Chapter 784: Love & Duty.
Shi Lang watched Kamandala standing up for him and then turned his gaze to the people from the martial council. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Senior Lao, are you going to watch them bully me around? I can make an heavenly oath to prove that me or Asura Hall has never attacked anyone who is innocent.
The Wang Family is corrupt and they have been infested by the crooked heretics of the unorthodox demonic cultivation that is why we took them out.”
His statement seemed to be very simple but the people from the Martial Council were alerted, they picked up a different scent from what Shi Lang said. Sovereign Healing Hands said, “Patriarch Wang, before you manage other people, please go back home and deal with the internal problems. The Martial Council will not sit by and watch if you tried to harm him.”
Her voice was gentle but the weight it carried was significantly heavier. The medicine god valley was a major provider of healing pills to the world. If they hated someone, the entire world will draw lines with them.
Shi Lang thought, ‘Hmm, rich friends can save us from trouble.’
Patriarch Wang clenched his fists and said, “Fine, if that is how it is going to be. I will not make a move against him, but he cannot make a move against us without proving that the accusation of demon indulgence is true.”
Before the elders could agree stating that it was only fair, Shi Lang said, “I agree, and to keep things transparent, I will have my people publish everything we discover to the entire world. This way nobody will be able to manipulate anything. Is that okay?”
Patriarch Wang nodded and left with s snort, unaware that he dug a deep pit for himself and his fellows. Shi Lang smiled at this and turned to greet the elders and said, “Thank you for your support, now if you would allow me, I would like to leave.”
However, his request was declined by Sovereign Healing Hands, “Young man, I think we need to have a conversation about your words just now.”
Shi Lang raised his head, and said, “I knew it that you would catch onto it. How about we all gather in the evening? I will prepare a meal for you all. A family recipe that you would enjoy.”
Old Man Yanshu stroked his beard and asked, “Boy, are you toying with us?”
Shi Lang shook his head and replied, “Elder, I only wish that the exchange of ideas is held in harmony. I hope that I am not asking for too much, am i?”
The sovereigns looked at each other and Amethyst said, “Fine, we will see you in the evening.”
Shi Lang cupped his fists and left the place. Kamandala watched him vanish and after a few moments he said, “I wonder what he is thinking about now.”
Lao Xu sighed and remarked, “Whatever it is, I bet he will cause a storm. This kid is a no-good trouble maker. I wonder why Tian Long selected him to be the champion.”
The others did not comment, but the statement Shi Lang made earlier did not sit well with them. It was not their fault. The ideas they were following belonged to a time where even their forefathers did not exist. Old Man Yanshu said, “We need to get going and have Fellow Daoist Kamandala understand his duties in the Martial Council.”
That’s right, Kamandala was the person chosen to represent the monk community in the immortal world. Every person at the top seat of the Martial Council was a powerful expert who held distinguished abilities in his specific Dao Path, or represented a large number of people.
For example, Lao Xu was a person who mastered the Laws of Soul. While Sovereign Healing Hands was an apex leader in terms of alchemy. Such people regulated each other from running rampant and managed the balance of all the communities.
…
Shi Lang came back to the pavilion and sat down with the people. Amelia checked his calm expression and asked, “What trouble did you create now?”
Shi Lang smiled and replied, “Nothing that could not be resolved over a barbeque.”
Shi Tao clapped her hands and said, “I have the grill, and I also have a huge stock of beer.”
Shi Lang gave her a thumbs up and Hao Mei asked, “Senior sister, what is beer?”
Amelia furrowed her brows and said, “It is a beverage for adults. You two, go and finish cultivating.”
The two girls gazed at her with googly eyes as they wanted to stay but Amelia was strict. Even Shi Lang gave up before her glare. Ying Yu volunteered to watch over the kids, and Yun Xue tactfully left the family of three alone. Shi Lang only asked her to bring a lots of chicken.
Meanwhile, Shi Tao began to infuse spiritual energy in beer and mixed it with a gentle dose of harmless herbs that caused people to get a bit tipsy.
Amelia and Shi Lang sat next to each other holding hands and the lady asked, “What do you think will happen in the future?”
Shi Lang did not reply instantly, but fell in a deep thought, after a while he said, “We are headed towards a war. It is not a simple war between demons or the spiritual cultivators. It will be a war between ideas. We will have to find the orthodox demon cultivators. Only when they are here we will be able to convince the rest of the world that things are not that bad.”
Amelia nodded and replied, “The time for that war is still far ahead. I am worried about you entering the Titan mountains. That place is filled with Legendary Spirit Beasts. Those things are so arrogant that they do not even bother with an Immortal Sovereign.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “I know what you mean. When I crossed the Titan Mountain on the spirit vessel, I did see them bullying the humans. However, even if they try to ride my head I have to go there for Tian Long’s sake.”
Amelia looked at him silently, she could not help but think about what Fairy Moon Jade told her about Shi Lang regaining the memories from his past life. Shi Lang asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Amelia asked, “Do you really have the memories of your old life?”
Shi Lang was stunned, he did not expect Amelia to ask him something like this. He wanted to ask what happened, when a gentle voice echoed in his mind, ‘I told her when you were fighting.’
The voice belonged to Fairy Moon Jade who seemed to be listening to the two of them. She told the Terran about everything she said, and left him to handle the situation anyhow he wanted.
Shi Lang was calm, and then he nodded. Amelia was prepared for this but she still could not help but feel overwhelmed by the shock. The Terran asked, “Do you also think I am a different person?”
Amelia woke up from her daze and shook her head hurriedly. She did not want Shi Lang to think that her views of him will change. She replied softly, “Even if you remember the memories from your past that does not change who you are.”
Shi Lang smiled and replied softly, “I am glad you think like that, Amy.”
The lady smiled and Shi Lang leaned in to kiss the corner of her lips. She mumbled, “You better not unlock that smile you left here.”
Shi Lang whispered in her ears, “Never, my love.”
Amelia rubbed the tip of her nose against his and then kissed his lips. The moment between them lasted not long, but it conveyed the centuries of love she held for him. Time moved differently in the lower realms and the immortal realm. She had waited for a long time to see him again, to sense his warmth around her.
Today happened to be the day when she could feel his love again. Shi Lang was the same, but he did not say much. All this while he had been struggling to keep up with his duties and many times he thought that he was missing out on the love. Shi Tao was one of those examples.
He did not care how Amelia came to his life or was she just a person he contacted for his gains initially, she was the person who gave him everything she had.
She was the person who looked at him and saw through his oddities even when they had just met. She could always tell what was going on in his mind. This connection they both shared, it was something that existed beyond the realms of his understanding.
After breaking the kiss, the two looked into each others eyes in silence. Shi Lang said, “I love you.”
Amelia smiled and replied with a faint blush, “I love you more. Now can you please be a dutiful husband and tell me what is going on with you and Yun Xue?”
Shi Lang was about to answer when he realized the subject and he froze up. He could sense a wave of chill radiating from the warm smile of his wife. He stood up and said, “I will talk about this when I have settled those old people. For now, I need to go and check the preparations. I will cook chicken like mom.”
Amelia watched him run and chuckled as she said, “Fellow Daoist Yun, if you do not mind, let us have a conversation regarding this issue.”
Yun Xue was listening in on the two of them as well, and she was shocked that Amelia spotted her, and replied, “Yes, Sect Mistress Amelia.”