Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 256 The Scheme of Canaan Temple
Family?
Shen Xiu, standing beside his father, stared blankly at him, clearly not understanding where this "home" referred to.

Isn't this home?
While Shen Xiubai was filled with doubt, Shen Chongxu had already left the side room and headed towards the back mountain of the old house.

Watching his father's figure disappear into the distance, Shen Xiubai hurriedly turned around, bowed to Shen Yuan and the others, and then chased after him.

"father……"

Inside the side room, Shen Wenxing looked at his father's slightly relieved face and said with some worry, "Won't your demands on Chongxu...?"

This matter reminded him of his younger brother, Shen Wenyan.

Shen Wenyan ended up in such a miserable state because of an arranged marriage.

Now... he was worried that Shen Chongxu's hard-won return might lead to some unforeseen changes.

"Father just asked him to reconsider..."

Shen Yuan sighed deeply, "We have to think about Xiu Bai's sake."

"The parents are alive and well, but this child lives like an orphan. Don't you feel sad seeing that?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room wore complicated expressions.

"Don't worry, I'm not forcing him. Ultimately, the choice is in his own hands."

After a long silence, Shen Yuan slowly stood up and left the room.

On the winding bluestone path behind the mountain, Shen Chongxu walked slowly ahead.

Shen Xiubai followed behind, gazing at his father's back. He hesitated several times, wanting to speak but ultimately remained silent.

"Ask whatever you want."

Having reached the perfect state of fetal breathing, Shen Chongxu could clearly sense the changes in his son's aura and emotions without even looking at him.

Shen Xiubai was taken aback, then cupped his hands and said, "Father, Great-Grandfather just said... said Mother..."

Having said that, he suddenly didn't know what to ask next.

For the past twenty years, he has kept the matter of his parents hidden deep in his heart and has never asked anyone in his family about it.

The intelligent child understood that there must be some hidden story about his parents.

Upon suddenly seeing his father, he wanted to ask him everything at once.

But he's not a child anymore, and he has too many concerns in his heart.

His father had finally come back, and he didn't want to upset him.

Shen Chongxu stopped and sat down on a huge rock beside the bluestone path.

Shen Xiubai was slightly taken aback, then sat down next to him.

Shen Chongxu looked up at the bright moon overhead, a hint of reminiscence on his face, and then gently patted his son's shoulder.

"Has no one in the family told you about your father and mother?"

Shen Xiubai turned his head, looked at his face, and lowered his head.

"Actually... your mother has always been by your side."

After a long silence, Shen Chongxu suddenly turned to look at him and spoke.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai was immediately stunned.

His expression shifted for a long time before he asked in disbelief, "Father is talking about...Aunt Liu?"

His voice was trembling.

Shen Chongxu sighed and nodded, saying, "This matter dates back to a mistake we made years ago..."

He had actually thought about this issue before returning from southern Xinjiang.

Now that the father and son are here to talk, Shen Chongxu has no secrets and tells Liu Yiran about what happened back then.

Shen Xiubai listened quietly, and before he knew it, his hands were clenched tightly!
"Xiu Bai, it doesn't matter who is right or wrong in this matter anymore."

"I'm telling you all this so that you can understand the reasons behind it."

Shen Xiubai remained silent for a long time, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"If what Father says is true, I myself cannot distinguish right from wrong."

"but……"

"Father, are you coming back to forgive Mother?"

Changing the subject, Shen Xiubai looked at him expectantly.

For the past twenty years, he had believed that his parents might have already passed away.

Today, I suddenly realized that my parents are still alive and well, and that my mother was there for me during my childhood.

For him, this was already an immense happiness.

Now, my only wish is that my mother can gain the family's recognition and be given a proper status.

That would satisfy him.

Meeting his son's expectant gaze, Shen Chongxu smiled faintly and said, "Let's go back and take a look first."

He patted him on the shoulder again, and the father and son continued walking along the winding path toward the back of the mountain.

Over the course of more than a century, the Shen family has built numerous individual residences in this mountain forest.

These residences were all prepared for the future generations of the Shen family.

The house where Shen Xiubai and Liu Yiran lived was located on the back mountain, not far from the house where Hu Meier lived.

When the father and son passed by the house where Hu Meier lived, they found the gate open and a low, slightly sad zither melody coming from inside.

Upon hearing the music, Shen Chongxu paused slightly, his expression somewhat complicated.

Seeing this, Shen Xiubai hesitated to speak.

He didn't know much about his parents, but he had seen information about his grandfather, Shen Wenyan, in the family history.

He naturally knew that Hu Meier was actually his grandmother.

"Let's go."

After listening for a while at the gate, Shen Chongxu didn't say anything more and turned to walk towards another house not far away.

"Mother should be resting by now!"

"Go knock on the door, son."

When the father and son arrived at the courtyard, they found the gate tightly closed and only a faint light inside.

Shen Xiubai immediately went to the door and gently knocked.

"Who is it?"

An old woman's voice responded from inside the courtyard.

Then came the sound of unsteady footsteps.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and a woman with a slightly hunched figure and gray hair stood inside.

"So it's Young Master Xiu Bai."

"It's so late, young master. Why have you come back so suddenly? Is something the matter?"

Shen Xiubai smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Auntie, I've come to see Mother!"

Upon hearing this, the old woman's expression suddenly froze, and a sharp aura unique to cultivators emanated from her body!
The hunched body slowly straightened up.

"Young Master just said...who did you come to see?"

This old woman was the person Shen Chongming had arranged to be by Liu Yiran's side back then, and she belonged to the clan's head courtyard.

The reason for having him conceal his identity to take care of Liu Yiran was that the Liu siblings were still harboring wicked intentions and might secretly use Shen Xiubai's identity to plot against him.

"Auntie is a cultivator!?"

Shen Xiubai was clearly surprised to sense the faint spiritual pressure emanating from the old woman in front of him.

Upon hearing this, the old woman immediately smiled and withdrew her imposing manner, returning to her original appearance.

"I was also fortunate enough to be favored by my family and learned some immortal techniques in my early years..."

"Young Master Xiu Bai..."

She was about to ask what the previous sentence meant when she caught a glimpse of Shen Chongxu behind Shen Xiubai.

When he saw Shen Chongxu's face clearly, he was suddenly stunned!
As a former disciple of the clan's main academy, she had naturally seen Shen Chongxu and had some impression of his appearance.

It's just that we haven't seen each other for over twenty years, so I can hardly believe it for a moment.

"You are...Young Master Chongxu?"

The old woman spoke, her voice trembling.

Shen Chongxu approached and nodded slightly.

Seeing that the old woman possessed the cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining, yet willingly played the role of an old servant, staying here to take care of Liu Yiran, he roughly understood the reason behind it.

"Take me inside."

The old woman was taken aback at first, but then she realized that the family probably already knew about Shen Chongxu's return.

You don't need to worry too much about it.

Thinking of this, she respectfully bowed and led the father and son into the courtyard.

"I will go and invite Miss Liu."

After bringing the father and son to the courtyard, the old woman was about to go to the bedroom to ask Liu Yiran to come out when the bedroom door suddenly opened from the inside.

Wearing a plain gauze dress and with her long, black hair casually tied back, Liu Yiran stood barefoot at the door, staring blankly at the father and son in the courtyard.

When she noticed Shen Chongxu, her expression suddenly became complicated.

There was excitement, grievance, nervousness, and shame.

Looking at the expression on his mother's face, Shen Xiubai quickly came up to her and grabbed her hands.

"The young master is back."

Seeing Shen Xiubai's mouth open and close, Liu Yiran immediately suppressed her many thoughts and interrupted him.

She guessed that Shen Xiubai already knew about her relationship with Shen Chongxu, and also knew her identity.

However, without Shen Chongxu's personal confirmation, she still dared not let Shen Xiubai say it.

Shen Chongxu glanced at the old woman beside him and said indifferently, "You can go down now."

Upon hearing this, the old woman immediately bowed respectfully and left.

"Son..."

Liu Yiran looked at him, struggled internally for a long time, and finally spoke first.

Shen Chongxu nodded slightly, walked slowly to the front, and glanced at the tidy room behind him.

"Please come inside and sit down."

"Um……"

Liu Yiran responded and quickly led the father and son into the house, pouring them tea.

"Young master...when did you return?"

When the tea was served, Liu Yiran mustered up her courage again and asked a question.

Shen Chongxu took the teacup and looked at her timid and cautious manner, acting like a servant. He felt a pang of unease.

"You don't have to."

"The events of that year are over, and the Liu family of Xingyang has been wiped out."

"Xiu Bai has grown up now, and it's time to give you a proper title."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiran was shocked and looked at Shen Chongxu in disbelief.

More than 20 years!
For more than 20 years, she has lived in this small courtyard in an awkward position.

Although the Shen family did not forbid her from going out, she herself dared not step out of the courtyard gate.

Ultimately, it's because they lack official status and are afraid to go out and meet strangers, unsure of how to conduct themselves.

Hearing Shen Chongxu say that he would give her a formal title, Liu Yiran suddenly felt an urge to cry.

But she finally endured it.

From Shen Chongxu's expression, she could tell that this was a compromise.

What could make him compromise was probably his son, Shen Xiubai.

"Xiu Bai, go to the courtyard first. Your father and mother will have a good talk."

Shen Xiubai was filled with excitement when he heard his father's words. He immediately stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Mother, I'll go out first."

"father……"

Shen Xiubai was undoubtedly very happy at this moment.

When Liu Yiran heard the word "Mother" that she had waited for for more than twenty years, her heart trembled violently.

"Hmm...okay!"

After he left, Shen Chongxu gently waved his hand, closed the door, and then set up a soundproof barrier.

"There are some things that are not easy to say in front of Xiu Bai."

"You should know that I'm only willing to give you a formal title because of Xiu Bai."

“In the future, Xiu Bai can call you ‘Mother,’ and you can also consider yourself the ‘Young Mistress’ of the Shen family.”

"I'll talk to Ming about this tomorrow."

After a slight pause, Shen Chongxu calmly added, "I will not stay long after I return."

"I'll need you to take care of things like repairing the white plaster in the future."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiran's expression darkened.

She was actually mentally prepared for this outcome.

Shen Chongxu's promise to give her a formal title and have Shen Xiubai call her "mother" does not mean that he acknowledges her as his wife.

"Sir, I..."

"Don't shout that in front of Xiu Bai later."

Liu Yiran nodded slightly.

"I dare not ask for your forgiveness. I am already content with everything I have today."

"Young master, thank you."

Liu Yiran bowed respectfully.

"Ah."

Shen Chongxu nodded, and then a flash of light appeared in his hand as he took out some spirit crystals, pills, a low-grade peak magic weapon longsword, and a jade bottle from his storage bag.

These things were all looted by the White Propaganda in the southern border region.

He brought back a lot this time.

"These things are for you; you must cultivate diligently in the future."

"Your spiritual root quality is medium grade. After all these years, you shouldn't have failed to even reach the embryonic breathing stage."

"The jade bottle contains a wisp of mid-grade innate spiritual energy, which you will use when you break through to the embryonic breathing stage in the future."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiran smiled slightly.

"Thank you, sir."

"Put it away."

Shen Chongxu spoke calmly, then changed the subject, asking, "How is your brother now?"

The fact that Liu Yiran took advantage of her being drunk and offered herself to her was most likely the work of her extremely ambitious brother.

Shen Chongxu was deeply impressed by it.

"he……"

Mentioning her elder brother, Liu Yiran said with a sorrowful expression, "In the third great harvest, the Shen family clashed with Canaan Temple."

"He died in battle at Tianyuan Mountain..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu sighed softly.

"From now on, you should stay at the Shen family home and take good care of Xiu Bai."

After saying this, he removed the barrier and opened the door.

"Kid, come in."

Shen Chongxu called out in a seemingly casual manner.

Shen Xiubai, who was in the courtyard, hurriedly went into the room.

Seeing that his parents looked natural and that everything was alright, Shen Xiubai immediately cupped his hands and said, "Father, Mother, I will ask Great-Grandfather tomorrow to hold a wedding ceremony for you two."

Since the mother is to be given a proper status, she must be formally married.

This is what he wanted to fight for for his mother.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiran repeatedly stopped him, saying, "My son, don't be impulsive."

"Your mother and father are both so old, what's the point of all this fuss?"

Shen Chongxu, who was standing to the side, also spoke up: "Father's status is not suitable for him to show his face in public, so let's call off the wedding."

On his way back, he avoided many cultivators from the Southern Frontier. After returning, he planned to continue secretly helping the Shen family gather intelligence in the Southern Frontier under the identity of the leader of the Bai Xuan Sect.

If they were to hold a ostentatious wedding in public, their identity would inevitably be exposed.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai's expression darkened.

"Alright, it's getting late. Tomorrow I have important matters to discuss with your great-grandfather and the others. Get some rest."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiran asked with a questioning expression, "Shall I go and get a new quilt?"

Shen Chongxu nodded.

Shen Xiubai also hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting and returned to his room in the courtyard.

After he left, Shen Chongxu said, "You can go to sleep. I'll cultivate here."

……

The next morning.

Inside the Blackwater Pavilion.

Everyone sat together.

“Brother Xu, I sent someone last night to inform Chongxuan of your return.”

"It will take him another four or five days to get back from Huaisang."

Shen Chongming spoke first.

Shen Chongxu nodded, then turned to Shen Yuan, Shen Wenxing, and the others in front of him and said, "Grandpa, Uncle."

"I received some news in southern Xinjiang this time."

"The Fushan Kingdom, the Yin Corpse Sect, and many other forces in the Yangnao Land, including the Canaan Temple, have recently been frequently mobilizing cultivators under their jurisdiction, and their target seems to be the Yangnao Land."

“I’m worried that this time they will completely break off relations and no longer abide by the agreement they made back then.”

Upon hearing this, everyone present frowned.

"Does Brother Xu mean they're going to send Golden Core experts to Yangnao Land?"

After nodding, Shen Chongxu added, "A rumor suddenly began to circulate in the southern border region some time ago."

"The rumor is said to have originated from the Zhantian Pavilion in the Southern Frontier, and may be related to the unusual activities of several major Golden Core forces."

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Shen Chongxu continued, "Zhantian Pavilion is a Purple Mansion power in the Southern Frontier. It is said that they are very good at deducing the secrets of heaven, and like my grandfather, they are experts in the Great Evolution Path."

"The rumors are about the 'collapse of the Dao' and the 'destruction of the world'."

Destruction of the world?

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but look at his father, Shen Yuan.

After the father and son looked at each other, Shen Wen'an asked, "What exactly does the Zhan Tian Pavilion's doomsday prophecy say?"

Shen Chongxu replied in a deep voice, "That is a folk song. There are seven strange phenomena in the song, and each phenomenon is a sixty-year period."

"Among them, the 'Heavenly Golden Light' has been confirmed to be the 'Gengxin Original Gold' that appeared at the border between Fushan Kingdom and Tianjian City a few years ago."

"Therefore, based on this rumor, some people have deduced that there are at most about four hundred years left before the cataclysmic disaster strikes."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an looked at Shen Yuan again.

The two now clearly understand that the so-called "seven extraordinary phenomena" should refer to the seven spiritual entities within the complete Yangnao Land.

And "phenomena" must be produced by spiritual manifestations.

Each spiritual transformation takes sixty years. Once the seven spiritual transformations are complete, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs should begin extracting the Dao Source from the Yangnao Land.

However, after careful consideration, Shen Wen'an did not believe that this so-called "catastrophe of destruction" could last for another four hundred years.

As far as he knows, the spirit within the stone egg at the bottom of the lava lake is materializing.

This is enough to prove that the "Heavenly Golden Light" mentioned by Shen Chongxu is not necessarily the first spirit to materialize. He even suspects that when the Great Ying Immortal Mansion ruled the Yangnao Land, there were already spirits materializing.

Otherwise, forces like the Calamity Fire Sect and the Underworld wouldn't have been in such a hurry to destroy the Great Ying Immortal Mansion.

"Four hundred years..."

Shen Wenxing was unaware of the specific details, but he sighed solemnly, "If this rumor is true, will my Shen family... be able to stand on its own four hundred years from now?"

Among cultivators, those at the Golden Core stage have a lifespan of five hundred years, so four hundred years is actually not a long time at all.

"So, you suspect that the unusual movements of the major Golden Core forces are also influenced by this world-ending calamity?"

Shen Yuan spoke in a deep voice.

He also did not believe that Yangnao had four hundred years left.

All of this stemmed from Shen Chongxu's experience some time ago when he broke through to the peak of fetal breathing and was possessed by the incomplete will within the Mingxu Huiye Furnace.

In order to help Shen Chongxu, his divine sense crossed the vast expanse of time and space, appearing in Shen Chongxu's sea of ​​consciousness, and briefly confronting that incomplete will.

Shen Yuan clearly remembered that when he used the power of the white jade tortoise shell, the fragmented will said that the white jade tortoise shell was the "power of law". At first, in order to destroy the opponent as soon as possible, he did not think much about it.

But after carefully reflecting on that fragmented will's words, he suddenly realized that the white jade tortoise shell he had picked up back then was very likely also a "spiritual object".

Only in this way can we explain why this white jade tortoise shell possesses such magical power.

Shen Chongxu cupped his hands in greeting: "All of this is rather unbelievable, and even I, your grandson, cannot be certain."

"However, the unusual movements of the major Golden Core forces are something our Shen family must be wary of."

"The reason I've come is to see if our family can keep a powerful force in check, and then..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a dense aura of killing intent unconsciously emanated from his body.

"If my grandson wants to join forces with the family in the southern border region, let's eliminate one of them first."

His current cultivation level is at the perfect stage of embryonic breathing.

The spirit of the Netherworld Furnace, Wu Shi Qianrou, said that to condense the Blood Pill, a large amount of cultivators' essence blood is needed.

If she relied solely on secretly plundering, who knows how long it would take her to accumulate enough.

Although he had told Wu Qianrou that breaking through to the Golden Core stage wouldn't be in such a hurry, the situation had changed and adjustments had to be made.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

Completely annihilate a Golden Core cultivator's faction!?

They had never even considered something this crazy.

"We must not act rashly on this matter!"

“Those Golden Core forces are not as simple as you think, especially Canaan Temple, whose strength far exceeds your imagination.”

Shen Wen'an spoke in a deep voice.

These Golden Core forces in the Southern Frontier, still in Yangnao Land, may be bullied by the Shen family at will, but once the two sides break off relations, which of those long-established Golden Core forces doesn't have a lot of resources?
Shen Yuan also chimed in, "Although the hidden danger in that furnace has been resolved, you still can't let your guard down."

The Underworld Furnace is, after all, a demonic artifact. If one becomes too dependent on it, one's mind will definitely be affected.

Listening to his elders' words, Shen Chongxu nodded slightly and said, "After I go back, I will first try to get some benefits out of them."

Shen Chongming nodded and said, "It's fine to seek benefits, but be careful not to provoke Tian Tan Mountain."

“That is now an ally of my Shen family.”

Shen Chongxu smiled faintly upon hearing this: "Tian Tan Mountain is far away from Yangquan Mountain where I am, so I can't afford to offend them."

"Alright, let's leave it at that for today."

"Take care of arranging the specifics in Chongming."

Shen Yuan thought about it and decided that he should discuss the so-called "world-ending calamity" with Shen Wen'an alone.

After everyone dispersed, the father and son returned to the Blackwater Pavilion. Shen Wen'an couldn't wait to say, "Father, I think the time Chongxu mentioned earlier needs to be verified."

"We probably don't have four hundred years left."

Shen Yuan paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I think so too, but there are still some things that haven't been clarified, so I can't draw a conclusion yet."

"Wen'an, I need you to personally make a trip to these places during this period."

The map that Shen Chonghong brought out from the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm happened to have seven locations marked in total.

Besides the three locations of spiritual sites that have already been identified, he still plans to have Shen Wen'an take some time to check on the remaining four.

Shen Wen'an nodded and said, "That's what I think too. It would be best to determine exactly how many spiritual entities have materialized."

"Let's search Yangnao first. As for the Southern Frontier, let's go there after this period of time."

Shen Chongxu said that the Golden Core forces in the Southern Frontier were making frequent unusual moves, showing signs of wanting to break the agreement, so he didn't dare to go too far.

If the other party really comes knocking on our door, the Shen family won't be able to withstand it without him.

"Well, you can arrange the specifics yourself."

"I will make further deductions in the next few days, and I will let you know if there is any other news."

Shen Wen'an nodded and then left Blackwater Pavilion.

……

In the main courtyard of the Yamashita clan, Shen Li sat cross-legged in the pavilion, holding an ancient animal skin book in her hands.

Under the shade of the tree in front of it, the golden toad lay quietly like a stone sculpture, its eyes closed.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating the golden toad and reflecting golden halos, creating a rather peculiar sight.

The Golden Toad has already reached its former peak and is showing signs of breaking through to the Perfected Realm of Fetal Breathing.

As for the silver-threaded centipede, that guy was huge and didn't like staying in the yard; he went off to hunt monsters in the mountains.

The human and the demon were quietly cultivating when two figures slowly walked in from the straight path in front of the door.

"Ming-ge, why don't you... go and tell her yourself?"

As the two figures reached the bottom of the long steps leading to the main courtyard, Shen Chongxu suddenly stopped and looked at Shen Chongming, who had already stepped onto the stone steps, with a troubled expression.

Shen Chongming also stopped, turned around and said, "What, after all these years, you can forgive that Liu family woman, but you still can't forgive your own sister?"

"No matter what, Li'er is still your own sister."

Shen Chongxu shook his head and said, "It's not that I can't forgive her, but... but..."

An embarrassment appeared on his face, his mind filled with the insults he had hurled at Shen Li and her mother when he was young and ignorant.

"Ming-ge should know how much of a bastard I was back then."

Shen Chongming looked at him quietly, then suddenly smiled and said, "It's already quite remarkable that you can recognize the mistakes you made back then."

"If that's the case, why not take this opportunity to resolve this issue as soon as possible?"

"You should know that while you've been away from the Shen family all these years, Li'er and Aunt Hu have been extremely kind to Xiu Bai."

"Your eldest brother's son, Xiuyan, also likes them very much."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu looked conflicted.

The matter between his father and Hu Meier was indeed a knot in his heart.

One of the reasons I left the Shen family in a huff back then was because I didn't want to face this.

Now, more than 20 years have passed, and he has come to understand many things and let go of many things.

But when it comes to facing Shen Li and Hu Meier, he still feels awkward.

Last night, when Shen Xiubai and I passed by the courtyard where Hu Meier lived, we heard the sound of a zither coming from inside. That's what happened.

"Let's go. I'm not asking you to go and apologize. When you see Li'er, just treat her normally."

Seeing his hesitation and indecisiveness, Shen Chongming spoke up.

After some thought, Shen Chongxu lowered his head and followed him up the steps toward the main courtyard of the clan.

There wasn't much going on in the clan's main courtyard on ordinary days; the large courtyard appeared solemn and quiet.

When the two arrived at the courtyard gate, the two disciples of the clan's main academy, dressed in black and exuding a sharp aura, bowed to each other.

"Homeowner!"

Shen Chongming nodded and introduced, "This is Young Master Chongxu."

Upon hearing this, the two men were slightly taken aback, then bowed again and said, "Greetings, Young Master Chongxu!"

Shen Chongxu nodded as well.

"Is Li'er in the courtyard?"

Shen Chongming spoke, and one of the disciples of the clan's main courtyard cupped his hands and said, "The clan's main courtyard is in the back."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately walked slowly towards the backyard.

As the two figures appeared in the backyard after passing through the covered walkway, the golden toad, which resembled a statue, suddenly opened its eyes in front of the pavilion.

Upon seeing the Shen brothers, he quickly turned to Shen Li and whispered, "Master, that kid is back!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Li did not look away, and flicked her finger lightly.

A streak of light struck the golden toad's head in an instant.

The golden toad, in pain, rubbed its head with its front paws, looking quite aggrieved.

"He used to constantly insult you..."

Shen Li sighed softly, glanced at him, and said, "What, you're not planning to let me forget?"

The golden toad opened its mouth, then quietly lay down to the side and said nothing more.

A moment later, when the two arrived at a spot not far from the pavilion.

Shen Li slowly put down the ancient book in his hand, straightened his sleeves, and calmly stood up to bow to the two of them, saying, "Brother Chongming."

"Second brother is back?"

Just as Shen Chongxu was wondering how to start the conversation, this address of "Second Brother" left him frozen in place.

He gazed at Shen Li with a complex expression, his clenched fists in his sleeves slowly relaxing as he forced a smile, saying, "Little sister Li'er, back then it was your second brother..."

"It's all in the past," Shen Li said with a faint smile.

"Our parents' affairs are none of our business."

Shen Chongxu was interrupted, and after a moment of stunned silence, he sighed.

Yes, my father, Shen Wenyan, and mother, Zhao Xuan, have both passed away decades ago, so there's no need to bring them up again.

Shen Li doesn't hold a grudge against her for calling the mother and daughter "old vixen" and "little vixen" back then, and she really should let bygones be bygones.

"Brother Chongming, Second Brother, please sit down."

Shen Li gestured for the two to enter the pavilion.

Then they poured each of them a cup of tea.

After the three siblings were seated, the two brothers' eyes were drawn to the rustling jar next to the desk.

"Li'er, what's inside here..."

Shen Chongming asked curiously.

Shen Li touched the black jar and said, "This is a Gu jar, and inside is a red-bellied black spider."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the golden toad beside her interrupted, as if seeking credit, "This little demon caught it in the mountains a while ago!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu looked at him in surprise.

"Is this the same golden toad from back then?"

"They've already reached the peak of the late-stage fetal breathing realm."

Shen Li nodded with a smile, then said seriously:

"The aura within Second Brother's body is quite strange. The Red-bellied Black Spider must have sensed this aura, which is why it became agitated."

This red-bellied black spider is also a rare species of Gu insect recorded in the animal skin book, and it is naturally more sensitive to blood and evil energy.

Shen Chongxu can now be described as a demonic cultivator. The moment he sat down, he aroused the strange behavior of the Red-bellied Black Spider.

"Yes, the thing I cultivate is indeed a bit strange."

The red-bellied spider gradually calmed down under Shen Li's soothing words.

Shen Chongming spoke again: "Your brother and I have come here today to talk to you about the Liu family."

"Your second brother has already agreed to give Liu a formal title, and the clan head will soon inform everyone to add her name to the family genealogy."

Shen Li nodded upon hearing this and said, "It's good that Second Brother has come to his senses. Xiu Bai should be very happy."

Shen Chongxu shook his head with a wry smile: "It's also for Xiu Bai's sake. Over the years, my second brother has let him down."

He was glad that Shen Xiubai was more sensible and had not become twisted like he had when he was young.

"After returning this time, will Second Brother go back to Southern Xinjiang?"

After a moment of silence, Shen Li suddenly spoke.

Shen Chongxu nodded: "I'll wait for my elder brother to return so I can meet with him, and then I'll head back."

After a moment's thought, Shen Li continued, "Li'er has something she'd like to ask Second Brother for help with."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu responded without hesitation, "Please speak freely, sister."

Although the past is behind him, he still wants to make amends for the mess he made back then.

Since Shen Li had spoken up, he intended to do everything he could to help.

"Li'er wants something related to witchcraft, preferably some exotic Gu insects or secret witchcraft techniques."

"These things are hard to find in Yangnao, I wonder if they can be found in the southern border regions."

Voodoo and sorcery, secret arts, and everything related to the ways of witchcraft...

After silently memorizing these things, Shen Chongxu nodded and said, "I've remembered them. I'll have someone search for them when I get back."

"If you receive anything, we will have it delivered to you immediately."

Shen Li nodded with a smile: "Thank you, Second Brother."

The three siblings chatted for a long time, and then Shen Li ordered someone to bring the family genealogy and add Liu Yiran's name to it.

From then on, Liu Yiran was nominally Shen Chongxu's wife, and thus had a formal status in the Shen family.

……

Upon receiving news of his younger brother's return, Shen Chongxuan, who was far away in Huaisang, rushed back to Yunshui City without stopping.

When the two brothers met, he was overjoyed to learn of Shen Chongxu's decision.

Under the moonlit starry sky, the two sat in the courtyard, raising their glasses in a toast.

"Brother, I heard from Ming that the family is planning to groom Xiu Yan as the next head of the family?"

Shen Chongxuan picked up his wine glass and sighed, "That kid's just unlucky to have been chosen."

The brothers had a very good relationship, unlike other aristocratic families that had fierce factional struggles.

Otherwise, he, as a father, would be overjoyed that his son was chosen as the heir to the family headship.

"We brothers stumbled and fell, but at least we didn't let our father and mother down."

"Xiu Bai bears the great responsibility of strengthening the Shen family's array formations, and Xiu Yan is a candidate for the next family head..."

"My mother has always been a strong-willed person. If she knew that her two grandsons were so successful, she would be very happy, wouldn't she?"

Shen Chongxu held his wine glass, looked up at the starry sky, and murmured.

Shen Chongxuan also gazed at the starry sky in silence.

Are you returning to the southern border tomorrow?

"Why not stay at home for a few more days?"

After a long while, he tilted his head back and drank the spirit wine in his cup, then turned to look at Shen Chongxu and spoke.

Shen Chongxu also drank the wine in his cup and shook his head, saying, "Home is a gentle haven; the longer you stay, the less you want to leave."

"Besides, with my third uncle and Ming-ge at home, there's no use for me if I stay. It's better to stay in the southern border so I can help my family."

Picking up the wine pot in front of him, Shen Chongxu said with a faint smile, "Xiuyan is the next head of the family. As his uncle, shouldn't I do my part to support my nephew?"

Shen Chongxuan scoffed after hearing this, "You..."

“That Xiuyan kid is only four years old. It will be at least twenty years before he succeeds as the head of the family.”

"You're in the southern border region, so just take care of yourself and don't push yourself too hard."

He paused slightly, then said seriously, "You'd better use that demonic artifact sparingly, otherwise the karma will be too heavy and something bad will happen sooner or later."

Meeting his brother's concerned gaze, Shen Chongxu nodded solemnly.

"Brother may not understand matters of demonic cultivation, but I know what I'm doing. Brother doesn't need to worry too much."

"drink wine."

The two brothers drank until late into the night before Shen Chongxuan reluctantly left.

……

The next morning.

Shen Chongxu got up, said a brief goodbye to his family, put on the cloak that could conceal his presence, and hurriedly left Yunshui City, heading towards the Southern Frontier.

What he didn't know was that at this very moment, someone had already laid a trap for him at the gap in the Southern Border Void Corridor Formation.

As soon as Shen Chongxu passed through the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, his expression suddenly changed drastically!

The moment his divine sense, which was at the peak of the embryonic breathing realm, passed through the great formation, he sensed a large amount of hidden energy within the rolling mountains before him!
With a sinking feeling in his heart, Shen Chongxu immediately turned around to flee back to Yangnao Land, but a figure of a Buddhist monk, radiating a golden aura and resembling a seven or eight-year-old child, suddenly appeared and blocked his retreat.

The child was dressed in brown monk's robes and had a compassionate expression.

"What a demonic cultivator with such a strong aura of bloodlust."

"His encounter with me should be seen as an opportunity for me."

The monk who suddenly appeared was none other than the Great Illumination World Honored One of Canaan Temple, a genuine Golden Core Realm cultivator!

Sensing the faint pressure emanating from the monk before him, Shen Chongxu was horrified. He glanced around furtively, searching for an opportunity to escape.

"Stop looking around. If I let you escape today, all my preparations will have been in vain."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu's heart sank once again!
This bald monk and those subtle auras around him were waiting for him!

"Junior Bai Xuan greets Senior."

Although he already had a guess in his mind, Shen Chongxu still wanted to try and see if the other party had really seen through his identity.

"Ha ha……"

Upon hearing this, the Great Illumination Buddha of Canaan Temple revealed a strange smile on his face.

"Bai Xuan?"

"Hello Bai Xuan..."

“Benefactor Bai has a connection with my Canaan Temple. I have been waiting here today to invite you to visit Canaan Temple.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu forced himself to continue, "This junior has little affinity with you and cannot accept your personal invitation. I have urgent business to attend to, but once I have taken care of it, I will certainly pay you a visit in person."

Upon hearing this, the Great Bright World-Honored One's smile deepened.

"The younger generation has sharp teeth, and their state of mind is also quite good."

"If I had not used my ingenious method to deduce the cause and effect, I might have been fooled by you today."

Those eyes were fixed greedily on Shen Chongxu, and the Great Bright World Honored One said with a deep smile, "In any case, you will have to come with me."

"If they behave themselves, I can treat them with courtesy."

"If they resist stubbornly, they will inevitably suffer physical pain."

He paused slightly, then let out a strange laugh and said, "You don't really think you can escape from me, do you?"

Escape?

Shen Chongxu sighed and smiled bitterly to himself.

Only now did he truly realize the real difference between perfected embryonic breathing and the Golden Elixir.

The little bald monk stood quietly in front of him, doing nothing, yet the entire space seemed to be bound by an invisible barrier, blocking all his escape routes.

Moreover, the eerie aura emanating from him almost made it impossible for him to muster any thought of resistance.

"It seems you bald monk know who I am."

"For a dignified Golden Core cultivator to scheme against a junior like me is truly shameless."

The Great Bright World-Honored One, despite being insulted, did not show any anger and still smiled and said, "The Shen family is quite something. I suffered a great loss at the hands of your Shen family last time."

"This time, after some effort, we finally achieved something."

"How about it? Will you obediently come back with me and be an honored guest?"

"Or shall I capture you and make you a prisoner of my Canaan Temple?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "With such a grand display from Canaan Temple, it's hard to refuse their hospitality..."

"Fine, I, Shen, will accompany you today and see what Canaan Temple intends to do."

After saying this, Shen Chongxu stopped thinking about escaping and followed the Great Bright World Honored One, flying straight into the distance.

(End of this chapter)