Chapter 197: The Frightening Shicun

"I am leaving."

After Liu Shen appeared, he suddenly said this to Shi Hao.

"Mengchen! I..., I also intend to go with the Ancestral Sacrificial Spirit."

Following Liu Shen, the Vajra Pestle also spoke these words.

The words spoken after the two appeared caused Mengchen and Shi Hao's hearts to shake violently; it was hard to let go—were they both leaving?

Immediately after, the Small Tower also suddenly appeared and said to Shi Hao: "Kid! I also intend to go with Liu Shen. The path ahead will have to be walked by you alone."

"Gangzi, are you really leaving?" Mengchen still asked, unwilling to let go.

"Yes! I originally wanted to protect your growth all the way, but after thinking it over, perhaps my existence will become a major obstacle on your path of cultivation. The path ahead must be walked by yourself; only the path one walks out on their own is the most solid."

The Vajra Pestle's tone was so certain, so resolute, that hearing it in Mengchen's heart felt like a giant boulder rolling about.

Shi Hao, standing to the side, was no different; since he was young, he had poured out his inner thoughts to Liu Shen, often falling asleep at her feet, and later, she had even comforted him, taught him to grow, and protected his safety.

The Small Tower, later on, had spent every day and night with him, and their bond had long since become incomparably deep.

Having waited so bitterly, the first words spoken were of departure—how could one's heart be calmed?

"Before leaving, there are still some matters to handle. Let us return to Shicun first!" said Liu Shen.

Shi Hao was silent; he knew that Liu Shen and the Small Tower were truly going to leave, and the time they could spend together was already running out.

He went to invite his parents to return to Shicun together, and then invited Mengchen and the others to go along.

Liu Shen's figure was hazy, standing in the center, with chaotic Qi permeating the air; around him, three thousand worlds floated and sank, and infinite deities appeared and disappeared, bowing down to him in worship.

Suddenly, a tender green branch, carrying dew and blooming with green light, possessed incomparable vitality; with a *chi* sound, it pierced through the void, opening up a brilliant passage.

"Let's go."

Shi Hao asked his parents, younger brother, and Mengchen and the others to walk into the passage together to head to Shicun.

This was a passage constructed from Runes; after the few stepped in, it did not take long before they reached the end, and the area ahead was blurry, with ripples spreading out.

The next moment, they stepped out of the passage and onto solid ground.

Everyone took a deep breath; the scent of grass and trees, the faint fragrance of fruit, and the smell of soil rushed toward them, and the air was very fresh.

"Eh...!"

Mengchen, Qingyi, Xiyao, Heizi, Xiaohuang, as well as Qin Hao and his parents, were all astonished, looking around; here, essence Qi was surging and full of vitality, and there were even several Spirit Medicine veins underground—it was an absolute treasure land for cultivation.

With a flash of green light, Liu Shen took root at the entrance of the village, hundreds and thousands of willow branches hanging down, swaying with green light and wreathed in mist, sacred and peaceful.

"Liu Shen has returned!"

Suddenly, a child in the village shouted, causing the entire village to be startled.

They appeared and immediately surrounded Shi Hao, appearing quite affectionate, with the true feelings of the human world flowing infinitely.

In this village, five-colored small luan birds flitted about with bright feathers, unicorns moved in herds, their bodies silver-white and shimmering with light, and there were various other spirit birds and auspicious beasts; this was no village where humans lived, but clearly a paradise on earth, just like a dwelling for immortals.

For a moment, Mengchen was filled with envy for Shi Hao; he did not want to be bound to the Western Sect, and wasn't this the kind of life he wanted!? "Ah, Uncle Shi Hao is back, *aowu*..."

In an instant, a group of little brats who didn't know where they had been running wild appeared, some still bare-bottomed; upon seeing Shi Hao, they ran over with great excitement, competing to be lifted high by Shi Hao.

Watching this scene, not only Mengchen, but also Qingyi, Xiyao, Heizi, Xiaohuang, and the others at his side, all revealed expressions of joyful longing.

"Shi Hao, you're back!" Soon, an old man with black hair and a sturdy build, along with a group of robust young men, appeared at the village entrance.

Mengchen learned from Shi Hao's words that this old man was the village chief of this village.

Subsequently, Shi Hao introduced his parents and younger brother to the villagers, and finally introduced Mengchen and the others one by one, allowing them to get to know each other.

"This big brother, why are you so strange? Why don't you have hair on your head!" A little boy looked up at Mengchen, his innocent little face filled with question marks.

"Ah, this..." Mengchen was speechless for a moment, scratching the back of his head in helplessness.

The little boy, not getting an answer, shifted his target, gently tugging on Qingyi, and asked with childlike innocence: "This big sister, do you know why this big brother doesn't grow hair?"

Seeing the little boy ask her, Qingyi bloomed with a smile, beautiful and extraordinary; she squatted down, cupped the little boy's face, and said jokingly: "This big brother of yours! He is very bad, so Heaven is punishing him, not letting him grow any hair."

Hearing this, Mengchen immediately glared at Qingyi, but his gaze was completely ignored by her.

"Impossible, the people Uncle Shi Hao brings back couldn't possibly be bad people. You, big sister, are a big liar; I'm not talking to you anymore." The little boy got angry, swinging his little arms as he sulked away.

"Sigh..." Qingyi was suddenly embarrassed by the little boy's actions, her face turning bright red.

"Hahaha..." Everyone saw this and burst into hearty laughter.

Mengchen moved his steps slightly, leaned in front of Qingyi, and whispered: "Look at how much insight a child has; look at you, you don't even have the discernment of a child, and you still wanted to frame your own husband—now you've gotten yourself into an embarrassing situation, haven't you!"

"Hmph! None of your business!" Qingyi turned away in a huff, unwilling to pay him any mind.

Afterwards, amidst the laughter, led by the village chief grandfather, the group walked into the village.

As they went deeper, Mengchen and the others were even more amazed; there were actually many Spirit Medicines here, and the path was filled with misty spiritual energy.

Suddenly, a silver-shining peach tree appeared ahead; it was about half a meter tall, fragrant, and both its leaves and branches flowed with silver radiance.

"A Saint Medicine?"

The expressions of Mengchen, Xiaohuang, Qingyi, and the others suddenly became uncertain because of this peach tree; it was just a village, yet it actually had a Saint Medicine.

The surprises continued; as they went deeper into the village, golden lightning dogs, purple spirit mice, and red-feathered cranes, a group of little things, rushed over and jumped onto the shoulders of some children.

"This... is this a village in the Lower Realm? I'm afraid we've arrived at a blessed land of immortals!" Xiyao exclaimed, her stunning face filled with shock.

The journey here had been one of constant shock.

Suddenly, violent energy fluctuations came from deep within the distant mountain range, and two beams of light shot into the sky, shaking this land.

"Such a strong aura, what is going on! Who is it that would appear in Shicun to fight?" Shi Hao said in shock.

"This kind of power is far beyond what a Venerable can compare to." Mengchen watched, his eyes becoming grave, and following him, Qingyi, Xiaohuang, Xiyao, Heizi, and the others all watched and changed color.

Soon, Shi Hao flashed away, and Mengchen and the others, seeing this, followed in an instant, wanting to know exactly who was fighting there.

"Oh? It's actually them?!"

Shi Hao and Mengchen's group arrived almost simultaneously; after seeing the two combatants clearly, Shi Hao felt a mix of joy and surprise.

Those two figures caused a shock in the hearts of Mengchen and the others; it could be said that this time, it was a fright.

This Shicun actually still possesses two divine birds of the Divine Fire Realm!

These two great divine birds are outrageously powerful; one is a massive golden Zhu Yan, and the other is a Vermilion Bird covered in fiery feathers. Both are primordial divine birds possessing ancient bloodlines.

(End of this chapter)