Golden flame surged from Li Zhouwei’s hand, laced with black smoke. He cast it onto the corpse, and in an instant, golden sparks consumed it completely. The young heir retracted his halberd, and Li Xijun nodded, saying, "The Bright Yang Dao is also effective against devil cultivators... Though it’s not as potent as Supreme Yang or Profound Thunder, it’s still well-regarded."
Beside them, Li Xuanxuan was still staring blankly at Daoist Fu Yuan’s corpse. Li Xijun turned to look back and, seeing the old man lost in thought, said with some concern, "Uncle..."
Li Xuanxuan stepped forward slowly, took the storage pouch from Daoist Fu Yuan’s waist, examined it closely, and murmured, "So very familiar!"
This small brocade pouch was different from the ones commonly used in Yue State, it was more delicate and compact. Li Xuanxuan studied it for a while, and a look of reminiscence appeared on his face as he softly said, "The first storage pouch my family ever owned... looked just like this!"
After saying this, he grew more certain, turning the pouch over again and again, his voice drifting, "Back then, Uncle Xiangping went to rescue the Wan Family. Who would have thought the Ji Family borrowed strength from the Golden Tang Gate and utterly crushed the Wan Family... My uncle ran into an old Daoist who tried to kill him.
"That old Daoist had waited in the lake for thirty years, seeking a fortune... but was killed by my uncle, who brought back this very storage pouch. It seems... he was the martial uncle mentioned just now."
Li Xuanxuan paused in thought for a breath and softly said, "If there's ever a chance, we should go visit Floating Cloud Cave on Mount Xiaoshi."
Li Xijun, of course, understood what he meant. He nodded silently and said softly, "The situation in Xu State is utterly chaotic. With the Fei Family holding the front, we can discuss things more thoroughly. After all, it’s a rare Foundation Establishment Realm formation. If used well, we could reduce our own losses significantly."
Li Xuanxuan put the storage pouch away, his expression showing faint dissatisfaction as he said, "Even at this point, they still refuse to send someone to ask for aid."
Li Xijun let out a small laugh. Li Zhouwei stood tall and said softly, "The Azure Pond Sect is ten thousand miles away, far beyond reach. It takes over a month to go and return. But we’re just across the lake, close at hand. A distant stream can't put out a nearby fire. They'll see it clearly soon enough."
Both seniors nodded. After arranging the defenses, Li Zhouwei soon took his leave, riding the wind out of Qingdu, drifting lightly into the side courtyard of the central hall.
Chen Yang followed closely behind, speaking respectfully, "Your Highness, my father has been waiting in the hall for quite some time."
Hearing this, Li Zhouwei nodded and finally came to a stop. As expected, he saw the middle-aged Chen Mufeng waiting respectfully in the great hall, holding a young woman by the hand.
Chen Mufeng had now reached the late stage of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Though he had erred in the Xu Xiao matter years ago and was severely punished, the Chen Family remained a prominent family, and Chen Donghe held considerable favor. So, Mufeng still had some standing.
He approached with a full smile. Chen Mufeng had married Li Xicheng's younger sister and was also Li Chengliao's uncle by marriage. He spoke, "Your Highness, this is my youngest daughter, Chen Shao... born of a concubine. Now that she's grown a bit older, I’ve brought her for Your Highness to see..."
Li Zhouwei naturally understood what he was trying to do. Glancing at the demure, downcast girl, he deliberately avoided eye contact and flung his robe aside. He walked straight into the room, leaving only a voice echoing through the courtyard, "Go ask my father!"
Chen Mufeng was thoroughly shut down. He exchanged a glance with Chen Yang, and could only withdraw quietly.
As the father and daughter left the courtyard, Chen Shao seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, her steps growing noticeably lighter. Chen Mufeng let out a low sigh, while Chen Yang walked slowly with a dark expression clouding his face.
Back at the Chen residence, Chen Shao gave a hurried bow and retreated as if fleeing. Chen Mufeng seemed calm enough, simply leading Chen Yang forward.
The father and son said nothing as they made their way swiftly to the rear courtyard. Madam Li was reading, and glanced up to ask, "So it didn’t work out?"
Chen Yang answered coldly, "Correct!"
He gave a slight bow, flung his sleeve, and left.
Chen Mufeng stood awkwardly in the courtyard. Madam Li merely sighed and said, "If it didn’t work, so be it! We just wanted to see if either side would take a liking... I don’t blame you for anything."
Madam Li had always been a gentle and fair mistress of the household, Chen Mufeng knew this well. He nodded, and when their eyes met, both saw the same worry reflected in the other.
Chen Mufeng’s expression was no longer just awkward, he was angry too. After brooding for a while and drinking several cups of tea, he could no longer hold back and said in a low, tense voice, "He... he’s truly vicious to the core!"
Madam Li sighed. The middle-aged woman was gradually growing helpless too, and said softly, "I don’t know who he takes after... The more we taught him, the more he learned to manipulate and use people."
Chen Mufeng's anger surged again, and he ground his teeth as he said, "How did we... end up raising him like this! He wasn’t this cold and heartless, this sharp and unkind when he was little!"
Though he had always favored this eldest son, he was still a father. His heart held feelings for all his children. He said coldly, "The way he looked. It was as if the younger sister didn’t marry the heir, he’d pull a blade to force her!"
Madam Li lowered her eyes, unsure of how to comfort her husband for a moment.
Creak...
A crisp creaking sound echoed as the courtyard gate was pushed open. A pale, lean and nimble hand appeared, followed by their eldest son, Chen Yang, stepping inside with a calm smile on his face.
His face was sharp and cold, even smiling. He exuded a chilling sense of cunning. The eldest son spoke softly, "Father, let’s go see the family head tomorrow."
Both husband and wife felt a chill run down their spines, struck speechless. The courtyard gate was supposed to isolate sound. Chen Yang, who had just left, couldn’t possibly have heard their conversation. Yet Chen Mufeng felt his son’s gaze chill him to the bone, like frost.
Somehow, he nodded unconsciously. Chen Yang chuckled, gripped the doorway with both hands and stepped out backward. He closed the doors behind him with two crisp creaks, tight and shut.
Chen Mufeng vaguely felt sweat forming on his forehead. He picked up his tea and drank heavily for several gulps before turning to look at his wife again.
Madam Li sat frozen in place, staring blankly. After a long moment, she finally said in a soft voice, "I once thought that sending him to the main household... would refine his temperament, teach him humility and restraint, help him understand there are always greater people in this world..."
Her eyes lowered slightly as she spoke quietly, "Now I feel... sending him to the heir’s side, letting him lead troops and kill, suppressing Mount Yue only sharpened his claws and fangs. He once only looked cruel and cunning but now it's in his very bones."
Chen Mufeng sat in a daze for more than ten seconds, feeling an icy chill spread through his heart before he finally said coldly, "He only values the ones on Qingdu... Only sees them as his kind... Only yields to the heir. As for us... we're nothing more than tools he can rely on when needed."
Hearing this, Madam Li was startled and shocked. She suddenly raised her head, staring at the man who had seemed foolish beside her for most of their lives, and a strange premonition rose in her heart, So it turns out... the son's cunning comes from a father who was never simple either.
When she tried to ask Chen Mufeng again, the man remained silent.