Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Chapter 206: Chapter 203: Karma and Decision

Shen Changchuan had never forgotten why he was near the Wu Family Collection in the first place.

His purpose was to hunt down and kill the Shen Clan Members who had pursued Shen Chong, grown covetous of Dawan Village’s prosperity, and nip the danger of attracting the First Madam’s attention in the bud!

Although all sorts of unexpected things had happened along the way,

his own indecisiveness and his hesitant search for a perfect solution had caused him to repeatedly lose the initiative,

and when a great upheaval finally occurred, he lost their trail completely.

But even after agreeing to Wu Tianhao’s request and bringing Xiaoyu back to Dawan Village,

Shen Changchuan had not forgotten this matter concerning his future—or, more accurately, his very life.

He had planned to return to Dawan Village and immediately act on the plan he’d devised back when he lost their trail.

He would stake out the main road back to Tian Nan City,

and the moment he found any sign of them, he would strike, killing them and crushing this budding problem in its cradle.

The problem, however, lay with Xiaoyu, the girl Wu Tianhao had entrusted to his care.

The little girl, only four or five years old, was extremely timid. Having just arrived in this completely foreign place, she was distraught and would grow terribly anxious whenever she couldn’t see Shen Changchuan.

Perhaps because Shen Changchuan had once saved her, she only felt safe and would only calm down when she was by his side.

Considering the girl’s potentially deep entanglements,

Shen Changchuan didn’t dare let anything happen to her.

This also meant Shen Changchuan couldn’t leave for the time being.

Fortunately, just as he was fretting over this,

Nangong City paid him a visit.

After learning that Nangong City planned to stay in Dawan Village to observe the situation for a while and had no intention of getting involved in the great upheaval at the Wu Family Collection again,

Shen Changchuan asked him for a favor.

Of course,

as a friend who had been through life and death with him, Nangong City was someone he could trust.

So as not to put his friend in a bind,

Shen Changchuan didn’t hide the identities of his targets, nor his intentions for when he found them.

Killing members of the Shen Family—and the First Madam’s people at that—

no matter what,

meant that in the future, Nangong City could be dragged into the vortex of the Shen Family’s internal struggles.

In response to this,

Nangong City, knowing the full story, didn’t hesitate for a moment before agreeing.

He had always been the type to repay his debts.

Back at the Wu Family Collection, if Shen Changchuan hadn’t stepped in to help,

he would have died there long ago.

’A bit of potential trouble in the future, and it’s not even certain anyone would find out... What’s there to hesitate about?’

Thus, after Shen Changchuan inscribed the appearances and information of the targets into a Jade Slip and gave it to him,

Nangong City left Dawan Village to personally watch over the key locations where those Shen Clan members might appear.

At the same time, he also leveraged some of his connections to aid in the search.

It was for this reason

that he had been able to spend the past half-month in Dawan Village, training relentlessly to improve his strength.

He’d managed to advance his strength another step.

And as it turned out,

entrusting this matter to Nangong City had been the right decision.

The two Shen Clan members hadn’t returned to Tian Nan City immediately. Instead, they had taken a detour to Qi Family Town, the domain of the local Immortal Cultivation Noble Clan, the Qi Family.

They had bypassed the main road entirely.

The only reason Nangong City had received word

was that someone indebted to him had spotted them and sent him a message, which in turn allowed Shen Changchuan to learn of their whereabouts.

One thing was certain:

if Shen Changchuan had personally gone to watch the various checkpoints and main roads instead of asking Nangong City for help, he would have never been able to intercept those two...

”The Qi Family? Is that the same family I’m thinking of?”

In response to Shen Changchuan’s question,

Shen Changchuan mused for a moment, then posed the question.

Nangong City froze for a moment, then his expression cleared with understanding and he nodded.

”Yes, it’s that Qi Family.”

Nangong City naturally knew which Qi Family Shen Changchuan was referring to.

About three months ago, when Nangong City had taken Shen Changchuan to a subterranean grotto to soak in the Earth Vein Spiritual Milk,

they had been jointly attacked by Cao Hongshang, the Alliance Leader of the Family Protection Mutual Aid Alliance, and an ancestor from the Qi Family.

That Qi Family Ancestor

belonged to the same Qi Family where their current targets were hiding.

”I’ve heard that the Qi Family once produced an expert in the Soul Emergence Realm and was a powerful regional clan. But after that Soul Emergence Realm ancestor died of old age, they lacked capable successors and have been in gradual decline ever since.”

”Now, they have few experts even at the Ninth Layer Realm, and there’s no one of outstanding talent among the younger generation. The clan’s decay is plain to see...”

”That’s why they willingly threw themselves into this vortex, hoping to obtain the Cyan Essence Water Grass or find some other Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object to improve the aptitude of their descendants, all so the family line can continue...”

”I suppose that’s why that Qi Family Ancestor attacked us on sight back then.”

Nangong City briefly explained the Qi Family’s situation,

and couldn’t help but sigh wistfully.

A great family that once had a Soul Emergence Realm expert at its helm was now, with the passage of time, showing signs of decay and being forced to fight desperately for its survival.

’In this world,’ he thought, ’perhaps only the ageless Immortals...’

’...can achieve true permanence.’

”We go straight there. If the Qi Family tries to stop us, then we’ll kill them too!”

After a moment of thought,

Shen Changchuan quickly made his decision, his eyes hardening with resolve.

His voice was cold.

’Waiting a few days outside the Qi Family’s estate and ambushing the two Shen Family members on the road after they leave would probably save a lot of trouble.’

’Before,’

’Shen Changchuan would have most likely made that decision.’

But the last time,

the lesson from last time—when his indecisiveness not only made him lose their trail but also plunged him into a nearly fatal crisis—

had taught him a principle.

’As long as the consequences are acceptable, be decisive!’

’The future is uncertain. You can never predict if the situation will worsen with time!’

”In that case, let’s go.”

At Shen Changchuan’s decisive order,

Nangong City was a little surprised, but he didn’t overthink it and simply nodded.

’A mere declining clan like the Qi Family couldn’t possibly make many waves against the man standing before him, a man who could withstand an expert of the Soul Emergence Realm.’

’Perhaps their Mountain Protection Array might be a bit of a hassle,’

’but even that shouldn’t be enough to stop him.’

Having witnessed Shen Changchuan’s power, Nangong City had complete faith in him.

The two of them rose to their feet.

With a flash of movement,

they vanished into the dense forest.

In order to maintain his surveillance, Nangong City was already positioned a dozen or so miles outside of Qi Family Town—a very short distance for two Cultivators at the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer Realm.

Thus, it didn’t take long at all

before Qi Family Town came into view.

However,

just as Qi Family Town came into sight,

both Nangong City and Shen Changchuan stopped dead in their tracks,

their gazes stunned.