freenovelworld Chapter 384 Guidance
Chapter 384 Guidance
Although the boy was young, he showed no signs of the immaturity expected of someone his age. On the contrary, he appeared exceptionally mature and composed, with eyes as deep as the sea, making it difficult to fathom his true thoughts.
In a sense, Xu Nian couldn't help but think to himself that the person in front of him was strikingly similar to himself. Both had experienced such an inexplicable change from large to small.
Just then, the man shouted sternly, "Stop talking nonsense here! My Immortal Venerable is not someone to be trifled with! If you anger him, you will all suffer the consequences!" Hearing this, Xu Nian smiled nonchalantly and said, "Oh? Is he really that powerful?"
Seeing Xu Nian's nonchalant attitude, the man turned pale with fright and quickly lowered his voice, saying, "Shh! Don't make a sound!" After saying that, he nervously looked around, as if searching for the unfathomable "Immortal Venerable" who had been hidden by Xu Nian.
However, after a long while, they still found nothing. Just as the man was filled with doubt, Xu Nian leisurely said, "Alright, there's no need to waste your time searching anymore. I've successfully suppressed that object." Hearing this, the man was first stunned, then his eyes widened in astonishment, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Suppressed...suppressed?!" Clearly, he found it hard to believe that Xu Nian had spoken of "suppressing" it. After all, this so-called Immortal Venerable was attached to his divine sense and was using his blood and qi as nourishment to repair the damage he had suffered!
At the same time, this behavior should have provided him with some energy replenishment, but at this moment, he couldn't sense even the slightest trace of the powerful aura befitting a Celestial Venerable. This clearly indicated that the young man standing before him was not speaking carelessly or jokingly. From the other's extremely serious and resolute expression, it was clear that he took every word he spoke with utmost seriousness.
This triggered a flood of new questions: What unfathomable level of cultivation had this guy reached? How could he so easily defeat a dignified Immortal Venerable?! In that instant, countless complex thoughts surged through the boy's mind like a burst dam. Yet, after only ten breaths, he knelt down without hesitation, then abruptly raised his head and slammed it hard against the ground with lightning speed.
Several muffled thuds rang out, and he kowtowed while shouting hoarsely, "All those heinous crimes were forced upon me by that damned porcelain gourd! It really had nothing to do with me! Please, Your Honor, spare my life! If you will show mercy and spare my life, I will answer whatever you want to know without reservation! I have never done anything wrong on my own initiative! I did all this simply to get a life-saving medicine for my poor sister so that she can continue to live on!"
Upon hearing these words, Xu Nian and Wu Qinghuan exchanged glances, both showing surprise in their eyes, as if they were quite taken aback by the young man's abrupt and intense reaction.
Wow, that's a quick reaction.
This kid really doesn't seem like someone his age should be like.
In just a few breaths, they knew exactly what was going on.
Moreover, they directly shifted all the blame onto that magical artifact.
Seeing that Xu Nian didn't speak, he went straight to the point.
“Wang Sheng has met two… Immortal Venerables. A month ago, when I went up the mountain to pick herbs for my sister, I accidentally found this thing. I didn’t know what it was, but at the time I heard it… that thing on the porcelain gourd talking to me, saying that I should take it with me and use my qi and blood to nourish it. It would help me cultivate and could also cure my sister. I believed it and then took it with me.”
"and then?"
"Then...then he told me to pretend to be a celestial being and collect incense offerings in the temple, just like I just did, to collect money to help people solve problems, like small problems such as healing the sick and saving lives. He said that as long as I collected enough incense offerings, he could help me solve my sister's problem in the future. So I've been here ever since...and then until you guys came."
"You found it while gathering herbs on the mountain?" Xu Nian frowned slightly upon hearing this. He raised his hand and gently placed it on the boy's head. Then, he slowly spread his divine sense, beginning to perceive the unfamiliar boy before him.
After a while, Xu Nian thought to himself, "Hmm... the situation is indeed almost exactly as the boy himself said." However, after careful investigation, he also noticed some problems. Especially regarding the role of the mysterious gourd, although it did play a guiding role, in reality, many key decisions and actions were led by the boy himself.
For example, when the boy offered to make a deal with her, he claimed that he would do everything he could to save her sister if she could help him. However, at that moment, Xu Nian suddenly seemed to realize something extremely important and shocking.
He took a deep breath and then, without hesitation, pressed his palm down on the boy's head again. As time passed, Xu Nian's expression grew increasingly strange, as if he were witnessing something beyond his imagination.
Just then, Wu Qinghuan, who had been standing silently to the side, keenly noticed the subtle change in her senior brother. She paused slightly, her eyes flashing with thoughtful light, as if she were rapidly piecing together various clues and possibilities in her mind. After only a moment of stunned silence, Wu Qinghuan seemed to have guessed some key points, but she did not immediately speak out.
In stark contrast to Wu Qinghuan was the young, somewhat immature boy. His face was filled with bewilderment and confusion, his eyes wide, completely bewildered. Faced with these two mysterious figures who had appeared suddenly and without warning, the boy was filled with fear and unease. He had no idea what their intentions were, or why they had appeared here so abruptly.
What terrified the boy even more was the astonishing power of these two mysterious figures! The moment they appeared, they swiftly and effortlessly seized control of the entire scene, immobilizing everyone present. Especially when they easily suppressed the gourd considered a priceless treasure, the boy was utterly speechless with astonishment. Everyone knew the gourd's immense power and miraculous effects, yet it was as fragile as a toy before these two mysterious figures. The boy, who was fully aware of the gourd's true power, was utterly overwhelmed with a shock that defied description.
It was with this mysterious object that he achieved an incredible turnaround! The penniless and destitute boy suddenly became the richest man within a hundred miles! Not only that, he was finally able to help his beloved sister escape hunger and cold and live a life free from want.
However, this seemingly ordinary object actually contains an unimaginable magical energy, as if only celestial beings from the heavens could possess such a divine object. Its power is far beyond the reach of ordinary people, and its abilities and effects far surpass what ordinary people can do.
At that very moment, a deep fear gripped his heart. That fear, like a surging ocean, crashed against his fragile mental defenses wave after wave. His heart was filled with endless worry and anxiety; every second felt like an eternity. He knew all too well that he was merely an ordinary mortal, and the moment he inadvertently picked up that magical gourd, it seemed preordained that one day he would lose this priceless treasure. Worse still, he knew perfectly well that this wondrous object would bring him immense trouble. And now, the trouble that had been troubling him had indeed arrived unexpectedly.
However, his sister's illness remained unresolved, and he was filled with remorse whenever he thought of it. If he hadn't found that treasure, perhaps everything would have been different…
If he had known beforehand that trouble would come so quickly, perhaps he would have forced the gourd to heal his sister first, no matter what. However, the young man was completely unaware of Xu Nian's true intentions. It was precisely this ignorance that filled him with extreme fear. If he could discern the true thoughts of Xu Nian and Wu Qinghuan, he would likely be so astonished that he wouldn't be able to utter a single word. Even powerful cultivators coveted and envied the Ninefold Dao Essence, and one of those Dao Essences was currently safely residing within his sea of consciousness.
Unfortunately, having never had any relevant cultivation experience, he was completely unaware of, let alone able to control, such a mysterious and powerful Dao essence. At that moment, Xu Nian and Wu Qinghuan exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of surprise. They truly hadn't expected the collection of Dao essence to be so smooth; they had almost immediately found the crucial first layer of Dao essence upon arriving at their destination.
Things were progressing far too smoothly, so smoothly that it sent chills down their spines. Just as the two were still in astonishment, the boy, who had been consumed by fear and was trembling uncontrollably, suddenly opened his mouth: "You...you can kill me if you want, torture me if you want, but I beg you two immortal venerables to have mercy on my sister! She knows nothing about these things..." His voice trembled violently, as if every word was squeezed out from between his teeth, clearly he was terrified to the extreme.
Xu Nian quietly looked at the terrified boy before him, his gaze lingering on him for a long while. Then, he shook his head slightly and said softly, "Don't worry, we won't take your life. But... where is your sister now?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng, already filled with fear and anxiety, felt the world spin and nearly fainted. He had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he and his sister had escaped unscathed, but who would have thought that this immortal would immediately inquire about his sister's whereabouts? Was this merely the calm before the storm? The thought sent Wang Sheng's heart plummeting to the bottom.
“One must take responsibility for one’s actions, I…” However, before he could finish speaking, Xu Nian gently waved his hand to interrupt him. Xu Nian calmly said, “I am a disciple from the Southern Border Sword Sect. I have come here today specifically to suppress this evil creature. As far as I know, although you have had some dealings with this evil creature, fortunately you haven’t done anything heinous. At most, you only helped it collect some incense to aid its self-repair; it wasn’t a grave mistake. Now that I have successfully suppressed this thing, as for you…”
At this point, Xu Nian paused slightly before continuing unhurriedly, "Saving your sister is nothing more than a trivial matter for me." Hearing this, Wang Sheng's eyes widened in astonishment. He had secretly assumed that Xu Nian would kill his entire family as a precaution, to eliminate any potential threats. But he never expected her to say she was there to save someone. However… could he truly believe what this person said? For a moment, Wang Sheng was deeply conflicted.
Wang Sheng stood there, his brows slightly furrowed, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. His gaze unconsciously drifted to the crowd in the courtyard, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.
Just then, a figure suddenly came into his view, and he slapped his forehead, as if he had suddenly remembered something important.
It was Xu Nian!
Although he successfully controlled the situation, preventing anyone from making any rash moves or causing trouble, upon closer examination, the methods he used were surprisingly mild.
Those who had been so aggressive were now lying helplessly on the ground, unconscious. Surprisingly, none of them showed any sign of pain or discomfort.
On the contrary, their faces looked calm and serene, as if they were simply sleeping peacefully. Some even had a slight smile on their lips, as if they were having a sweet dream.
It was as if she were really asleep.
Looking at it this way, he might actually be... a good person!
Wang Sheng did not hesitate for long.
He glanced at Xu Nian and nodded. "Then I'll trouble you, Immortal Venerable! Please... please follow me!"