Chapter 656 483: Retribution and Payback (Part 2)

He panted, until Ning Hemian stepped forward, shook his arm, her eyes full of worry and affection; only then did the gloom in his mind gradually recede, and he gently waved his hand.

His complexion soon returned to normal. He sat on the stone bench for a moment, eyes somewhat vacant.

To whom should this hatred be avenged? He already knew much, understood it was Chi Wei and Jiang Boqing's bargain that forced Tang Jin Sect to strike south… At the time, Chi Zhiyun did not wish to dirty her own hands, left Ning Family to hold the fort, watched from the shadows.

Now Chi Wei is dead, Jiang Boqing also is dead; where can this enmity go? To Ning Wan, who presided over the matter, and Ning Family Members? To put all the hatred on Chi Family Members? Thinking over and over, Li Xuanfeng gripped the Golden Bow and closed his eyes.

"Now… I am ordered to kill, to slaughter kin and clan, as proof of allegiance, no different than what Tang Jin Sect, Ning Family, Xiao Family, and those Green Pond dogs did back then."

"Those who killed Yu'er's mother and child—how am I different? I reap the Immortal Clan's wealth, take a wife and have children. If Yu'er ever knew, she should spit on me as shameless."

His brows again lowered, dark shadows clouding his face, his lips trembling. Night fell quickly, and Li Xuanfeng felt as if a cold, venomous flame was burning in his chest, chilling his limbs, his mind in a daze.

The courtyard was empty; only Ning Hemian still sat softly before him, her arms around his, silent.

He lifted his gaze to look at his wife, but how could he say these words? They stuck like splinters in his throat; trembling for a long moment, he could only say:

"Mian'er, the Perfected Person wants me to kill."

How astute was Ning Hemian. Lowering her gaze, she took the list from his hand, held his fingers tight, and forced herself to say:

"This is proof of allegiance…"

Li Xuanfeng's heart was as cold as a stone that refused to fall. He listened as Ning Hemian, her face pale, read aloud:

"Xiao Fu… that's Xiao Guitu's sixth grandson… Kong Gushun… even Kong Yu's own nephew! Chengxu En… Sword Sect Inner Disciple… though not valued, still one of Sword Sect… the Perfected Person… the Perfected Person!"

Ning Hemian suddenly rose from her seat, her delicate face as white as paper, about to fly up by wind, but Li Xuanfeng stopped her; his lips were pale, voice lowered,

"My family killed Yu Muxian."

These words fell like thunder into Ning Hemian's ears. She sat blankly down, seeing Li Xuanfeng staring at the ground, refusing to meet her eyes. Husband and wife, left speechless. Li Xuanfeng said:

"There is no other way forward in this matter. If all blame in heaven and earth must land upon me, so be it, I will not drag… others… down."

Ning Hemian's hands slowly fell; quietly watching, in the moonlight, his temples had all turned white.

...

Ninth month, the rain fell unending.

The people of Lijing Town had already scattered for years; so long as the rain did not stop, no crops would grow, only to rot in the fields, a blackened mess.

Famine had broken out elsewhere; those with stable power managed alright. As long as a Qi Cultivator rose by wind, wherever they went, grain could always be had in quantity. The South River's lands were so rich with abundance that if one tried, starvation was unlikely.

The Yu Family was broken apart, fragmenting into six or seven small clans. The lives of the commoners actually improved—these out-clan folks had scant numbers, and urgently promoted cultivators from poor backgrounds. With Li Family's warning before, they did not begrudge grain or rice.

Li Chengliao was holding the princely heir in the hall, reading together, when a man entered from the lower seat.

This man, clad in armor, was at Qi Cultivating Late Stage, brandishing a massive Golden Hammer, tall and stalwart—it was Li Wen.

Li Wen was one of the rare prominent outsiders in the Li Family, climbing steadily to the apex of power. Devoted and loyal, two Golden Hammers guarded generations of Family Heads, though he was rarely needed.

Li Chengliao gradually took power from Li Xihong; Li Wen, like a banner, fell under his command, a clear signal of succession.

Li Chengliao treated this old minister politely, set Li Zhouwei down from his knee, looked up, and saw the broad fellow say:

"Reporting to Young Master, Lu Kexing requests an audience."

"Lu Kexing?"

Li Chengliao was not surprised; this was the very man responsible for Yu Mugao's death and the Yu Family's split. He was about to ask, but Li Wen continued:

"This man was stopped by Wushao on the lake; he cannot advance or retreat. Wushao sent for Ximing Ancestor, and the three of them are now confronting each other on the lake."

Li Wen was a rough man, yet spoke unhurriedly. This was a grave matter; Li Chengliao raised his brows, promptly stood up, hurried out, and asked:

"A mere Qi Cultivator… and yet two at Foundation Establishment receive him?!"

He hesitated for a moment, rose by wind, and gazed from afar.

...

Lu Kexing, dressed in white, fanned in hand, drifted down onto the lake, entirely unafraid of the Foundation Establishment monster before him.

He walked several steps on air, saw a man in a golden Taoist Robe ride the wind over, and only then stowed his frivolity, bowed slightly, smiled, and said:

"An old friend comes to visit; you two won't invite me inside to sit?"

Li Wushao's face was grim, staring straight at him. This man was of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage—a guest elder of Yu Family he absolutely could not be. He waited only for Li Ximing to speak.

Li Ximing was uneasy, but he'd had some tutoring as a child. Though unused for years, he steeled himself and endured, putting on a front, gesturing with his hand, he said:

"Taoist Fellow, please."

Lu Kexing was utterly fearless, followed the two into the formation, and only then laughed, cupped his hands, and said:

"I am Jiang Heqian, fortunate enough to have once fought alongside Tongya Taoist Fellow—there is some friendship there. I wonder if your clan still remembers."

At these words, Li Ximing startled; he'd read the clan history—how could he not know:

Back then, the Yu Family was in wild prosperity, two Foundation Establishment cultivators presided, established a dense forest market, seeking to rise even further. But in doing so, they touched on too many interests, even angered the Xiao Family.

Li Tongya united many sides—not only slaying their own patriarch, but also destroying the market. In that endeavor, he joined hands with Fei Wangbai and Jiang Family's last scion, Jiang Heqian, bringing the Yu Family grievous losses.

Jiang Heqian played a key role, allowing Yu Family's Great Formation to be broken easily. Li Ximing had only read the name in books; now, a figure of history stood before him—an overwhelming sense of the passage of time washed over him.

Soon after, an even deeper horror engulfed him.

"This man is Jiang Family's orphan. Jiang Family was founded by Moonlight Origin Mansion's outer disciples; who knows how many powers have sought him, yet his whereabouts were never heard of."

"Who would have thought… who would have thought he disguised himself as a mere Qi Cultivator guest elder, endured in Yu Family for decades, not only killing Yu Mugao, but also causing the Yu Family's split!"

With this thought, Li Ximing felt suddenly enlightened:

"No wonder… no wonder the Yu Family, a grand noble family, had no means to stabilize, so easily fell to ruin. If not for Yuanwu Peak's intervention, Yu Family would have fallen long ago!"

"Turns out this man was behind the scenes all along… seeking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth! Blood for blood!"

One must know, the Jiang Family once flourished, the Yu Family and An Family were out-clans of the Jiangs. Later, the main vein lost power, and neighboring Immortal Sects quietly moved things—the family shattered.

Yu Family was the greatest beneficiary, producing a new generation of geniuses over decades, leading to the current situation. Yet Jiang Heqian endured for a century, finally bringing retribution down on them.

When the disbelief passed, Li Ximing thought on; indeed, this strategy worked. Jiang Family's legacy surely included spells to conceal qi; though it could not fool Foundation Establishment peers, it was enough to mislead all these Qi Cultivators.

When Yu Xiaogui died, Yu Family had lost all Foundation Establishment; who else could spot his true level? At best, the spies of various families had some level of cultivation—none could see through him.

'Brilliant… truly brilliant…'

Jiang Heqian took evident pleasure in his reaction, savoring the sense of vengeance, laughed heartily, pointed north, and said with a smile:

"Well? Yu Mugao's head and this great gift—does your clan find it pleasing?"

He laughed wildly, so much so it bordered on madness, then slowly calmed down, saying with some regret:

"It's just… it's a pity that Tongya Taoist Fellow and Wangbai cannot witness it with their own eyes—how much less satisfying!"