Evil is not brought about by demons, so don't blame the demons for your mistakes; you should first examine your own soul.
In this mortal world, amidst the turbulent sea of desires, money, power, and lust become entangled and intertwined. Faced with a series of devilish agreements, right and wrong are clearly distinguished, bringing great satisfaction to the people!
As Chen Nan walked down the street, surrounded by a crowd like stars around the moon, countless people watched and discussed among themselves.
"Look, this is the extraordinary warrior who single-handedly fought against countless elite soldiers of the Ling family, protecting the nation of Chu..."
"My God, the murderous aura is so strong, I feel my body trembling."
"That night, he not only single-handedly killed a fourth-tier expert from the Ling family, but also fought against all the experts in the city throughout the night. He was truly valiant!"
"The truth has finally come to light, and the injustice has finally been redressed."
"Such a cold gaze, such a cool demeanor! Ling Yun, that pretty boy, looks like a treacherous guy. This is a true hero!"
...
Chen Nan felt a chill run down his spine.
Upon returning to Shenfeng Academy, Chen Nan declined all invitations. He first took a thorough shower, then changed into clean clothes and headed straight for the most secluded place in the academy—the residence of the hermits of Shenfeng Academy.
Having not seen Xiao Chenxi for many days, he was already worried and hurriedly rushed into the quiet bamboo forest.
Deep within the bamboo forest, the environment is elegant and tranquil, with eight or nine pavilions dotting the bamboo sea, each surrounded by picturesque scenery.
Near the pavilion, lush green grass carpets the ground, fragrant flowers bloom, a babbling brook spans a small bridge, and uniquely shaped rocks dot the landscape. In the distance, verdant bamboo groves stand tall, their melodious birdsong filling the air. The picturesque scenery, like a scene from a poem, is refreshing and invigorating, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility to those who are there.
Everything was the same as before, without the slightest change. Chen Nan strode to the vicinity of the pavilions of the three peerless masters, and through the swaying shadows of the trees, he saw an unbelievable scene.
Xiao Chenxi was practicing her swordplay with graceful and skillful movements. The thin, short sword in her hand actually produced a sword beam more than ten feet long, which hissed in the air.
Chen Nan was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped to the ground. He almost thought he was dreaming. This was simply unbelievable. A three-year-old child could actually unleash innate sword energy. This was the power that Eastern martial artists should have when they reached the third level!
He pinched his thigh hard, felt the pain, and was certain he wasn't dreaming. Then he shouted, "Dawn..."
Xiao Chenxi froze for a moment, then quickly turned around. Upon seeing Chen Nan, she immediately dropped her small sword and ran towards him with tears in her eyes, calling out, "Brother..."
Chen Nan's eyes also welled up with tears. His journey to the death zone had been a near-death experience, and he felt a unique mix of emotions at this moment. He rushed forward, scooped up little Chenxi in his arms, and said with a smile, "Chenxi, don't cry. Your brother's back, isn't he? Hehe..."
"Waaah... Brother..." Little Chenxi's face was covered in tears as she hugged his neck tightly, as if she was afraid that he would disappear if she let go.
Chen Nan gently patted her back, whispering words of comfort. At this moment, three peerless masters walked over, each with a faint smile on their face.
After greeting the three of them, Chen Nan asked, "Why has Chen Xi started learning swordsmanship? Wasn't she always very resistant to cultivation? And I just saw her actually unleash sword energy. What's going on?"
The three smiled and looked at Xiao Chenxi. Yin Feng said, "It was the little girl who asked to learn swordsmanship herself..."
"Ah," Chen Nan turned his gaze to the little Chenxi in her arms.
A few tears streamed down her little face as she pouted and said, "Brother never comes back, and Chenxi is so depressed. Not long ago, I ran away to play with the older girls at the academy, but they said brother is a devil, a bad person. Those older girls who used to like Chenxi don't like her anymore; they cursed brother and wanted to kill him. Later, I heard that many people were chasing after brother. Chenxi is very sad and worried about brother's safety. I came back and begged the old men to teach me Chenxi swordsmanship. After I learn it, I want to go and save brother..."
Chen Nan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, hugged her tightly, and said softly, "It's all my fault..."
"No, it's not brother's fault, it's their fault! Brother is a good person, they wronged him!" A rare hint of anger appeared on Xiao Chenxi's childish face. Finally, she whispered, "But Chenxi has already forgiven them. Later, they apologized to Chenxi and told me that brother is a true hero, and everyone misunderstood you. But... they all say you won't be coming back for now, so Chenxi is practicing swordsmanship even harder, hoping to find brother..."
The peerless master Ovi said, "It's fortunate that you came back in time. Everyone told her you were coming back soon. If you hadn't shown up, we really wouldn't know how to comfort her. It's also our fault for not taking good care of her and letting her know some annoying things, but now it's all finally over."
Chen Nan smiled, wiped away Xiao Chenxi's tears, and said, "Chenxi is really amazing. She can actually unleash sword energy. She'll probably be even more powerful than her brother soon."
"The old men said that it wasn't sword energy, and that its power wasn't as strong as sword energy at the moment."
"Hmm?" Chen Nan turned his gaze to the three peerless masters. Could he have seen wrong? He clearly saw Chen Xi unleash the innate sword light just now.
The old dragon knight Lei Lie said, "That is indeed not sword energy. There is a strange power within her body, which seems to be in a sealed state. She has only practiced some simple introductory techniques, but she is already able to unleash a trace of power from her body. Although it is far from being comparable to sword energy now, as she cultivates more and more, I believe that power will slowly recover and become stronger and stronger. At that time, it is impossible to judge what level she will reach by ordinary standards."
Chen Nan nodded thoughtfully. Then the three peerless masters turned and left, leaving the two of them to talk.
Chen Nan led Xiao Chenxi back to his residence and briefly recounted his experiences over the past few days. Xiao Chenxi was far from being an ordinary child; falsehoods could not fool her, but telling her the truth would not be appropriate, so in the end, he only simplified and downplayed the details.
"Those women are despicable. They actually dragged my affairs into Chenxi's mess. I'll find a chance to teach them a lesson for you."
Little Dawn hurriedly said, "No, brother, don't blame those older sisters anymore. I don't blame them anymore. Besides, not everyone refused to play with me back then. Phoenix Sister, Dragon Dance Sister, and Little Trouble Sister were all very kind to me. They all liked me very much."
"Oh," Chen Nan nodded and said, "The three of them didn't disappoint me at all."
"However, Sister Longwu has been very sad these days. She cries all day long. It is said that her brother will never come back. She is even more heartbroken than Chenxi."
Long Wu usually refers to herself as "older brother," prefers to wear men's clothing, and always has a bright, sunny smile on her face. She is radiant, confident, and incredibly carefree. With Qianlong trapped in a deadly situation, Long Wu must be incredibly heartbroken. Chen Nan had personally witnessed Long Wu's gentle demeanor towards Qianlong, like a tender little woman; this must be a tremendous blow to her.
"Sister Phoenix doesn't seem very happy either; she smiles much less than usual."
Chen Nan was taken aback. Dongfang Fenghuang actually had something on her mind. Could it be because of... Xiao Feng? It was very possible. Xiao Feng was the number one expert in Shenfeng Academy and was probably the idol of countless girls in the academy. Dongfang Fenghuang might also have a great liking for him, but she had never shown it and was not as deeply mired in the swamp of emotions as Long Wu.
"Only Little Trouble Sister is still the same as always, always smiling. She often sneaks in on her white tiger to take me out to play."
"Ahhh, what?! What?!" Chen Nan exclaimed in shock, asking urgently, "You often play with that little devil?"
"Yes, Little Trouble Sister is very active, and she often takes me to play pranks on people."
Upon hearing this, Chen Nan felt dizzy and said, "Chen Xi, you...you didn't imitate her, did you?"
"No, I was just watching from the sidelines."
"That's good, that's good." Chen Nan said twice, patted his chest, and said, "You really scared me. I didn't want you to be led astray by that little devil."
However, Xiao Chenxi's next words almost made Chen Nan sit down on the ground.
"Little Trouble Sister told me that I should learn more from her so that I won't be bullied in the future."
Chen Nan immediately objected, "You're not allowed to learn from her! That incredibly troublesome girl has gone mad and is beyond redemption!"
"Hehe, Chenxi understands."
Chen Nan patted his forehead. Looking at Xiao Chenxi, she seemed to really like the little princess. If they were allowed to stay together all the time, the world would surely have another little devil. He decided he had to stop it; he absolutely couldn't let the little princess lead Chenxi astray.
The next day, Long Wu came to visit. Normally, unless someone sneaks in like the little princess, outsiders aren't allowed near this forbidden area. Of course, even someone like the little princess needs the experts here to turn a blind eye. However, Long Wu and Qianlong have an extraordinary relationship. The vice-principal of Shenfeng Academy felt indebted to the Seven Heroes and, out of consideration for their family, made an exception and sent someone to bring Long Wu here.
Chen Nan understood her purpose, and immediately sent Xiao Chenxi to the three peerless masters to facilitate their conversation.
After not seeing her for many days, Long Wu looked much more haggard. The once radiant and confident short-haired androgynous beauty now had an unyielding sadness between her brows.
"I think you know why I'm looking for you. I've already learned about what happened in the Deathly Desolation from Meng Ke'er, but I still want you to tell me. I want to know every detail about Qianlong." Long Wu, whose face was always adorned with a bright, sunny smile, now had tears welling up in her eyes.
Chen Nan sighed. Long Wu's feelings for Qianlong were truly deep. He recounted the events of that day in detail, though some parts were obviously "embellished." After all, he had already distributed so many papers; if he were to tell the truth now, something unexpected would surely happen.
Long Wu barely managed to control her emotions. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, and it took her a long time to stop sobbing. She opened her eyes and stared unblinkingly at Chen Nan, saying, "I want to avenge Qianlong, but the Ling family is too powerful. I'm worried I can't kill Ling Yun. Although Qianlong's family is also very powerful, something has happened to them, so only I can step in."
Chen Nan nodded and said, "Hmm, that is indeed a problem. I heard that Ling Zikong, the patriarch of the Ling family, had a son late in life and has always doted on this only son. I suppose he wouldn't just stand by and watch his only son die. However, he certainly wouldn't dare to defy the world and rescue Ling Yun openly. I wonder what his backup plan is."
Long Wu said, "The Ling family must have been prepared long ago. The Ling family sent Ling Zixu this time, who is the younger brother of the Ling family patriarch. It is said that his cultivation has reached the level of a fifth-level peerless master."
"Heh, a fifth-tier peerless expert, haha, he's probably destined to perish in the City of Sin!" Chen Nan sneered.
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