"Is this all from my past life memories?" Li Xuan whispered to himself, then closed his eyes and continued watching.
Before a stone tomb, Li Xuan and Lin Chu knelt motionlessly. Behind them, Wang Zhai, his wife, and Wang Menglan stood in silence.
Since Lin Chu and Lin Xuan learned of Elder Lin's death, neither had spoken a word. They were neither joyful nor sad, their demeanor so alien that even Wang Zhai felt a touch of concern. After burying Elder Lin, Lin Chu and Lin Xuan had been kneeling before the stone tomb for a full two hours.
"Xuan'er, Chu'er, Uncle Lin passed away peacefully. You mustn't be too sad. From now on, you'll live with us." After another half hour, Wang Zhai sighed helplessly, walked to Li Xuan and Lin Chu's side, and said gently.
"Uncle Wang, I'm fine. I want to stay with Grandpa a little longer." Li Xuan and Lin Chu's youthful faces bore a maturity not befitting their age. After speaking to Wang Zhai, they turned their gaze back to the stone tomb.
"Alright." Wang Zhai, hearing this, swallowed the words of comfort he was about to offer. He then walked to his wife and Wang Menglan and said softly, "Let's go. Let them have their peace."
Wang Menglan looked at the lonely figures of Li Xuan and Lin Chu, a different emotion seeming to flicker in her eyes. Finally, under Wang Zhai's urging, she reluctantly left.
"Wah..." With the departure of Wang Zhai's family of three, Li Xuan and Lin Chu, who had been kneeling before Elder Lin's tomb, finally burst into tears.
Their cries were as loud as thunder.
Even Wang Zhai and the other two, who had reached the village entrance, heard Li Xuan and Lin Chu's weeping and stopped in their tracks, turning back.
And for some unknown reason, with Lin Chu's cries, a heavy rain began to pour down.
Seeing this, Wang Zhai immediately instructed, "Lian'er, take Lan'er back first. I'll go get Xuan'er and Chu'er." As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Zhai hurried towards the foot of the mountain.
When Wang Zhai reached the foot of the mountain and could vaguely see Elder Lin's stone tomb, he witnessed a scene he would never forget in his life.
He saw that around Lin Chu, including Elder Lin's stone tomb, there seemed to be a force that completely repelled the rainwater. At this moment, Wang Zhai finally understood that Elder Lin's trust was not as simple as he had imagined.
Seeing that Lin Chu and Li Xuan were not being drenched by the heavy rain, Wang Zhai was at a loss for a moment, unsure whether to approach or retreat. Thus, the adult and two youths were engulfed by the downpour.
...
"Useless! Fifteen years have passed, and still no trace has been found!" In the Chaos Heavenly Palace, Xiao Jingren sat high on the Heavenly Venerate throne, glaring at the Immortal Kings kneeling below.
"Reporting to Heavenly Venerate, the Imperial Sword's power is immense, and it conceals itself so effectively that it's impossible to detect. Fifteen years ago, the Imperial Sword appeared only once in the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth. By the time we arrived, it had already vanished to another realm."
"Even now, there's no fluctuation. To find the Imperial Sword's hiding place, ordinary Celestial Generals would find it difficult to sense." As Xiao Jingren's words fell, a Divine King from the left side of the hall stepped forward, bowed, and spoke.
"Indeed, Heavenly Venerate. For the past fifteen years, we've been occupied with dealing with Xiao Jingtian's remnants, leaving us no extra manpower. Even if we detect the Imperial Sword's location, if it wishes to escape, its spatial-temporal traversal abilities would make it a mere trifle. Celestial Generals' strength is indeed insufficient to handle it."
"As for the immediate priority, this subordinate believes we should first cease hostilities with Xiao Jingtian's faction to dispatch more personnel for the search." A Divine King from the right side of the hall also stepped forward.
"If I obtain the Imperial Sword, how dare Xiao Jingtian's remnants refuse! However, what my two esteemed subjects say is not without merit. With the Imperial Sword's might, even Celestial Generals would find it difficult to resist. Since things have come to this, do you two esteemed subjects have any solutions?"
"You must know that according to the rules of the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth, even Immortal Kings and Divine Kings going down would only maintain peak Celestial General strength. Searching for the Imperial Sword might not yield much effect." Xiao Jingren's expression softened slightly upon hearing this.
"Heavenly Venerate, the Imperial Sword, upon entering the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth, will inevitably be bound by the power of the realm's rules. After all, the greater the power, the greater the restriction. Now that fifteen years have passed without any fluctuation, it is likely in a dormant state."
"Moreover, we don't need to dispatch a large search party. In this subordinate's opinion, we only need to send one Immortal King down, and with the Heavenly Venerate's decree, command the rulers of the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth to search. Wouldn't that be more beneficial?" the Divine King on the right said.
"You mean, letting the people of the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth search?" Xiao Jingren frowned slightly, seemingly in thought.
"Exactly. The people of the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth are naturally more familiar with the terrain than we are. Furthermore, even in its dormant state, the Imperial Sword would exhibit some signs. As long as they dispatch people to search, they are bound to find something. And once the exact location is known, Heavenly Venerate can then act to obtain it in one fell swoop." The Divine King on the right nodded.
"Hmm, I also think this method is good. In that case, this matter will be entrusted to you two to handle in secret. Remember, Xiao Jingtian's remnants must not know about this." Xiao Jingren nodded slowly, then said in a deep voice.
"Yes." The two Divine Kings bowed in unison.
"By the way, is there any news of that infant?" Xiao Jingren nodded, then, as if remembering something, asked again.
"Reporting to Heavenly Venerate, just like the Imperial Sword, there isn't a single clue." The Divine King on the left replied with a bow.
"He carries our Xiao family's bloodline. It's even possible that at the last moment, Xiao Jingtian sealed the Heavenly Venerate's Law and the Imperial Sword's secrets within him. You two should dispatch more personnel to search Anwu Continent, where the Imperial Sword first appeared. The Imperial Sword wouldn't have appeared there for no reason."
"The Xiao family's bloodline is not ordinary. Judging by the time, that infant should be around fifteen years old now. Remember, alive or dead, I want to see him!"
Xiao Jingren pondered for a moment, then his eyes turned cold, and he spoke slowly.
"Yes." The two Divine Kings bowed again.
As the two Divine Kings departed, a sinister glint flashed in Xiao Jingren's eyes: "Xiao Jingtian, you wish to leave that bastard alive, but I will ensure he doesn't!"
In Lin Family Village, Anwu Continent, two youths around fifteen years old and a girl were carrying bamboo baskets, digging for mountain yams.
Meanwhile, in the village at the foot of the mountain, a beam of spiritual light streaked down, and three figures slowly emerged from it.
"This is where the Imperial Sword first appeared. Investigate." The man in the lead said, glancing at the village, which consisted of only five thatched huts.
"Yes!" The two golden-robed men behind him moved, disappearing instantly.
A moment later, the two golden-robed men returned to the man in front. "Sir, this place only has five aboriginal families, and now only one family of five remains. According to our investigation, there are no special changes here."
The man in the lead fell silent for a moment. "So, it was just a coincidence that the Imperial Sword first appeared here? Oh, right, you mentioned there was still one family here?"
"Reporting to sir, there is still one family here." The golden-robed man replied with a cupped fist.
A glint flashed in the man's eyes. "According to the Divine King's instructions, the Imperial Son should be around fifteen years old now. Moreover, the Imperial Sword's first appearance here must not have been random. Let's go and see."
"Yes!" The two golden-robed men immediately rose and followed.
"Who are you looking for?" Seeing three strangers suddenly appear in the village, Wang Zhai, who was chopping firewood in front of his house, put down his axe and looked at the purple-robed man in the lead.
"In your village, fifteen years ago, did anything unusual happen?" The purple-robed man smiled slightly, looking at Wang Zhai kindly.
"Fifteen years ago?" Wang Zhai was surprised. Could these three be looking for Lin Yi?
However, Wang Zhai calmly shook his head. "Our Lin Family Village is located in a desolate area, rarely visited by humans. What unusual things could have happened here? Oh, right, fifteen years ago, there was a sudden loud noise, and then it rained for three days and three nights."
The purple-robed man's eyes narrowed slightly. He spoke again, "Anything else? For example, any swords or infants?"
"Swords? Infants? Haven't seen any. Brother, are you looking for something?" As soon as the purple-robed man finished speaking, Wang Zhai understood.
These three were clearly after Lin Chu. But from the tone of their questions, they didn't seem to be Lin Chu's relatives. They might even be Lin Chu's enemies!
"How dare you! Is your lord someone you ants can address as brother!" As Wang Zhai spoke, a golden-robed man behind the purple-robed man stepped forward and shouted.
*Thump!*
A powerful pressure descended, and Wang Zhai was forced to his knees. A hint of fear was evident on his panicked face.
"Who gave you permission to act?" The purple-robed man frowned slightly at this, and with a wave of his hand, he sent the acting golden-robed man flying.
"My subordinate is ill-mannered. Please forgive him. By the way, where are your children?" After doing all this, the purple-robed man smiled at Wang Zhai again.
"Dear! Who are you people?" Just then, a middle-aged woman ran out of the house in a panic. After helping Wang Zhai up, she looked at the purple-robed man and asked.
"Cough cough... I, I'm fine. Esteemed... sir, our children have gone up the mountain to gather herbs." Wang Zhai shook his head and then tremblingly bowed to the purple-robed man.
"Uncle Wang..."
At this moment, Li Xuan and Lin Chu's voices were heard. The purple-robed man turned his head, and Wang Zhai inwardly cursed his misfortune.
Lin Chu, unaware, stopped, and the jade pendant in his embrace melted into his body and disappeared.
"Sir, we've checked. These three children have no trace of immortal energy," a golden-robed man behind the purple-robed man transmitted.
The purple-robed man nodded slightly. His own inspection yielded the same result, so these three children were not the Imperial Son he was looking for.
With that, the purple-robed man said to Wang Zhai, "Since that's the case, we won't disturb you further. Let's go."
As the purple-robed man spoke, the three vanished instantly.