Chapter 276 Sheng Ao

[New Mission: Recruit and acknowledge the Holy Light Palace's SS-Class Genius. The reward will be issued upon acknowledgment from both parties.]

[Target's Information: The SS-Class Genius, Sheng Ao, is a twenty-year-old prodigy, a Holy Son of the Holy Light Palace. He once went to Da Sishen and executed a lot of the devils that were residing there. After that forceful descent, the Saint Emperor of the Holy Light Palace called him back for another mission he was tasked to do. It was a mission to eliminate another lingering faction of fiends to the southwest of Da Shikong. While he was trying to eliminate the whole faction, he was caught up in a strange affair. Although he was a monk and vowed not to taint himself with otherworldly desires like lust, he was still overcome by the beauty of the faction leader's daughter. When the Dragon Emperor Palace reported what happened to a Holy Son of the Holy Light Palace to their Saint Emperor, the entire place instantly erupted in rumors. Due to his destroyed reputation, he was thrashed and condemned by the Holy Light Palace even though he pleaded for himself that he did not touch any part of the woman's body and was only drugged. When their Saint Emperor heard of this, he instantly sent him to the Second Region of the Three Regions.]

[Additional Information: When you go to the Holy Light Palace, do not kill as possible as you can.]

[Sub-Mission: Learn about the truth and prove his innocence to the entire Holy Light Palace.]

[Sub-Mission: Sheng Ao's life is hanging on a thread. Save him by using the Nine-Lead Nirvana Herb.]

[Sub-Mission: Kill the Child of Pan Gu, Sheng Lu! Reward: System Upgrade, A System New Function Option]

Yang Lujia set aside the matter of the Human Emperor Palace coming to the Second Region and set his sights on his fourth disciple, Sheng Ao. He already claimed it. When the system would say he would become his disciple, he would become his disciple—only perhaps unless he would decline its offer.

Now that he chose not to hide himself in the dark, he would go all out to make this disciple of his accept him. Although he became a cripple, as he was a genius in the past, he reckoned that the system might have something more in store for this soon-to-be-disciple of his.

"Speaking of, I wonder how she's doing out there alone," Yang Lujia suddenly muttered as he remembered his third disciple—who went on her own quest. Although he gave her all the measures he could give to save her life whenever the need arises, he was still feeling uneasy—perhaps it was the kind of trait he had slowly developed in the past years.

He vowed that when he had time, he would definitely visit her there. That would require him to go down, though. Nevertheless, she was still his disciple and was acknowledged by Fortuniel, the system, itself, so he could not neglect her just that easily.

"Lan Mingyue's father already woke up and now, she disappeared from everyone's sight. Although I could find her, she told me not to find her and let her be alone for a while. I must have been harsh days ago, but if I didn't tell her that, it would only become more painful." Yang Lujia suddenly found themself laughing at himself. "It's funny how a once-notorious man could have his own definition of painful as an interpretation of other people's pain. Is this what they call sympathy?"

Brushing off these thoughts, he went to the place where Fortuniel pointed at. That was where he could find his fourth disciple, Sheng Ao. As he traversed from one sacred city to another, he was astonished that every city almost had the same structure in terms of their establishments and the way how the Churches of Light are arranged and the various famous organizations like the Adventurers' Association.

"So, he was thrown in this mountain?" Yang Lujia asked himself as he looked at the mountain that stood erect at the edge of the Second Region. "Interesting how there's no other person here other than him. Is this some kind of forbidden area—no…"

When he saw the invisible cage surrounding the mountain, he later found out about something.

"This is actually the Holy Light Prison."

According to his intel, the Holy Light Palace had once said that it had several Holy Light Prisons, but there was one Holy Light Prison that only those who had sinned the greatest could be imprisoned inside. It wasn't exactly a privilege neither it was a desirable setup.

Just like Sacred Areas, Holy Light Prisons were said to be made by the Holy Light Emperor himself. Whenever someone sneaked out of the Holy Light Prison he created, he would immediately be notified. That was the same case for Sacred Areas. And never in history did someone escape from his clutch.

Although he said he would only cripple and throw Sheng Ao, the former Holy Son, out of the Holy Light Palace, he seemed to have still cared for him and provided him with the best prison. Actually, this prison was nothing like the prison he had imagined—as elaborate by that counter-lady in the Adventurers' Association.

no(????(e)lbi????.n(et

"Alright, let's find out about this kid," Yang Lujia whispered under his breath as he scanned the entire mountain.

While he was tired, he still did not stop. To him who was a cripple, water was a necessity for him to survive. The boy was already worn-out, but he remained determined and vowed to come out of the cage he was imprisoned inside. He knew that the heavens would not forsake those who were framed nor those who remained determined despite the most difficult struggles.

"Sheng Ao, it's alright. Although you're right, you should not take revenge. That's the way of the Buddha. Revenge is the path to evil. No matter what happens, do not fall into that pit and always find the light at the end of the tunnel," Sheng Ao said to himself as he carried two buckets of water, his slender arms almost devoid of strength.

Yang Lujia overheard what the boy said and was quite surprised. He was even ashamed of himself that he could not be more than righteous than this kid. He was young, but his mind was already this broad. Truly a shame on his part.

When Sheng Ao finally reached his home, he tried to cook using the firewood he chopped by himself. His stomach was even growling—as if it was angry. "My life is so boring. I could not even sleep like I always do before. Why is it always like this? But I believe this is not unfair. This might be just my own retribution for disregarding other people's feelings by showing off my talent in front of those who lack it."

Yang Lujia's face twitched when he heard what the kid said. "What do you mean by that kind of retribution? Showing off your talent in front of those who lack it? That's not showing off if you did not do it on purpose. Sheng Ao, that's not how life works. In this world, with your meager strength, you will always be preyed upon by one or a group of predators. If someone did not protect you until now, do you still think you are still standing on this mountain alive?"

When Sheng Ao heard Yang Lujia's voice, he almost tripped and threw all the vegetables in his hands away from his grasp as he immediately went into a fighting position. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

He was overcome by vigilance for fear of being attacked from behind. However, recalling the other person's words, he confirmed his thought that there was indeed someone trying to protect him on this mountain. He just couldn't point at it before. Now that someone had told him about it, the chances of it being true would be a bar higher than before.

That wasn't, however, a guarantee. He did not even know the person who suddenly spoke, let alone trust him.

"I am surnamed, Yang. I am Yang Lujia," the other party said, appearing in front of him like a ghost. "I am neither your enemy nor your friend. I just came to pass by this place and unexpectedly found a prisoner from the Holy Light Prison. A highly regarded prisoner at that. I really wonder what was wrong with the Holy Light Emperor's mind to place a child inside a prison like this? Although it was helping, this wasn't helping at all. This was only temporary. As time would go by, you would find it boring and might even be bored to death."

Of course, that was all nonsense—although a small portion of it was true.