I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 39

“Who would have thought the prestigious Wu family, for all their grand reputation, is nothing but an embroidered pillow, pleasing to the eye but useless in practice.”

“Heh, it’s all thanks to the help of the Purple Tilt Demon Lord that we managed to wipe them out in one fell swoop.”

The two of them burst into laughter, their hoarse voices startling a few crows perched on the branches.

“Speaking of the Purple Tilt Demon Lord, I wonder what she was thinking. She didn’t ask for any reward at all, all she wanted was to strike down Wu Ling with her sword.”

“I heard there’s some tangled history of love and hatred involved. But I wouldn’t dare ask for specifics. I’m rather fond of the head on my shoulders.”

“Regardless, the Wu family is now in our grasp. After a hundred years, Taichu Mountain is finally unified. When you think about it, I’ve led our clan to accomplish a historic feat.”

He let out a long sigh. Li Baiying recognized this as the voice of Elder Qin San.

But the other voice was unfamiliar to her.

“The dozen or so direct descendants of the Wu family are locked up in prison. Their essence blood should be enough to nourish the sealing array beneath Taichu Mountain. It’s just the Li family’s side…”

“Hmph, if we weren’t so busy entertaining the Purple Tilt Demon Lord lately, stretched thin as we are, how could it take this long to capture her?”

“I heard her meridians are completely destroyed, and she’ll never be able to cultivate again. Logically, she should’ve been caught easily. Why has it taken so long?”

This time, Elder Qin San remained silent for an unusually long time.

“Half a day ago, I discovered Mo’er’s soul tablet shattered.”

“What?!”

“Though he didn’t have much talent for cultivation, he was, after all, my only grandson. I had hoped to grant him a life of luxury, allowing him to live carefree in the mortal world. Who would have thought he’d be denied even that fortune?”

“Who killed Qin Mo?”

“It’s hard to say. There are monsters at the bottom of the cliff, and he was always arrogant. It’s entirely possible he dismissed his guards and ventured into danger alone. An ending like this isn’t entirely unexpected.”

Elder Qin San’s tone remained calm, devoid of any grief. He didn’t even consider Li Baiying as a suspect. “It’s a pity that with his death, I no longer have a successor to carry on my legacy.”

“What are you saying, Elder? Isn’t Qin Zhili the most outstanding talent in the Qin family right now? She has always shown you the utmost respect. Taking her under your wing as your successor would be a fine choice.”

“Do you think I haven’t considered it? That girl’s ambitions are too great. If I keep her by my side, there’s no telling when she might turn on me. Ever since she was defeated by Li Baiying with a trick at the martial arts tournament seven years ago, she’s grown increasingly extreme. If this continues, she won’t go far on the path of martial arts.”

“Then the next generation of the Qin family… surely it can’t be handed over to that cripple who can’t cultivate?”

“Heh, do you still think of her as a cripple?”

Elder Qin San left behind an ambiguous remark. “If she is loyal enough to me and willing to become the blade in my hand, even if she’s a cripple, I can still raise her up.”

“Yes! This subordinate pledges unwavering loyalty to Elder Qin San, even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!”

The sound of a loud kowtow echoed through the crack in the door.

After a long while, the old man’s slow, deliberate whisper could be heard. “Rise. Now that the Wu family matter is resolved, it’s time we went to the bottom of the cliff to assist those clueless juniors.”

“Indeed. They’ve been trying to capture someone for so long, it’s almost gone cold.”

“Keeping the information under wraps is still your responsibility. Do not let the news of the Li and Wu families’ upheaval spread beyond Taichu Mountain. We must seize the treasure before the other factions can react.”

“Understood. I will see to it immediately.”

With the sound of a door opening, two figures swiftly stretched their shadows under the moonlight, vanishing in an instant.

The surroundings soon grew quiet, leaving only the rustling of leaves stirred by the gentle breeze.

To be safe, Li Baiying waited another half-hour. Only after confirming that the people had completely left did she slowly rise from the pile of corpses.

“Ancestor, have you ever heard of the Purple Tilt Demon Lord they mentioned earlier?”

“Never,” Hong Wang replied without hesitation. “That person had not yet emerged during the year I rose to fame. If they are not a recluse, then they must be a prodigious talent who has appeared within the last century.”

“I see.”

Li Baiying nodded thoughtfully, the word “prodigy” leaving an indelible mark in her heart. She had once prided herself on her innate talent with the Crimson Flame, which could be considered heaven-bestowed. Yet, she doubted she could reach the Soul Transformation stage within a hundred years. If this Purple Tilt Demon Lord truly was a rising star, their talent likely surpassed her wildest imagination.

There is always someone better, and skies beyond skies.

“Junior, go quickly and check the ancestral hall.”

Snapping back to reality, Li Baiying stepped onto the stairs and opened the door a crack. The first thing that caught her eye were twenty spirit tablets, utterly shattered. The emerald glow had completely faded, split in two down the middle, devoid of any lingering spirituality.

Li Baiying let out a long sigh, feeling a sense of shared sorrow. Her own family’s ancestral hall had suffered the same fate, not a single intact spirit tablet remained.

“Junior, tonight, you must retrieve your own life-bound spirit tablet and that of your little Dao companion. If someone’s cultivation has reached the Soul Transformation stage or higher, I know of at least a dozen methods to cast curses through spirit tablets, indirectly affecting you. Until we know the stance of this Purple Tilt Demon Lord, we must take precautions.”

“Understood.”

Li Baiying did not press for details. She knew that tonight was indeed the perfect opportunity to act. First, the Qin family’s higher-ups were still basking in the joy of having wiped out the Wu family, leaving their guard lax. Second, all their elite disciples had been dispatched to the cliffs to search for her, leaving the clan vulnerable. This not only created a natural disadvantage in Taichu Mountain’s defenses but also inadvertently provided cover for her actions.

As long as she remained cautious and avoided exposing her whereabouts, she would be fine.

Before leaving, Li Baiying glanced once more at the few remaining intact spirit tablets in the hall: they were carelessly tossed aside, their glow faint and on the verge of extinguishing at any moment.

“The Qin family left these people behind as bait for bloodletting, how utterly ruthless!”

“The strong prey on the weak. Those without power become the meat on the chopping block.”

Hong Wang, accustomed to such scenes, spoke with a detached tone. “That’s why you must hasten your cultivation, junior. I don’t want to see you end up as fish on a cutting board, helpless and at others’ mercy.”

“I will never let that happen!” Li Baiying clenched her fist, then relaxed it slightly. “Ancestor, does this mean our plan to rescue the direct descendants of the Wu family is no longer feasible?”

Given the tight security around the prisoners, the survivors were undoubtedly held in a heavily guarded prison, making it nearly impossible for her to infiltrate.

“There’s no need for coercion. You can easily have Elder Qin the Third hand them over willingly.” The woman chuckled lightly, her tone playful. “Once you have the spirit tablet, I’ll tell you what to do next.”