I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 356 - 340: Ruthless

Wang Meng could understand that the four great families were an institution in their own right, upholding the Holy Hall. It was just that a few individuals had gone down the wrong path.

"Ahem, it’s getting late. Everyone should head back and rest. Be up early tomorrow. Zhang Xiaopang, no sleeping in!"

"Ugh, Brother Meng, I stopped sleeping in ages ago. If you don’t believe me, ask Meimei."

Liuu Mei rolled her eyes at Zhang Xiaopang. "You? Who do you think you’re fooling?"

Everyone erupted in laughter. After giving Yang Ying a suggestive look, they all took their leave. Couldn’t disturb the couple’s time alone, after all.

Wang Meng hadn’t really had a chance to spend any quality time with Yang Ying since he’d returned. Now that his mother was settled, Yang Ying had finally been able to let go of all her worries.

"Come here." Wang Meng opened his arms. He had expected Yang Ying to be a little shy, but instead, the beautiful woman gracefully approached and settled gently into his lap.

Wang Meng felt like a lit fuse. ’My self-control must be god-tier to have held back this long,’ he thought. Even for a Cultivator who could convert their essence back into vitality, this was too much to handle.

Master Wang was burning with desire. ’Besides,’ he thought, ’Dual Cultivation is still a form of Cultivation.’

Yang Ying was incredibly passionate, as if she wanted to give him every part of herself.

She hugged Wang Meng tightly. "Take your Ying’Er with all your might. She will wait for you for a lifetime, willingly."

Tears of happiness streamed down Yang Ying’s face. Only those who have truly waited can understand how agonizing it is, but she was willing...

It was a sleepless night.

It was a sleepless night for many people. Hu Jing sat alone in the courtyard, gazing at the star-filled sky, quietly folding paper cranes.

There were countless paper cranes in her room, for she folded one every day as a vessel for her longing.

She had a gentle disposition and felt that things were fine just as they were. She wasn’t the type of person who insisted on a specific outcome; sometimes, achieving one could ruin the feeling itself.

’No matter what, he’s back, and that’s wonderful.’ With a smile, Hu Jing carefully put the paper crane away and went to rest, completely content.

The wooden bed in Thunderlight Hall was certainly undergoing a tremendous trial. Yang Ying had truly underestimated Wang Meng’s prowess. Some Cultivators drew power from their desires and thus had great needs, but Saint Cultivators were meant to be more abstemious. Alas, sometimes Wang Meng acted nothing like a Saint Cultivator—he was more demonic than an actual Demon Cultivator. Before long, Yang Ying passed out.

When she groggily opened her eyes, she found she was still full and that Wang Meng was watching her. "Awake, my little darling? Let’s go again."

"Wang Meng... I really can’t take any more."

"And who was it that swore to give her all for this gentleman? This is just the warm-up. Dawn is still a long way off," Wang Meng said with a wicked grin. He had held back for so long, but now that the floodgates were open, there was no stopping the torrent.

"Please, have mercy on me."

"No mercy!" Wang Meng captured Yang Ying’s tender, pink lips once more. They were so sweet. Seeing the frightened look on her face only served to stoke his masculine pride.

The wooden bed creaked rhythmically. Yang Ying bit down hard, trying not to cry out. It was too humiliating. But the more she tried to hold back, the more fired up Wang Meng became.

"I asked Sister Tian’Er to look after you... how could she ’look after’ you like *this*!" Yang Ying couldn’t help but murmur in her daze.

Wang Meng froze. "’Look after’ me... Don’t tell me, in your letter you said...?"

Biting her lip, Yang Ying nodded. "Sister Tian’Er is incredibly good to you, you know."

"Damn, that never even crossed my mind. I just see her as a cute little sister."

Wang Meng shook his head.

Yang Ying rolled her eyes. "Is that so? Then why are you gett—ah!"

"You little minx, you’ve learned some bad habits! Daring to tease me now, are we? I’ll have to punish you!" Wang Meng roared with mock severity.

「In a dilapidated cave on a barren mountain, just outside the borders of Celestial Heart Castle.」

Long Xi, his Life Mark destroyed, was bound to the wall. Opposite him was... Qiu Xiaoluan.

"Xiaoluan, I love you! Let me go. Let me return to Long Family Castle. I’ll make a comeback!"

Qiu Xiaoluan gave a desolate smile. "Why would I let you go? Now we can be together forever. Right here, until we die. You can never leave me now. From now on, you belong only to me. Brother Long, did you know? Every time you went off to flirt with the other junior sisters, I would get so, so angry!"

CRACK...

A vicious lash of the whip tore open the flesh on Long Xi’s body, making him scream in agony.

"Ah, Senior! Are you in pain? There, there, it won’t hurt. Let me put some medicine on it for you." Qiu Xiaoluan frantically pulled out a medicine to apply to Long Xi’s wound. The moment it touched his skin, a putrid stench filled the air, and the pain was so excruciating it felt like Long Xi’s eyes were going to pop out of his skull.

"Oh, Senior, I grabbed the wrong one. This is Bone-Rotting Powder."

"You bitch! I should have just killed you back then!" Long Xi thrashed his head back and forth.

"There, there, Senior, don’t be afraid." Qiu Xiaoluan cradled Long Xi’s head, stroking it gently. Yet with every stroke, she tore out clumps of his hair... and even... his scalp...

Long Xi’s downfall had destroyed everything for Qiu Xiaoluan as well. Their affair had long been public knowledge.

Many years later, someone would discover two entangled skeletons in that dilapidated cave...

The Holy Hall Faction was no longer a complete unknown at the Cultivation Academy. For a brand-new faction to immediately challenge and actually topple a Tier Three Faction was jaw-dropping. However, the Holy Hall Faction’s current situation was rather awkward. Most people had no idea what kind of foundation or backing the faction possessed, yet it had managed to dismantle the Demon Refining Faction, leaving everyone baffled.

One thing was certain, however: by defeating the Demon Refining Faction, the Holy Hall Faction had inherited all its assets. This was a considerable fortune, not just for a new faction, but even for established Tier Three Factions. This was the Cultivation Academy, after all, where every inch of land was as precious as gold.

Hex Zui and the others had already moved the Little Holy Hall into the former Demon Refining Faction headquarters. The place was spacious and bright, easily large enough for a hundred people. Currently, however, the Little Holy Hall had fewer than ten members. The filler members Hex Zui had recruited previously saw that the Holy Hall had defeated Demon Refining and wanted to come back, but Hex Zui naturally refused. Even though the Holy Hall was short-staffed, they had no need for such opportunists just to pad their numbers.

For the past few days, Hex Zui had a new lease on life, bustling about and personally wiping down the tables and chairs. For Brother Hex, this was a day he’d never even dreamed of. After so many bitter years at the Cultivation Academy, he could finally hold his head high.

With such a spacious headquarters, everything was more convenient. It had been quite cramped for everyone back when they were holed up in the Little Holy Hall. Moreover, as founding members, Hex Zui and the others now each had a large, private room to rest in.

Hex Zui acted as the head steward, managing every last detail. Ning Zhiquan, having a similar temperament, assisted him in getting everything in order. Ning Zhiquan was meticulous, and after so many years as the Senior of Dao Guang Hall, he had an excellent grasp of the big picture. Maintaining a faction involved balancing income and expenditures and facing various academy assessments—tasks that Ning Zhiquan handled with practiced ease.

Li Tianyi, however, couldn’t care less about any of that. He went into seclusion for intensive training, spurred on by Wang Meng’s example. He was on the verge of erupting with power.

With Wang Meng gone and Sanmao nowhere to be found, Ma Tian’Er grew listless and decided to focus on her Cultivation as well. The current Holy Hall Faction was like a child carrying a pile of gold in public. Many factions didn’t dare to make a move because they didn’t know the Holy Hall’s true depth, but it was only a matter of time before someone got greedy. Strength was the only thing that truly mattered.

Fan Hong took charge of the Holy Hall Faction’s external affairs. He was completely in his element, especially when it gave him opportunities to interact with beautiful women, which energized him immensely.

Mingren... was an enigma. He was always there when needed, but otherwise, no one ever knew what he was up to. It seemed everyone had grown accustomed to this, and no one gave it much thought. That was just the kind of impression he gave.

In the Fire God Little Thousand World, a turbulent and restless plane, Mingren seemed to be searching for something.

A Flame Exotic Beast, having finally spotted prey, suddenly pounced. A faint smile touched Mingren’s lips. He extended a hand, and a cold point of light flashed out.

POP...

The Flame Exotic Beast exploded into a fine mist of blood that filled the air. A few drops splattered onto Mingren’s white robes. He licked them off and shook his head.

He continued onward. He was looking for a Sea of Fire.

The Sanmao that Wang Meng had taken in was quite special; it was actually a Sea of Fire Consciousness from the Fire God Little Thousand World. Mingren was fascinated by this type of natural consciousness. The path of Cultivation lay in comprehension. Every existence represented a law of nature, and to master a law, one had to fully understand it.

And this was undoubtedly one such law.

The original Sea of Fire had become nothing more than an ordinary pool of flames after losing its consciousness, and even the surrounding Exotic Beasts had vanished. Mingren had no choice but to go to the trouble of finding a new one.

Fortunately, there were plenty of such places in the Fire God Little Thousand World.

Surrounding this Sea of Fire were countless Fire Beasts, a terrifying sight to behold. Yet Mingren continued to advance toward it at an unhurried pace.

Before long, Mingren’s presence attracted the attention of the Fire Beasts. Prey that appeared here usually met one fate: being instantly torn to shreds.

Last time, Wang Meng had been protected by a Sea of Fire and had emerged unscathed, but Mingren had no such protection.

But then, Mingren’s body underwent a bizarre transformation. One half of him began to radiate brilliant light, while the other half seemed to collapse into a void of pure darkness.

He exuded a strange, distorted aura. The surrounding Exotic Beasts growled in terror, as if they had seen something horrifying. They were not scared into fleeing, but they didn’t dare to advance either.

Exotic Beasts were wary of attacking anything they couldn’t comprehend.

Mingren reached the edge of the Sea of Fire and slowly crouched down. He extended his light-filled hand into the flames, but frowned and quickly withdrew it. Instead, he plunged his dark hand into the fire.

The once-calm Sea of Fire instantly began to roil, throwing up monstrous waves of flame as a vast consciousness enveloped Mingren.

Mingren smiled. ’So that’s how it is.’

The Sea of Fire Consciousness had clearly discovered how extraordinary Mingren was. Upon making contact, it found itself unable to destroy him.

Mingren was an incredibly bizarre sight at that moment. He was trying to expel the Sea of Fire Consciousness, to force it out of its fiery home, but the consciousness was resisting with all its might.