Chapter 1490: Shameless Bitch

Du Wuxu added, “You and Yin Ji were husband and wife, and the two of you even have a daughter together. If you refuse to give us an explanation over this, how are we supposed to believe husband and wife aren’t working together to set a trap for us?”

Wu Chang watched coldly from the side.

Apart from laying out the situation at the beginning, he said no more and simply watched Du Wuxu and Lan Daolin pressure Luo Qiu.

But his own position could hardly have been clearer. Otherwise, he would never have exposed the matter in the first place.

Luo Qiu’s face was dark.

He understood perfectly well that now the secret had been ripped open, and with a matter this serious having already resulted in the death of someone at their level, he could no longer refuse to give an explanation.

Precisely because someone at their level had died, Luo Qiu himself felt threatened.

He knew exactly what Yin Ji wanted.

A woman willing to throw away even her own life for the Demon Fox Clan—what else could she possibly be trying to do?

At last, his gaze settled on Wu Chang. “You’re certain she’s still alive?”

Wu Chang asked in return, “What do you think?”

The meaning was obvious: you already know the answer in your own heart.

Luo Qiu said, “You’d better not be setting some trap for me.”

Lan Daolin replied, “Hand your daughter over to us and let us deal with it. What trap could there be?”

“That lovesick fool of a daughter of yours—apart from going lovesick over men, what use is she? We truly have no reason to make trouble for her.”

But what Lan Daolin did not know was that Luo Qiu doted on his daughter precisely because she was simple and had no interest in competing for power or profit.

Humans were social creatures. No one liked being utterly alone.

A man who had reached Luo Qiu’s position tended to prefer simple people around him, much like old people enjoyed having children nearby. Children were uncomplicated, and their companionship could ease the emptiness and loneliness.

Du Wuxu said, “Luo Qiu, we promise we’ll bring your daughter back alive and return her to you.”

“If we fail, and you retaliate afterward, then if anything happens to the people beneath us, we won’t hold you accountable!”

Luo Qiu fell silent.

Lan Daolin said, “What? We’ve already gone this far, and you still refuse to let go?”

Luo Qiu finally spoke, staring at Wu Chang. “Hand Sha Rulai over.”

“Bring your daughter and exchange her for him,” Wu Chang replied. “If you refuse to give an explanation over this, I won’t release him either.”

“I understand Yin Ji better than any of you. If only you people go, it won’t work. Hand Sha Rulai back to me. I know what needs to be done.”

The other three exchanged looks.

Lan Daolin asked, “What do you mean?”

“This is my family affair. I’ll resolve it personally. There’s no need for you to act. In the end, I’ll give all of you an explanation.”

“No,” Du Wuxu said. “What if you release husband and wife both, then the two of them follow Yin Ji into the Desolate Marsh Deadlands and hide? Afterward, you find some excuse to fob us off. How would we know what truly happened?”

Luo Qiu’s cheeks tightened. “Then you can come with me.”

The three exchanged looks again.

Du Wuxu asked the other two, “What do you say?”

Wu Chang said, “The mortal world needs someone holding position, especially here at Qiyun Sect. I won’t go.”

Lan Daolin immediately became wary. “Wu Chang, there isn’t some trap waiting in the Desolate Marsh Deadlands, is there?”

“I’m afraid if I went, you’d be even less at ease, wouldn’t you?” Wu Chang asked back.

The other three understood immediately.

Wu Chang’s Boundless Demon Domain was extremely troublesome.

Ordinarily, the Boundless Demon Domain could not do much to them. Maintaining it consumed enormous spiritual power, and with their strength, none of them could easily kill another. Even several Sacred Venerables joining forces would struggle to do so.

Wu Chang could not sustain the Boundless Demon Domain for very long, so none of them feared it by itself.

But Granny Xue’s fate was an example before their eyes.

If another person suddenly appeared whose art happened to counter one of them, then everything became unpredictable.

In truth, Wu Chang rather hoped there really was another trap.

His gaze drifted toward the distance as he slowly said, “If I went, I wouldn’t want her dead. Would you be willing to hand her over to me alive?”

At those words, Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu’s expressions became rather strange.

Both glanced at Luo Qiu’s reaction.

Du Wuxu raised a fist to his mouth and coughed lightly. “If Luo Qiu has no objection, naturally neither do we.”

Luo Qiu’s face was black. “Hand Sha Rulai over!”

In the end, Wu Chang still released Sha Rulai.

Luo Qiu, Lan Daolin, and Du Wuxu left together.

Wu Chang remained behind, watching them depart with an indifferent expression. No one could tell what he was thinking.

...

In a small courtyard, Zi Pingxiu entered the pavilion and sat down opposite Jia Wuqun, who had come forward to receive him.

Zi Pingxiu took a tightly written roll of paper from his sleeve and pushed it across the table.

Unable to speak, Jia Wuqun could only keep things simple and nod his thanks.

He did not even need to look to know what it contained.

It was intelligence gathered by the Lamp-Lighting Bureau, the material he had asked for last time. Responses had been arriving one after another lately, and Zi Pingxiu had personally delivered each batch.

Zi Pingxiu glanced around, then cautiously said, “Sir, have you heard? Granny Xue of the Five Sacred Venerables has died as well.”

Jia Wuqun nodded to show he already knew.

The news had suddenly spread beneath Heaven, and many people from Ice and Snow Sacred Land had fled as well, which was practically confirmation. The entire world had been shaken. How could he possibly not know?

Jia Wuqun picked up his brush and wrote a line, then turned the paper for Zi Pingxiu to read:

Five of the Nine are gone. The decisive battle is near. The danger grows greater by the day. Guard your words!

Zi Pingxiu read it, sighed, and shook his head.

He waved one hand to show he would say no more.

But after glancing around again, he still could not resist asking, “Where is Mr. Yuan Cong?”

It was only natural to be curious.

Every time he came, so long as Jia Wuqun was present, Yuan Cong could almost always be seen nearby. Not seeing him today was unusual.

Jia Wuqun wrote:

Out on business.

Zi Pingxiu gave an acknowledging sound.

Since Jia Wuqun did not say what business, he did not ask.

Unexpectedly, Jia Wuqun wrote another line and pushed it over:

Victory and defeat are near, and so is the question of Song’s survival. The court, high and low, must remain under control. If you encounter resistance, tell me. What you and I cannot handle, a noble benefactor in the shadows will naturally assist!

Zi Pingxiu understood.

If someone moved to seize Song, they would need to keep the internal political situation under control.

He nodded. “Understood.”

...

“Another one dead?”

Inside his study, Shao Pingbo shot to his feet in shock and began pacing back and forth. “How many days has it been since Yuan Se died? And now Granny Xue is gone too?”

Shao Sansheng sighed as well. “That side is ruthless enough. The pace is frighteningly fast. One after another, pressing forward step by step.”

How could anyone not sigh?

These were the Nine Saints.

Yet the current scene made it look like slaughtering livestock, like chopping melons and vegetables.

Everything had still seemed normal before.

Once the killing began, it was as though no one could stop.

Shao Pingbo was overcome with emotion. He shook his head and sighed. “The whole world is shaken. That alone is enough deterrence.”

“The cultivators beneath Heaven will be even less willing to choose sides casually now.”

“Only four remain.”

“The decisive battle is near!”

...

In Jinzhou, morning mist covered the land.

After a flock of birds passed overhead, the entire manor seemed to fall into silence.

Already dressed for the day, Li Wuhua and Hai Ruyue were inside their room amusing their son, who refused to get out of bed.

The occupation of Qin had already concluded, and the situation had finally stabilized for the time being.

With a little leisure at last, the family had come out together to relax.

They finally coaxed the child out of bed, yet no servant appeared with water for washing.

Slightly displeased, Li Wuhua called, “Someone!”

He called several times.

There was no response whatsoever from outside.

Li Wuhua immediately sensed something wrong.

He hurried outside and discovered that all the guards and servants had collapsed on the ground.

He flashed beneath an eave, reached out, and used his art to check the pulse of a sect disciple.

The man was breathing normally and bore no injuries.

He seemed merely asleep.

Li Wuhua checked several more people in succession.

Every one was the same.

He flashed onto the roof and surveyed the manor.

Everything was utterly silent.

His expression changed drastically.

He had no idea what method had struck them.

He had never even heard of anything capable of silently incapacitating so many people without the slightest warning.

It was almost unbelievable.

He had come outside for a look after waking earlier, and everything had seemed fine.

How had it suddenly become like this?

He had never heard of, much less encountered, anything so bizarre.

“What happened?”

Hai Ruyue had barely stepped outside holding the child’s hand before she froze.

She too immediately saw that something was wrong.

Li Wuhua flashed over, lifted their son in one arm, and seized Hai Ruyue’s arm with the other. “We’re leaving!”

Something this strange could not have happened for no reason.

How could he dare remain here?

There was no time to care about anyone else.

The family of three had barely descended the steps when Li Wuhua abruptly stopped.

He passed the child back into Hai Ruyue’s arms, then pulled mother and son behind himself protectively.

His voice was deep. “Who’s there?”

Ahead, a figure wearing a broad hat with hanging cloth appeared.

The man stepped into the courtyard and walked toward the three of them without hurry.

Li Wuhua rapidly examined the surroundings, deeply alarmed and uncertain.

For the moment, he could confirm only one visitor.

Yet the bizarre scene around them was more than enough to keep him from making any rash move.

The newcomer stopped one zhang away and suddenly spoke.

“Time passes quickly. Your bastard spawn has already grown this big.”

Li Wuhua said heavily, “Who are you? My family seems to have no grievance or enmity with you.”

The newcomer laughed softly. “No grievance or enmity? Does a cuckoo occupying another bird’s nest count as a grievance?”

Hai Ruyue had already found the voice faintly familiar.

Her entire body shook.

A name burst from her lips. “Zhen’er! Are you Zhen’er?”

Li Wuhua jolted as well.

His eyes widened slightly.

Xiao Tianzhen?

He looked again at all the people lying unconscious around them and knew the newcomer had not come with good intentions.

Fear surged instantly through his heart.

The Xiao Tianzhen of today was no longer someone he could afford to provoke.

Xiao Tianzhen now ranked among the foremost experts on the Golden Core Ranking and had made his name in a single battle.

Leaving everything else aside, the Ghost Doctor’s backing alone was enough to make Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion wary of him.

Ever since Xiao Tianzhen had risen to fame in that battle, Li Wuhua had carried this worry in his heart.

But he had been powerless to resolve it.

Later, when Xiao Tianzhen never appeared, Li Wuhua had thought the matter had passed.

He had not expected that, in the end, this reckoning still could not be escaped.

At Hai Ruyue’s cry, the newcomer clenched both fists.

His body seemed almost to tremble.

Then he suddenly shouted in fury, “You shameless bitch! You think you’re fit to be a mother?”

He truly was Xiao Tianzhen.

The moment he saw this adulterous pair standing together, the scene he had once witnessed through the crack of a window returned to him.

That image had haunted him like a nightmare ever since.

Tears immediately poured down Hai Ruyue’s face.

She stepped forward, painfully shaking her head, already sobbing so hard she could barely control herself.

Li Wuhua grabbed her and shook his head.

Hai Ruyue was no fool.

Far from it—she was shrewd, or she could never have fought her way out of such difficult circumstances and reached where she stood today.

One glance at this situation told her everything.

Her son had returned for revenge.

He had come to settle the old score.

And after that furious condemnation, she understood even more clearly.

Whatever bond had once remained between mother and son was already severed.

He had come to demand justice for the Xiao family!

[End of Chapter 1490]