Chapter 406: The Ancestral God

"Here you go, the little one you wanted!" Zhong Shan handed the small fluffy creature to Nian Youyou.

Nian Youyou was still in a daze, lingering in the dream where 'Xiao Qing became a concubine'. Suddenly, she saw Zhong Shan handing her a small, fluffy ball.

"Eee! Eee! Eeeeee!" The little ball of fluff looked pitifully at Nian Youyou.

Nian Youyou frowned at Zhong Shan, her expression extremely complicated. After all, they had spent four years together. The memories of their time in the dream, where they became a loving couple, experienced numerous life-and-death separations, and even had a chubby son, were still vivid in her mind. These memories seemed to have taken root in her brain, impossible to erase.

Husband? Nian Youyou's initially blushing face quickly turned into a strange expression, a mix of tenderness and resistance, extremely conflicted. For a moment, she couldn't distinguish reality from the dream.

"Do you want it or not?" Zhong Shan asked again.

How could four years of marriage be forgotten? Zhong Shan also remembered vividly. However, it was just a dream, and he still had many unfinished matters. Besides, his romantic entanglements were already too many. Seeing Nian Youyou's dazed expression, Zhong Shan quickly tried to divert her attention.

The small fluffy creature had been held by Zhong Shan for quite a while and was already in pain, tears almost squeezing out, looking extremely pitiful.

Nian Youyou reached out to take it, but instead of the joy she had imagined, she felt more like she was trying to grasp onto the dream. Her expression was very peculiar.

"You're here!"

A sudden shout came from above Zhong Shan and Nian Youyou.

"Boom!"

A tremendous stream of air descended from the sky, quickly dispersing the blue mist around Zhong Shan and Nian Youyou.

The powerful pressure immediately rendered Zhong Shan immobile, and even Nian Youyou looked up in shock.

In mid-air stood an old nun, appearing about sixty years old with a bright red cinnabar spot on her forehead, glaring angrily. She wore a yellow robe, looking extraordinarily otherworldly, with a faint halo of merit behind her head, giving her an ethereal appearance. However, her eyes were filled with a fierce intensity.

Her sharp gaze fixed on Zhong Shan and Nian Youyou. The small fluffy creature in Nian Youyou's hand curled up in fear, no longer making any noise.

Behind the old nun were a group of bald monks.

"Piaoxiang Bodhisattva, what do you want?" Nian Youyou shouted angrily.

Piaoxiang Bodhisattva? The guardian of the Buddha's tomb? Zhong Shan looked strangely at the elderly nun before him. Piaoxiang? She must really float to be fragrant!

"Bodhisattva, it was him. He's the one who had a conflict with Zhiguang Arhat that day. A few days ago, I also saw Nian Youyou with Zhiguang Arhat. They must be the ones who killed Zhiguang Arhat," said a monk behind Piaoxiang Bodhisattva.

"Did you kill my disciple?" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva asked coldly.

"You're slandering us! Which eye of yours saw us kill Zhiguang?" Nian Youyou shouted.

"She is Nian Youyou Zhenren of the Longevity Realm," the monk quickly explained to Piaoxiang Bodhisattva.

"You are a disciple of that demoness?" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva's eyes grew even colder, filled with a deep-seated hatred, even more so than when her disciple died.

The overwhelming pressure bore down, making it impossible for Zhong Shan to move or even speak.

Bodhisattva? Is this the power of a Bodhisattva?

"Ring!"

Suddenly, a small bell appeared in front of Nian Youyou. Its clear sound penetrated everyone's ears, causing a moment of disorientation, as if their souls were wavering and about to leave their bodies.

That bell? Nian Youyou's master once appeared on the battlefield, and with a single ring of this bell, millions of soldiers fell into a daze.

Everyone felt a moment of confusion, except for two people: Nian Youyou, the one wielding the bell, and Piaoxiang Bodhisattva, who stood opposite. Perhaps Nian Youyou's power wasn't enough to activate the bell to a degree that could threaten the Bodhisattva.

"She really is that demoness, that wretched woman?" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva shouted in anger.

"I didn't kill your disciple, you old witch. What are you trying to do?" Nian Youyou yelled back.

"Hmph!" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva let out a cold snort, her voice carrying immense destructive power. The distant blue mist trembled violently.

"Hmph!"

"Hmph!"

"Hmph!"

Suddenly, three men appeared in front of Zhong Shan and Nian Youyou, two in white robes and one in black. They stood facing Piaoxiang Bodhisattva, clearly determined to protect Nian Youyou.

These three men were all incredibly powerful, at least equal to Piaoxiang Bodhisattva. Their aura immediately suppressed hers, allowing Zhong Shan and Nian Youyou to move again.

"Piaoxiang, what do you want?" the black-robed man asked sternly.

"Is this how the Pure Land treats its guests?" one of the white-robed men asked coldly.

"Three seniors, this old nun wants to kill me," Nian Youyou quickly called out.

"You have the Youyou Bell? How did you get it?" the last black-robed man asked.

"This is my master's Youyou Bell. My master, like you three seniors, received one of the eighty-one tokens from the Pure Land. My master gave me this chance and entrusted me with the Youyou Bell. She said that if anyone tries to harm me, I should ring the bell, and her friends would surely help me and not let me suffer any grievance," Nian Youyou said pitifully.

"You are her disciple? Don't worry, no one will dare touch a hair on your head," the black-robed man said immediately.

"Indeed, since your master entrusted you with the bell and us as her friends, no one will harm you," the other white-robed man added.

After speaking, the black-robed and white-robed men exchanged a glance. There was no sign of camaraderie in their eyes, but rather a hint of rivalry, as if they were romantic adversaries. Yet, they stood together against Piaoxiang Bodhisattva.

"Hahaha, you? Friends? You consider her a friend? When has she ever considered you friends? You are all bewitched by this demoness," Piaoxiang Bodhisattva said angrily.

"Heavenly Extreme, Mo Bei, and Cang Ao, my master often spoke of you. She said you stood together against powerful enemies, traveled across the divine lands, and experienced countless wonders together. This bond cannot be tarnished by others. This old nun is insulting your and my master's friendship," Nian Youyou shouted at the right moment.

"Little demoness, you are just like that wretched woman, bewitching men. Zhiguang must have been killed by you," Piaoxiang Bodhisattva said, her emotions surging.

"Piaoxiang, do you speak for the Pure Land? Did the Returning Buddha invite us here to slander and humiliate us? Without any evidence, you want to accuse a disciple of an old friend out of jealousy? Hmph!" the black-robed man said angrily.

"You are all bewitched by her. Hahaha, demoness, demoness!" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva looked at the three men, her expression turning somewhat manic.

"Hmph! Look at yourself. Demoness? Even in ten lifetimes, you could never compare to her. If you don't leave now, don't blame us for being rude," one of the white-robed men said coldly.

As the white-robed man finished speaking, the auras of the three powerful figures surged wildly. The space around them seemed unstable, with the air rippling and bending under the pressure they directed toward Piaoxiang Bodhisattva.

"Hahaha, you are all pitiable creatures!" Piaoxiang Bodhisattva let out a sorrowful laugh, turning and quickly flying away. The monks who had accompanied her had long since fled.

"Hmph!" The three powerful figures snorted coldly.

"Thank you, seniors. Nian Youyou will certainly report your kindness to my master," Nian Youyou said to the three men.

"Hmm, Nian Youyou? How is your master these days?" the black-robed man asked.

The two white-robed men also looked at Nian Youyou.

"My master is now devoted to cultivation and rarely leaves the Longevity Realm. When teaching disciples, she often reminisces about the past and frequently mentions the three of you. She has said many times that if she had another chance to travel across the divine lands with you all, it would be wonderful," Nian Youyou replied gracefully.

"Ah, it's rare that she still remembers us. From now on, stay where you were before and don't leave. With me here, no one will harm you," the black-robed man said immediately.

"Indeed, I will keep an eye on Piaoxiang," one of the white-robed men added.

"Rest assured!" the other white-robed man also affirmed.

It seemed all three were vying to reassure Nian Youyou.

"Thank you, uncles!" Nian Youyou said, changing her address appropriately, which pleased the three men.

Zhong Shan, observing from the side, picked up on some key details and couldn't help but marvel. Who exactly was Nian Youyou's master? These three men were on par with Piaoxiang Bodhisattva, supreme powerhouses of the divine lands, yet they were so eager to please? And why did that old nun harbor such jealousy?

Nian Youyou's small courtyard.

The formation was activated, isolating the inside from the outside. In the inner hall, only four people were present: Zhong Shan, his son, Mr. Corpse, and Nian Youyou.

Mr. Corpse was staring at the blue fluffy ball in Nian Youyou's hand, his eyes nearly popping out.

"Ancestral God?" Mr. Corpse exclaimed, looking at the small ball.

"Ancestral God? What Ancestral God?" Nian Youyou asked immediately.

Mr. Corpse pointed at the small ball, then looked at Nian Youyou, his mouth opening and closing for a while before he finally calmed down. "This is an Ancestral God Beast, Nian Youyou Zhenren, you should take it and run away immediately!"

(To be continued)