Chapter 3 have no friends or relatives, wandering ghost with a dead heart

Shen Shisan slowly opened his eyes, feeling a tearing pain in his head. His vision was blurred, and he struggled to support his body. The sight in front of him instantly plunged him into boundless despair.

Caotou Village, the place where he grew up, has now been completely reduced to ruins. The green fields, dense woods, and peaceful homes in the village in the past have all been destroyed, as if a world-ending disaster had raged here. The houses in the village are swaying here and there, and some have completely collapsed. Broken wooden beams and tiles are scattered all over the ground, and the ground is covered with cracks and holes of varying depths.

There is still a burning smell in the air, which is the remaining warmth of the spell and sword energy. Shen Shisan's eyes were empty, and he stood up slowly, walking heavily in the village. He didn't want to believe what he saw, but the truth was so cruel.

There was no longer a living person in the village.

His eyes swept around, and there were corpses of villagers everywhere, lying on the ground in a mess. Some were still in the running posture, but could no longer move; some were cut off by the sword energy, and their flesh and blood were blurred; some were damaged by spells. The aftermath of the bombing exploded into shape, and the whole street was stained red with blood, like a massacre feast.

Shen Shisan's body began to tremble involuntarily. He felt as if his heart had been torn apart. With every step he took, the pain in his chest deepened.

He walked to Qin Erzhu's side. Qin Erzhu's body still maintained the posture before his death, with his hand slightly stretched out in the direction of Shen Shisan, as if he was still struggling to say something before he died. Shen Shisan looked at his friend since childhood with dull eyes, endless sorrow and self-blame welling up in his heart.

"Er Zhu...I hurt you..." His voice was hoarse and weak.

His legs continued to move forward uncontrollably, and he came to the bodies of his parents. My parents are still lying there, with peaceful faces, but they will never wake up again. Shen Shisan knelt down beside them, tears flowing down unconsciously, wetting the soil.

"Dad, mother..." He called softly, as if he could still hear the gentle warnings of his parents, but now, all that was left was the silent coldness.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, Shen Shisan knelt there blankly, his mind went blank. His world seemed to collapse at this moment.

"Why..." He murmured in a low voice, clenching his fists tightly and turning his knuckles white, "Why can these practitioners be so cruel... Why do innocent people have to pay the price for their fight..."

He raised his head and looked at the destroyed Caotou Village, and the pain in his chest gradually turned into endless anger. He hated, he hated those cold-blooded cultivators who were so cruel to innocent villagers in order to compete for rare treasures; he hated himself even more, and hated his inability to protect his relatives and friends.

Shen Shisan didn't know which sect finally took away the rare treasure. The Wave Gourd had disappeared at this moment, and the practitioners also disappeared without a trace, as if they had never appeared. All they left behind was a village full of corpses and this ruin.

Shen Shisan clenched his fists, his fingers dug deeply into his palms, and blood flowed out from between his fingers, but he felt nothing.

"I want to become stronger...I want to find them and avenge the village with my own hands!" He swore silently in his heart, with the flame of revenge burning in his eyes.

Shen Shisan endured his grief and buried everyone in Caotou Village except himself.

Shen Shisan knew that he had to leave here and find strength. Caotou Village no longer exists. This place carries his childhood and memories, but now there is only endless sorrow.

He had nothing to take away, as all his parents' belongings had been destroyed. He only picked up an old hatchet from the ruins, which was a tool that his father often used during his lifetime. He held the hatchet tightly as if it could bring him some comfort.

Shen Shisan has no way out and no destination in his heart. His only thought now is revenge, revenge on those cold-blooded practitioners.

He looked back at the dilapidated Caotou Village, took a deep breath, turned around and left this former home. His steps were heavy, but every step he took was extremely firm. Shen Shisan doesn't know what his future will be like, nor how difficult this road of revenge will be, but he has no choice.

On the way out of the village, he encountered a devastated mountain forest. The hillside behind the village was originally a path that the villagers often walked, but now it was also blown to pieces by magic and sword energy. Shen Shisan walked silently through the mountain forest, walking more determinedly.

Along the way, he thought about the power and ruthlessness of those cultivators, and his desire to become an immortal began to surge in his heart. If he can practice cultivation, maybe one day he can personally avenge Caotou Village.

Shen Shisan knew that he must find a sect to practice and pursue the path to immortality. And this road will start from this wandering.

The sky was getting darker, but Shen Shisan never stopped, walking firmly on the road to the unknown. His figure gradually disappeared among the mountains and forests, leaving only the sound of wind echoing in his ears.

The flame of revenge has been ignited in his heart, and all this has just begun.

After Shen Shisan left Caotou Village, he began to wander aimlessly. He has no clear goal, he only knows to find the traces of those practitioners, learn the way of cultivating immortals, and seek justice for the blood debt of Caotou Village. However, the world of cultivators has always been a mysterious existence to mortals. Their sects are secretive and hard to trace. People in the world know very little about them, and even hear about them are sporadic rumors.

Shen Shisan's wandering road is full of hardships. He has no survival skills and can only make a living by doing some casual labor and hunting wild animals. Whenever in the dead of night, he recalled the tragic death of his parents and Qin Erzhu, the pain and hatred in his heart burned like a fire, but this flame became his only motivation, driving him to keep moving forward and gritting his teeth to persevere.

In the first few months, Shen Shisan still stayed in the southeastern area of ​​Tianxuan Continent. This land still retained the familiar scenes from his childhood: Jiangnan Water Town, with villages built along the water and rivers meandering through the fields. However, these familiar scenes have long lost their meaning to Shen Shisan. Whenever he sees the prosperous market and the busy fishermen, he can't help but recall the past of Toutou Village, and the hatred and pain in his heart deepens.

On the way, he asked around for news about immortal cultivators, but most people only knew the legends of immortal cultivators but had never actually seen them. Occasionally, some hermits mentioned the practice sect, but they were all vague and mostly illusory stories passed down by word of mouth. Shen Shisan once tried to visit some legendary fairy mountains, but found that these places were either deserted or just mundane places, and the so-called fairy trails could not be traced.

Shen Shisan's body has become lean but strong due to long-term wandering. His face is etched with the wind and frost of the years. The youthful spirit of the past has long been wiped away by countless hardships and hardships, and has been replaced by an indomitable will and unyielding determination. Every day, he kept walking, looking for traces of practitioners. No matter it was mountains or rivers, he never flinched.

Two years have passed, and Shen Shisan has wandered from the southeast of Tianxuan Continent to the south of the continent. The scene here is completely different from the Jiangnan water town he was once familiar with. The climate in the south is humid, with dense jungles and undulating mountains. Strange flowers, plants and trees can be seen everywhere, and many places are full of traces of poisonous insects and beasts. This area is more wild and mysterious, as if far away from human civilization.

Although the journey was full of unknown dangers, Shen Shisan still did not give up. He knew that he was getting closer to the world of those practitioners. The southern part of Tianxuan Continent is often said to be a secluded place for practicing sects, especially those secretive and powerful sects. They always set up restrictions in the deep mountains and old forests, making it difficult for ordinary people to enter easily.

Shen Shisan had no destination and could only search everywhere. This time he entered an unknown dense forest again. He was already exhausted when he passed through the dense forest. The clothes on his body were in tatters, his shoes had long been worn by rocks, and his feet were full of scars. Two years of wandering made him strong-willed, but his body was already overwhelmed.

Suddenly, a simple hut appeared in front of him, which seemed to be inhabited. There were several bundles of firewood piled next to the thatched shed, and there was still some smoke rising from the roof, which looked like it had just been extinguished. Shen Shisan felt as if he had found a safe haven. Fatigue hit him instantly, and his eyelids became heavy involuntarily.

Without thinking much, he walked gently to the hay shed, leaned against the pile of firewood, and let his body slump down. The wind in the forest blew gently, bringing a bit of coolness, but Shen Shisan felt a long-lost calm, and the only sound in his ears was the breeze blowing through the leaves. He hugged the old hatchet, huddled up, and fell asleep unconsciously.

Just as Shen Shisan was falling into a deep sleep, the owner of the thatched shed, a woodcutter carrying a heavy load of firewood, was walking from the dense forest carrying a load of freshly cut firewood. The woodcutter was tall, with a dark face, and his thick arms had become extremely strong from years of work cutting wood. His steps were steady, with the smell of earth in every step, and he seemed to be one with the nature.

As he approached the hayloft, he suddenly noticed a figure lying next to the pyre. He frowned slightly and his eyes stayed on Shen Shisan for a moment. Shen Shisan was dressed in tatters and had a pale face. He was obviously a wandering young man.

The woodcutter did not disturb him, but slowly put down the load of firewood on his shoulders and walked softly to the door of the thatched shed. He turned around and glanced at Shen Shisan, who was sleeping soundly next to the firewood. He didn't seem to have any ill intentions. The woodcutter sighed softly and shook his head in a accustomed manner.

"Is he another lost boy..." He whispered to himself, his voice deep and deep.

The woodcutter did not wake up Shen Shisan immediately, but began to deal with the firewood he had just chopped. He split the large tree trunks one by one with the ax in his hand, his movements skillful and steady. The wood made a "click" sound, breaking the silence in the dense forest, but this did not wake up Shen Shisan, but made him sleep more peacefully.

When Shen Shisan finally woke up from his dream, the sky had gradually turned dark, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the treetops of the dense forest, casting a warm orange-yellow color around the hut. He rubbed his eyes and suddenly realized that he had slept all afternoon. Shen Shisan slowly sat up and his eyes fell on the woodcutter who was busy not far ahead.

The woodcutter's back was broad and he was busy squatting beside the fire, as if he was preparing dinner. The aroma of firewood mixed with the flames about to ignite made Shen Shisan feel a sense of peace that he had not seen for a long time.

Shen Shisan stared blankly for a moment, and suddenly realized that he was leaning against someone else's hut without authorization, and felt embarrassed. He stood up, approached the woodcutter, and said softly: "Senior, I'm sorry, I... I'm lost, and I didn't mean to disturb him."

The woodcutter turned around and saw Shen Shisan waking up, with a faint smile on his face. He put down the hatchet in his hand, patted the wooden stake next to him, and motioned for Shen Shisan to sit down.

"Your boy is covered in dust. It seems he has been wandering for a long time." The woodcutter's voice was rough and caring, "There are many people who get lost in this dense forest, but you are lucky to find this place."

Hearing this, Shen Shisan felt warm in his heart. He quickly sat down and said sincerely: "Thank you, senior, for saving my life. I have been wandering around for the past two years and really have nowhere to go, so I accidentally bumped into this place. I'm really sorry for disturbing you without permission. The senior's residence."

The woodcutter shook his head and showed a smile: "I don't really live here, it's just a shabby hut, but you are brave enough to dare to walk so far alone in this dense forest."

Shen Shisan lowered his head, with mixed feelings in his heart, and said softly: "Actually, I have nowhere to go... Two years ago, the village was destroyed by practitioners, and my family was ruined... I wandered around, trying to find a way to practice. "

When the woodcutter heard the word "practitioner", a subtle meaning flashed in his eyes. He did not interrupt Shen Shisan, but listened quietly.

Shen Shisan continued: "I have experienced many hardships along the way, and I have heard rumors about practicing sects, but never had the opportunity to contact them. I...I don't know what to do in the future, but the hatred in my heart drives me to continue on. "

The woodcutter was silent for a moment and said slowly: "The path of cultivation is extraordinary. It cannot be walked by you if you want to, nor can it be completed by a moment of hatred."

After hearing this, Shen Shisan was shocked in his heart. He raised his head and looked at the woodcutter: "Senior, do you also know how to practice?"

The woodcutter did not answer directly, but simply said calmly: "Practice is not as simple as you think. Hatred can make you move forward, but it can also destroy you."

Shen Shisan gritted his teeth. Although he understood that the woodcutter's words made sense, hatred had long been rooted deep in his heart and was indelible. He said firmly: "Senior, I am not afraid of any difficulties. As long as I can practice and become stronger, I am willing to give everything!"

The woodcutter looked at him deeply, finally sighed, stood up and said, "Let's rest tonight, and you can decide the next step tomorrow." After saying that, he walked to the hay shed, stacked the firewood neatly, and Keep cooking on the fire.

Shen Shisan's mood was complicated. Although the woodcutter did not answer his question directly, he had a vague feeling that this rough woodcutter might know more about cultivation. He could only temporarily suppress the doubts in his heart, sit by the fire, and feel the warmth brought by the flames.

The night was getting darker, the dense forest around the thatched shed was swaying gently in the breeze, and Shen Shisan's mind gradually calmed down. He knew that perhaps the owner of this hut would be a key to his contact with the world of spiritual practice.

The night is getting darker, the moonlight shines through the sparse leaves outside the thatched shed, and the chirping of insects comes and goes in the forest. The light of the fire flickered with the crackle of firewood, reflecting on Shen Shisan's slightly haggard face.

Shen Shisan leaned against the corner of the thatched shed, looking at the fire, his thoughts already drifting back to Caotou Village two years ago. He told his story bit by bit in a low voice, his voice sometimes deep and sometimes choked. He talked about the tragic scene that day in Caotou Village, the fighting between immortal cultivators, the innocent deaths of relatives and friends, the village turned into ruins, the death of his parents and partner Qin Erzhu, and his two years of wandering in hatred. .

The woodcutter listened quietly and remained silent. Although he looked rough, there was a hint of sadness on his face at the moment. He didn't interrupt, but sighed softly after Shen Shisan finished speaking.

"You boy, you have such a bad life..." the woodcutter said in a low voice, with a hint of pain in his eyes, as if he was remembering some dusty past events.

Shen Shisan looked at the woodcutter, and suddenly found that there seemed to be unspeakable sadness in the eyes of this rough woodcutter. Shen Shisan's heart moved and he couldn't help but ask: "Senior, you seem to have... experienced a lot of hardships?"

The woodcutter nodded silently, looked at the dark forest in the distance, and said in a deep voice: "I was originally an ordinary woodcutter, living an ordinary life like you. At that time, I had a wife and a daughter, and we Although the family of three is poor, they are still enjoying themselves. But who would have known that my wife was actually a spiritual practitioner."

When Shen Shisan heard this, his heart was shocked and his eyes widened slightly. He didn't expect that the seemingly ordinary woodcutter in front of him was actually related to the practitioner.

The woodcutter continued, with a hint of pain in his voice: "I always thought she was just an ordinary woman, until when my daughter was fourteen years old, her sect came... They did not hesitate to take my wife and My daughter was taken away. I couldn't stop them, and that's when I realized that the world of practitioners is so cold and heartless."

Shen Shisan felt the sourness and helplessness in the woodcutter's tone, and couldn't help but ask: "Senior, have you... seen them since?"

The woodcutter smiled bitterly and shook his head: "From that day on, I have never seen them again. I know that I am just a mortal and can't change anything at all. But before my wife left, she left me one thing - "The most elementary cultivation secret book," he said slowly, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, "She said this is the only way I can connect with her and my daughter. Unfortunately, my talent is limited and I have practiced for five years. I've only learned a little bit, and I can't really step into the realm of immortality."

Shen Shisan was stunned when he heard this, with mixed feelings in his heart. He already had a deep understanding of the indifference of immortal cultivators, and now that he heard what happened to the woodcutter, he felt even more sympathetic.

"Senior, is that cultivation secret book...still there?" Shen Shisan asked cautiously.

The woodcutter nodded and sighed softly: "It's still there. If you want to learn, I can lend it to you. But this thing requires extremely high talent. If you are really serious about practicing, you have to be prepared to make a huge effort. Preparation for the price."

Shen Shisan's heart beat suddenly. Hatred, desire, and determination all surged into my heart in an instant. He did not hesitate for a moment and said in a deep voice: "Senior, I am not afraid of any difficulties. As long as it can make me stronger, I am willing to learn even if I am not talented enough!"

Seeing how determined he was, the woodcutter nodded: "Okay, since you have made up your mind, I will give you this secret book." After that, the woodcutter got up and walked into the hay shed. After a while, he took out a book. This book looks a little worn, and the cover is a little yellowed, but it is still well preserved.

Shen Shisan took the secret book and carefully opened the first page, staring closely at the words in the book. I saw that what was recorded in the book was indeed the basic method for getting started with cultivation. Although the content is not complicated, every line seems to contain a mysterious power, attracting him to continue to delve deeper.

"This is the most basic cultivation technique. If you can persevere, you may be able to enter the door of cultivation. However, don't have high hopes." The woodcutter reminded, "The path of cultivation is indispensable to chance and talent."

Shen Shisan's eyes were firm, but long-lost hope ignited in his heart. He knew that this might be his first opportunity to enter the world of spiritual practice, and no matter what, he would not give up easily.

It was late at night, and the fire was still burning weakly. Shen Shisan sat quietly by the fire, lowering his head and reading the secret book attentively. The woodcutter sat aside and looked at him silently, with a hint of expectation in his heart, mixed with a touch of sadness.

This fateful encounter may change Shen Shisan's future and lead him onto an unknown and dangerous path of spiritual practice.