Chapter 1119: Chapter 1118: Going to the Appointment_1
"Nonsense! Even if something should happen to me, Ling’er, you must live on well."
Shi Xiaole reached out and gently patted Ling’er on the head. She, like a docile kitten, pressed one side of her face against Shi Xiaole’s chest, not minding the bloodstains on it at all.
For Ling’er, such warmth and generosity were the only things that could comfort her after her grandfather’s death.
Shi Xiaole found himself unable to scold her further; after all, she was but an innocent young girl. Besides, his injuries were severe and needed urgent healing. It would be bad if they encountered an enemy.
There was a moment of tranquility in the cave, with only the dripping of the rock water sounding.
"Brother, was grandfather named Beigong Jue?"
Ling’er suddenly asked. She had heard this name at Endless Risky Peak.
"Didn’t Ling’er know before?"
Shi Xiaole was somewhat surprised.
Given the extent of Beigong Jue’s affection for Ling’er, Shi Xiaole believed that he would not divulge the secrets of East Victory Township, but not even to mention his name seemed excessive.
Ling’er said, "I’ve asked many times before, but every time, grandfather would change the subject and tell me that knowing his name would bring me no benefit."
Shi Xiaole guessed to himself that perhaps Beigong Jue feared that one day Ling’er would leave the Colorless Realm; if she accidentally revealed the Beigong Clan, it could bring disaster upon her. So, he chose never to speak of it.
A man who had guarded a grievance of clan annihilation for thousands of years yet could not vent it even to his closest kin—Shi Xiaole couldn’t help but feel sorrow and pity for Beigong Jue.
Ling’er fell silent again. To divert the little girl’s attention, Shi Xiaole quickly asked, "Where are Ling’er’s parents?"
"I don’t know. Grandfather said he found me in the Colorless Realm, completely encased in ice."
"Encased in ice?"
Shi Xiaole was inwardly shaken.
In Martial World legends, ancient people had sought immortality through various means.
Such as spirit possession, where one uses their mental power to take control of a newborn’s body and change its state to achieve longevity.
Or blood exchange, since the demands on mental power for spirit possession were too stringent for most to achieve, some people came up with the idea of extending their life by altering the state of their blood, thus affecting the body.
And then there was cryonic suspension: the legends say that when the human body is exposed to certain extremely low temperatures, it automatically ceases function, preserving its state at the moment just before being frozen...
But no matter the method, there were no clear records of success. Shi Xiaole figured that most likely all had failed. Immortality was a dream of humanity; in some sense, it contradicted natural law and was never easy to achieve.
Yet Ling’er was telling him that she had been cryonically suspended!
Shi Xiaole feared he would never know that this detail emerged when Ling’er often dreamt about it over a certain period. She would recall it on her own.
For this, Beigong Jue had once tried erasing the memory at any cost, but to no avail, ending in failure. In the end, he could only order Ling’er to swear she would not tell anyone this secret.
But to Ling’er, Brother Shi was the closest person to her in this world, and there was no need to hide anything from him. As for the oath, she had largely forgotten the specifics; grandfather was probably just worried about her loose tongue—it wasn’t that serious.
"I don’t know where my parents are; grandfather and brother are my family."
Sensing the little girl’s low spirits, Shi Xiaole embraced her tenderly, deliberately asking her many questions. After Ling’er had finished, she did the same and started asking Shi Xiaole questions.
When Ling’er learned that Brother Shi was also without parents, she tenderly comforted him, leaving Shi Xiaole with a mix of laughs and tears.
Time passed in conversation.
Half a day later.
Shi Xiaole, barely regaining his ability to move, stepped outside the cave, chose a good spot to dig a hole, and finally buried Beigong Jue’s body in it, setting up a makeshift wooden board as a tombstone.
Ling’er cried her heart out the entire time, kowtowing repeatedly to the tombstone. When she raised her head, the little girl pledged with an oath-like solemnity, "Grandfather, Ling’er will seek justice for you and won’t let those bad people get away with it! From today on, Ling’er shall be known as Beigong Shiling."
Beigong Shiling?
Shi Xiaole was stunned when he heard this.
Rash use of the Beigong surname would undoubtedly place Ling’er in danger, but seeing the little girl’s resolute silhouette kneeling on the ground, Shi Xiaole ultimately didn’t speak up to stop her.
What needs to be faced must eventually be confronted, and besides, with his own protection, he believed Ling’er would be safe.
In the days that followed, the elder and the younger traveled secretly through the mountains and fields, dining in the wind and sleeping in the dew. They often saw martial artists conducting searches, sometimes with powerful presences sweeping across the sky.
Thankfully, Shi Xiaole’s spiritual power recovered very fast, always managing to conceal himself and Ling’er just in time, navigating through dangers.
While on the road, Shi Xiaole focused on healing his injuries and on full-power cultivation each day, also taking special time to teach Ling’er.
Shi Xiaole was suspicious of the strange power that erupted from Ling’er, but no matter how he probed, he couldn’t locate the source of the power, and had to let it be.
Ling’er, bearing the Flawless Sacred Bones, showed exceptional talent in cultivation, which even Shi Xiaole secretly marveled at, not inferior to the four great monsters. No, considering Ling’er’s comprehension, perhaps she even surpassed the four great monsters!
But what shocked Shi Xiaole even more was the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart. With it, Ling’er quickly became the leader of the animals in the region. All creatures, from snakes and insects to tigers and wolves, bowed to her, saving Shi Xiaole the trouble of looking for food.
Recalling a rumor that the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart could be transplanted, Shi Xiaole became vigilant, even forcing Ling’er to vow never to demonstrate this power in front of others before he dropped the matter.
Half a month passed.
Shi Xiaole’s physical injuries completely healed, and his spiritual power had already reached its peak three days earlier. At this point, Shi Xiaole finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he had immediately exchanged a new killing technique upon waking up, the technique could only be used once—what would he do if it ran out at a critical moment? The slightest misstep could attract a calamity.
As for now, in Shi Xiaole’s current condition, even if he encountered the Forbidden Martial Emperor, escaping beforehand shouldn’t be a problem.
"Ah, is ’Purple Blood Great Method’ about to break through?"
Shortly after his injuries healed, an intense agitation of the vital energy within Shi Xiaole’s body began, like ten thousand horses stampeding, turning his skin surface purple.
Having obtained the "Purple Blood Great Method" nearly five years ago, Shi Xiaole originally thought that with his own comprehension and the Demon Bone within him, he would reach grand mastery in a few years. However, it has dragged on until now.
Perhaps it was an accumulation of efforts, or perhaps the stimulation from the battle at the Endless Risky Peak, Shi Xiaole sensitively felt that the "Purple Blood Great Method" was on the cusp of a breakthrough.
Of course, while it was close to breaking through, there was still some time left. Shi Xiaole was in no rush and continued to cultivate while leading Ling’er toward Nine Heavens Mountain.
He planned to first settle Ling’er down safely, then use the resources of Nine Heavens Mountain to diligently train her. With the protection of the Nine Heavens Great Array, outsiders would definitely not be able to break through.
As for Shi Xiaole, he needed to meet with the Galan Sword Emperor. When they separated at the Endless Risky Peak, the latter had transmitted an address, clearly instructing Shi Xiaole to come as soon as possible.
After much thought, Shi Xiaole didn’t believe the Galan Sword Emperor meant him harm. Moreover, with caution, there were few in this world who could harm him, thus he decided to honor the appointment.
