Chapter 869 - 286: Ominous Hexagram [Fire Scorches Wood]

Luo Tianxing finished speaking, rose up, and with a wave of his hand, turned into the clear wind and left.

Shen Chongming came to the door of the guest room and looked at the sky with a strange expression.

He could tell that Luo Tianxing really hoped the Shen Family would choose to go with him to Beichen Immortal Mountain.

But whether it was because of Xu Xiu and the Shen Family’s relationship, or because Luo Tianxing himself couldn’t bring himself to show pleading, he was trying his best to hide this intention in his words.

"This old man isn’t bad..."

After some musing, Shen Chongming suddenly murmured to himself.

He could see that Luo Tianxing was a true cultivator, without much scheming, naturally easy-going.

But the Shen Family didn’t want to live under others’ shelter.

If Shen Xiubai’s Five Elements Secret Realm could be established, the Shen Family would naturally choose the Five Elements Secret Realm first.

If by then the Five Elements Secret Realm had issues, going with him to Beichen Immortal Mountain also seemed a good choice.

At least compared to Xu Xiu, he was more inclined to choose Luo Tianxing.

Third Uncle Shen Wen’an had said after returning from Zhan Long Valley that Xu Xiu’s kindness to the Shen Family was just because he had borrowed the Shen Family’s fortune back then and owed a great cause and effect.

Once that cause and effect is repaid, who knows what it might lead to in the future.

...

By April, an endless heavy rain lasted for a month without signs of stopping.

On the second floor of Black Water Pavilion, Shen Yuan stood by the window with his hands behind his back, looking at the vast mist outside, caught in reminiscence.

This heavy rain reminded him of the flood over a hundred years ago, before the Immortal Sect descended, where more than half of the cities in Yunzhong County were stricken by calamity, with famine everywhere.

After the flood, a group of refugees broke into the Shen Family’s orchard and beat up Fu Gui, who was guarding the orchard.

At that time, five-year-old Shen Wen’an followed him to the orchard to stop the refugees; young Shen Wen’an sprang up and killed one refugee with a sword, resolving the crisis.

That was the first time he killed someone.

A stubborn expression of young Shen Wen’an forcibly enduring physical discomfort after killing emerged before him, bringing a hint of warmth to Shen Yuan’s face.

"Little rascal..."

Returning his thoughts to reality, he sighed slightly and slowly turned, going downstairs to the first floor of Black Water Pavilion.

He took a yellowed oil paper umbrella, opened it, and stepped into the rain, slowly heading towards the back mountain.

In front of the open ground, with one hand holding the umbrella, another flashed a light from the palm, directly taking out that Golden Jade Treasure Seal, Shen Yuan said solemnly, "Xiubai, your great-grandfather has brought you the Treasure Seal."

Amidst the torrential rain, the space in front suddenly twisted, followed by a crack opening.

Through the crack, one could vaguely see the bizarre and colorful scene inside.

Shen Xiubai did not speak, apparently at some critical moment, unable to spare the time.

Seeing this, Shen Yuan did not say much, directly sending the Treasure Seal into the crack.

The crack quickly closed, and the surroundings returned to normal.

Shen Yuan stood in the rain for a moment, slowly heading down the mountain.

At the entrance to the old residence.

A child, under a Spiritual Power Shield, hurriedly bumped into Shen Yuan, who had just stepped inside.

"Ouch!"

The child fell on his butt to the ground.

Shen Yuan reached out to pull him up, recognizing the little one as Shen Xiuzhuo’s child, Shen Yuanque.

Being the first of the Shen Family’s ’Yuan’ generation, Shen Yuan still had some impression of the little guy.

"Yuanque, where are you rushing off to?"

After the little one got up and saw it was Shen Yuan, he immediately bowed with a face full of tears, saying, "Great-grandfather, something terrible has happened!"

"Great-grandfather, he...he’s about to die!"

On hearing this, Shen Yuan’s heart sank sharply.

The eldest Shen Wenxing had been in seclusion for several years now.

At the start of seclusion, he said he would properly study the ’Nine Fiends Gathering Body Technique’, without seeking to break through the Fifth Realm of Body Cultivation.

But now it seems, he must be attempting to break through the Fifth Realm.

The Fifth Realm of Body Cultivation is the Spirit Transformation Realm; though its breakthrough isn’t as dangerous as the Life and Death Realm of the Fourth Realm, it’s also by no means easy.

Shen Wenxing’s talent in Body Cultivation was never as good as Xu Zhan’s, now he must be on the edge of a breakthrough, experiencing a life-and-death tribulation.

"Child, go find your grandfather."

Sending Shen Yuanque to find Shen Chongming, he hurried to Shen Wenxing’s secluded courtyard.

At the courtyard gate, Hu Yufen and Huang Lingxiu along with a group of women were pacing anxiously.

Seeing Shen Yuan’s arrival, Hu Yufen hurried up.

"Old man, you take a look, Shi Tou he..."

"Not to worry, not to worry."

Comforting his wife, Shen Yuan looked at Huang Lingxiu solemnly, "Whoever from the eldest’s family, speak."

Huang Lingxiu steadied her mind, sorted her thoughts, and said, "Father, here’s what’s happening..."

"Half an hour ago, suddenly screams erupted from Shi Tou’s seclusion room, making your daughter-in-law extremely uneasy."

"Your daughter-in-law wanted to rush in and take a look, but Shi Tou...he wouldn’t allow it."

"Your daughter-in-law could only wait outside, and later, the screams persisted for a while before they suddenly went silent."

"Your daughter-in-law worries about Shi Tou..."

Huang Lingxiu stopped speaking.

After hearing, Shen Yuan roughly understood the situation.

He slowly closed his eyes and immediately activated the Power of Great Derivation to deduce the fortune or misfortune of Shen Wenxing.

After the White Jade Turtle Shell was refined into the Dantian as the Great Derivation Inner Core, many things were no longer able to give timely warnings.

Fortunately, his proficiency in the Path of Great Derivation had progressed significantly now.

With the Power of Great Derivation enveloping his body, after some deduction, Shen Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

At this point, Shen Yuanque had already found Shen Chongming.

"Grandfather, Ah Die he..."

Facing the expectant gazes from the crowd, Shen Yuan’s expression was heavy.

"She, you take Lingxiu and the others back first."

Looking at his wife Hu Yufen, Shen Yuan spoke solemnly.

Hu Yufen opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but noticing the group of female family members beside her, she could only suppress her internal worry and lead them out.

Only grandfather and grandson remained at the courtyard gate.

Shen Chongming looked at him again, eagerly, "Grandfather..."

Shen Yuan sighed heavily, saying, "The hexagram shows...[Fire Scorching Wood]."

On hearing this, Shen Chongming’s expression changed dramatically!

"Grandfather, you... please think of a way to save Ah Die!"

Although he didn’t understand the Path of Great Derivation, the hexagram’s name was [Fire Scorching Wood], so the outcome seemed pretty obvious.

Shen Yuan shook his head solemnly, "The Life Gate rests at the center of this hexagram, hidden and unmanifested, meaning outsiders cannot help."

"Everything depends on your father’s ability to endure through it alone; if he can make the Life Gate manifest, it can transform into the auspicious hexagram [Wood Meets Spring]."

Shen Wenxing’s situation was very dire, Shen Yuan could clearly sense that even the Life Talisman on the Turtle Shell couldn’t be used, unable to change his fate.

"This..."

On hearing this, Shen Chongming was completely flustered.

Standing in this position, he could vaguely feel that his father Shen Wenxing’s Divine Spirit was like a candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

Without external help, based solely on his own will, it was very likely the most feared scenario would occur.

Just as grandfather and grandson were feeling a bit helpless, a figure in a moon white long skirt came slowly under the rain, holding an umbrella.

"Grandfather."

"Brother Chongming."

The visitor was Shen Li.

After setting down the oil paper umbrella she was holding, Shen Li slightly bowed respectfully and looked towards the room where Shen Wenxing was in seclusion.

"How is uncle?"

Shen Chongming suppressed his inner worries and briefly explained the hexagram result Shen Yuan had deduced.

"Li’Er, do you have any means to help your uncle?"

After the words fell, he looked expectantly at Shen Li.

At this moment, Shen Chongming seemed like a child in the mortal world desperately trying anything in a hurry to cure a loved one, unwilling to miss any opportunity.