Chapter 15

Shen Lian glanced at his physical body, then went out.

The tangible window could not stop Shen Lian at all. With a slight movement, he was already in the courtyard.

At this moment, the clouds parted and the moon appeared, the plum blossoms played with their shadows, the sparse stars and the pale moonlight also cast a hazy glow, as if a misty rain had inadvertently drifted down from the sky, sprinkling the world.

The pale glow, like a light mist, also fell on Shen Lian's soul that had left his body.

With a thought, Shen Lian did not let the pale moonlight and starlight flow over him like water, but instead absorbed them.

The pale glow condensed, like a transparent feather coat, enveloping Shen Lian.

Shen Lian felt a slight heat, as if the midday sun was shining on his body.

The soul power was slightly evaporated by the heat, causing a faint stinging pain, but the soul body became more solid and gained an additional layer of protection.

In the courtyard, which was originally empty, a figure now appeared, emitting a faint glow, seemingly tangible yet intangible.

The face was blurred, the hair and beard indistinct, but there was a detached and divine aura.

Both inside and outside the courtyard, there were guards dispatched by Old Master Shen to guard Shen Lian's small courtyard. Two of them were keeping watch by the courtyard gate, hiding in a sheltered spot.

One of them vaguely opened his eyes and, seeing Shen Lian's figure wrapped in a thin layer of moonlight, let out a low exclamation, startling his companion.

Shen Lian was also startled and, not wanting to cause trouble, with a thought, the thin layer of moonlight on his body dissipated.

A living person's soul is intangible and invisible, making it hard for ordinary eyes to see.

The guard who was woken up saw nothing and grumbled at him, then closed his eyes again. The guard who had seen Shen Lian rubbed his eyes and, indeed, saw nothing, thinking it must have been a trick of the light.

Without the thin layer of moonlight, Shen Lian was swayed by the breeze, feeling somewhat unstable.

It was as if he was naked and exposed to the biting cold wind, with the wind and frost cutting through him.

However, Shen Lian was now without sorrow or joy, and even though his soul body was uncomfortable, it did not interfere with him.

But he also understood something: the soul leaving the body brought many differences. This new and interesting state also brought many dangers.

It was still night, so there was no problem, but if it were daytime, even with his deep soul power, he might not be able to withstand the intense sunlight.

The folk belief that ghosts usually appear at night and not during the day was indeed not baseless.

Without any experience, Shen Lian could only cautiously explore the various differences after his soul left his body, treading carefully and being very cautious.

Fortunately, there was still a faint connection to his physical body, making him realize that his soul body was not alone in this uncomfortable external world.

It was like a kite flying in the sky, always pulled by a string, preventing it from drifting away.

The physical body was both a prison and a bamboo raft for crossing the sea of human suffering, having both disadvantages and uses.

Just as "clouds drift out of the mountain without intention, and birds, tired of flying, know to return," the soul leaving the body, though free from constraints and more at ease, must still return to the physical body to rest, like a weary bird returning to its nest.

Shen Lian tried to control his soul in the courtyard, making many attempts.

He discovered some of the mysteries of the soul, not just its ability to pass through matter.

When he learned to absorb the moonlight, he found that by attaching the breeze to his soul, he could also merge with the wind and fly using its power.

When he detached from the wind, he felt no gravitational pull from the earth.

He could only float slowly on the ground.

After mastering some of the characteristics of his soul's travels, he began to expand his range of movement.

He passed through walls and doors without any hindrance.

This world was similar to ancient times, with no electric lights at night, and most people went to bed early.

In such a situation, the few rooms that still had lights were particularly noticeable.

Shen Lian, on this soul journey, had no specific purpose. Seeing that this room was still lit so late, he entered.

As usual, there was no obstruction, but he heard a woman's sobs.

The crying was mournful, filled with deep sorrow.

Then he heard Shen Qingshan's voice, "Why are you crying? Ruoxi is just sick. You should take good care of her."

"But this child is getting thinner every day, doesn't want to talk, doesn't want to eat, and the doctors can't find the cause. How can I not be worried? Do you think it's because Shen Lian is a malevolent star, who killed his mother and now has harmed Ruoxi? If it weren't for your idea to have him marry Ruoxi, would she be sick?" The woman wiped her tears and vented her anger at Shen Qingshan.

Shen Lian was already in the room, seeing and hearing the conversation between Shen Qingshan and his wife, Chen Shi.

Shen Qingshan frowned, sitting opposite Chen Shi.

"Shen Lian has been under house arrest for a month, and Ruoxi has only been sick for five or six days. How could it be related to him? Don't let your sister-in-law manipulate you," Shen Lian was not angry, but Shen Qingshan was somewhat angry. Influenced by the old master, he was somewhat biased towards males and was not worried about his daughter being bullied by Shen Lian.

Chen Shi, however, was not willing to let it go, saying, "I don't care if Shen Lian is good or bad. Look at him, he keeps his distance from everyone and is very independent. Even if you have some genuine feelings for him, he might not be grateful."

"You are wrong. Shen Lian is more reliable than anyone. Even if he doesn't say it, he will remember your kindness. Besides, we are close relatives, and we shouldn't expect anything in return," Shen Qingshan said this, but in his heart, he was thinking about what he had found out from the inn.

It turned out he had already investigated what happened between Shen Lian and the green-robed man at the inn. The two guards sent to protect Shen Lian were naturally killed by the green-robed man, but Shen Lian's performance that day was even more surprising.

"How can you be so indifferent to human life? You treat human life like grass, but I value it dearly, whether it's someone else's life or my own, most people only have one."

This was what the innkeeper of "Yuekelai" had recounted word for word from Shen Lian.

Shen Qingshan also believed that these words came from Shen Lian's heart, without any falsehood.

Even for two unrelated guards, Shen Lian could stand up for them, facing the terrifying green-robed man without fear.

Such grace and demeanor in a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, Shen Qingshan had never seen in anyone else.

Only such a person was worthy of trust, and only by entrusting the Shen family to someone like Shen Lian could it last.

He knew his limitations; even maintaining the status quo was insufficient, let alone expanding and advancing. His elder brother was even less capable.

Shen Lian, listening to Shen Qingshan's words, although not emotionally moved due to his current state, acknowledged that his blood-related uncle had not misjudged him.

PS: Thank you to Sasu for the 1888 reward, and to High-Pressure Pot Stewing Virgin for the 588 reward, Jianxia Fuyun for the 588 reward, and Yiran Zui Ren for the 588 reward.