Chapter 498: A New Choice and a New Life

"It is already afternoon, Brother Chen."

Meng Chunqiu turned around and looked at him with a smile.

This person was dressed in magnificent and noble clothing; although the ground was full of pedestrians wearing traditional attire, it was clearly visible that the fabric and design of his clothes were incomparable to those of the passersby. His sleeves fluttered, and a cyan bottle-shaped jade pendant hung from his waist. Upon closer inspection, oh, it was a bottle of essential balm.

"Don't mind these details." Chen Shu waved his hand, "Where are the Group Owner and Brother Wuming? When will they be able to come over?"

"Soon, I suppose."

"Oh..."

Zhang Suannai, meanwhile, was quietly observing him and Ning Qing, confirming that Chen Shu was indeed Chen Shu, and not Ning Qing operating Chen Shu's body to imitate him—by now, she had been made so paranoid by these two that no matter how absurd the thought, it might pop into her mind.

No, not by these two.

It was by Chen Shu.

Qingqing remained noble and pure, rising from the mud without being stained.

Zhang Suannai observed a few more times, then gathered the courage to speak up: "You two have switched back, haven't you?"

"Yes."

Meng Chunqiu immediately asked in confusion: "What? What switched back?"

The rest of the group members also cast their gazes over in a flash.

For a moment, Zhang Suannai was stunned—

Since when did this happen? How had these silly group members become so sharp-nosed about such things?

"It's nothing."

"Ah, yes, yes, it's nothing, nothing at all..."

The two reached a rare consensus, which only made the group members more curious. However, they looked at Chen Shu, then at Zhang Suannai, and then at Ning Qing, feeling that they wouldn't be able to get anything out of them, so they could only give up with regret.

"Dharma Master Xuanzhen."

Chen Shu stood beside a tree, picking at the bark, and said to Little Master Xuanzhen: "Are you single now?"

"..."

Facing the many gazes suddenly cast upon him, Little Master Xuanzhen was silent for a moment: "Regrettably, not yet."

"Didn't I introduce my junior sister to you?"

"That Junior Sister Guan, right..."

"Yes."

"It didn't work out..."

"How did it not work out? I heard from Junior Sister Guan that she had a pretty good impression of you." Chen Shu was puzzled, "And Junior Sister Guan is quite eager to date."

"It is shameful to say..." Little Master Xuanzhen was silent again, his expression becoming aggrieved, "She said she likes Sword Cultivators and thinks Sword Cultivators are the coolest. She asked me if I could invite a Sword Cultivator to possess me while I'm dating her."

"Pfft..."

"Heh heh heh..."

"Amitabha, what a sin..."

Then Zhang Suannai looked up again and asked: "Then what about the one I introduced to you... the former cheerleader captain from our school?"

"..."

Little Master Xuanzhen was silent once more. Facing the gaze of the crowd, he felt these looks were so scorching, as if they were burning his face, and his expression gradually became even more aggrieved. Only after a long time did he manage to squeeze out a sentence:

"She is a lesbian."

"?"

"This..."

The expressions of the crowd suddenly became even stranger.

"Damn! I was wondering, after she asked for my WeChat, why she kept looking for me to chat and asking me out to dinner." Zhang Suannai said, "I thought she was conquered by my personality charm, turns out she really was conquered by my personality charm."

"They are here."

"Where?"

Everyone turned their heads to look.

Two figures walked over from the left.

The Group Owner was also wearing traditional clothing today, but it was not as complex or magnificent as Meng Chunqiu's; he was simply wearing a long robe. Beside him was another person, wearing white sneakers, black pants, and a black down jacket—an ordinary outfit, medium build, unremarkable appearance. It was none other than Wuming.

Everyone hurried forward to greet them.

Chen Shu smiled and greeted them: "Long time no see, it seems everything is well."

"I thought you were dead! But you aren't." Zhang Suannai asked, "What stage is your cultivation at?"

"Donor Wuming is still the same as ever."

"Amitabha, coincidentally, none of us have changed either..."

"Dharma Master Tongdeng is right."

"I... hehehe... welcome back, Brother Wuming."

Having not seen each other for a long time, for someone like Wuming, this was sufficient reason for estrangement and shyness. Standing before everyone now, receiving their welcome, he inevitably appeared somewhat at a loss. He didn't know where to put his hands, and his posture felt awkward, yet he could fully perceive everyone's enthusiasm and good intentions.

After a few seconds of silence, he only replied:

"Long time no see."

As long as the sentiment is conveyed, there is no need to struggle with words.

The Group Owner then brought him to Meng Chunqiu and Jiang Lai: "This one, who is neither male nor female, is my younger brother, named Meng Ziyang. This is Jiang Lai, the roommate of both Meng Ziyang and Qingcai, quite a coincidence. The two of them only joined the group in the last two years."

"Brother Wuming, I've long admired your name..."

"I, I am Jiang Lai."

"Hello to you both..."

"Stop standing here, like a bunch of idlers with nothing to do. Let's go." The Group Leader glanced at them and couldn't help but frown; he didn't know when it started, but the image of this group had gone more and more off-track; they had all looked quite serious before.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Chen Shu looked bewildered and glared at him.

"..."

The Group Leader shook his head, said nothing, and simply took the lead, walking toward the State Guesthouse.

It wasn't mealtime yet, but the State Guesthouse had everything; the group found a Tea Room, sat down to drink tea, and chatted about the changes in both sides over the past few years.

The Group Leader did most of the talking; he briefly recounted the major events that had occurred domestically and abroad since the trip to Duqin, as well as everyone's opportunities and changes.

Chen Shu, Ning Qing, and Zhang Suannai had been shipwrecked and lost in Nanzhou, gaining the opportunity to advance to the Sixth Stage. The Calamity-Responding Bodhisattva had attained Buddhahood, and the Killing Forbidden Land had opened. After reaching the Seventh Stage, everyone's cultivation had grown rapidly under the influence of marks and Divine Power. After the Eighth Stage, the Nanzhou calamity began, and they went to Nanzhou to gang up on a clone of Cao Ci, getting trapped for two months. It even included interesting events like Chen Shu defeating Zhang Suannai at the Martial Body gathering.

Of course, not everyone felt it was interesting.

The Nameless Person listened with great emotion.

So everyone had changed so much.

So many things had happened.

So everyone was already at the Eighth Stage.

It was unexpected, yet within reason.

But in this way, the development of history was completely different from the trajectory in the scenes that the mysterious Secret Sect senior had let him "see."

As for the Nameless Person himself, it was very dull.

After sleeping in Shanan City, the Secret Sect senior had separated his body and Spirit Soul; his body was sealed in the desert of Shanan City, while his Spirit Soul was extracted and suppressed in that Forbidden Land within Lanya territory closest to Duqin, keeping him alive, but his Spirit Sea no longer grew naturally, and his Genius Disease had therefore stagnated.

At the same time, an Original Fragment was sealed inside his body.

Until Cao Ci released the origin, the nearly complete origin automatically went to find this fragment, and the Reed God revived within his body.

The group listened in a daze.

"So..." Little Master Xuanzhen paused, his gaze flickering, "The Reed God and the Calamity-Responding Buddha have already suppressed the otherworldly power in Nanzhou?"

"Yes."

"That's not right!" Zhang Suannai said, "Why do I have the feeling that you are the Chosen One? Clearly, I am!"

"It does look a bit like it," the Gate of All Wonders said.

"Amitabha, the Nameless benefactor has a kind heart and talent, so fate will naturally favor him; as for being the Chosen One, aren't we all?"

"..."

The Nameless Person did not speak for a moment.

He knew it was not like that.

According to the original arrangements of the Imperial Family and the Secret Sect senior, he would either gain a new life with the life force of the hundreds of thousands of living beings in Shanan City, or die there; how could such a person be called a chosen one?

And how could he be called kind-hearted?

And in the end, the god reviving with the help of his body was merely the arrangement of another Secret Sect senior; as for the purpose, he was also clear.

At this time, Zhang Suannai stared at him and asked again:

"So what stage are you now?"

"Still the Sixth Stage."

"Mm-hmm, not bad. Keep working hard, young man; in a few hundred years, you'll catch up to me." Zhang Suannai felt relieved and held her teacup to drink tea.

"Some people shouldn't be too arrogant," the Group Leader said. "Nameless's Genius Disease is now cured, and while his Spirit Soul was sealed in the Forbidden Land, it was also being nurtured. Coupled with the immersion of Divine Power in the Nanzhou Forbidden Land, he will soon be able to advance to the High-Tier. Furthermore, the Reed God reviving in his body not only cured his Genius Disease, but the help it provided him during this process was also immense. With his talent, I believe he will catch up soon."

"No... after curing the Genius Disease now, cultivation isn't as fast as it used to be," the Nameless Person explained hurriedly.

"Do you have a mark now?" Zhang Suannai asked.

"What..."

The Nameless Person was stunned for a moment, then reacted, rolled up his sleeve, and showed them a pattern mark with a very exotic style on his arm:

"Is it this?"

"Pretty much."

"I just discovered it; it wasn't there before."

"It should have been left for you by the Reed God," the Group Leader said. "When you advance to the High-Tier, this mark will provide you with a steady stream of Divine Power, letting your cultivation take a rocket ship and eventually take over the Reed God's position."

"Ah..."

The Nameless Person opened his eyes wide.

In those scenes he had seen before, although they were unclear and only fragments, he knew that he had not become a god... In that final war, he had not returned, nor had he intended to return.

Even if he had returned, he was afraid he wouldn't have the qualifications to become a god.

Just like Senior Cao Ci.

At this time, Qing Cai's voice sounded from the side: "Don't dwell on it so much. Since you've returned, it's a better life; live it well."

The Nameless Person suddenly froze.

He didn't know if he knew anything, but this sentence had hit his heart exactly right.

Yes—

This was a new life.

This life was undoubtedly better.

"It's mealtime," the Group Leader stood up. "Let's change places and chat while we eat... This time, I've hired the chef who usually makes state banquets. Except for some ingredients that couldn't be collected all at once, the rest of the specifications are up to state banquet standards. Let you taste how it is. Also, to commemorate the first gathering of active members since our group was founded."

"I've eaten this chef's food too; how should I put it, there can't be anyone in this world with better culinary skills than Brother Chen."

"I haven't eaten this chef's food, but how should I put it, there can't be a dish in this world more delicious than Yuer Chicken."

"You two just keep blowing smoke."

Chen Shu got up and followed the Group Leader out. When passing by the Nameless Person, he playfully and grinningly threw a non-lethal straight punch, which counted as an extra greeting. There were no other words; everything should be as it was.

At the dining table, everyone crowded around.

Dish after dish was served one after another.

It was the same style as the imperial-style cuisine Chen Shu had eaten before: top-tier ingredients, top-tier chefs, and prepared with great care, resulting in top-tier dishes. However, compared to the commercialized imperial-style cuisine from last time, this State Guesthouse version was undoubtedly an upgraded one, with better ingredients and even more meticulous and attentive preparation.

But it was still the same old story.

When things are too refined, they lack the flavor of human life.

The chefs considered too many things; they couldn't make the flavors too bold, couldn't make them too tough, and one couldn't even see bones in the dishes. Being so constrained, it lost a bit of its appeal.

Everyone continued to chat while eating.

Both Chen Shu and the Group Leader knew of the "healing methods" previously arranged by the Imperial Family and the Secret Sect for the nameless individual, but both tacitly avoided mentioning them.

Chen Shu knew far more than the Group Leader, but he did not mention the other choice available to the nameless individual, even pretending not to know—since the nameless individual before him had already made a new choice, this should be a brand-new life.

Wasn't that the very same idea Qingqing had held back then when she didn't reveal her true form or her true voice?