Chapter 79 The Kiss (Bonus Chapter for 1900 Nutrient Solution) He felt this...
Just as Li Chen was pondering what kind of fun to have, he suddenly heard Shen Zhengyuan say, "You made him something to eat too?"
He suddenly spoke, his voice calm and even, as if it were just a casual question.
Li Chen nodded and complained, "But that kid is much harder to please than you. He's very picky about food. He must be used to eating delicacies at home and looks down on my simple meals. In comparison, Sect Leader Shen is much easier to please. He'll eat whatever you give him and never complains."
"Easy to please?"
He repeated those three words very softly, the corners of his lips curving slightly, but there was no trace of a smile in his eyes.
He is naturally easy to please.
Even if he were to serve Li Chenjin instead, he would find Li Chenjin easy to serve.
They had always helped and served each other in that way, and in just one year, it felt like a lifetime. It was enough for him to savor and relive those memories for the next few hundred years, until those memories seeped into every inch of his bones like poison.
That was their past life, and it will be their future life. It should have been his alone, and it has always been his alone. Why should it be shared with others?
Why him?
Why Hanshannan?
What is he anyway?
He could easily crush a greenhorn like an ant with the flick of his finger. What right does he have to get close to her?
What right do I have to be a part of her life?
What right does he have to enjoy the life he's dreamed of for hundreds of years, yet still be so picky?
Damn it...
Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it...
Li Chen had no idea what Shen Zhengyuan was thinking at the moment, but she instinctively sensed that the atmosphere around her was a bit off, as if it was colder than before, which made her look up at Shen Zhengyuan.
As usual, Shen Zhengyuan sat quietly at the table, his face calm and expressionless. The only difference from usual was that he was in a daze.
Sigh... This guy used to be so clingy with her, but now he gets distracted even when we talk to each other for a few minutes.
She touched her nose, coughed, and said, "Well... Sect Leader Shen, since we have nothing to do right now and there are no outsiders in this room, why don't you tell me about the Demon Clan? I can be prepared in advance."
He slowly came to his senses, remained silent for a moment, and forcibly suppressed the murderous intent and ferocity surging in his heart before slowly raising his eyes to look at her. His voice was low and unreadable, "Back then, the world was in turmoil and many strange changes occurred. What do you want to know?"
"Let me tell you what the human world was like a few hundred years ago," Li Chenjin said with a slight smile. "I feel that what is happening now is somewhat similar to what I saw more than seven hundred years ago. The things causing trouble seem to want to recreate the disaster of that year, but I can't be sure for the time being, so I want to hear if there are any similarities."
Shen Zhengyuan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, as if he were lost in some dark memories, and his voice became somewhat gloomy, "Back then, the human world was hell."
"What do you mean?" Li Chen asked.
“Initially, there was still some order in the world. Although there was turmoil, people could still survive. But in just six years, the world was completely plunged into chaos,” Shen Zhengyuan said. “At that time, there was no longer any distinction between races. Everyone was scrambling to escape. Humans killed each other, demons devoured demons, people ate each other’s own kind, and no one recognized their own family.”
"I was young then, about six or seven years old. I had not yet entered the world of cultivation, nor did I know any magic. I could only follow my family to flee from place to place. Wherever we went, we saw corpses lying everywhere. During our escape, we often encountered groups of demon believers pretending to be refugees."
"When those demon followers see a living person, they will do everything they can to kill them, eating human flesh and wearing human skin. Even if those demon followers are killed, they will quickly come back to life, because they are not human, but puppets."
Li Chen was greatly surprised. "Could it be like those puppets in the Weeping Dew Pavilion?"
“Yes.” Shen Zhengyuan lowered his eyes and said coldly, “Those puppets look no different from ordinary people. Because of this, the people everywhere suffered heavy casualties, and the survivors had to flee to avoid the torture and killing by those demon believers. Even when the cultivation world intervened, they could only barely set up a barrier to keep those puppets out and create a few safe places for the people to live in.”
"But the areas that can be marked out were all remote and sparsely populated places with no food. Back then, I could only follow my parents to gnaw on tree bark and dig up earthworms to fill our stomachs. But those things were not enough to satisfy our hunger, and there were many people in the barrier. Before long, the tree bark and earthworms were all eaten up. Those who were still alive could only eat soil to fill their stomachs."
"But soil is not something humans can eat. Many people who eat soil have their bellies swollen like drums and hard as rocks, and they die from it. I have seen many people who died from soil. Their limbs were thin and they were skin and bones, but their bellies were swollen like balls, like the legendary hungry ghosts. But compared to those who died, the living are more like hungry ghosts in hell."
"When they couldn't find food, they had no choice but to eat the corpses of the dead. The dead were quickly devoured, and in order to survive, they turned their attention to children, whom they considered useless. Some people exchanged children to eat, while others simply snatched other people's children to eat."
"My parents were worried that I would also be captured and eaten, so they took me and escaped from the barrier, continuing their escape. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to successfully escape to another barrier. But as soon as we arrived, my father fell ill and died, and that place was also full of dangers. Although there were vendors selling steamed buns in the market, the filling was made of dead people's flesh mixed with wild vegetables, and the price was extremely expensive, not something ordinary people could afford."
“My mother couldn’t afford steamed buns, so she had to take me with her and find other things to fill our stomachs. She always gave me whatever she could find first, while she herself often went two or three days without a full meal, so soon… she fell ill.”
Shen Zhengyuan paused, his gaze unfocused, as if he were returning to the distant past at this moment. "Do you know? My mother was very, very ill back then. She would usually hold me and cry for half a day when she saw me injured, but at that time, she was so ill that she was delirious and sometimes she couldn't even recognize who I was."
“When she doesn’t recognize me, I tell her my name and that I am her son. But she still doesn’t recognize me. She just calls out to her own parents and begs me to buy her a meat bun.”
“I had no money and no spirit stones, so I had to go to that steamed bun shop, kneel on the ground and beg the owner to give me a steamed bun. He saw how pitiful I was, so he gave me a knife and told me that he couldn’t break the rules of the city, but he could give me a knife so I could use it to find food for my mother.”
“I know what he means. Back then, people were no different from livestock. It was the same law of the jungle. The strong could devour the weak alive and take their possessions. But I didn’t do that. I couldn’t hurt people weaker than me just because I had a knife. I didn’t want to become a beast that only knew how to benefit itself and harm others.”
"So I had no choice but to go back to that dilapidated temple, cut off my own flesh, and feed it to my mother. I just wanted her to get better, but after she ate the meat and regained consciousness, she cried and begged me to leave her alone..."
“I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want to go. I just wanted to stay with my mother. She didn’t want to eat my flesh, so I tried to find other ways. I looked for insects, for rats, and tried every possible way to make sure I had enough to eat. But in the end, she still left because I could find food, but I couldn’t find medicine for her… She still died of illness… just like my father, she died of illness…”
"But now, I've forgotten what she looks like, just like I've forgotten my father, my master, my fellow disciples, my friends... I have nothing left, not even my memories..."
Before he could finish speaking, Li Chenjin touched his face, and he immediately felt a warmth on his lips and a faint medicinal fragrance lingered in his nose.
He slowly closed his eyes, feeling the kiss that came suddenly and went just as quickly, and silently pursed his lips.
After Li Chen separated from him, she felt a little regretful. What had she been doing?
There's clearly still a major problem of her soul being bound together that hasn't been resolved, so why did she suddenly act so foolishly?
perhaps……
Perhaps it's because Shen Zhengyuan's eyes are so beautiful...
She poured herself a cup of tea, drank it, and then pretended that nothing had happened, saying, "Ahem... Back then, was everyone starving?"
Shen Zhengyuan snapped out of his reverie, shook his head, and said, "Those who starve to death and die of disease are always ordinary people, and only ordinary people. Back then, the rich and powerful still lived very well. So I vowed then that no matter what, I would fight for a place where everyone around me could eat their fill and live in peace, without having to worry about making a living."
And clearly, he did it.
In today's cultivation world, whether cultivators or ordinary people, everyone lives a very comfortable life, far more prosperous and peaceful than people in other cultivation worlds.
Moreover, Shen Zhengyuan is extremely protective of his own. In the cultivation world, whether they are disciples or ordinary people, if they are bullied outside, he will definitely stand up for them regardless of whether they are right or wrong.
Under his consistent teachings over the centuries, the entire Dharma cultivation community has become increasingly protective of its own, to the point that people everywhere will give way to anyone who hears the words "Dharma cultivation community".
Li Chen pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "So you mean that the human world was in chaos back then, with people exchanging their own children to eat, and the government granaries had grain but did not provide relief, watching helplessly as people starved to death?"
Shen Zhengyuan nodded. "This is due to the corruption of demonic energy. When the demons appeared in the world, the mortals were the most affected. The evil thoughts and desires in their hearts grew and expanded under the nourishment of demonic energy until they could no longer be suppressed. Driven by their evil thoughts, they became monsters who only knew how to kill. Those people could even obtain cultivation levels comparable to Nascent Soul cultivators without cultivation."
"But once that power is used, the soul will be gradually devoured by the demonic energy, eventually becoming a soulless puppet driven by the demons. At that time, the cultivation world can hardly protect itself. Although a mind-clearing array is set up to try to maintain the sanity of mortals within the barrier, this method is only a temporary solution. People within the barrier will continue to become new puppets."
“Those puppets were extremely clever and good at disguising themselves. They acted like ordinary people in normal times, but they killed people without shedding blood in secret. At that time, the cultivation world could not distinguish between puppets and ordinary people, nor could it kill puppets. They could only let them go and watch helplessly as people in the barrier starved to death, died of disease, or were killed by puppets and then assimilated into new puppets.”
Li Chen slowly said, "So those magic arrays I saw before were all specially created by you to counter the characteristics of the demons and puppets you saw back then?"
Seeing Shen Zhengyuan nod, she continued, "Then do you know what the demons intend to do by devouring so many souls? And what is their purpose in turning this world upside down?"
Shen Zhengyuan shook his head and said, "There is no conclusion to this matter yet. Originally, I thought it wanted to open the gates of the Demon Realm and welcome back its sealed kin. But later I discovered that it also harbors extreme hatred for its own kin."
"At that time, the gate to the Demon Realm was unsealed due to the intense demonic energy in the world, and countless demons emerged from the unsealed gate. However, upon discovering this, it devoured all its own kind who emerged from the gate and directly sealed off the passage from the Demon Realm to the human world, preventing other demons from coming to the human world."
"Clearly, it is a demon left alone in the human world, isolated and helpless. In the end, it will only be besieged and wiped out by the cultivation world and the demon world, but it seems to care nothing about it. As for the things in the human world, I have not found a conclusion. It seems to be happy to see the human world turn into a purgatory and to enjoy watching the suffering of all living beings. It doesn't care about anything, not even its followers."
“This is indeed strange,” Li Chen said. “After that battle hundreds of years ago, it couldn’t possibly be unaware of the current wariness of the cultivation world, especially the magic cultivation world. Yet its actions are still so ostentatious, as if it’s intentionally trying to lure us here.”
Shen Zhengyuan nodded. "We are in the open, while it is in the shadows. Its current actions are indeed intended to lure us into its trap."
"But that doesn't matter. Although this game is played on the world, I will be the one to win in the end."
Li Chen glanced at him slowly, then suddenly smiled and said, "I think what Cultivator Shen said is still not quite accurate."
“Master Shen is not an arrogant person. Since he is so certain now... who knows, it might actually be him in the open while we are in the dark?”
Shen Zhengyuan did not respond, but silently picked up the teapot and refilled the cup in front of her.
Li Chen stared at the silent man opposite him with his eyes downcast, then suddenly raised his hand and gently covered the man's hand, which was still holding the teapot.
When Shen Zhengyuan felt the warmth of her palm, he paused and slowly looked up at her, meeting her gentle, watery eyes. Even her voice seemed softer than usual, as if she were afraid of disturbing something.
“Ah Yuan, it’s all in the past.” She smiled slightly. “Your parents, teachers, relatives and friends… they won’t blame you for forgetting them. They will only hope that you forget those painful memories and that you can live a better and better life.”
"Just like me. If I were gone one day, I wouldn't care if the sweet fermented rice balls forgot me. In fact, I might even wish that it could forget me, hoping that it could be happy every day and live a peaceful life, and that it wouldn't be sad because it thought of me."
"So, A-Yuan, if possible, I sincerely hope that you can let go of your obsession with me and let matters of life and death take their natural course, without forcing them."
"To be honest, in my heart, the only people I can entrust my life to are Mingcun and you..."
Shen Zhengyuan: "..."
He remained silent, but his hand under the table began to slowly tighten, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his clothes, creating layers of wrinkles.
I forgot...
I forgot...
I forgot...
These two words echoed wildly in his mind, as if his mind had been driven mad by them, but his face remained calm and composed, his gaze fixed intently on Li Chenjin.
I forgot...
But how could that be?
He can't do it...
It's impossible, it's impossible, it's impossible...
His gaze was fixed on the person opposite him, as if his soul had floated out of his body and was silently entwining and enveloping her.
If only he really were an evil spirit...
Being a human is far less comfortable than being an evil spirit.
But it doesn't matter, he thought almost indifferently.
Even if he wasn't an evil spirit, he could still prevent anyone he cared about from leaving him.
Right now, the only person he cares about is Li Chenjin, so...
She can't leave, she can't leave him. If even she's gone, then he really...
There's really nothing left...
so……
Let's just keep going like this.
Regardless of life or death, regardless of love or hate, we will continue to entangle ourselves until the end of heaven and earth.
He watched as Li Chenjin across from him picked up a piece of tea and handed it to him, and smiled slightly in return.
He obediently took the pastry, put it in his mouth, and took a small bite. However, his gaze never left her for a moment, as if he was not eating a pastry, but Li Chenjin's heart. This made Li Chenjin feel ashamed.
She had just finished comforting him when she noticed his strange gaze, a sinister look that seemed to be directed at her like a malevolent spirit. This made her start to doubt whether what she had just said was truly comforting.
She was feeling uneasy under Shen Zhengyuan's gaze, so she wanted to give him a piece of pastry to distract him. However, she never expected that he would watch her eat. Could it be that this guy suddenly wanted to taste her flesh?
That should be...
Surely...it shouldn't be that bad?
Tsk, I really shouldn't have let that kid Han Shannan leave. I should have let her go instead to keep those two girls company. Isn't it more comfortable to chat with girls than to keep Shen Zhengyuan company?
Tsk...
………………
Meanwhile, Han Shannan, who was on Li Chenjin's mind, was sent to the outer room by the two men after they went upstairs. He was made to squat at the door and guard the door, just like when Jiu Niang Yuanzi guarded the door. At this moment, he was secretly cursing Li Chenjin for being unethical. He knew that he would be made difficult if he came up, but he still only let him come up alone.
Although he was very unhappy at the moment, he thought that those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. Besides, he had already made a bold promise that he would find out something that Li Chen could not guess. Otherwise, he would have no face to go back and see that man, dog and old madman.
He waited at the door until midnight, but there was no movement outside. He was so sleepy that he closed his eyes and started to doze off.
His head bobbed up and down like a chick pecking at rice, until his head tilted to the side and he almost fell to the ground, when he suddenly heard a creaking sound of a door opening outside.
It was the dead of night, and the surroundings were so quiet that he could hear the breathing of the two people inside and his own heartbeat, which instantly woke him up.
As soon as he regained consciousness, the creaking sound of the door slowly opening seemed particularly abrupt in the night, echoing eerily in his ears and sending chills down his spine.
As soon as the door closed, he pressed his ear against it, listening intently to the footsteps outside.
Just as the two men had said, the footsteps were so light that they seemed as if the person outside was merely touching the ground with their fingertips, so faint that they were almost imperceptible.
He listened intently to the direction of the footsteps, and as soon as the footsteps faded into the distance, he immediately went out to follow them.
But as he listened, he noticed something was amiss.
The footsteps were light, but not as swift as the two men had described; on the contrary, they were unusually slow.
Tap...tap...tap...
The people outside are slowly making their way forward.
But soon he noticed that the slow footsteps had suddenly disappeared.
No, to be precise, it stopped.
and……
He stopped right outside this door, just one door away from him.
Han Shannan's Adam's apple bobbed as he silently swallowed, fearing that someone outside might force their way in.
Although he has ways to deal with things that try to break in, if that happens, he will definitely gain nothing tonight and may even alert the enemy.
At that time, he will definitely be ridiculed to death by that old man in the cultivation world!
No way! Even if he dies, he can't die laughing at that old man!!
He slowly looked up. In the hallway outside, the candles that had been extinguished had been lit again at some point. The dim light cast the silhouettes of two figures standing side by side on the door. They stood there quietly, silently, and motionless, like two human silhouettes pasted onto the door, which made the person who saw them feel uneasy.
Fortunately, he had been crouching by the door the whole time; otherwise, he would have been exposed when the candles were lit.
"Knock...knock...knock...knock..."
A few soft knocks sounded, followed by a brief pause, then two soft voices peeked through the crack in the door, "Junior Sister..."
"Junior sister...open the door, it's your senior sister...Junior sister...I know you're not asleep, let's have a heart-to-heart talk...Junior sister...Junior sister...open the door...Junior sister..."
The voice seemed to possess some kind of magic; though faint, it penetrated directly into his ears. Even though there was a door between them, it felt as if it were whispering right next to his ear, making the hairs on his body stand on end and sending chills down his spine.
What exactly is going on in this place?
It was even scarier than any evil spirit he had ever encountered before!
Even he, who was not afraid of evil spirits, was now somewhat frightened!
Fortunately, after the sound continued for a while and there was no response from inside the house, it stopped bothering and slowly turned to leave.
Before Han Shannan could even catch his breath, there was a knock on the door of the next room, and soon someone answered and opened the door.
Before opening the door, the person seemed to be muttering something, still half asleep, but the moment the door opened, they suddenly fell silent, as if they had fallen asleep again the instant the door opened...
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