Duke Lu Yang’s study, the duke’s official residence, Foundation Destroying City:
Mo Yike and Lu An stood in the study.
Duke Lu Yang sat on his throne as he looked at Lu An coldly.
“Lu An, what an excellent job! Humph!” Duke Lu Yang snorted coldly.
“Grandfather, it’s not my fault. Gu Hai tricked me into falling into his traps in Silver Moon City. It is not my fault that Jiang Tianyi and the others had to return!” Lu An protested anxiously.
“Do you know how much you lost in Silver Moon City? Do you think that it is just money?” Duke Lu Yang asked coldly.
“This grandson knows his mistake,” Lu An said with a lowered head.
“However, Grandfather, Gu Hai’s This Street’s Best Zither Pavilion is nothing. Grandfather just needs to say the word, and I’ll immediately bring people over to smash it up. All the money in that business should belong to the duke’s official residence!” Lu An shouted as he raised his head.
“Have you not caused enough trouble yet?” Duke Lu Yang said coldly.
“This grandson dares not,” Lu An said, immediately lowering his head again.
At the side, Mo Yike said with a slightly bitter smile, “Young Master An, you oversimplify this matter. At this moment, Sima Changkong has taken control of Silver Moon City. He will clear out our men in no time. Jiang Tianyi and the rest’s return proves that point. Silver Moon City is no longer under our control.”
“Huh? No longer under our control?” This startled Lu An.
“Indeed. He Shikang’s death has attracted His Holy Eminence’s attention. Previously, His Holy Eminence left Ying Province to the duke to manage, never interfering. However, His Holy Eminence is clearly angry this time. Based on our information from the capital, Sima Changkong is Prince Shenwu’s man.” Mo Yike frowned.
“Prince Shenwu? The Qian Heavenly Dynasty’s third crown prince, Long Shenwu? Grandfather, this third crown prince has always been grandfather’s political opponent. When his men took control of my Ying Province’s Silver Moon City, the first thing he did was to clear out the people from the duke’s official residence. Did the Qian Heavenly Emperor send him to deal with Grandfather?” Lu An’s expression changed.
“Perhaps our taking control of the city lord really enraged the Qian Heavenly Emperor. Perhaps Prince Shenwu’s reach into my Ying Province is His Holy Eminence’s warning to the duke.” Mo Yike nodded.
Duke Lu Yang narrowed his eyes and said, “Long Shenwu? Humph! Back when his father and I fought to gain the nation, he was still a baby. To think that he pits himself against me now that the Qian Heavenly Dynasty is established. He is actually trying to go against me now? He is not qualified!”
“Duke, we should take precautions. I noticed that the Unborn Man has not been in the official residence these days. Did Duke send him to kill Gu Hai?” Mo Yike asked with a grave expression.
“Ah? Kill Gu Hai?” Lu An’s eyes lit up.
Mo Yike had figured out what had happened just from the clues.
“That’s right.” Duke Lu Yang nodded.
Mo Yike’s face twitched as he sighed, “Hah! Duke, such a talent, yet…”
“He mixes with Long Wanqing. If this duke cannot use him, he will be this duke’s enemy someday. Since he is a potential problem, we might as well deal with it early.” Duke Lu Yang shook his head.
Mo Yike sighed as he nodded. “Since Duke already made his decision, anything this subordinate says will be useless. However, what if the Unborn Man fails to kill Gu Hai? All you will get is Gu Hai’s frenzied revenge.”
“Mister Mo, you are making a mountain out of a molehill. I recently heard that this Unborn Man is a strong lifespan cultivator. Even Old Mister Guan Qi treated him as an honored guest back then. What is Gu Hai’s cultivation even now?” Lu An said in disdain.
Mo Yike looked at Lu An but did not explain anything to Lu An. Instead, he looked at Duke Lu Yang.
Duke Lu Yang saw how grave Mo Yike was and instantly thought of something. Then, he nodded. “Indeed, we have to keep our guard up. I’ll send some men to check. However, Gu Hai is likely dead already.”
Mo Yike frowned slightly. Finally, he sighed and did not say anything more.
Venerable Liu Nian eventually sorrowfully left Gu Hai’s group, heading north to the Qian Heavenly Dynasty’s capital.
Venerable Liu Nian arrived at the capital two months later. Using his connections, he entered the palace to meet the Qian Heavenly Emperor.
In the imperial palace, many guards were stationed outside a certain palace hall. A palace maid rushed towards the palace hall in a fluster.
“Princess! Princess! Venerable Liu Nian has returned! Venerable Liu Nian has returned!” that palace maid called out anxiously.
Whoosh!
A red-dressed young lady immediately leaped out of the palace hall.
This young lady bore a close resemblance to Long Wanqing. However, she appeared more irascible compared to Long Wanqing.
“That old baldy Liu Nian is back? Alone?” the young lady asked anxiously.
“Yes. Alone.” The palace maid lowered her head.
The young lady bit her lips and said, “I knew it. Something happened to Elder Sister; I saw it in a dream. A bad man killed Elder Sister. Elder Sister’s soul tablet in Elite Hall shattered as well. Something happened to Elder Sister. No, I have to meet old baldy Liu Nian. Old baldy, how exactly did you protect my elder sister?”
The young lady charged out of the palace hall.
Whoosh!
The guards in the surroundings immediately rushed over and stopped the young lady.
“Princess, His Holy Eminence decreed that you are not to go out,” a guard said respectfully.
Crack!
A fiery-red whip instantly appeared out of nowhere in the young lady’s hand and struck that guard.
“Scram! Something happened to my elder sister. Keep blocking me, and I will whip you to death!” The young lady lashed out with bloodshot eyes.
Whoosh!
Another guard rushed over and blocked the young lady.
Crack! Crack!
The young lady whipped the guards repeatedly, but the guards did not dare to retaliate.
“Princess, His Holy Eminence decreed that you are not to go out,” the guards emphasized as they endured the pain.
“I have to go! I have to go!” The young lady soared into the air.
Crack!
One of the guards stretched out his hand and immediately pressed the young lady back down.
“You bastards! You bastards! Move away! Scram!” the young lady cried as she whipped the guards.
Even after the young lady whipped the guards’ faces red, they still refused to let the young lady leave.
“Go tell the old fogey. If he still doesn’t let me go, I will merge with the demonic phantom in my body. I promised Elder Sister, but something happened to her. I want to meet old baldy Liu Nian. I need to know what happened!” the red-dressed young lady roared.
Old fogey?
The guards were flabbergasted. In the entire world, only this woman dared to refer to the Qian Heavenly Emperor as the old fogey.
“Yes. Princess, please wait for a while,” a guard said softly.
One guard left, but the young lady continued glaring at the guards with bloodshot eyes.
After a while, that guard returned.
“His Holy Eminence said for Princess to be patient. He will send Venerable Liu Nian to meet you soon,” that guard said respectfully.
Only then did the young lady put down her whip, stopping her impetuous actions.
After Venerable Liu Nian met the Qian Heavenly Emperor, he was asked to go and meet the princess.
With a bitter expression, Venerable Liu Nian headed for the princess’s palace hall.
A red-dressed young lady in the distance held a whip, standing under the setting sun as she looked at Venerable Liu Nian coldly with bloodshot eyes.
“Princess!” Venerable Liu Nian said bitterly.
“Old baldy, what did I tell you before you left?! Where is my elder sister?! Where is my elder sister?! Return my elder sister to me!” the red-dressed young lady shouted.
“The hall master, she…she is left without a corpse and her souls scattered,” Venerable Liu Nian said bitterly.
Crack! The young lady lashed Venerable Liu Nian with the whip.
Venerable Liu Nian did not use his energy to protect himself. He just let the whip land on him and cut open a bleeding wound.
“Sob! Sob! My elder sister did not allow me to whip you. However, I will do it anyway! I’ll whip you anyway. You caused my elder sister to die! You killed my elder sister. You said that you would do your best to protect my elder sister. However, my elder sister still died! She died!”
The young lady continued lashing Venerable Liu Nian ten-odd more times. After that, she tossed the whip aside as she let out a heartbroken cry, “Waaaah! Elder Sister!”
The young lady cried sorrowfully. Even though blood covered Venerable Liu Nian from the whipping, he did not get angry. Instead, he felt significantly calmer.
The palace maids supported the young lady, consoling her. The young lady’s wails turned to sniffles and sobs only after a long time.
“Old baldy, how did my elder sister die? Who was it? Who killed my elder sister? Tell me! Explain it clearly!” the young lady roared as she glared at Venerable Liu Nian.
Venerable Liu Nian felt bitter and aggrieved. However, he did not hide anything, telling everything to the young lady in detail.
“The Unborn Man? What is he? I don’t have such a father. He is not my father! I’ll kill him!” the young lady roared with bloodshot eyes.
“The Unborn Man headed to the nether realm to find the hall master’s earthly soul. He is—”
“What is the point of finding it? The Unborn Man is a scoundrelly thing! Elder Sister kept thinking that our father is a matchless hero. I told Elder Sister long ago that the person who abandoned his wife and children is not worthy of being my father. I was right. However, my elder sister ended up dying,” the young lady said hatefully.
“Also, that Gu Hai! I’ll kill him as well. If not for him, Elder Sister would not have died. It’s all his fault. It’s all his fault!” Hate filled the young lady’s eyes.
“Long Wanyu, remember, Gu Hai is Long Wanqing’s husband, your brother-in-law,” Venerable Liu Nian said seriously.
“I do not acknowledge him. He is not my brother-in-law. He caused Elder Sister’s death! It’s his fault!” Long Wanyu said stubbornly.
“Gu Hai is the man that Long Wanqing protected with her life. Whether you acknowledge him or not, please respect your elder sister’s choice,” Venerable Liu Nian said.
Long Wanyu’s eyes remained red as she glared at Venerable Liu Nian.
“There’s no need for you to bother with my matter!” Long Wanyu roared with bloodshot eyes.
Venerable Liu Nian smiled bitterly.
“What did the old fogey say? Is he going to take revenge for my elder sister? Did he say that he will take revenge for my elder sister?” Long Wanyu yelled while looking at Venerable Liu Nian.
Venerable Liu Nian fell silent.
“Well, speak?!” Long Wanyu roared.
“His Holy Eminence said, ‘I got it.’ Then, he gave me a decree. He told me to open it after seeing Gu Hai.” Venerable Liu Nian took out the decree.
Whoosh! Long Wanyu snatched the decree.
“Long Wanyu, don’t!” Venerable Lu Nian exclaimed.
“Humph!” Long Wanyu did not care at all, immediately opening the decree.
The palace maids and guards at the side immediately turned around, pretending not to see.
“What?! My elder sister died, but there is no mention of taking revenge for her? Instead, the old fogey installs Gu Hai as the new Elite Hall Master? My elder sister died for nothing? Replaced just like that?” Long Wanyu exclaimed in a rage.
Whoosh!
Venerable Liu Nian snatched the decree back and carefully put it away.
Clearly, Venerable Liu Nian had deliberately taken the decree out. He was not qualified to open it. However, it was different for this little imp. Even if she snatched it away to read, no one would dare blame her.
“Is my elder sister not a granddaughter of the old fogey? After my elder sister died, he only said, ‘I got it’? Just ‘I got it’? Old fogey, since you are not taking revenge for Elder Sister, I’ll go myself. Who dares to block me?!” Long Wanyu cried out while holding her whip upraised.
