C3

At this moment, Shi Ling, who was heavily injured, was walking alone in the forest. Blood was constantly dripping from his body and many of his muscles and bones were broken. If it was any other person, they would have already fainted.

Of course, Shi Ling's condition was not much better than an ordinary person's. His footsteps were very shaky and he swayed left and right as he walked, as if he could fall down at any time.

Shi Ling didn't know where he was going at the moment. He was relying on his body to repeat his instinctive movements and just kept walking.

It started to rain lightly in the sky, the forest was filled with the sound of spring water, but Shi Ling was not in the mood to watch. Unknowingly, he arrived in front of a cave mansion, which was the residence of an official disciple of the sect.

The rain became heavier and heavier in the sky, but when it fell on Shi Ling's body, it felt like a giant hammer weighing a thousand pounds. The rain soaked his clothes and revealed his skinny figure.

In the end, he, who was still heavily injured, fell onto the ground from the torrential rain with a thud. His blood flowed along the rain, and just as he was about to close his eyes, he saw the door of the abode in front of him suddenly open, and a figure jogged out from within.

Shi Ling closed his eyes completely. He could hear someone calling for him in his ear, but he no longer had the strength to respond.

"..."

It was unknown how much time had passed, whether it was one day or two days. When Shi Ling opened his eyes for the first time, he felt that he was on a soft bed and the scent of a girl came from his nose.

Shi Ling looked around and found himself in a cave. The decorations here were very elegant and looked like a female disciple's room, not only were there all kinds of expensive decorations, but also all kinds of zither, chess, calligraphy, and paintings. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Shi Ling had seen the best room in this cave since becoming a servant.

However, after Shi Ling saw everything clearly, his expression became slightly ugly. He could vaguely guess what kind of place this was. He immediately wanted to get up and sit on the beauty bed.

It was only then that he saw that his entire body was covered with many bandages. It was obvious that someone had bandaged it up for him, and he could smell it from the medicinal fragrance contained within the ointment. It was definitely a valuable medicine, and based on the quantity of the medicine Shi Ling had on him, he would not be able to get anything even if he sold him.

Shi Ling first laid on the bed and thought for a while. Why did he come here, then the door to the room suddenly opened, and he immediately saw a young girl in green clothes walking in with light steps. Although the young girl was only twenty or eight years old, she was like a fairy that came out of the water.

When the girl saw that Shi Ling had woken up, she calmed down. With a bowl of medicine in her hand, she walked to Shi Ling's side and sat down.

When Shi Ling saw the girl in front of him, he revealed a self-deprecating smile. At this moment, he felt that he was really useless, he even needed a woman to save him. He immediately closed his eyes and turned his head away, unwilling to look at that girl.

When Chen Lu saw that Shi Ling still didn't want to look straight at her, a trace of anger appeared on her face. She coquettishly scolded, "Shi Ling, how long do you want to hide from me? Are you happy that you can keep making trouble with me like this?"

After hearing what she said, the self-deprecating smile on Shi Ling's face became even wider, and he said, "How would I dare to mess around with you? I was just beaten up by people before, so I accidentally came to your cave. If you dislike me, then I'll leave right now."

After saying that, Shi Ling wanted to sit up and walk out of the bed, but Chen Lu pushed him back onto the bed and told him to sit down. Chen Lu's current strength was already at the Third Stage of Body Refinement, and with just her Body Tempering alone, how could Shi Ling's small and weak physique compare to hers?

When Chen Lu saw Shi Ling's lonely expression, the expression in her eyes became complicated. She gently shook the soup in her hand and then scooped some soup out with a spoon. After that, she put the soup next to her red lips and blew on it to cool it before passing it to Shi Ling's mouth.

Shi Ling didn't even look at it as he turned his head away. When Chen Lu saw this, she could only let out a soft sigh and put down the soup. She said, "I already know about the servants' quarters."

Shi Ling did not turn back, but his eyes were wavering for a moment. Chen Lu continued: "They are people of Zhang Family, it is not convenient for me to interfere in that direction. After the new disciples' registration is over, I will send people to deal with them for you!"

After Shi Ling heard this, he couldn't help but sneer and said, "No need!"

However, when Chen Lu heard this, her heart hurt. In the eyes of the countless sect disciples outside, this talented and beautiful eldest senior sister was actually showing the look of a little girl in front of Shi Ling. If anyone else saw this, they would definitely be so shocked that their mouths would drop to the ground.

Chen Lu looked at Shi Ling with reddened eyes and asked, "Do you really hate me that much?"

Shi Ling still had his eyes closed and said: "I don't dare!"

Chen Lu was furious. She grabbed Shi Ling's face and twisted it back. However, she found that Shi Ling had his eyes closed. Chen Lu said coldly, "Open your eyes and look at me!"

After Shi Ling heard this, he seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, he slowly opened his eyes and saw a devastatingly beautiful face. A pair of bright beautiful eyes were like stars in the night sky.

Tears appeared in her eyes. Shi Ling looked at her face calmly. She looked even more beautiful than when he saw her before. Her hair was tied up high in a bun and there was a phoenix dance hairpin stuck in her hair.

At this time, Chen Lu said softly, "Let's get back together and become cultivation partners. That way, you won't have to be a servant anymore and won't be bullied anymore."

Shi Ling gently removed the hand that was pinching his face and said, "The one who said he wanted to be with me was you, and the one who said he broke up was also you. Now that you say it's you, how do you expect me to believe you?"

After Chen Lu heard this, she couldn't control her emotions and threw herself into Shi Ling's arms. She started to sob and said, "Please, this will be the last time. As long as you can reunite with me and return to my side, I can promise you anything."

At this moment, Chen Lu was crying like the rain. Her hands were clutching Shi Ling's clothes tightly, as if she was afraid that Shi Ling would leave her for the second time.

At this moment, Shi Ling's eyes were also filled with tears. His hands also hugged her, hugging her together.

Once, when Shi Ling was still an official disciple of Spirit Sword Sect, Chen Lu was still a fledgling, little girl. At that time, she had just arrived at Spirit Sword Sect.

The first time Shi Ling met her, she was bullied by a bunch of bastards because of her beauty. At that time, Shi Ling directly pulled out his sword and helped to kill the people who bullied her.

Of course, this wasn't to say that Shi Ling was very righteous. It was because when Shi Ling first saw her, he felt that she looked very similar to his dead sister. That was why he saved her.

No matter where Shi Ling went, she would follow him wherever he went. To Shi Ling, who was at that time a famous person in the sect, her actions made him feel a little disgusted, because before, she had done many similar things by beautiful women. Frankly speaking, she wanted to win his favor.

At that time, Shi Ling wanted to chase her away, but she kneeled down and begged Shi Ling to accept her as a servant. Shi Ling couldn't bear to reject her, so he agreed.

After that, as they got closer, they started to have feelings for each other. Later on, the two of them secretly became Dao-companions, even though they did not go through human training.

Later on, with Shi Ling's care, Chen Lu quickly rose up within the sect. Not only was she able to increase her cultivation level to the third layer of Body Refinement in a year's time, but she was also promoted from an honorary disciple.

Originally, this should have been a good thing, but after Shi Ling participated in the inner disciple test, it changed.

Shi Ling had been defeated by the number one genius of Spirit Sword Sect, the Sword Poison Master Guang Haoran, in one move, and his entire cultivation had been crippled.

After that, his attitude became even colder. Many of his fellow sect members who were drinking and chatting with Shi Ling were distant from him. Even Chen Lu started to treat him coldly at that time.

It was only when Shi Ling's spirit root was destroyed due to heavy injuries, which resulted in him being unable to cultivate for the rest of his life, that the sect decided to expel Shi Ling from the outer sect and downgrade him to a servant.

Shi Ling, whose achievements were all destroyed and who became a cripple, originally held onto the last trace of concern — Chen Lu — but she also told herself that from that day on, the roads would turn towards the sky.

At that time, Shi Ling was kneeling in the rain and laughing wildly. He was laughing at this sect, laughing at this world, laughing at his own incompetence.

Now, after all these years had passed, Chen Lu had come back to look for Shi Ling in the service department. Since she wanted Shi Ling to go back with her, how could Shi Ling leave with her?

But even so, Chen Lu still did not give up. Every once in a while, she would go visit Shi Ling, but Shi Ling would always stay in seclusion.

At that time, Chen Lu had warned Yan Wuping of the service department to take care of Shi Ling, so Yan Wuping naturally did not dare to disrespect the official disciples.

This was also the reason why Shi Ling had rebuked Yan Wuping in front of so many people and Yan Wuping didn't dare to attack Shi Ling. It was because he was afraid of the young miss behind Shi Ling.

The two of them embraced each other in the cave for a long time. Finally, Shi Ling gently pushed her away and said, "It's getting late, I have to go back too. Give me a price for the medicine I have on me. I'll think of a way to return it to you!"

Although Shi Ling knew that it was impossible for him to pay Ye Zichen back, he couldn't just take his stuff for nothing either.

Chen Lu still looked at Shi Ling with her red eyes and said, "Why must you be so stubborn? I will make you hate me so much that you won't stay here any longer."

When Shi Ling heard about this, he shook his head and said: "If the people from the sect knew that a man was sleeping inside the room of the proud daughter of heaven in Spirit Sword Sect, what would they think of you?"

Chen Lu hurriedly replied, "I don't care!"

Shi Ling pursed his lips and said, "Then what do you want to do?"

Chen Lu did not dare to look Shi Ling in the eye. She used a stubborn tone and said, "Get back together with me and be my dual cultivation partner!"

Shi Ling frowned and asked, "Is this what you want?"

Chen Lu stared angrily at Shi Ling and asked, "That's right!"

Shi Ling laughed at himself, poked himself in the chest and said, "You have to be clear about one thing, I, Shi Ling, am just a cripple that can't train, and a janitor that can't even be compared to a visiting disciple. What are the benefits of being together with me?"

Chen Lu replied as before, "I don't care!"

Shi Ling snorted and said, "You don't care?"

Shi Ling lowered his head and looked at his hands. There were wounds on them. "What if I don't agree?"

When Chen Lu heard this, her eyes immediately became cold. After that, she slowly stood up and rubbed her Storage Ring. The next moment, she saw a jade-green sword appear in her hands.

When Shi Ling saw the sword, his pupils shrank. Without caring about his injuries, he quickly got off the bed and knelt before the sword. He said, "Servant disciple Shi Ling greets Grandma Xuan Mei!"

Almost everyone in the sect knew what that jade-green longsword meant. The name of the longsword stated that the "Spirit Firmament Sword" was one of the swords of the Great Elder of the sect, Grandma Xuan Mei. In the sect, wherever the "Spirit Firmament Sword" passed, it was equivalent to Grandma Xuan Mei coming in person.

Chen Lu wielding the sword was a sign of Grandma Xuan Mei's personal arrival, so Shi Ling had to kneel and kowtow.

He heard Chen Lu say, "Servant disciple, Shi Ling, listen up!"

When Shi Ling heard this, he couldn't help but swallow his saliva. He vaguely guessed something, but he still quickly agreed: "Disciple will listen!"

Chen Lu said, "From today onwards, you will become Dao companions with Chen Lu, and if you dare to disobey, we will behead you!"

When Chen Lu said the last word, she emphasized it. Shi Ling, who heard it, was dumbfounded. His hands were shaking. No matter what, he didn't expect the opposite party to have such a trick.

Although it was hard to accept in his heart, the sect's decree had already been passed down. How could Shi Ling dare not accept it, so he immediately kowtowed to Xie En and said, "Servant disciple Shi Ling, I will follow the decree, Grandma Xuan Mei, I will forever enjoy the blessing of immortals, my life is with the heavens!"

Then, Chen Lu put away the sword, walked up to Shi Ling and helped him up. She knew that Shi Ling was injured, and she knew he couldn't get off the bed now. However, she had no choice.

Shi Ling, who sat back on the bed, became very pale. The wound on his chest cracked open again and traces of blood seeped out. Shi Ling sat on the bed, but his brain still couldn't react.

At this moment, Chen Lu stuck out her slender finger and pressed it against Shi Ling's wound. Following which, a surge of pure Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth started to gather at Shi Ling's wound, causing Shi Ling's injury to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Shi Ling turned around with a pale face and asked, "Why do you have Grandma Xuan Mei's sword in your hand?"

When Chen Lu heard this, she looked hesitant. Although she didn't want to tell Shi Ling now, she still said it after seeing Shi Ling's gaze, "Grandma Xuan Mei has already accepted me as her last disciple! Prepare to pass my legacy to me! "

After Shi Ling heard this, he couldn't help but take in a deep breath. Who within the Spirit Sword Sect didn't know of Grandma Xuan Mei's strength, she was an existence that was on par with sect master. Her strength had already surpassed the Body Refinement Realm and she was a peerless expert who had reached the "Divine Martial Secret Stage" realm! Being able to obtain her legacy, Chen Lu's future path could be said to be bright. Even competing for sect master's position was not impossible.

Thinking of this, Shi Ling laughed bitterly and continued, "Did Grandma Xuan Mei herself know of the decree just now?"

Chen Lu shook her head. "It was my own suggestion."

Shi Ling pursed his lips and said, "Give me some time."

Chen Lu raised her head to look at him and said, "The decree has already been passed down. Even sect master can't change it so easily. It doesn't matter even if you want to delay it!"

Shi Ling shook his head and said, "Give me some time, just a little. This is too sudden for me."

After Chen Lu heard this, she thought for a while before nodding and said, "I'll give you one month to prepare your heart."

Shi Ling turned around and said, "Five months!"

Chen Lu opened her eyes as if she was unhappy and said, "In five months, you must marry me!"

Shi Ling's mouth was tightly shut and his breathing was a little ragged. After a violent struggle in his heart, he nodded in agreement.

Then, she revealed a sweet smile and hugged Shi Ling. She knew Shi Ling's character too well; as long as he said something, he would definitely do it. So right now, she could only look forward to the day Shi Ling married her back in five months.