Paying Respects to the Fallen

"Speak up, what is it? I don't have time to waste with you."

Although Bai Lili was the Holy Maiden of the Hehuan Sect, the two had no enmity. Meng Yan didn't want to cause trouble for himself, so he communicated with her calmly.

You're so boring.

"Alright, let's not waste time on these pointless conversations. I have an unexplored... secret realm here. It might have some good stuff, or it might just be a dilapidated cave abode. I'm not sure what it is. Do you want to come check it out with me?"

Bai Lili brought a fragrant breeze as she turned and walked towards the large rock.

Upon hearing about the secret realm, Meng Yan immediately became interested, but the fact that Bai Lili was the one who invited him made him cautious.

"Tell me, how did you find out? How many people know? I'll think about it."

"What, are you worried I'll set a trap for you?" Bai Lili sat on a rock, her delicate hand supporting her chin as she stared at Meng Yan with a charming smile, then blinked and gave him a flirtatious wink.

Meng Yan ignored Bai Lili's allure and said unhurriedly, "To say I'm not afraid would be a lie. After all, you are the Holy Maiden of the Hehuan Sect, while I am just a Rogue Cultivator. I have to be careful."

Bai Lili didn't try to flirt with Meng Yan verbally. Instead, she smiled and explained the discovery of the secret realm, "The secret realm is in Yellow Sand Mountain. I discovered it while I was traveling. I didn't report it to the sect; only I knew its location."

"However, whether there are any valuable items inside is unknown. It's a gamble, and whether you want to gamble is up to you. I can't force you."

After a moment's thought, Meng Yan replied, "Since no one has discovered that secret realm, let's wait a while. It wouldn't hurt to go back in a year or two."

"You'll already be at the Golden Core by then, won't you?" Bai Lili scoffed. "Fine, I'll wait for you."

"Since there's nothing else, I'll be going now. Goodbye." Meng Yan's figure flashed and disappeared like a bolt of lightning.

After a while, Bai Lili swung her little feet, her face suddenly flushed. "I finally met him in True Person today. Although he's not particularly handsome, his calm and confident demeanor is so alluring. I really want to train him to be my servant."

"But he seems really strong. The sleeping gas I just exhaled had no effect on him at all, and that electric shock felt so tingling and numb, it really made my legs go weak."

At the burial ground of the Spirit Moon Sect, a woman in purple stood quietly before a grave. She remained silent for a long time, and in the end, she left behind only a pot of wine and a plate of roast chicken.

Because Qin Yu's family was very poor when he was in the mortal world, he had been craving this roast chicken for a long time, but he had never eaten it before he entered the sect.

Shen Ge was carrying Su Sui, preparing to pay respects to Qin Yu, because this day marked the seventh day after his burial. He didn't know how the custom was calculated here, but in his hometown, the custom was to offer incense and set off firecrackers on the seventh day.

Halfway there, Shen Ge encountered Su Liuyue and went up to greet her, "Sister, you..."

Su Liuyue interrupted, "Give Su Sui to me. I'll take care of him for a few days. You should focus on your cultivation during these days."

"Remember, death can happen at any time in this Immortal Realm of cultivation. Only by becoming strong can you stay away from death."

Seeing that her sister wasn't very interested, Shen Ge didn't say anything more, but simply nodded and said, "I understand."

After handing Su Sui over to Su Liuyue, Shen Ge arrived at the Heroic Spirit Grounds and found that a pot of spirit wine was placed in front of all the lonely graves, while a plate of roast chicken was placed in front of Senior Brother Qin Yu.

Shen Ge sighed and went to Qin Yu's grave, placing the things she had brought with her one by one. "Senior Brother Qin Yu, you see, my sister remembers that you liked to drink and eat roast chicken. She wasn't heartless towards you; she just didn't have those kinds of thoughts. On the path to immortality, some travel in pairs, while others go alone, and my sister was the latter."

"Romantic love is just a burden to her, which is why she won't reciprocate your feelings and will always treat you like a senior brother."

As Shen Ge poured the wine, he muttered to himself, "Of course, you can't say she's bad. After all, it's her choice. Everyone has a different attitude towards seeking immortality. For example, your path is protection, while your sister's path is longevity and becoming an immortal. Your paths are different, so it's hard for her to resonate with you."

"Senior Brother Qin Yu, don't blame me for telling you this now. After all, I told you before that I was afraid you would beat me. Of course, getting beaten up is a small matter, the main thing is that I was afraid it would ruin our relationship."

"By the way, Senior Brother Qin Yu, I heard from the fellow disciples who came back that you tore the wings off a fourth-tier Demon Beast, the Thunder Eagle, with your bare hands. I imagined the scene at that moment, and I think Senior Brother Qin Yu, you were absolutely incredibly cool."

"Actually, I've thought about it. If I were in your position, I probably wouldn't have made the choice you did. Although protecting fellow disciples is noble, I'm afraid of death. Having died twice, I know how terrifying death is. It's a suffocating and powerless darkness, with no light in sight. You can only feel your body slowly falling, and there's no ground to be seen. This feeling will continue until the moment your consciousness fades away. It's truly terrifying."

Shen Ge lingered at Qin Yu's grave for a while, then went to Liu Xiao's grave. Gently stroking the cold stone tablet, Shen Ge sighed, "Senior Brother Liu Xiao, do you remember how you used to tease me, saying I had nothing there, not even a cup of tea? Now I have not only spiritual fruits and wine, but also some top-grade Snow Mountain Refreshing Tea. It's a pity you can't drink it anymore."

"Jin Ling said you died saving her from a lightning bolt. Don't let your usual carefree attitude fool you, there are times when you're afraid to speak up. In this respect, you're not as good as Senior Brother Qin Yu. You always give Senior Brother Qin Yu advice, why don't you ask them for suggestions too?"

"Jin Ling is a straight woman; she won't realize it unless you tell her. She'll only see you as a rival."

"Forget it, I won't say anything more. You can't hear any of this now anyway. I just wish you a speedy Samsara, and hopefully you won't be so embarrassed then."

Shen Ge stayed here for a long time, chatting with people he knew well, people he was only casually acquainted with, and people he didn't even know.

That night, under a clear moon and sparse stars, Shen Ge silently rode his flying sword back to his courtyard. He was undoubtedly saddened, but he did not succumb to despair; instead, he immediately went into seclusion.

The deaths of his fellow disciples once again made Shen Ge realize the importance of strength. To be honest, he had become somewhat lax in his cultivation during this period, thinking that he was safe now and that slowing down his cultivation a little wouldn't hurt.

Yes, it's harmless now, but it could be fatal when danger strikes.

Spiritual practice is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind; if you don't live, you die!