Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Chapter 271: Chapter 268: Unexpected Encounter

”Young Master Shen, you are truly worthy of being the number one of the Tian Nan Domain’s younger generation! We were helpless against such a vile beast, even with our combined strength. Yet, you captured it with ease!”

The tall, thin man flattered him with a fawning smile.

Although Huangshi Village was under the jurisdiction of the Tian Nan Shen Clan,

he was not a member of the Shen Family himself,

but rather hailed from one of the Shen Family’s subordinate families.

He wouldn’t dare show the slightest disrespect to a peerless genius like Shen Changchuan, who had appeared in the Shen Family as if from nowhere.

However,

Shen Changchuan paid it no mind, his brow furrowing slightly instead.

”What is it? If you have something to say, just say it.”

He didn’t have time for pleasantries.

”Forgive me, Young Master Shen. I only came to thank you for your help. We have also prepared a feast in the village. I wonder if you would be willing to join us, so that we may express our gratitude?”

Seeing the look on Shen Changchuan’s face,

the man’s expression became fearful and reverent, and he spoke quickly.

”That won’t be necessary. I have other business and am preparing to return to the Sect.”

”You may do as you wish.”

With a wave of his hand,

Shen Changchuan dismissed him as just another sycophant from the clan’s network trying to curry favor, and thus refused the offer.

In truth, the man’s reaction was understandable.

Unlike the Outer Sect disciples of the Dragon Cloud Sect who had joined at the same time as him,

those who were able to enter the Dragon Cloud Sect were all considered geniuses by the outside world.

Geniuses, naturally, had the pride of geniuses.

Therefore, even after learning that Shen Changchuan had defeated Mo Lingfeng, some of his peers remained unimpressed. Instead, their fighting spirit surged, and they dreamed of surpassing him.

But to the countless masses of the outside world,

someone at the Qi Introduction Peak was already a major figure.

And a person with a limitless future who could kill a Soul Emergence Realm expert while only at the Qi Introduction Realm? They were an even greater figure, someone who could not be slighted in the slightest!

And that was indeed the case.

Throughout his journey,

every village head, town master, and other local leader Shen Changchuan had encountered had been unfailingly reverent, heaping him with praise and flattery.

If not for Shen Changchuan’s strong resolve, his experience of a much wider world, and his general disregard for fame,

he might very well have been influenced by all the praise, becoming conceited and losing himself in it.

Without waiting for the man to reply,

Shen Changchuan had Xiaofeng soar into the sky, and they vanished over the horizon.

What Shen Changchuan failed to notice, however,

was that after he departed,

the fawning smile on the tall, thin man’s face rapidly vanished.

In its place,

was a deep unease.

He gazed in the direction Shen Changchuan had disappeared, gritted his teeth, and took out a Communication Talisman, activating it.

As he watched the yellow light of the Communication Talisman fade into the void,

the tall, thin man muttered to himself.

”A small fry like me... I’m not like you. I don’t have a choice.”

”Young Master Shen, please don’t blame me...”

”After this, I’ll have to lie low for a while.”

...

’The Tian Nan Shen Clan... It’s been years since I transmigrated, but in this huge clan, there’s hardly anyone I care about.’

’I wonder how that convenient brother of mine, Shen Chong, is doing. Then again, with that ”old grandpa” of his, he’ll probably advance to the Soul Emergence Realm soon enough...’

’Speaking of which, I think Shen Chong made a three-year vow when he left the clan. The time should be almost up. I’d love to go back and see the look on that Great Madam’s face. It would be quite a show...’

Shen Changchuan rode on Xiaofeng’s back,

letting his thoughts drift.

A faint flicker of regret passed through his mind.

After all,

his impression of the Great Madam was far from positive.

He would be more than happy to see her suffer some misfortune.

’But I’ll let it be. News will spread eventually.’

’I can just enjoy the drama from a distance then. For now, advancing to the Soul Emergence Realm is the priority.’

Although he would have been delighted to see the Great Madam frustrated,

Shen Changchuan wasn’t the type to go out of his way just to watch the drama unfold.

So he had no intention of making a special trip.

Just then,

SWOOSH!

A Communication Talisman emerged from the void, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward him.

Shen Changchuan instinctively reached out and caught it.

It contained a message requesting aid, about an encounter with a Demon Beast on the road.

Shen Changchuan’s expression faltered for a moment.

This was a relatively Low Level Communication Talisman.

Its maximum range was only about a hundred li.

He had distributed some of these for communication not long after he first arrived in Dawan Village.

The voice pleading for help from the Communication Talisman sounded familiar at first,

and after a moment of thought, he quickly placed it.

It was Shen Shiyin!

The very same one from two or three years ago,

when he had just taken up his post at Dawan Village...

the previous Dawan Village Guardian he had replaced!

’So it’s him... Oh well. It’s on the way, and we have some small connection. I’ll go take a look.’

He crushed the used, now-useless Communication Talisman, and it turned to ash.

Shen Changchuan pointed in a direction for Xiaofeng,

and they flew off.

A distance of several dozen li,

was covered in about ten short minutes at Xiaofeng’s speed.

Looking down from high above,

he saw a winding valley ahead.

Within it, the light of an Array was shining.

Several small figures were huddled inside the Array’s light,

while outside, a Horned Ox Demon stood several zhang tall, like a small hill. Its entire body was black as if cast from iron, covered in dense fur as sharp as steel needles.

With its two sharp horns, it was ramming relentlessly into the Array.

The ground trembled.

The Array Light Curtain dimmed and flickered,

on the verge of shattering.

Thanks to the enhanced Eye Power he gained by sharing Xiaofeng’s sight through Concentric Vision,

Shen Changchuan could also make out the vaguely familiar figure of Shen Shiyin within the Array Light Curtain.

At that moment, Shen Shiyin was directly facing the Horned Ox Demon’s assault,

his face a mask of panic,

filled with terror.

It seemed that,

his group had been attacked by a Demon Beast while on the road.

Although they had managed to raise a protective Array in time,

under the assault of the Horned Ox Demon—which was at least at the Eighth Layer in strength—

it was on the verge of collapse.

’Something’s not right... Horned Ox Demons are tough, but they aren’t known for being aggressive. Normally, if you don’t provoke them, they won’t provoke you...’

Shen Changchuan’s brow furrowed.

He had a nagging feeling that something was amiss.

’This is strange...’

But seeing that the Array Light Curtain was about to fail, Shen Changchuan didn’t dwell on it.

He simply raised his guard a little,

and had Xiaofeng dive toward the valley like a sharp arrow.

When they were still twenty to thirty zhang from the Horned Ox Demon,

he unleashed a colossal Sword Shadow that cascaded down from the sky like a waterfall, slashing toward the Horned Ox Demon.

RIIIP!

Both Xiaofeng and Shen Changchuan’s speed, and the speed at which the Sword Shadow was unleashed, were simply too fast.

The Horned Ox Demon, with its Eighth Layer aura, had no time to react.

It was sliced in two by the mighty sword light that descended from the heavens.

The sword light passed through the Horned Ox Demon’s massive, iron-like body, leaving a deep gash several zhang long in the earth...