"Father."

Seeing Shen Yuan's arrival, Zhao Xuan respectfully called out.

"Hmm." Shen Yuan came forward with his hands behind his back, glanced at the mother and son's slightly swollen eyes, and sighed lightly.

"Did Chongxuan upset you?"

Zhao Xuan forced a slight smile and said, "The child went back and said he's told you, he wants to give up cultivation."

"Father, he's just playful and can't endure hardship. I've already reprimanded him."

"Mother, I'm not playful; I just don't want to cultivate and want to study instead!" Shen Chongxuan defended himself.

Zhao Xuan, hearing this, immediately pulled out a broom from beside her and gave his back a harsh stroke, angrily saying:

"What good is studying!?"

"Mention studying again, and don't call me 'mother' anymore!"

Shen Chongxuan took the hit but didn't cry, stubbornly speaking: "Studying is also cultivation, like Master Lu, like Father..."

"Chongxuan." Hu Yufen, next to them, sighed deeply, stepped forward with tenderness and held him in her arms, softly saying: "Don't argue with your mother."

Both she and Shen Yuan knew that Zhao Xuan was a strong-willed person.

The second son, Shen Wenyan, had been away for years, indeed making it hard on her.

The main reason she opposed her son pursuing the Literary Dao was largely due to Shen Wenyan's influence.

"Father, this child listens to you, please persuade him again."

Zhao Xuan, with tears in her eyes, turned to Shen Yuan and pleaded.

She herself had achieved nothing in the Martial Dao, having been cultivating all these years, yet couldn't even achieve Body Tempering.

Now, with the children's father away for five or six years, without any news, Zhao Xuan had placed all her hopes on the two children.

She dreamed that Shen Chongxuan and Shen Chongxu's brothers would achieve something in cultivation, contributing to the family rather than becoming burdens.

Shen Yuan did not speak, stepped lightly to Shen Chongxuan, and lifted him up.

"Go out first, Grandfather will talk to your mother."

Shen Chongxuan saluted slightly and turned to walk out of the courtyard.

Hu Yufen brought two stools to place beside the lounging chair, pulling Zhao Xuan to sit down.

Shen Yuan sat in the lounging chair, pondering for a moment before saying, "I know, you don't want Chongxuan to study because of Ah Nu, isn't it?"

"Father, I..." Zhao Xuan quickly tried to explain.

Shen Yuan smiled slightly and said, "Let Father finish speaking."

He sighed and said, "That little rascal has been a troublemaker, wronged you all these years."

"Father apologizes on his behalf."

Zhao Xuan shook her head repeatedly: "Father, you and Mother have been very kind to me, and my husband too... he's been good."

"It's my own incompetence..."

Upon hearing this, Hu Yufen quickly spoke: "Silly child, how are you at fault?"

"It is the Shen Family that has wronged you."

Tears flowed uncontrollably from Zhao Xuan's eyes, her hands tightly clutching her sleeves.

Shen Yuan continued, "Chongxuan lacks a Spirit Root, and now he's lost interest in cultivation. Even forcing him to continue might not lead to great achievements."

"If you can let go of your prejudice and think carefully, the Literary Dao is not a bad path."

"Chongxuan is meticulous in his thoughts, he might accomplish something in the Literary Dao."

Zhao Xuan pondered for a moment, wiped her tears, and looked up saying, "I don't understand much about cultivation, but eldest brother also has no Spirit Root."

"If Chongxuan can't cultivate the Immortal Dao, then let him learn Body Cultivation from eldest brother."

Hearing this, Shen Yuan exchanged glances with his wife Hu Yufen.

He realized that Zhao Xuan's knot in her heart could only be untied by Shen Wenyan's return.

"Father respects your thoughts. Since you think this way, father has nothing more to say."

"Just one last word."

Zhao Xuan nodded slightly: "Father, please speak."

Shen Yuan stood up and said, "The road that suits oneself is the best. As parents, sometimes we need to respect the child's choice."

"Go, have a good talk with Chongxuan. This child can listen to reason."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuan thought for a long time, then slowly stood up, bowed to the two of them, and left the backyard.

Hu Yufen escorted her to the doorway, turned back to look at Shen Yuan, worry written on her face: "Can't you have Shi Tou try to connect with someone, find a way to bring that rascal back?"

"If things continue like this, the second son's family of three will be finished."

Shen Yuan shook his head slightly: "Shi Tou has already asked some people from the Immortal Sect for help."

"But they don't know where that rascal is now, how to bring him back?"

Hu Yufen said nothing more, her heart full of worry.

...

Danzhou, a mountain village.

On a bamboo bed in the courtyard, Bai Ze, dressed in a plain robe and with hair and beard white as snow, lay enveloped in Death Qi.

Shen Wenyan sat cross-legged beside him.

"Wenyan... my end is near, it might be just within these few days."

"After my death, this Little Concealment Skill will slowly dissipate."

"When that time comes, you must quickly take the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl I leave behind and take Mei'Er to a safe place to hide."

"Do not come out until the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl has been completely refined."

Shen Wenyan nodded with sadness in his expression.

Over the past two years, he has stayed in this village covered by the Little Concealment Skill with Bai Ze and Hu Mei'Er.

Through two years of day and night interaction, they had long since become like family.

Under Bai Ze's sage influence, in just two years, Shen Wenyan felt a significant elevation in his Divine Spirit Realm, and great progress in his Literary Dao cultivation.

Now, he had already grasped the nascent form of the Literary Dao, condensing a nascent Literary Heart within him with Literary Qi, waiting to be perfected later, thus summarizing a brand-new cultivation path.

The Female Essence Wisdom Pearl Bai Ze spoke of was the essence of his lifelong Dao practice.

Shen Wenyan did not know what the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl truly was, only that Bai Ze mentioned it as a great fortune.

If he could completely refine the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl, it would lay the foundation for the Literary Dao, making him a true pioneer.

"Grandmaster Bai Ze..."

"Mei'Er doesn't want you to die..."

On the other side of the bamboo bed, Hu Mei'Er's eyes were brimming with tears.

She had been found by Bai Ze before she could transform, and later received enlightenment from him, embarking on the path of cultivation, now over three hundred years have passed.

Over these years, the grandfather and granddaughter have always lived together, and now, facing the imminent separation of life and death, it's a hard thing for Hu Mei'Er to accept.

"The Great Dao is endless, can immortality truly be attained?"

"Back then, in the mountains, I once encountered a stunningly talented Human Race cultivator."

"Like him, such a genius in planning and talent, ultimately could not achieve immortality."

"Life and death, the cycle of reincarnation is a fixed constant, wanting to escape is easier said than done…"

Bai Ze squeezed out a faint smile on his aged face, then turned again to Shen Wenyan, saying: "Once the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl leaves my body, it will trigger anomalies in Heaven and Earth. The Secret Skill I transmitted to you earlier, have you mastered it?"

Shen Wenyan did not speak, instead extending his hand.

Strands of azure energy appeared in the palm of his hand, gradually forming into a mesh-like sphere.

Bai Ze nodded in satisfaction: "This was modified by me based on the Little Concealment Skill, it should be able to obscure the aura of the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl."

"If anything goes wrong, never force it, the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl is not more important than life."

Shen Wenyan nodded heavily.

Bai Ze's somewhat murky gaze quietly stared at the sky, and fragmented scenes slowly emerged before his eyes.

There were scenes of him frolicking in the mountains while still in beast form, moments of ignorant cultivation on the cliffs, consuming clouds and drinking dew.

There were times he first met Master Guangyuan, sitting together discussing the Dao, and the joy of finding the little fox...

…

The mountains were vast and grand, the forest deep and dense.

In the central part of Hidden Dragon Mountain, several figures rushed quickly through the dense forest.

"Shi Miao, where did you discover the people?"

Shen Chongming carried the White Bone Bow Silent Guest, moving agilely like a leopard, jumping from a huge rock to an ancient tree.

Behind him, Zhao Tuan and Chen Youran followed closely.

Shi Miao reached the branches of the ancient tree, looked up ahead saying: "Roughly in that area up front."

The tall and sturdy Zhao Tuan instantly furrowed his brows upon hearing this.

"Scouting requires you to keep track of positions and pay attention to details."

"Being so unclear, will only lead to future problems."

Shi Miao awkwardly scratched his head: "The trees in this forest all look pretty much the same, I…"

"Trees, like people, each have their characteristics. As a cultivator, can you not distinguish them?"

Zhao Tuan spoke coldly.

Two hours ago, Shi Miao went out to scout, saying he had found a Barbarian Race reconnaissance team, with possible cultivators.

The four were preparing to intercept and kill.

But now, after tracking for two hours, not only did they not see anyone, Shi Miao himself seemed to have forgotten where he found the enemy.

In such a dense forest, the roles of prey and hunter can easily reverse.

With similar realms, whoever discovers the other first gains a bigger advantage.

"Young Clan Leader, we shouldn't continue forward."

Zhao Tuan spoke gravely.

He was also unsure whether the Barbarian Race reconnaissance team had spotted them.

If they were found by the enemy, the reason for not attacking yet might be awaiting reinforcements.

If surrounded later, it would be extremely dangerous.

Shen Chongming nodded.

Clearly, there was no activity around; the enemy having cultivators, he dared not recklessly release his Divine Sense, relying only on eyesight.

"Let's go, return the way we came."

Jumping down from the ancient tree, Shen Chongming spoke sternly.

The four immediately prepared to retreat silently.

"Huh?"

After moving a bit further, Shen Chongming suddenly sensed a faint Divine Sense sweep past a huge stone on the left-front.

He immediately turned abruptly, pulling the Silent Guest Spiritual Artifact to a full moon!

A glimmer flashed across the bow embryo, instantly flowing into the arrow.

The arrow's surface was immediately enveloped by a barely detectable transparent Spiritual Power.

In the next moment, the arrow silently flew out, heading towards an ancient tree beside the boulder!

Thud!

The arrow was incredibly fast, almost piercing through the ancient tree just as it flew out!

The ancient tree was pierced, and a figure wearing unique beast hide behind the tree didn't have time to dodge, the sharp arrow piercing through their throat.

A large quantity of blood flowed from their neck, their face full of confusion.

Shen Chongming and the four swiftly approached, the Barbarian Race soldier hiding behind the tree was already dead.

"Young Clan Leader, this Spiritual Artifact is impressive!"

"The arrow shot out makes absolutely no sound."

"This guy probably never figured out how he was killed."

Shi Miao kicked the body of the Barbarian Race scout.

Zhao Tuan came over, inspected it meticulously, and found a strange token carved from unique beast bone on the Barbarian Race scout's body.

"Is this the reconnaissance team you discovered?"

He looked at Shi Miao and asked.

Shi Miao hesitated slightly, uncertainly saying: "Probably…"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tuan furrowed his brows and was about to speak when he suddenly noticed something seemed to flash by a bush on the far left.

Immediately, the bushes around them began to rustle unexpectedly.

"Young Clan Leader, go!"

Zhao Tuan's expression shifted, instantly activating the Magical Robe on himself, erecting a Spiritual Power Shield to cover Shen Chongming.

Beside him, Chen Youran flicked his hand, and the Long Whip in it emitted a rich green light!

In the next moment, the Long Whip unexpectedly transformed into a continuously growing vine, spreading towards the distant bushes!

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