Chapter 903 - 627: Arrival! (Part 3)

The entire village flooded into the streets, stopping to watch, their eyes full of envy as they discussed fervently.

Praise rose one after another, with everyone complimenting Xu Hu for raising his sons well and bringing glory to the Xu Family.

In front of the Xu family’s small courtyard, Xu Hu and his wife had been waiting for a long time, their faces full of pride and relief.

The horses came to a halt, and the two brothers dismounted quickly, striding to their parents and bowing with respectful tones:

"Father, Mother, we are back."

Xu Hu stepped forward, gently patting the broad shoulders of his two sons.

Countless words clogged at his heart, finally turning into a hoarse sentence.

"It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back."

...

Time flowed silently, and in a blink, twenty years passed.

Back then, the high-spirited Xu Yu and Xu Mo served as military officers and steadily climbed the official ranks, both being promoted to Thousand Household officials with stable power and influence.

Each started a family, marrying and having children, with descendants surrounding their knees, their lineage extended.

Once humble fisher village boys, they firmly rooted themselves in the bustling city, becoming prominent figures.

In gratitude for their parents’ lifelong hardships, always toiling and struggling in the lake wilderness, working relentlessly every day.

The two brothers collaborated to purchase a spacious, deep three-entrance mansion, personally sending someone to bring their aging parents Xu Hu and his old wife from the fishing village to the city to be cared for.

With blue bricks and black tiles, deep courtyards, pavilions and plants all complete.

From then on, Xu Hu and his wife completely left laboring behind, worry-free in food and clothing, surrounded by servants, living stably and quietly in their elder years.

Moreover, grandchildren played around their knees, the family harmonious, fully enjoying family happiness!

Xu Hu often sat quietly in the courtyard, watching his full house of descendants, seeing the wealthy mansion, his heart full of peace and contentment.

He felt there were no regrets in his life.

Diligent in youth to maintain the household, gritting teeth to support children in middle age, children succeeding and attaining great wealth in old age, a harmonious couple, blessed with longevity.

Complete and perfect, no regrets left!

...

That day, the weather was warm and sunny.

In the middle courtyard of the mansion in Prefecture City, a simple stage was set up, bringing in a troupe to perform operas.

Xu Hu and his wife sat side by side on a soft couch, basking in the warm sun, listening to the melodious operatic tunes, leisurely and comfortable, with time being peaceful and good.

Servants stood on either side, serving tea and water, all was harmonious and serene.

Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps came from outside the courtyard, mixed with anxious and panicked murmurs of the servants.

The originally peaceful and relaxing atmosphere was abruptly shattered by a strange gloom.

The steward of the mansion rushed into the courtyard in a flustered state, face pale, body trembling, afraid to speak loudly, but each word cut to the bone.

"Old Master... Old Madam... something big has happened."

"Just now, shocking bad news came from outside the city; one of the Thousand Household officials in Prefecture City offended a Demon Dao Grandmaster from the martial world."

"That person stormed into the mansion alone late last night, slaughtering the entire household, over a hundred people, sparing no one, leaving not even a chicken or dog."

As the words fell.

The singing on stage seemed to drift away instantly, all sounds around completely fading.

Xu Hu’s entire body froze, his heart sinking suddenly, a strong uneasiness gripping his innards tightly.

He forced himself to quell the panic in his heart, lips trembling, voice hoarse and difficult, shakily questioning the details.

"...Which... which Thousand Household was it?"

The steward’s face was as white as paper, lowering his head, not daring to meet the elder’s gaze, uttering the cruel truth word by word.

"It was... the eldest master!"

Boom—

The sentence was like a thunderbolt from nine skies.

Xu Hu instantly froze in place, his mind blank, ears ringing.

His wife, upon hearing this, suddenly saw black in front of her eyes, not even having time to let out a cry of grief, her body softened, falling backward, fainting on the spot.

"Old Madam!"

"Old Madam!"

The entire courtyard was in an uproar, servants hurried forward to support and call out, causing chaos.

...

Days later.

The grand and noble Xu Family mansion was completely draped in the mournful white of mourning cloth.

The grief music sobbed quietly, white banners hung down, paper money fluttering, the entire mansion immersed in an atmosphere of mournful deathly silence.

The entire family of Xu Yu, his wife, children, offspring, all the children and family members, were brutally killed by the evil demon’s hands.

The old wife, who fainted with a furious heart attack upon hearing the bad news that day, ultimately could not endure these days and passed away.

Inside the mourning hall, candle flames flickered uncertainly, frost in every direction, coldness soaking to the bone.

Xu Hu in heavy mourning clothes, eyes hollow and vacant, enveloped in deathly qi, the whole person seemed suddenly aged by a decade.

He lifelessly raised his eyes, staring blankly at the row upon row of cold ancestral tablets before him.

The tablets stood in array, shocking and piercing.

Among them was the wife who had accompanied him for half his life, sharing hardships together.

There was his eldest son Xu Yu, whom he had cultivated with half a lifetime’s effort, bringing glory to the family.

And also the grandchildren who were still in innocent childhood, playing and laughing around his knees every day.

One vivid and warm face after another kept rising in his mind.

In an instant, all turned into cold wooden plaques, separated by life and death, never to meet again in this world.

"White-haired sending off black-haired, losing a wife in old age, eldest son’s lineage cut off, family destroyed..."

At this moment, Xu Hu had only one thought in his mind: "Revenge!"

On one side of the mourning hall.

Xu Mo, also dressed in mourning clothes, looked grieved, his eyes bloodshot, equally filled with sorrow and anger, heart aching like twisted.

But after years in high military officer positions, having seen so many dangers in the martial world, he was far more sober than his elderly father.

He walked forward slowly, gently supporting the shaky Xu Hu, his voice hoarse with choking sobs:

"Father, please contain your grief."

"Father, I know your heart is broken, I also wish I could slay that evil demon with my own hands and avenge my brother’s family."

"However, a Grandmaster in the Dao, is absolutely beyond what we can contend with."

"Embryonic Breathing, Inner Qi, True Qi, True Yuan, to become Dao, each step is a heavenly chasm, rashly seeking revenge is like smashing eggs against rocks, sending ourselves to die in vain."

He gritted his teeth, speaking the most brutal reality.

"That demon is ruthless, slaughtering wantonly; now it’s a stroke of luck that they haven’t pursued further and come to us."

"To stay alive, to live well, is to properly guard the spirits of the lineage, to keep the last bit of Xu family incense."

...

In the dimensional crevice, atop the Cloud Platform.

Chen Sheng stood quietly, taking in every scene in the mourning hall below.

He knew, the opportunity he had waited for decades had finally arrived!

"Do you want revenge?"

"Are you willing to pay any price for vengeance?"

In a daze, Xu Hu heard such words by his ear, without hesitation, he directly said:

"I am willing!"

Then Xu Hu’s vision went black.

Xu Mo was immediately startled, hurriedly stepping forward to support him.

"Father, Father!"