The Aggrieved Tian Ling'er

"Senior Brother, should we pursue them?" someone from the Kaiyang Sect beside him immediately stepped forward and asked.

"You go after them. Yun Qian and I will follow shortly," Tian Sha said.

"Yes." Everyone answered at once.

Then, several Kaiyang Sect members stamped their feet, stepped onto their Flying Swords, and flew over the mountain in pursuit of the people who had gone behind it. The people from the other sects followed quickly after the Kaiyang Sect members went ahead.

"Zhao Suo Xiang, I'm going to take a look. What about you?" Zhong Shan immediately asked.

"I'm not going. Until we meet again." Zhong Shan immediately replied.

"Until we meet again." Zhao Suo Xiang nodded, then quickly followed the mountain path and leaped toward the area behind it.

In the valley, the people who had originally been lying on the ground, gravely wounded, were helped to their feet and led away. Everyone gradually left, leaving behind only Zhong Shan, Tian Ling'er, Tian Sha, the Kaiyang Sect disciple named Yun Qian, and the old man's corpse.

Yun Qian picked up the old man's horsetail whisk and Flying Sword. He even removed a Storage Bracelet from the old man's wrist.

Zhong Shan, however, looked over the entire valley. The ground was covered with countless shattered stones and massive trenches. Their immense power still made Zhong Shan shudder inwardly. The battle before had been far too powerful—so powerful that with Zhong Shan's current strength, he could not intervene at all. No, even Tian Ling'er would have been unable to intervene.

A battle between Golden Core Stage powerhouses. This had definitely been a battle between Golden Core Stage powerhouses.

"Ling Er, why are you here?" Senior Brother turned his head and asked Tian Ling'er in surprise.

When Tian Ling'er saw Senior Brother speaking to her, excitement surged through her heart. After all, she had worshipped Senior Brother since childhood. It was just that Senior Brother had always treated her like a little girl. But it didn't matter. Now—now she had grown up.

"I came out to undergo training with Zhong Shan. We happened to pass by here, and someone said there was a major battle taking place, so we came to see." Tian Ling'er eagerly explained everything to Senior Brother.

"Mm." Tian Sha nodded.

"Senior Brother, it's done." Yun Qian immediately spoke to Senior Brother.

Clearly, he was referring to the spoils they had just collected.

"Mm." Tian Sha nodded.

"Senior Brother, may I go with you? Is that all right?" Tian Ling'er looked at Tian Sha expectantly.

Yun Qian glanced at Tian Ling'er and smiled faintly. "Senior Brother, it should be fine to bring Ling Er along."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Yun Qian." Tian Ling'er immediately smiled.

"Hehe, you're not my junior sister yet. Wait until you reach the Golden Core Stage before you say that." Yun Qian chuckled.

Tian Sha looked at Tian Ling'er and slightly furrowed his brows. Then he nodded. "All right."

"That's wonderful!" Tian Ling'er said excitedly.

"Zhong Shan, I'm going with Senior Brother and the others to pursue Hao San. There won't be any danger, so don't worry." Tian Ling'er still remembered Zhong Shan. She turned around and greeted him.

Normally, no one would object. Even Yun Qian and Tian Sha thought it was only natural.

However, Tian Ling'er greeting this newly accepted Kaiyang Sect disciple gave the two of them a feeling that she was making an unnecessary gesture.

Zhong Shan looked around, then at Tian Sha and Yun Qian. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Tian Ling'er. "You're not allowed to go."

You're not allowed to go!

Zhong Shan's single sentence was like a bucket of cold water poured over the delighted Tian Ling'er. She couldn't go?

"Why?" Tian Ling'er grew anxious and shouted at Zhong Shan.

Yun Qian and Tian Sha looked at Zhong Shan strangely as well. They had not expected this new Kaiyang Sect disciple to say such a thing.

"You're not allowed to go. That means you're not allowed to go." Zhong Shan's voice was low and solemn.

Zhong Shan opposed her again, and both Tian Sha and Yun Qian furrowed their brows.

"You're a third-generation disciple? Go back. A year from now, we'll safely send Ling Er back to the Kaiyang Sect." Yun Qian frowned and spoke.

This was a rare opportunity for Tian Ling'er to be together with Tian Sha. How could she be willing to give it up? She was frantic inside. Why was Zhong Shan, who had always indulged her and listened to her, opposing her now? Why was he opposing her at a time like this?

Biting her lip, Tian Ling'er wore an anxious expression. She looked at Senior Brother, desperately wanting to follow them.

Zhong Shan did not look at Yun Qian. Even though he was a second-generation disciple of the Kaiyang Sect, Zhong Shan did not spare him a glance. Instead, he stared at Tian Ling'er. "It's too dangerous. You're not allowed to go."

"It won't be dangerous. With Senior Brother there, he won't let me get hurt. He won't." Tian Ling'er immediately tried to persuade Zhong Shan.

"All right, Ling Er. Don't bother talking to him. Let's go." Yun Qian frowned.

Tian Ling'er was anxious now. She wanted to go—she wanted to go very badly—but Zhong Shan would not let her. After spending this much time with Zhong Shan, she had already come to regard him as a very good friend. Naturally, she did not want to fall out with him. But she also did not want to miss this opportunity. Thus, she was practically on the verge of tears, looking at Zhong Shan with a pitiful expression.

After Yun Qian finished speaking, Tian Ling'er took a deep breath, as if she really was about to follow Yun Qian and leave with Tian Sha without looking back.

"Osmanthus Cake," Zhong Shan suddenly said.

Osmanthus Cake? Yun Qian and Tian Sha both furrowed their brows. Osmanthus Cake? They did not know what Zhong Shan meant by saying that. Could he be trying to lure Tian Ling'er with Osmanthus Cake?

When she heard Zhong Shan's words, a trace of pain appeared on Tian Ling'er's face. She closed her eyes, looking utterly miserable.

"All right, Ling Er. Let's go quickly. Don't mind this madman." Yun Qian frowned as he glanced at Zhong Shan and spoke to Tian Ling'er.

Clearly, he had taken the sudden "Osmanthus Cake" for Zhong Shan's mad rambling.

But was Osmanthus Cake really mad rambling? Before leaving the Kaiyang Sect, Zhong Shan and Tian Ling'er had agreed on this code word. As long as Zhong Shan said it, Tian Ling'er had to do as he instructed. At the time, Tian Ling'er had thought it was funny and amusing. But when Zhong Shan actually called out the code word, she discovered that it was not funny or amusing at all. It was painful—excruciatingly painful.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother Yun Qian, I'm sorry. You go on ahead. Ling Er can't go with you." Tian Ling'er opened her eyes and suddenly spoke to the two of them.

"Huh?" Yun Qian looked at Tian Ling'er in disbelief. Anyone with eyes could see Tian Ling'er's admiration for Senior Brother. That was why Yun Qian had urged Senior Brother to bring her along. But what was going on now? She was giving up over a piece of Osmanthus Cake?

"Mm." Tian Sha nodded. Yun Qian could only let the matter drop, though he looked at Tian Ling'er and then Zhong Shan in profound puzzlement.

Tian Sha also took a deep look at Zhong Shan's resolute face and slightly furrowed his brows. Then he leaped into the air, jumped over the mountain, and headed behind it. Yun Qian immediately stepped onto a Flying Sword and flew after him.

Watching Senior Brother leave, the aggrieved Tian Ling'er could finally hold back no longer. Tears streamed down her face.

Seeing the two of them leave, Zhong Shan also breathed a sigh of relief. Tian Ling'er had stayed behind. Good—so long as she had not gone, it was fine. Pursuing Hao San was far too dangerous. The battle in the valley just now was already beyond what Tian Ling'er could face. Tian Sha protecting her? Would Tian Sha risk his life to protect her? Even if he would, this pursuit of Hao San involved not only the Kaiyang Sect but also many other sects and countless powerful experts. Could Tian Sha guarantee that Tian Ling'er would remain completely unharmed?

Since Zhong Shan had agreed to Tian Xingzi, he would naturally do everything he could to ensure Tian Ling'er's safety. Even setting aside the promise he had made to Tian Xingzi, after spending these days together, Zhong Shan did not want Tian Ling'er to be placed in danger.

After everyone had left, Zhong Shan quickly examined the dead old man's corpse.

Yun Qian had collected the spoils, while Zhong Shan inspected the body again to see if there was anything worth noting.

Sure enough, not long afterward, Zhong Shan discovered something strange. This old man was an Eunuch—an absolutely genuine Eunuch.

How could this be? How could he be an Eunuch?

Zhong Shan stared at the scene in disbelief. Was he truly an Eunuch, or had he been injured in the past or suffered some mishap while cultivating?

After thinking about it, he still could not understand. Zhong Shan raised his head and looked at Tian Ling'er, only to discover that her eyes were still red and that she was crying aggrievedly without end.

Seeing Tian Ling'er's expression, Zhong Shan sighed softly. "Ling Er..."

Before Zhong Shan could finish, Tian Ling'er turned toward him and shouted, "Zhong Shan, I hate you to death! Boo-hoo~~"

Turning her head, Tian Ling'er stepped onto Red Silk and flew toward a distant direction.

Seeing this, Zhong Shan shook his head and gave a bitter laugh. He circulated his power beneath his feet and quickly chased after her.

Zhong Shan hurried after Tian Ling'er in the direction she had flown, unaware that on another mountain peak not far away, three pairs of eyes were currently watching the direction Zhong Shan had gone.

Zhong Di, Liu Ming, and Wang Gui.

P.S.: I beg you for recommendation tickets.