Over a hundred brocade-clad guards and sixteen descendants of the Zhao family, along with Golden Core expert Zhao Yanliang, pursued Chen Shi, Li Tianqing, and Black Pot yet failed to catch them, allowing the two men and one dog to escape.
Chen Shi knew Qianyang Mountain’s geography exceptionally well, whereas those from the provincial city were completely clueless about it.
With the mountain’s ever-changing terrain, plentiful caves, and dense jungles, it was quite easy to avoid them.
After searching for a long time, they were not only unable to find the two men and dog but also encountered attacks from evil spirits that killed over ten people, causing both shock and anger as they quickly returned to camp.
Now, it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night; the sky was a pale red. Though there was light, it was not bright.
With such weather, it was impossible to see distant objects clearly. Rashly going out could likely lead to death outside, or perhaps even more likely, getting lost and not finding the way back.
They returned to camp where Zhao Yanlong, now transformed into a porcelain doll, sat foolishly at the edge of a table, unresponsive to others’ persuasions to move.
Now as porcelain, should he fall from the table, he would surely shatter to pieces.
But his heart was too heavy, and he could not let go, even for a moment.
"Don’t bother persuading him."
Zhao Yanliang told the others, "After all, my brother is the Master of Xuanying Mansion. Despite his grief, he possesses an extraordinary spirit and will recover."
Seeing this, everyone sighed, lamenting that good people do not live long.
Master of Xuanying Mansion, Zhao Yanlong, still sat on the edge of the table, lost in thoughts.
Ziyu was his eldest son. He had many children—nineteen in total, not counting those who had died early.
Ziyu was not the most outstanding nor the most beloved, but during this crisis of demonic transformation, Ziyu’s performance had been comforting, giving him the pride of a ’tiger father not having a dog son.’
Ever since he had turned into a porcelain doll, Ziyu had managed the camp excellently; meanwhile, others who went hunting came back injured or not at all.
Many of the Zhao family descendants and brocade guards never returned from their outings, presumably dead outside, either devoured by mutant beasts or slain by cultivators.
Only Ziyu always returned successfully from his hunts, even when taking along maids, and always brought back a haul.
His excellence filled Zhao Yanlong with pride.
Zhao Yanlong had even pondered that after he grew old, he would hand over Xuanying Mansion to Ziyu, enjoying a peaceful life as a wealthy patriarch.
Yet, his talented son was killed by an unknown young man with a short sword!
In front of him, in front of everyone at the camp, he was stabbed to death!
Zhao Yanlong’s hand trembled. If he still had a heart, it would certainly be bleeding at that moment.
That young man, that ruffian from the harsh lands, what deep hatred did he harbor to commit such a ruthless act?
He could not comprehend it at all!
The grand Zhao family, the parental officials of Xin Xiang Province, governed citizens as if they were his own children—he loved them like his children. How could such a rebellious figure from Qianyang Mountain kill his own son? fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
And how dare he kill his flesh and blood?
Even more infuriating was that the boy used no spells or talismans, only his fists and a short sword, right in front of him and everyone else, to kill his son!
Why didn’t Ziyu resist?
Why didn’t Ziyu use his Golden Core?
Why didn’t Ziyu cast any spells?
Why didn’t Ziyu use all the talismans he had?
If Ziyu had resisted then, if Ziyu had used his Golden Core, if Ziyu had cast spells, if Ziyu had used all his talismans, he would not have died.
His grief was overwhelming, tears rolling down from his porcelain eyes.
It was like being sliced by a knife.
At that moment, Zhao Minrou suddenly said, "Father, the person who just killed big brother looks like Chen Shi."
"Who?" Zhao Yanlong’s eyes rolled, not catching what she said.
"It’s that Cheng Shi who tricked me into going to the kiln factory."
Zhao Minrou hesitated, then gritted her teeth and said, "I recognize him, even if he turned to ashes I would know him! It’s him! When he first met me, he seemed so naive and innocent, and it’s ridiculous that I believed him, resulting in this transformation! He’s taller now, but it’s definitely him!"
Zhao Yanlong was bewildered.
The grandson of Chen Yindou?
The same Chen Shi who killed his third son Zhao Yue, his daughter Zhao Xue’e, his sixth son Zhao Yan, his twelfth son Zhao Rui, and many other Zhao descendants and brocade guards?
He even killed Iron Pen Weng and the housekeeper of Xuanying Mansion!
What feud, what grievance?
To be so malicious, so targeted at him, at Xuanying Mansion, at the Zhao family!
Wasn’t his second uncle Zhao Cunyi supposed to have killed him?
How was he still alive?
What was his second uncle doing?!
He wanted to return to Xuanying Mansion, to severely scold his second uncle who came back home for meals, to curse him as an old fool who couldn’t get things done, who had caused his son’s death!
"He destroyed my two daughters, killed four of my sons, Chen Shi, I will not rest until I shatter your body into ten thousand pieces, turn your bones to ashes, and obliterate your entire lineage!"
In the northern foothills of Qianyang Mountain, at the summit, a great snake coiled, protecting the local populace.
The head of Great Snake Xuan Shan was immensely huge, raised high like a stationary cloud in the air.
It breathed out, and the clouds and mist in the valley before it turned into sweet dew.
It breathed in, and the mountain winds immediately stirred, rustling the petrified leaves all over the mountain with a tinkling sound.
In the shadow beneath the great snake’s head, Chen Yindou and a man in black no longer sat down to play chess—unknown who won that game.
"Your grandson is quite remarkable; even though he has only revived after such a long time, he has achieved much more than you did." Xuan Shan said.
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