Chapter 57 Blasphemy 6. Even on the verge of death, one can still dream of this…

Shen Zhuan's words were true; the Shen family was indeed different from before. Even in the middle of the night, they were still carrying lamps, and many servants came and went, but they all looked uneasy and walked in a hurry.

Upon entering Mingyuan, the smell of incense and medicine was so strong it was almost unbearable. The courtyard was filled with lingering smoke, indicating that a religious ceremony had recently been held, and not just one.

Shen Zhuan sat dejectedly on the veranda, his face filled with sorrow and despair. He watched the servants moving through the smoke, his heart feeling as if it were weighed down by a heavy stone.

A moment later, a doctor came out carrying a medicine box. Upon hearing the commotion, Shen Zhuan immediately got up to greet him, but because he had been sitting stiffly for too long and was sleep-deprived, his limbs became numb and his vision blurred, and he almost collapsed.

The doctor quickly helped him up.

Shen Zhuan looked at the other person expectantly, but only saw him avoid his gaze and sigh, "Mr. Shen, please accept my condolences."

A moment later, an old monk with a cloth bag over his shoulder appeared, and he shook his head at Shen Zhuan as well: "Young benefactor Shen was not harmed by demons, but should just have caught a common cold. It is not uncommon for colds to kill people. For some reason, young benefactor Shen is deficient in both essence and blood, and has caught a cold. It is quite normal that he cannot recover."

"This humble monk can only subdue demons and monsters, but is not a modern-day Hua Tuo..."

Shen Zhuan stared at the two people in front of him, his face twitched, and his body fell straight backward, landing hard on the porch.

These were his last two hopes.

One was Master Yuanxin, a famous sorcerer in Xiling County, and the other was a disciple of the renowned healer Da Chijiao, who was highly regarded throughout Beizhu. Unfortunately, their stories were no different from those of other sorcerers and healers.

Shen Zhuan's mouth went limp, and he couldn't speak. The doctor saw that something was wrong and quickly called over a nearby servant: "Quickly, lay Mr. Shen down!" Then he took out silver needles and quickly inserted them into several acupoints.

Outside the bedroom door, there was a complete mess.

The white cat glanced at the scene, then moved on silently and entered through the window.

Apart from two maids, there was no one else in the inner room of the bedroom.

The white cat gently shook its fur, and the two maids felt sleepy and, unable to resist, fell asleep against the bedside in the blink of an eye.

This kind of sedation technique, along with other spells such as illusion, astral projection, condensing incense ash into all things, and cutting paper into spiritual objects, were all things that Chu Shenxiang had painstakingly studied when he first came to this world, in order to escape his predicament and seek the method of cultivating immortality and becoming a god. He did not achieve anything at the time, but twelve years ago, on the day he was suddenly inspired by heaven and earth and became a god, all these things that he had figured out himself, which seemed to be figments of his imagination, suddenly became usable.

There are even more advanced techniques, such as the Universe in a Sleeve, Moving Mountains and Overturning Seas, and the Five Elements Escape Technique. He vaguely sensed that these were also feasible, but he couldn't use them due to his current low level of divine power.

The white cat approached only after the maids had fallen asleep.

The embroidered curtains of the canopy bed hung down, obscuring the view of its interior.

The white cat found a gap in the bed curtains, slipped gently through, and finally saw Shen Mingxin, whom it hadn't seen for five or six days.

Young Master Shen had lost a lot of weight. Even with his clothes and blankets covering him, he looked rather frail and sickly.

Even so, he was still handsome.

But this handsomeness is no longer that of a living person, nor the handsomeness of an elf, but a cold, withered handsomeness, like the handsomeness of a late-blooming flower that has lost all color and vitality in the autumn season, waiting to wither and fade.

Her cheeks were flushed, her long hair was dark blue, her lips were as red as congealed blood, and her skin was deathly pale.

Eerie, gloomy, and eerily sinister.

There's no life left in them.

It was frighteningly cold inside the bed curtains; there was no warmth.

The drenched sweat, the rapid, indistinct breathing, and that burning yet tender energy were all gone. Without careful listening, the white cat might not even detect that he was still breathing. After countless years, Chu Shenxiang once again witnessed the passing and withering of life so closely.

In the past, whether people begged him or not, he couldn't help them.

What about this time?

The white cat sat crouching beside the pillow, its dark blue eyes lowered, gazing at the dying young master of the Shen family.

Outside, Shen Zhuan caught his breath, his voice trembling with age as he suppressed a sob. Master Yuanxin, the doctor, and his servants all tried to comfort him.

Inside the room, Shen Ming remained motionless, the rise and fall of his chest gradually diminishing in the flickering candlelight.

In a temple deep in the mountains, Chu Shenxiang sighed.

At the same time, the white cat lowered its head, forehead to forehead, and sent a wisp of pure energy transformed from divine power into Shen Mingxin's body through the blue rune between its eyebrows.

The pure energy dispels the pathogenic factors.

Visibly, the grayness between Shen Mingxin's brows dissipated, the strange flush on her cheeks and lips faded, the rise and fall of her chest and the breathing from her mouth and nose instantly became much stronger, and even her thin and cold body regained a touch of vitality.

Seeing this, the white cat didn't linger and turned to leave.

But before he could take two steps, a faint, indistinct voice suddenly sounded behind him, as if calling, "Brother..."

The white cat stopped and turned to look at the source of the sound.

Shen Mingxin had just escaped the brink of death and was still unconscious; this sound was merely a murmur in his sleep.

Shen Mingxin seemed to have just regained some vitality when she was entangled in some kind of dream. Her tongue, strangely scarlet due to illness and death, slid out, wet and sticking out. Her eyebrows were furrowed, glistening with dew.

The white cat's pupils were slightly vertical.

How can someone who's about to die dream about something like this?

No, that's not right. It's because Shen Mingxin's death aura had just subsided when his life force surged back too quickly, causing his seven emotions and six desires, which belong to a living person, to erupt as his soul and body were awakened.

After all, life and death, and the seven emotions and six desires, are often inseparable.

Of all these desires, the first two intimate encounters, whether Shen Mingxin knew it or not, were probably the most unforgettable and immediately took the lead.

Once Chu Shenxiang understood, she was no longer surprised. She simply turned her gaze away and looked at him calmly.

He couldn't see how Shen Mingxin tossed and turned under the thick quilt; he could only see the face on the pillow, how she stuck out her tongue and bit her lip, how she groaned and moaned, and how, in the hazy midnight embroidered curtains, her face flushed with a more astonishing red than when she was on the verge of death.

She truly is a beautiful ghost who crawled out of the River of Oblivion.

Due to his serious illness and weakened constitution, Shen Mingxin's desires were short-lived this time, subsiding in less than a quarter of an hour.

He immediately fell into a deep sleep, his face becoming peaceful. A night breeze blew, leaving only a faint, lingering scent from inside the bed curtains.

The white cat turned its head indifferently and left the bed curtains.

As it passed through the bedroom and jumped onto the windowsill, it couldn't resist pausing for a moment, then swept its tail and used a gentle breeze technique to cleanse Shen Mingxin's body.

...

Shen Mingxin was awakened by a scream.

In the hazy light, the swaying shadows of Qinggui and Baimo were right before my eyes. Soon, a commotion arose, and my grandfather's face appeared, as if seen through a layer of mist, indistinct. Only the sobbing of joy mixed with murmurs could be heard, as if he were saying something about God's blessing and Shenxiangjun's forgiveness.

After that, Shen Mingxin fell asleep again. In his drowsy state, he seemed to recall a doctor and a monk entering the room.

Incense smoke began to burn again inside the room.

Shen Mingxin's typhoid fever not only came on quickly, but also went away very quickly.

By the third day, he was fully awake, had no fever, and was even able to get out of bed and walk around. By the fifth day, his appetite had returned, and he could eat normally without any problems.

By the seventh day, he was completely recovered. He put on a red robe, wore gold and jade ornaments, and waved a folding fan. His eyes were bright and lively, but he was still a little thin, which made Shen Zhuan very concerned. He kept him at home to nourish himself and did not allow him to go out and fool around. He also specially invited a martial arts master to teach Shen Mingxin boxing and kicking skills to strengthen his body.

Practicing martial arts was one thing, and Shen Mingxin was quite interested in it, so he accepted it. But being confined and not allowed to go out was unacceptable. Apart from reading storybooks, Shen Mingxin wasn't the type to stay at home. Now that he had recovered and was full of energy, not being allowed to go out was something he really couldn't stand.

He went to confront Shen Zhuan, who pretended to be embarrassed but advised him: "Several doctors have said that you are deficient in both essence and blood and need to replenish them properly. Avoid overwork and abstain from sexual activity for the next month or two. It's better for you to stop fooling around."

Shen Mingxin's forehead veins throbbed: "Grandpa, how many times have I told you? I haven't been fooling around, and I'm not interested in those things! I'm still a virgin, a pure and innocent man, and I only long for one love for life..."

"So where did all the money go when you went out?" Shen Zhuan's words pinned Shen Mingxin down. "Last time you spent three or four hundred taels in one day. Do you know how much money an ordinary family could not save in a lifetime? The only places in the world that can afford to squander money like this are those that pray to Buddha and gods. Do you really think your grandfather is a fool?"

“What man doesn’t think about those things? I told you I wanted to arrange a marriage for you, but you refused. I thought you were still young and would wait. Now that you’re an adult, it’s time to…”

"Stop! Stop harming good people!"

Shen Mingxin was too lazy to argue. He left with a single sentence, flicked his sleeves, and walked away.

Having battled with Shen Mingxin for many years, Shen Zhuan naturally knew that his grandson would not give up so easily. So he secretly ordered that people be kept on high alert at Mingyuan Garden and that the young master not be allowed to sneak out.

But the devil is one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall. Two days later, Shen Mingxin finally found an opportunity and slipped out with his personal servant, Shushi.

As soon as he stepped out of his house, Shen Mingxin felt a sense of freedom, like "fish leaping in the vast sea and birds soaring in the boundless sky." After taking a few deep breaths of the outside air, he opened his folding fan, raised his eyebrows with a flourish, and said, "Let's go to Fukuda-in first. Did you take the money pouch?"

“I did take it,” Soseki replied, his face showing hesitation, “but young master, during your illness, Fukuda-in has changed a bit, perhaps… not quite the same.”

Shen Mingxin paused, somewhat confused.

When he arrived at Futianyuan on the outskirts of Yu County, he finally understood what Soseki meant.

Futian Temple was an institution established by the Northern Pearl Kingdom in various counties, specifically responsible for taking in widowed, orphaned, lonely elderly people, orphans, and starving people. The name "Futian" comes from Buddhist scriptures and means that accumulating good deeds will bring blessings, just like spring sowing of the earth and autumn harvest.

In recent years, with the joint support of the county government, Buddhist and Taoist temples, and wealthy families in the city, Yu County also opened a Futian Courtyard, which was a place Shen Mingxin often sneaked over to.

In the past, although Futian Courtyard was dirty and poor, it was quiet, and people of all ages and disabilities were busy with their own affairs. Even if they were just growing vegetables or raising chickens, they still managed to make a living. But today, for some reason, incense is burning brightly.

Before autumn was over, all the vegetables in the yard had withered, and the chickens had disappeared. The whole yard was crowded into the dimly lit shrine, with thin backs bent over, worshipping a strange statue of a deity surrounded by incense smoke.

Beside the statue, there was a child with a face painted with spring branches, leading them and chanting something.

What is that?

Shen Mingxin suddenly noticed the main offering covered with a red cloth on the altar; it seemed to be wriggling.

Shushi glanced at it, his throat tightened, and he said in a low voice, "Young Master, do you still remember the baby girl that Granny Mo saved last month? I heard that Lord Chunshan is the true god who has appeared most often in the neighboring Redwood County. They say that to invite Lord Chunshan into their home, they need a boy and a girl, preferably infants..."

"Bang!"

A loud bang.

Before Soseki could finish speaking, Shen Mingxin's eyes blazed with anger, and he kicked open the door of Fukuda-in.

The noise of kicking the door was so loud that everyone in the courtyard was startled and turned to look.

The only standing boy was the first to react, shouting angrily, "Who dares to trespass and disrupt the ritual of inviting the gods!"

This shout brought many people in the hall back to their senses. One of the old women opened her eyes wide and exclaimed, "Young Master Chen?"

"What Young Master Shen?" Tong Zi frowned.

Shen Mingxin strode in, his anger instantly vanishing, replaced by a smile: "I'm not some young master Shen. My surname is Shen, and my given name is Mingxin. I used to secretly come to Futian Courtyard, avoiding my family, to donate money and rice. I could only be considered a benevolent person, right?"

The boy didn't care about whether he was a benevolent or not. He swept his whisk and said, "So what if he's a benevolent person? Since he's just an idle person, he should quickly get out of the way and not disturb the ceremony!"

Shen Mingxin opened his folding fan, his gaze sweeping lightly over the people in the hall and the red cloth on the table. He smiled and said, "Oh, how can these be considered idle people? Xiling mostly worships the Great Goddess Tongtian. Other deities are rarely seen in Xiling, and even less so in Yu County. I'm really curious and would like to observe the ceremony. Is that alright?"

"Isn't the more people who witness the ritual of inviting a deity, the better? Could it be that the ritual isn't approved by the Prefect and is just some wild deity from Yu County being brought in without permission...?"

The boy immediately flew into a rage: "Stop talking nonsense! Lord Chunshan's entry into Yu County was permitted by the Prefect of Xiling. How dare the Magistrate of Yu County interfere!"

Shen Mingxin covered his mouth with his fan, looking suddenly realized and apologetic: "I misspoke. Since the prefect has approved this, I must attend the ceremony. But it's not proper to attend empty-handed. Shushi!"

Shen Mingxin called for someone.

Soseki immediately stepped forward and took out a silver note.

The boy's expression immediately changed.

Shen Mingxin smiled and approached the offering table. "In that case, the fairy boy won't be unwelcome, will he?"

The boy lowered his eyes and cleared his throat: "My god's power is boundless, and he saves all people under heaven. He will not turn anyone away. If Young Master Chen is so inclined, then please stay and observe the ceremony."

Shen Mingxin stood to one side, looking at the pairs of yellow, dull, and numb eyes in the hall, her heart sinking.

A god came to Fukuda-in today, so there was no one there.

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Author's Note: [Laughing and crying with face covered] I've noticed that the little angels have been watering me too much lately, and the nutrient solution growth rate has increased rapidly. After the nutrient solution reaches 10,000, it should become 5,000 nutrient solution for every extra chapter. The author is a useless office worker, and 1,000 nutrient solution for every extra chapter is really a bit too much for me. [Please] I'm begging for mercy on my knees.

The initial target price for the OnePlus collection was 5k, and that shouldn't change in the future.

Of course, if the serialization period exceeds 50,000 words (Fantasy Moment [Hands in prayer]), it will be changed to 10,000 words per bonus chapter, and the same applies to collections and nutrient solution.

[Pigeon] I never thought that I, the procrastinator of Suzhou, would have a day when I could talk about extra chapters (secretly).