Dashing Student

"Rebellion? Don’t make it sound so harsh, perhaps calling it ’turning chaos into order’ would be better."

Chen Nan ignored Chang Qing’s shock, just patted the dust off himself, and walked into a house to rest.

Chang Qing’s heart was in turmoil, she never expected Chen Nan to be so bold.

He clearly intended to use the guise of treating the Immortal Epidemic to conquer those villages and caves, and oppose the Nine Tribulation Celestial Silkworm!

The prophecy circulating in the Heavenly Border resurfaced in her mind, and the ensuing events seemed inevitable.

How to choose sides now became extremely important.

With a heavy heart, Chang Qing left Chen Nan a map, then set off alone for Xiu Yun Village.

After Chang Qing left, Ah Yin found Chen Nan.

Sitting in front of Chen Nan for a long time, Ah Yin finally spoke.

"Senior, sister Chang Qing left in anger, what on earth did you say to her?"

"Actually, she likes you a lot, she’s just a bit stubborn; please don’t be mad at her, okay?"

Chen Nan chuckled and explained, "I’m not angry with her, it’s just that she needs to make a huge decision."

"This decision concerns the life and death of their village, so she needs to be extra cautious."

"I see." Ah Yin patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled beautifully at Chen Nan, "Senior, no matter what others decide, I’m following you."

Chen Nan was a bit surprised, and after a while, he laughed out loud.

"Alright, maybe I’ll make you the Holy Daughter of the Heavenly Border in the future."

Ah Yin suddenly beamed, treating it as a joke: "If senior wants me to, then I will!"

...

The people of Moon Shadow Village were all rescued, and their worship of Chen Nan reached its peak.

They didn’t break their previous promise and began to pack up, preparing to leave their ancestral homeland.

"Priest, will we ever return in the future?"

"Maybe."

Noige said blandly.

A day later, the newly formed Moon Tower Dong Village set out, following the map left by Chang Qing, heading towards Xiu Yun Village.

With the addition of people from Moon Shadow Village, their team reached as many as 1,300 people, already the size of a medium-sized village.

Since the newly rescued people were still physically weak, the team’s progress was slow.

By nightfall, after traveling fifty to sixty miles, they camped by a lakeside.

Chen Nan asked the old priest and Noige to find a few reliable cultivators.

Now Ah Yin was still young. Although Chen Nan was the nominal commander, most of the matters were handled by the old priest and Noige, who remained the priests of the village.

"Elder, any instructions for us?"

Ah Bai scratched his head and gave a simple smile toward Chen Nan.

Previously he thought Chen Nan was Mu Lang, so he was more enthusiastic.

But after seeing Chen Nan’s face, knowing the person beneath the mask was not Mu Lang at all, he became cautious.

Other cultivators were also puzzled; Chen Nan rarely summoned them, so he surely had something important to instruct.

"I have something for you to do."

Chen Nan gestured for everyone to sit down, then continued: "I want you to leave the village."

"What? I disagree!"

Ah Bai stood up first, shaking his head vigorously.

Others quickly echoed.

"Yes, Elder, if we did something wrong, just punish us, but please don’t kick us out."

"Alive, we’re people of Moon Tower Dong Village; dead, we’re spirits of Moon Tower Dong Village!"

Seeing their indignant expressions, Chen Nan smiled helplessly.

"Don’t worry. I’m not kicking you out, just asking you to temporarily leave and do something for me."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators calmed down.

"I see, Elder, rest assured, I’ll complete the mission even if it costs my life!"

Ah Bai chuckled, patting his chest in assurance.

"I want you to go to other villages and caves to see if they have the Immortal Epidemic."

"If there’s an epidemic, ask them to come to Xiu Yun Village to find me."

There are thirty-six villages and seventy-two caves in the Heavenly Border, with populations ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands.

But they are scattered across different regions of the Heavenly Border.

Chen Nan wanted to save more people, and of course, he had his own plans in mind.

Thus, he dispatched people to notify them.

"Remember, three months later, regardless of how many villages you’ve informed, return to Xiu Yun Village."

After speaking, Chen Nan summoned Little Snake, which bit each cultivator’s arm, leaving two small blood holes.

None of the cultivators resisted; they even saw this as an honor.

Chen Nan saved them; the real key was Little Snake.

Thus, they revered Little Snake greatly.

"Little Snake has left its scent on you; ordinary Gu Insects won’t dare approach you, but be careful outside."

Ah Bai stood up, nodded solemnly to Chen Nan, and said decisively, "Elder, rest assured, we’ll complete the mission!"

These cultivators began to inquire about the directions to other villages, then set off in different directions before daybreak.

...

Xiu Yun Village.

Two months later, Chang Qing returned to the village, overwhelmed with emotion.

But seeing the villagers listless, heads down, not even willing to greet her, was like watching walking corpses.

The number of people able to walk outside seemed even fewer than before her departure.

This scene pierced Chang Qing’s heart deeply, and she hurriedly sought out the other two priests in the village.

But after she left, both priests also fell.

"Ah Ba, Priest, what’s happened to you?"

As soon as Chang Qing entered, she found her Ah Ba and another priest lying on the bed, gaunt, with sunken eyes, almost on the brink of death.

With their strong abilities, they hadn’t fallen into a coma, but they felt the excruciating pain of the Immortal Epidemic even more intensely.

Watching their own bodies deteriorate, like withered autumn grass, was more painful.

"Qing’er, why have you come back?"

Seeing Chang Qing, one of Xiu Yun Village’s priests, Chang Qing’s father, Drum Master, did not show a happy face but rather sighed deeply.

"Ah Ba, what happened to you?"

Chang Qing rushed to the bedside, grabbed the thin hand, and looking at Drum Master, tears streamed down her face.

"Alas, you shouldn’t have come back."

Drum Master reached out to wipe Chang Qing’s tears, such a simple gesture seemed to cost him half his life.

After resting awhile, Drum Master continued, "Hundreds have died in the village, and the remaining patients are just waiting to die."

"After you left, we summoned Gu several times, but it was futile; even the King Gu no longer responded to our prayers."

"Our village has been abandoned by the Gu God!"