The mighty Holy Lord Shen was unparalleled; even the ruthless water ghosts, who treated human life with contempt, gave him a wide berth.
The lotus flowers in the sewage continued to grow wildly, quickly spreading towards the water ghost's boat. The water ghost pushed off with its pole, its face grim as it drifted backward.
Shen Gurong swung his sword again.
Lin Xia Chun, in Shen Feng Xue's hands, unleashed a torrent of frost and killing intent with a casual swing; but in Shen Gurong's hands, the sword intent was as gentle as a spring breeze, soft as rain and swaying in the wind, without a trace of coldness.
With a crisp sound, the sword intent, carrying with it the black sewage, severed a piece of the pole in the water ghost's hand.
The water ghost, its expression grim, stared intently at Shen Gurong, but forced by the lingering, sharp pressure emanating from Shen Gurong, it spurred its boat backward, abandoning even the broken piece of pole.
Before the severed half of the boat pole even hit the water, a lotus flower swiftly unfurled its petals, then plunged into the water.
The next moment, the lotus, as if possessed, emerged from beneath Shen Gurong's feet, swaying gently as it presented the broken piece of the pole to him.
Shen Gurong, his expression indifferent, caught the small piece of pole and tossed it to Wen Liubing without a second glance.
The pole seemed to possess some strange power, but Shen Gurong didn't know how to use it, so he feigned profundity and left it to Wen Liubing, letting his disciple figure it out himself.
He looked down at the lotus, which seemed to be dancing, and even though he had almost grown accustomed to this world, seeing this humanoid lotus still felt incredibly exciting.
Wen Liubing, now off the swaying boat, looked much better. He stood up, stepped onto the lotus, and caught the pole.
"Master," Wen Liubing carefully examined the boat pole and truthfully said, "This seems to be of little use."
Shen Gurong: "..."
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Wen Liubing was too straightforward and didn't understand how to consider his master's feelings. He always believed that "Master has his reasons for everything he does," so he couldn't see the embarrassment on Shen Gurong's face and continued to ask, "Master, is there some other purpose to handing this boat pole to Sanshui?"
Shen Gurong thought expressionlessly: To shut you up.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Wen Liubing, oblivious to others' expressions, continued, "Master?"
Mu Zhe thought to himself, 'Master hasn't expelled you from the sect all these years; he's really been kind to you.'
Seeing that Shen Gurong was about to start inventing another insult, Mu Zhe coughed and said, "Senior Brother, the most important thing right now is to subdue the water ghost."
The water ghost, seemingly wary of Shen Gurong's sudden return to spiritual power yet unwilling to let him go, stood on the dilapidated boat, gripping most of the boat pole, coldly watching them from a distance.
Wen Liubing never allowed others to interfere in his affairs, especially since he had long disliked Mu Zhe. Hearing this, he glared at him coldly, his eyes like knives: "I don't need you to remind me."
Mu Zhe seemed startled, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Shen Gurong noticed this unintentionally, his brows immediately furrowing. He quickly stepped onto the lotus and walked to Mu Zhe's side, shielding him behind him, coldly staring at Wen Liubing.
Wen Liubing immediately said, "I didn't do anything."
Before he finished speaking, Mu Zhe wrapped his arms around Shen Gurong's slender waist, burying his face in his chest as if terrified.
Shen Gurong's eyes grew even fiercer.
Wen Liubing: "..."
Wen Liubing's face turned pale with anger. He glared fiercely at the back of Mu Zhe's head again, then expressionlessly picked up his sword and went to fight the water ghost.
Xue Manzhuang had already flown back. He circled a few times, trying to land on Shen Gurong's shoulder, but Shen Gurong slapped him down without any politeness. He could only stand on a lotus flower, chirping twice in a pitiful manner.
The water ghost gently tapped its boat pole in the water, ripples spreading outwards. It seemed to realize something, its brow furrowing: "The phoenix has recognized its master..."
Shen Gurong was completely unable to use his spiritual power within the water ghost's barrier. The terrifying aura he had just displayed was only temporarily usable thanks to the spiritual power of the phoenix's recognition of its master.
Thinking this, the water ghost sneered. With a jolt of its pole, countless vengeful spirits rose again from the water, forming a dense wall in the air to block Wen Liubing's approach on his lotus-like form.
Wen Liubing slashed with his sword, cleaving a sharp gash in the wall of vengeful spirits. Then, its spiritual power exploded, annihilating all the spirits.
However, as the vengeful spirits rained down, the water ghost, along with its boat, which had been nearby, vanished without a trace.
Wen Liubing's pupils contracted, his reaction incredibly fast. Almost without thinking, he swung his sword backhand, the sword intent, imbued with the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, sweeping across the dark water and causing the icy water to boil.
With a deafening roar, the sword intent grazed past Shen Gurong, exploding abruptly behind him.
The splashed black water droplets rained down, catching Shen Gurong off guard and showering him with them, even dripping a few drops onto his long, white hair.
Startled, Shen Gurong trembled slightly, bending down to shield Mu Zhe's small body beneath him.
After the black rain subsided, Shen Gurong, still shaken, thought for the first time: 'Traitorous disciple, are you finally going to kill your master?!'
The rebellious disciple rushed over, stepping quickly across the scattered lotus leaves, and cried out, "Master, watch your step!"
Those four words, and Shen Gurong, for some unknown reason, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine from his feet to his calves. He scooped Mu Zhe up and, without thinking, unleashed a burst of spiritual energy towards the ground.
Lin Xia Chun had vanished from his grasp at some point.
Xue Manzhuang's demon form was still in its infancy, with very little usable spiritual energy. Shen Gurong's two sword strikes had already used up almost all of Xue Manzhuang's remaining spiritual energy, so this attack had little effect, barely shattering the lotus flowers on the water's surface.
From the water's surface, the sinister face of the water ghost appeared.
He was propelling the boat, yet he could still submerge underwater.
The water ghost seemed to blend into the ink-like water, only its white pupils staring intently at him through the thin layer of water.
Shen Gurong nearly cried out in alarm, barely managing to hold back that embarrassing noise.
He quickly retreated a few steps; the overwhelming lotus blossoms were slowly withering, leaving no place to even step.
Just as Shen Gurong was about to fall into the water, Wen Liubing swiftly swung the half-pole he was holding at him.
The moment it hit the water, the pole transformed into a small boat.
Without thinking, Shen Gurong tossed Mu Zhe onto the boat, and as he was about to land himself, he watched helplessly as the boat, along with a bewildered Mu Zhe, vanished from the water.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Was he having a particularly unlucky day?
The pole, transformed into a small boat, forcibly transported Mu Zhe out of the water ghost barrier, but the remaining two people and the phoenix met with a terrible fate.
Xue Manzhuang was alright; he had a place to fly freely, and even if he got lost in the thick fog, he could return after a short time.
However, as Shen Gurong's spiritual power dissipated, the lotus flower withered rapidly, and in no time, the two of them couldn't even find a place to land.
Shen Gurong, his robes fluttering, landed on the last lotus flower, his brows furrowed as he looked at Wen Liubing: "You said you had a method to break the water ghost's barrier, what is it?"
Wen Liubing kept his head slightly tilted back, avoiding looking at the water. He held the Lanting Sword in his hand, his eyes cold as he slightly rotated the weapon, and said, "Killing him will allow us to leave."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Has his disciple always been this reckless? Has he never been killed in all these years?
"The ghost cultivators of Dongting are all evildoers," Wen Liubing said coldly. "This water ghost, perhaps enlightened by someone, escaped from Dongting. On his way to Liren Peak, he has already killed several people. Even if we can capture him and bring him back to Dongting, he's doomed anyway."
Shen Gurong remained silent.
Seeing Shen Gurong's pensive expression, Wen Liubing's coldness softened slightly. He respectfully handed Shen Gurong his natal sword, saying, "Master, please take this sword."
Shen Gurong frowned slightly. "Hmm?"
"Your Lin Xia Chun sword isn't with you, and your spiritual power is too weak right now. You need a divine weapon for protection."
Shen Gurong was taken aback. Lin Xia Chun?
Wasn't that Shen Feng Xue's natal sword, Lin Xia Chun, that he had just been holding?
Why wasn't it with him?
He tilted his head, thinking for a moment, then stumbled. The last lotus flower seemed about to wither and turn to ashes.
His last foothold was about to disappear. A panic gripped Shen Gurong's heart. He suddenly recalled Shen Feng Xue's words from earlier:
"You must learn how to survive on your own."
"On your own..."
Shen Gurong suddenly felt lost.
Since arriving in this world, everything he encountered had either relied on Xi Guxing or Shen Feng Xue. He didn't even dare to easily kill a plague demon that had possessed Mu Zhe's body.
Within this water demon barrier, if he didn't kill the water demon, he would die.
If he died, could he still go home?
Thinking this, Shen Gurong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He had never dared to consider this thought since arriving here. He feared he wouldn't be able to go home, wouldn't be able to see his parents, brothers, and sisters again.
The fear of this possibility was so intense that when Shen Gurong thought of "not being able to go home," his heart ached, and his hand instinctively gripped Wen Liubing's Lanting Sword tightly.
He lowered his gaze to the withering lotus flowers at his feet, and suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, he thrust the sword into the water.
The pitch-black water seemed composed of countless vengeful spirits, each carrying a sharp sword tip. A deafening chorus of screams erupted from beneath his feet as countless hands struggled, reaching out to drag him down into this boundless inferno.
Shen Gurong thought, 'I didn't come here to die.'
He closed his eyes slightly, ignoring the ghostly hands that seemed like shadows reaching for his legs.
Although Shen Feng Xue's memories were fragmented, his instinct for fighting ghost cultivators remained.
Shen Gurong searched through those memories for a moment, finally finding a solution in a corner.
He suddenly opened his eyes and called out to Xue Manzhuang, who was flying around in the sky, "Xue Manzhuang, come here."
Xue Manzhuang, completely oblivious to the danger, immediately flew back upon hearing the beauty's call, chirping sweetly.
Shen Gurong asked, "Can you still use phoenix fire?"
Xue Manzhuang tilted his head slightly and gave a blank "Chirp."
Shen Gurong said, "Fire."
Xue Manzhuang suddenly realized, and after holding his eyes closed for a long time, he finally opened his sharp beak and spat out a small cluster of phoenix fire.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Although Xue Manzhuang was already an adult, he was still unable to use much phoenix fire because he had been forcibly reverted to his cub stage.
Shen Gurong suddenly sighed, "Every cause has its effect; retribution has come."
That water ghost was too cunning, navigating the water in a boat, and even with Wen Liubing's cultivation level, he couldn't find its hiding place.
Seeing Shen Gurong talking to Xue Manzhuang about phoenix fire, Wen Liubing raised an eyebrow slightly: "Master wants to use fire to fight the water ghost?"
Shen Gurong nodded: "Although what we're standing on looks like water, it's actually just an underground river formed by countless vengeful spirits."
Phoenix fire can burn everything in the world, and it's especially effective against things of yin and evil.
Hearing Shen Gurong praise his fire for being useful, Xue Manzhuang immediately jumped up and down, excitedly wanting to breathe more fire.
He struggled for a long time before finally spitting out the phoenix fireball from his beak. Seeing his pained expression, as if he were about to vomit his internal organs, Shen Gurong, though disgusted by Xue Manzhuang, ultimately felt a trace of pity.
"Stop vomiting," Shen Gurong said, unusually patting Xue Manzhuang's head. "This should be enough."
Xue Manzhuang, who had been on the verge of death, was momentarily stunned by the head pat, then immediately jumped up, chirping and insisting on breathing fire for the beautiful Feng Xue.
Shen Gurong patted him a couple more times and said, "Stay quietly on my shoulder."
Xue Manzhuang immediately fell silent, happily perching on Shen Gurong's left shoulder, his little head swaying left and right.
Shen Gurong ignored him, suspending the phoenix flame on the Lanting Sword, then instructing Wen Liubing to control the spirit sword like water.
Wen Liubing nodded, controlling the reluctant spirit sword to pierce the water with a whoosh, beginning to dart about searching for the water ghost.
The water ghost's barrier resembled a long river, with the Lanting Sword, carrying the phoenix flame, moving straight and fast. The vengeful spirit, fearing the spirit sword and even more so the phoenix flame, screamed and fled from them.
Just moments later, a scream came from not far away, followed by the Lanting Sword emerging from the water, carrying a chilling aura, returning to Wen Liubing's hand.
The phoenix flame was extremely powerful, instantly scorching the water ghost severely.
The boat, carrying the water ghost, slowly floated out of the water.
The water ghost, covered in blood, struggled to hold onto the edge of the boat, its eyes still fiercely glaring at Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong used his last bit of spiritual power, raising his hand and spreading a lotus path in the water. He was about to get up and go over when Wen Liubing stopped him: "Master, water ghosts are cunning; we must be careful."
Shen Gurong ignored him, stepping onto a lotus and leaving, his white hair flowing freely, gently lifted by an invisible wind.
He walked slowly forward to the water ghost's dilapidated boat, looking down at the disheveled creature, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes.
The water ghost seemed to sense something and suddenly let out a sinister laugh: "I never imagined that the Holy Lord Shen, who once single-handedly slain countless ghost cultivators with his sword, would possess such compassion? This truly broadens my horizons."
Shen Gurong said calmly, "I don't pity you; I only pity those you innocently killed."
"Innocent?" The water ghost grinned. "Are there any innocent people in this world? If you hadn't blinded me back then, they wouldn't have been able to be killed by me."
Shen Gurong was unmoved by his words, simply saying, "Nonsense."
Another wisp of phoenix fire clung to the water ghost, gradually burning away his body formed of yin energy. Perhaps because he had died once, his face showed no fear of death; instead, his expression became even more crazed.
"Nan Yangjun protected you for so many years, even going so far as to make a deal with the demon race, establishing that hundred-year pact," the water ghost said hoarsely, "but Shen Feng Xue, you left Liren Peak..."
Shen Gurong was stunned, frowning as he looked at him.
The water ghost suddenly burst into laughter: "My boat can't dock, and neither can yours."
Shen Gurong thought, "What kind of nonsense is this? Is it some kind of esoteric scripture?"
He was about to press further when he saw the water ghost gripping the edge of the boat, attempting to force its way into the water.
Wen Liubing reacted swiftly, swinging his Lanting Sword. A sharp screech echoed through the air, and Shen Gurong felt something brush past his ear.
Looking closely, he saw Wen Liubing's Lanting Sword had pinned the water ghost firmly to the boat's edge, its eyes wide open, staring at him like a vengeful ghost.
Shen Gurong: "..."
Wen Liubing strode over on lotus petals, his voice deep and resolute: "Water ghosts are bound vengeful spirits; they cannot leave the boat or the water, or they will become mindless evil spirits."
The water ghost had already been pierced through the heart by the phoenix fire and the Lanting Sword, its ghostly aura completely dissipated, its eyes wide open in death, staring at the seemingly endless void.
There seemed to be lingering affection in those eyes, yet also a sense of relief.
Wen Liubing explained, then walked up to Shen Gurong, only to find that his master was now covered in black, filthy blood.
—All from the blood splattered from his sword strike.
Shen Gurong stood there, stunned, his filth stark against his blue robes.
Shen Feng Xue was always impeccably dressed in blue, dignified as an immortal, never allowing a single drop of rain to stain his clothes, even in the pouring rain.
Wen Liubing had never seen his master in such a disheveled state before. Somewhat surprised, he asked, "Master, why are you covered in blood?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
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