healed, Gu Shi set up a barrier to conceal his presence.
The footsteps drew closer and closer, and their voices were clearly transmitted into Gu Shi’s ears.
“Shen Yunsheng has a great life. He survived such a strong lightning tribulation.”
“So what if he survived? His life is in the sect master’s hands, and his life or death is just a thought for the sect master.”
“Ah? Didn’t they say the sect master loves talent and wants to take him as his closing disciple?”
“Sigh, that news is ancient history. Let me tell you quietly, this slipped out by accident when Elder Chen was drunk, so do not go spreading it.”
“Rest assured, who are you and I? Even if my head fell off, I wouldn’t let it slip.”
“Shen Yunsheng rejected the sect master, saying he only recognizes one master in this lifetime and will be a person of the Yuandao Sect in life and death. So the Third Elder placed a Gu worm on Shen Yunsheng. It is said that poison Gu is extremely vicious; once activated, he will wish for death and beg for life in vain.”
“This. Since he has no intention of serving loyally, it would be better to just kill him outright.”
“A year.”
“What a year?”
“If he still hasn’t changed his mind after a year, the Third Elder will turn him into a puppet. Such a talented figure must serve the sect regardless of life or death.”
“What a stubborn blockhead. A destiny others pray for over several lifetimes, yet he completely disdains it.”
The speakers gradually walked away. Gu Shi clenched his fists tightly as he listened; the Wuxiang Sect was truly bullying them too much.
Shen Yunsheng opened his eyes and sat up. The mountain cave was pitch black so he could not see Gu Shi’s expression, but he could sense his emotions, and said softly, “Gu Shi, do not listen to them. Recognize your own path.”
His voice carried the weakness of severe injuries, yet it was forceful beyond dispute, showing no surprise as if he had known all along. Turning his head toward him, though he similarly could not see him, Gu Shi could only sense his presence. “Shen Yunsheng, this matter started because of me. I will surely go to the Wuxiang Sect to find an antidote for you.”
Shen Yunsheng’s voice was exceptionally cold. “Gu Shi, a person who is indecisive cannot achieve great things. To me, you are merely one of the common masses of the sect. Had your cultivation not been heaven-defying today, I would not have helped you.”
This could be considered a response to the rumors earlier within the sect. In the end, he had taken those words to heart after all. Gu Shi did not offer any explanation either, simply stating, “If you did not possess the supreme Ice Spiritual Root, I would not have helped you either.”
Leaning against the cave wall, Shen Yunsheng stood up. He was too heavily injured, and his legs trembled from weakness, but he still managed to stand firm. “I will say it again: I do not need your help. Once I go back, I will take the sect master as my master, and from then on I am no longer a person of the Yuandao Sect.”
Gu Shi said, “Come back with me to the sect.”
Shen Yunsheng said coldly, “Fool, can you not see the situation clearly at all?”
Of course Gu Shi could see it clearly. If Shen Yunsheng had any other identity, he might weigh the pros and cons, but he was the male lead, one of the crucial hopes for saving the world.
Gu Shi said, “Shen Yunsheng, you promised my dad that you would be a person of the Yuandao Sect for a lifetime.”
Shen Yunsheng sighed, his tone softening for once. “Now others are the cleaver and the chopping board while we are the fish and the meat. Only by biding our time, gathering strength, and accumulating thickness can we possibly carve out a path to survival.”
Naturally trusting Shen Yunsheng’s character, Gu Shi hesitated. At the current rate, before the world-destroying demon lord even exerted himself, they would have destroyed themselves first. Moreover, given Shen Yunsheng’s aptitude, if he received the full cultivation of the Wuxiang Sect, he would probably grow even faster than he would in the Yuandao Sect. As long as his cultivation level went up, any Gu worms or shackles would become a joke.
“Alright, I will let you go, but I must leave a spiritual sense link in your spiritual consciousness to confirm you have not been turned into a puppet by the Wuxiang Sect.”
Shen Yunsheng seemed to heave a sigh of relief. “Fine.”