Chapter 819: The Heavy Love from Uncle Pastor

Hot potato...

Xu Xiaoshou knew that Hua Ling was being overly optimistic. His status as a Sheng Nu was not something that could be easily cleared.

Whether or not Sheng Gong would protect him was still up in the air.

More importantly, was that completely unfamiliar place truly his final "home"?

Xu Xiaoshou pondered this deeply.

Hua Ling stood beside him, her eyes full of hope, still waiting.

"How about it?" she asked.

Xu Xiaoshou did not respond right away. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and nodded. "I'll take it."

Setting aside everything else, this young girl had traveled all the way from Zhong Yu just to deliver this letter. It was not likely she was here to trick him, and accepting it would not kill him.

If Jin Zhao Bansheng really meant him harm, and if he were truly aligned with Sheng Shen Dian Tang, then the person sent would not have been this naive and easily deceived girl—it would have been an enforcer.

Besides, for a Bansheng to deal with a Zongshi junior, there was no need for such elaborate effort.

Stepping back even further, Old Sang had said that after he left, Xu Xiaoshou's next backer would be Long Rong Zhi.

If even his own Shizu's words were not trustworthy, what in the world could be?

"The letter—hand it over," Xu Xiaoshou said, extending his hand.

Hua Ling quickly pulled her hand back, holding the letter protectively, and said timidly, "You have not said yet..."

Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes. "I'm your Shibo Xu, all right?"

Did she really need it spelled out so clearly?

There could be ears on the walls, you know. Did not this young girl understand that?

After that, Hua Ling finally dropped her last guard. She stepped forward, chuckling foolishly. "Why did not you say so earlier, Shibo Xu?"

Grinning, she handed over the envelope.

Xu Xiaoshou took it carefully and, under her watchful gaze, tore open the envelope and pulled out the folded letter inside.

A faint medicinal scent wafted out...

"Who wrote this?" Xu Xiaoshou asked as he unfolded the paper.

"I do not know," Hua Ling shook her head and leaned in curiously to see. "It could be my Shizun, or my Shizu, or if not, then my Taishizu!"

You are just stating the obvious... Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself.

The paper was a single sheet.

As his eyes scanned it, he found it completely blank.

"This?" Xu Xiaoshou was stunned and turned the paper toward Hua Ling to show her.

"No words?" Hua Ling was baffled. "I never looked at it. It was my Shizun's task—I would not dare peek, and I did not erase anything."

As if you could erase something written by those great powers... Xu Xiaoshou was at a loss for words.

He furrowed his brow, as if something had occurred to him.

Hua Ling had been so innocently direct in coming to him, and as soon as he nodded and said he was her Shibo, she handed over the letter.

The people of the Jin Zhao lineage were not all like her—they could not have overlooked the possibility that she might find the wrong person, could they?

So, what could bridge the vast distance between two domains and serve as the only means to reveal the letter's content to the intended target?

"Jin Zhao Bai Yan!"

After a brief thought, Xu Xiaoshou arrived at that answer.

With a smile, he shook the paper.

Whoosh!

Bai Yan ignited, and the paper burned to ashes.

"You are really my Shibo Xu..." Hua Ling was delighted. No matter what had come before, now that she had truly seen Jin Zhao Bai Yan, she could confirm that the person in front of her was indeed her Shibo Xu.

The Jin Zhao lineage had only four generations of direct disciples in total, making just six people.

Besides them, who else in the world could possess Jin Zhao Bai Yan?

"Why do you, with just Xiantian cultivation, already have Jin Zhao Bai Yan instead of Jin Zhao Tian Yan?" Hua Ling suddenly remembered something and looked surprised. "I have been cultivating in Sheng Gong with access to so many resources, and I only just developed Bai Yan recently. Shibo Xu, you are amazing..."

By now, Xu Xiaoshou had no time to answer Hua Ling's questions.

After the Bai Yan burned the paper, a subtle and profound energy, carried by the Jin Zhao power, surged into his mind.

"Xu Xiaoshou."

In his mind, accompanied by a voice, black light rose gently, gradually outlining a figure.

The man wore black robes and had black hair. His high cheekbones gave him a fierce look, and his deep eye sockets held a pair of sharp, eagle-like eyes.

No eyebrows, dark circles under his eyes, thin lips...

Just one glance gave Xu Xiaoshou the impression of extreme coldness and heartlessness.

"You are..." Xu Xiaoshou's heart raced. This guy looked like a villain, right?

So, were you really sending someone to find me, to kill me—or maybe capture me and bury me alive?

That ruthless face did not show any trace of "family" warmth.

"I am Mu Lin. Strictly speaking, you should address me as your Shishu."

The figure of the browless man flickered between clarity and blur.

The only relief was that his voice did not match his appearance. It was not cold at all—in fact, as soon as he spoke, the warmth in his words washed away much of his chilling aura.

"Shishu Mu..." Xu Xiaoshou realized who this was.

Old Sang's junior brother, the second disciple of Jin Zhao Bansheng, and also the Shizu of Hua Ling's lineage.

"Hello?" Not knowing how to greet him, Xu Xiaoshou hesitated and offered a greeting.

Mu Lin had no interest in small talk. "I do not have much time. I will ask you one thing: Sang Qiye has been captured. Do you want to return to Sheng Gong?"

After a pause, he continued, "Your Shizun was expelled from Sheng Gong a long time ago, but his affairs have nothing to do with you. If you wish, you can be another disciple under my name—merely one who was lost outside. As for issues with Jin Zhao power and other abilities, you do not need to worry about any investigations."

His words were incredibly bold.

Mu Lin emphasized the word "anyone" heavily.

Xu Xiaoshou quickly realized that "anyone" might even include Bansheng.

Was he that formidable?

This browless hero was clearly showing no regard for Sheng Shen Dian Tang!

But thinking about it, Sheng Gong and Sheng Shen Dian Tang were essentially on equal footing—they just pursued different paths.

After the question, Xu Xiaoshou hesitated slightly.

Anyone suddenly hit with such a huge opportunity would find it hard to decide on the spot.

"I..." Xu Xiaoshou opened his mouth but did not know how to respond.

He knew that if he agreed now, all the nonsense about Sheng Nu tasks, Wang Cheng trials, and Sheng Gong trials would be skipped entirely.

He could leap straight to the other side of the Bitter Sea and reach the highest peak.

In the past, Xu Xiaoshou might have agreed.

Leaving Tian Sang Ling Gong and switching to a new place, using his passive system to fleece another group, with a big backer to rely on and no fear of offending anyone—would not that be great?

But he quickly calmed down.

Sheng Gong was just Sheng Gong.

Sheng Shen Dian Tang was just Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

In the end, both were nothing more than larger "cages."

If Sheng Gong's path to becoming a Sheng really worked, this continent would not have produced a defector like Sang Qiye or someone like Ba Zun An who wanted to shatter Sheng Shen Dian Tang, an entity on equal standing with Sheng Gong.

Xu Xiaoshou steadied himself and asked seriously, "Let us set your question aside for now. I want to know first: why did my Shizun defect from Sheng Gong?"

Mu Lin smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated this young man's question. "He was too foolish."

The words stopped abruptly.

Xu Xiaoshou waited for a while, but there was no follow-up. He was speechless. "That's it?"

"Sheng Gong holds a transcendent position at the pinnacle of the continent. For him to enter it and then think of defecting—is not that foolishness? Besides being foolish, what else could it be?" Mu Lin sneered.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

If it were anyone else, he would have argued back.

But this was his Shishu, criticizing his own senior brother—better to pretend he had not heard.

"You are absolutely right," Xu Xiaoshou agreed.

But Mu Lin just snorted coldly, then suddenly sighed. "He was foolish, all right—getting himself locked up in Sheng Shen Dian Tang's prison. Did he really achieve transcendence that way?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart stirred. "Shishu Mu, it seems you do not entirely disagree with my Shizun's actions?"

Mu Lin stared at him, his eyes dark and emotionless. "In this world, which Lian Ling Shi does not want to achieve transcendence? But even a Bansheng could not do it. How could a mere Taixu like him turn things upside down? All talk and no substance, just acting like a reckless fool—nothing but a idiot!"

Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit awkward and muttered, "You are right, but actually, I still do not want to go back right now..."

"You have joined the Sheng Nu?" Mu Lin interrupted.

Xu Xiaoshou was silent for a moment. "Yes."

"Fool! Just like him!" Mu Lin scolded angrily, his voice turning icy. "Think carefully before you answer. Leaving the Sheng Nu now and returning to Sheng Gong would be the best choice."

Xu Xiaoshou sighed and replied earnestly, "The sky you see from Sheng Gong is still just one sky."

Mu Lin said nothing, narrowing his eyes and staring intently.

Xu Xiaoshou felt his hairs stand on end, but his resolve grew firmer. He said firmly, "Living in a well and gazing at the sky is not my choice. I will not go back to Sheng Gong—at least, not now."

"Ah..." Mu Lin sighed deeply, his figure growing even more blurred. "I knew his choice would be the same as yours. Stubborn as a mule! Very well, I understand your decision."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit apologetic. "Thank you for understanding, Shishu Mu..."

Mu Lin's style was as direct as his appearance—he was not one for politeness. Seeing that Xu Xiaoshou did not want to return to Sheng Gong, he changed the topic abruptly. "You have chosen your path, and you understand it. I need to go..."

"Understood," Xu Xiaoshou said, straightening up as if to see him off.

But Mu Lin waved his hand, tossing out two dan bottles.

"Since it is our first meeting, I do not have much to give. As Shishu and nephew, I will leave you some things for self-defense. I just hope you do not end up like him and die too soon."

Even though he was just a mental projection, Mu Lin's wave sent two beams of spiritual light settling in place.

Like in Old Sang's Taixu world, the two dan bottles materialized in Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual realm, existing as both illusion and reality.

"What is this?" Xu Xiaoshou was confused. Was this a Jin Zhao lineage tradition—giving dan bottles?

Mu Lin pointed to the first one. "This is a bottle of Sheng Xue, specially prepared. Your Shizu often worries about you juniors getting into trouble, so he refined a lot of it. I brought this bottle along—it should be enough for you... When I wrote that letter, I already guessed your answer."

He sighed again.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

Another bottle of Sheng Xue!

Were they insane?

The Jin Zhao lineage's tradition... giving Sheng Xue? And a whole bottle at that?

"This is too much, Shishu..." Xu Xiaoshou stammered, his head spinning.

Mu Lin pointed to the second bottle. "Inside this one is my mark. If you are about to face disaster, just crush the bottle with your intent, and I will come out to vouch for your Jin Zhao lineage identity. Remember, at that point, even if you do not want to return to Sheng Gong, you must come home."

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned again.

Home...

Mu Lin had paved a way out for him.

If things went south, he could switch from Sheng Nu identity to a true Jin Zhao successor, wash his hands of the dark forces for good?

"Will that work?" Xu Xiaoshou doubted.

He felt that if his Sheng Nu identity was exposed at the worst possible moment and Sheng Shen Dian Tang caught him, what good would Mu Lin's appearance do?

Mu Lin seemed irritated. "When a senior gives you a gift, just take it. If trouble comes, crush the bottle, and leave the rest to your Shishu. You do not need to do anything else, so stop babbling!"

"Oh, oh..." Xu Xiaoshou was startled.

This heavy show of care left him overwhelmed.

In his mind, after Mu Lin's final words, the browless hero did not even say goodbye—his figure scattered into specks of light and vanished.

"Wow!" Xu Xiaoshou took a while to recover.

So this was the Jin Zhao lineage?

With only six people, did they have so many resources to spare, handing out whole bottles of Sheng Xue just like that?

Even a Bansheng force was not this lavish!

Xu Xiaoshou had been a fake Bansheng successor before, but after meeting Mu Lin, he felt he might be the richest true Bansheng successor now.

Not only was his identity confirmed, but he also had someone to back him up if things went wrong.

With a big tree to lean on, Xu Xiaoshou had never truly experienced it before, but now, the more he thought about it, the more surreal it felt.

"How did it go?" In the hall, Hua Ling had been waiting. Seeing the spark return to Shibo Xu's eyes, she asked eagerly, "What was in the letter?"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head, not knowing where to start. "The paper had no content, but I met a browless hero..."

"Shizu Mu!" Hua Ling's eyes lit up with excitement. "The browless hero—that is Shizu Mu! He came as a spiritual projection to see you? To talk to you? Were you nervous? Let me tell you, he is terrifying. I can barely look up when I see Shizu Mu. One glance at his face, and it feels like being bitten by a snake—my heart races with unease..."

The appearance of Jin Zhao Bai Yan and Shizu Mu had pushed Xu Xiaoshou straight into Hua Ling's view as "family." She spoke without holding back, chattering endlessly.

Xu Xiaoshou's head was spinning. So, she was a chatterbox?

He quickly interrupted, "Anyway, when you are out and about, do you have anything for self-defense? Like, say, Sheng Xue?" he probed.

Hua Ling's big eyes blinked, her excitement bubbling over.

"Of course! Did Shizu Mu give you some Sheng Xue?"

"Let me tell you, it is specially made by Taishizu Jin Zhao Bansheng—with no side effects. I only have one bottle and have not dared to use it... For self-defense, I have Jin Zhao lineage forbidden techniques, Sheng Wu, a Sheng Qi bathtub, and Taishizu's 'Zha Sheng Dan' that explodes with Sheng force for smashing people. Plus, Shizu Mu's projection, Taishizu's sacred image, and more..."

Hua Ling counted on her fingers, listing them all, but soon realized it was endless. She changed tack: "Shizun said that when you are out in the world, do not bully others, but do not let anyone bully you either!"