Death on the Spot

At night, the campfire crackled and popped.

"You're not bad, kid, but you're still a little worse than me, hahaha!"

"Hmph, you're only relying on having cultivated for a few more years than me. What's there to be proud of? If you've got the guts, let's settle this like men!"

"Like men? Come on, follow me to that little grove over there!"

"Wait, why are you unbuckling your belt? I meant a drinking contest!"

I haven't felt an atmosphere like this in a long time! As Shen Ye strolled through the woods, he sighed inwardly. Then he turned to Hua Yue, whose little face had been reddened by the firelight, and asked, "How does it feel?"

Hua Yue was silent for a moment before saying wistfully, "The smiles on their faces are something I've never seen in City of Flowing Moon! I truly hope everyone in City of Flowing Moon can be like this too!"

Shen Ye looked up at the bright moon in the night sky. "That day will come!"

"City of Flowing Moon?" Xu Si poked his head over from the side and asked curiously, "Is that where you and Shen Ye came from?"

Somewhat drunk already, Zhang Chulan came over, threw an arm around Shen Ye's shoulders, and held the baijiu in his hand to Shen Ye's mouth. "Hehe, want a sip?"

Xu San pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Are you an idiot? Minors can't drink!"

Then he looked at Shen Ye. "Sorry, this kid's had too much."

"It's fine." Shen Ye shook his head slightly before saying softly, "However, I truly dislike drinking. It slows the nerves, dulls one's vigilance, and leaves one in danger without even realizing it!"

A strange glint flashed through Xu San's eyes. Not liking alcohol was nothing unusual, but the latter part of Shen Ye's words was rather noteworthy. It gave him the feeling of survival in the wild.

Did places like that still exist in modern society? He couldn't have come from Shennongjia, could he?

Xu Si seized the chance to ask, "I wanted to ask earlier—does your hometown lie somewhere in the mountains, Shen Ye? It sounds like life there is rather difficult!"

Xu San added, "If the environment is harsh, perhaps you could find a way to relocate."

"That won't be necessary." Shen Ye shook his head. "My Lieshan Tribe has lived in City of Flowing Moon for generations. The outside world's turbid air is too heavy and unsuitable for us."

"Lieshan Tribe?" Zhuge Qing's curious voice suddenly came from nearby.

Sorcerers had always been intensely curious, and he himself was especially fond of gossip. He had long been eavesdropping from the side.

"You know about it?" Xu Si asked with his head tilted.

"My apologies. I 'accidentally' overheard your conversation." Using his apology as an excuse, Zhuge Qing openly walked over and voiced his speculation. "The Shennong Clan was also known as the Emperor Yan and called the Lieshan Clan. Could this Lieshan Tribe be the tribe where Shennong lived?"

"Shennong!" Another cry of surprise came from nearby. Everyone turned to look and saw that it was the Deng brothers from the Northeast Shaman lineage.

Xu San's mouth twitched. What was wrong with these young people? Why did every last one of them enjoy eavesdropping?

Deng Youcai had already learned the full details of the daytime battle from his older brother. He looked at Shen Ye with excited admiration and fired off questions like a machine gun. "Boss, what's it like to have Great God Shennong possess you? Has Great God Shennong ascended? Can you communicate with Great God Shennong...?"

Upon hearing Deng Youcai's words, everyone was startled. That phantom from the daytime was actually the legendary Shennong?

If that was true, then it made sense that the giant snake had been so intimidated by his aura that it had not dared to attack!

Shen Ye did not mind and answered candidly, "The Lieshan Tribe has worshipped Venerable God Shennong since ancient times. However, ever since he mended the heavens, Venerable God Shennong has not displayed any divine miracles for hundreds of thousands of years!"

"Hundreds of thousands of years?" Their expressions crumbled. Did he think he was a Peking Man from Zhoukoudian?

Zhuge Qing, however, analyzed the matter seriously. "Nuwa mending the heavens? Could that refer to an ancient great flood? Did you hide in a secret realm similar to Peach Blossom Spring during that flood, causing your perception of time to differ greatly from the outside world?"

After hearing Zhuge Qing's elaborate theory, everyone suddenly understood. That was indeed reasonable.

Shen Ye did not explain himself. He merely gave Zhuge Qing a surprised look. This squinty-eyed fellow really was quite talented!

Just as everyone was astonished by this information, Zhang Chulan's wild laughter suddenly rang out from beside the campfire. "Ahahaha, you really want to see it? Then I'll broaden your horizons!"

"Come on, let us see it!"

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!"

As everyone at the gathering surged toward Zhang Chulan as though on a pilgrimage, Shen Ye, knowing what would happen next, shook his head slightly. He had no interest in Moonlit Bird Watching. Turning to Hua Yue, he said, "Yue'er, go back to your room and rest first. I have something to deal with."

Hua Yue naturally would not disobey Shen Ye's wishes, nor did she ask any questions. She simply nodded slightly. "Yes!"

Only after Hua Yue left did Shen Ye open the note in his hand. It read: "If you don't want that little girl to die an unnatural death, come to the center of the back mountain."

"So quickly, I've already caught a fish? Harvest season is always delightful!" Shen Ye's lips curved upward. A flicker of fire appeared in his palm and consumed the paper as he calmly walked deeper into the forest.

Half an hour later, Shen Ye arrived at the location written on the note.

Shadows of trees mottled the ground, while the harsh cries of crows occasionally echoed through the surroundings.

A somewhat short figure emerged from the darkness. "Out for a walk this late at night, little friend? Are you lost?"

Shen Ye smiled softly. "You truly are cautious, old sir. Were you worried that I had brought helpers?"

"Haha, it's a habit, a habit... Though this old man is decrepit, I can still sense whether there's an ambush nearby." The old man narrowed his eyes. "But you, little friend—you may be young, but you have quite the nerve."

"Let me introduce myself first. This old man is Wang Ai, one of the Ten Elders. I came tonight because I wish to ask you, little friend, to take pity on this grandfather's devotion to his grandson!"

Shen Ye's gaze was as calm as water. "Mm. Continue."

Wang Ai stared into Shen Ye's eyes and confirmed that he was not merely feigning composure. He could not help shaking his head with a sigh. "If my grandson possessed even half your temperament, this old man would not have to worry about the future of his descendants! But precisely because he is not capable enough, I wish to borrow your spirit for his use!"

"So you were one of the rats drawn here by that battle during the day." Shen Ye sighed before asking coldly, "And if I refuse?"

At those words, Wang Ai's "kindly" face abruptly twisted into a savage expression. "That isn't up to you!"

Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ye instantly drew the wooden sword at his waist and slashed forward like lightning.

"A sneak attack? Heh, I was waiting for that!" Wang Ai sneered. He would not underestimate his opponent simply because Shen Ye was a child. His withered body was astonishingly agile as he easily dodged the sword. His right hand formed a claw, striking after yet arriving first and hitting Shen Ye's left shoulder. Yet Shen Ye's shoulder felt as hard as refined iron.

"Hard qigong?" Wang Ai was slightly surprised, but he did not hesitate. Instead, he mobilized all the qi in his body and crushed it with a claw!

However, the scene of blood spraying everywhere that he had expected never appeared. Before his eyes was a hollow cavity, through which he could even see the precise mechanisms operating within Shen Ye's body.

"Th-this is?"

At the very moment Wang Ai was stunned and distracted, a fierce palm strike slammed viciously into his back.

The qi inside Wang Ai's body instantly became chaotic. Before he could regulate it, a seal locked it down!

"How is this possible? There was clearly no one around!" Wang Ai turned around in shock, only to see another Shen Ye standing behind him.

"The material really is somewhat mediocre!" Shen Ye frowned slightly, dissatisfied with the result.

"This is... a puppet?" Wang Ai's gaze swept back and forth between the two "Shen Yes," and he finally understood. "Your aura matches this puppet's, confusing my senses?"

"More precisely, it is a mechanical puppet!" Shen Ye walked up before him, amusement in his eyes. "If one of the Ten Elders were to die, this world would surely be shaken quite a bit, wouldn't it?"

This brat truly wants to kill me! A chill ran through Wang Ai's heart. Although tonight's events had exceeded his expectations, he had survived from the chaotic times until now. His century of mental cultivation had not been for nothing. Even after hearing Shen Ye say he wanted to kill him, he quickly calmed down.

"A hero indeed emerges in youth. This old man admits defeat this time! But perhaps you misunderstand the Ten Elders, young man. Apart from a few reckless fools, the Ten Elders represent the strongest major forces in the world of outsiders. If you kill this old man..."

"You talk too much!" Along with Shen Ye's cold words, the mechanical puppet that had been standing silently at the side suddenly stepped forward twice and drove its sword through Wang Ai's chest.

"You..." Wang Ai's eyes widened. He could not believe he would die in such a manner. This bastard would not even let him finish speaking?

Shen Ye tapped lightly with his index finger, and a stream of water surrounded the mechanical puppet, washing away the bloodstains.

"Although I do not care about retaliation from the Ten Elders, for the Grand Heavenly Offering Ritual to proceed normally, I should wait until I claim first place before exposing this."

With that in mind, Shen Ye casually set up a concealment formation to temporarily hide Wang Ai's corpse, then began repairing the damaged parts of the mechanical puppet.