Chapter 142: A Blood Feud
“Happy birthday!”
“Happy ninth birthday, Ling’er!”
Inside the small wooden hut, Ye Huang dramatically unveiled the table.
“Jade Spirit Cakes! Nutty Candy!”
Ye Ling’er, her hair styled in two buns, her face still carrying a hint of baby fat, gasped in delight at the sight of the treats.
“How about that?” Ye Huang grinned proudly. “I went all the way down the mountain to buy these for you.”
“Father is the best!” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his scruffy cheek.
Ye Huang beamed, his heart melting.
“Alright, you two, settle down.”
A gentle woman emerged from the kitchen, carrying a steaming bowl of noodles. She placed it on the table and glanced at Ye Huang with playful reproach.
“Ye Huang, really, she’s still losing her baby teeth. And you’re buying her candy.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Ye Huang brushed off his wife’s scolding with a laugh.
The steaming hot longevity noodles, topped with a poached egg, made Ye Ling’er’s mouth water, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“I want to eat this!”
“No!” A-Xing playfully smacked her hand. “Haven’t I told you the clan rules?”
Ye Ling’er pouted and began to recite slowly:
“When clouds rise over the mountains, all things are at peace; when the heavens are not in harmony with the seasons, there is still good fortune…”
It was a tradition of A-Xing’s clan. Before eating the longevity noodles on their birthday, they had to recite the ancestral prayer.
Ye Ling’er often struggled to remember the words, and every mistake meant starting over. Her face was soon etched with frustration.
“Mmm… Mother, I can’t remember.” She tugged at A-Xing’s hand, acting spoiled.
“No, it won’t work, even if you act cute.”
A-Xing put on a stern expression, maintaining her motherly authority.
Ye Ling’er turned to Ye Huang with pleading eyes.
He winked at her and, behind A-Xing’s back, subtly held up a small piece of cloth with the entire prayer written on it.
“Oh, I remember now! When the four seasons are like a mirror, the essence of things is without emotion; as I come before you, Great Ancestor, grant us peace—”
A-Xing caught them in the act.
The woman’s playful scolding and the father and daughter’s laughter filled the small wooden hut, their joy illuminating the night, before finally fading into silence.
Later that night, after finally coaxing his daughter to sleep, Ye Huang sat by her bedside, watching her peaceful slumber.
Ye Ling’er tossed and turned in her sleep, occasionally kicking off the blankets, her lips moving slightly.
He gently stroked her cheek and tucked her back in, then left the room.
A-Xing, dressed in a thin nightgown, was waiting for him by the door.
“Ye Huang, stop spoiling Ling’er so much.”
She pouted playfully, her eyes twinkling. “In a couple of days, she’ll be begging for more candy again.”
“Haha, it’s only once a year. It’s fine to indulge her a little.”
“You always favor Ling’er.”
Ye Huang chuckled and pulled her into his arms, his voice gentle. “I don’t play favorites.”
“I even brought you some rouge. It’s high-quality stuff from the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion.”
A-Xing’s eyes lit up, her gaze filled with love and affection, but she still complained playfully, “You’re always wasting money.”
“Haha, money is just a worldly possession. It’s better to enjoy it while we can.”
He held her close, his cheek resting on her forehead. “I’ll return to the sect at the end of the year. After I’ve handed over my duties as an elder, I can finally settle down here in peace.”
“Mmm.” A-Xing snuggled closer to him, her eyes soft.
Before they could enjoy their moment of intimacy, Ye Huang suddenly frowned and turned towards the distant mountains.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Someone’s coming.” His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Who?”
“I don’t know. But they’re cultivators, more than one, and their cultivation is quite high.”
“Are they coming for us?” A-Xing asked, her voice filled with concern.
Ye Huang shook his head. “Not necessarily. They might just be passing through.”
“Take care of Ling’er. I’ll go check it out.”
Deep within the forest…
A group of figures dressed in black, their faces hidden behind yin-yang masks, walked silently among the trees.
Leading the group was a tall figure in a long, flowing black robe that dragged along the ground.
Their face was androgynous, their lips curved into a playful smile, a faint, unknown tune escaping their lips.
After a while, they raised a hand, and the figures behind them stopped in unison.
“May I ask what brings you to our remote town?”
Ye Huang stepped out from behind a tree, his sword in hand, his voice calm.
The figure in black whistled playfully, their smile widening.
“You’re Ye Huang?”
Ye Huang frowned slightly.
…It seemed they were here for him.
When had he made such enemies? He couldn’t recall.
The figure chuckled softly. “I’ve heard of a peerless prodigy from the Kunpeng Sect in the Northern Region, a man who reached the Supreme Clarity Realm at the age of thirty-six, his swordsmanship unmatched.”
“Today, I’ve come to witness the might of Sword Immortal Ye.”
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else.” Ye Huang frowned. “Sword Immortal Ye no longer uses a sword.”
“Is that so?”
The figure didn’t say anything more, just looked him up and down with narrowed eyes.
Their gaze made Ye Huang uncomfortable.
It felt like they were peering into his very soul, uncovering all his secrets.
“Tsk. What a pity.”
The figure suddenly sighed regretfully. “…He’s not a Chosen One.”
A Chosen One? Ye Huang stared at them intently. “What are you talking about? If you have no business here, please leave!”
“Heh, what’s the rush?”
The figure walked behind him, their gaze fixed on the small, brightly lit town nestled in the valley. “This place is quite lovely. Quiet, peaceful, and picturesque.”
With a snap of their fan, they turned to him and said softly, “Let’s make this our new base.”
“…Kill everyone in town.”
Their voice was cold and indifferent, devoid of any emotion.
Ye Huang’s eyes widened in shock, and he drew his sword, his Supreme Clarity Realm aura erupting outwards.
“You’re courting death!”
But his sword didn’t even leave its scabbard.
The figure simply said, “Fu Zhe.”
One of the masked figures behind them stepped forward and whispered something about a System. Ye Huang didn’t hear clearly.
He only knew that his sword, honed over years of tireless practice, suddenly felt light and powerless.
His strike didn’t even create a ripple in the air.
How—Ye Huang’s eyes widened in disbelief.
He couldn’t feel his spiritual energy.
His body felt like it had been sealed, his cultivation gone, as if he had been reduced to a mere mortal.
The next moment, two figures in black lunged forward and restrained him.
“Let me go! Who are you?!”
Ye Huang roared, struggling against their grip, but the figure before him just chuckled.
“Who are we?”
“You can call us ‘Shen Li’.”
“I am their leader, the Divine Son.”
He pressed his fan against Ye Huang’s chin, lifting his head. “You seem rather agitated. Is there someone you care about in that town?”
Ye Huang struggled desperately, but his sealed meridians rendered him powerless.
“Don’t worry. I’ll find them.”
The Divine Son pressed his fan against Ye Huang’s head, forcing him to look towards the town. “Look, isn’t it beautiful?”
Ye Huang’s eyes widened in horror.
The small town, once twinkling with lights, was now ablaze.
The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the entire town.
Ye Huang’s expression shifted from shock to despair, his voice hoarse with anguish.
“No… no…”
“Stop!!!”
He thrashed like a wild beast, his strength almost breaking free from his captors’ grip.
But the Divine Son simply said, “Don’t worry. Are you concerned about them?”
Ye Huang’s struggles ceased. He looked up and saw A-Xing and Ling’er being dragged towards them, his eyes bulging, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
“Ye Huang!”
“Father!”
“No! Let them go!”
“Please, I beg you! Let them go! I’ll do anything!” Ye Huang pleaded desperately.
Tsk. The Divine Son’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice turning cold.
“…How unsightly.”
He walked towards Ye Ling’er, squatted down, and looked at her with a gentle smile.
“Little girl, how old are you?”
Ye Ling’er looked at him timidly, then at her father.
“Haha, don’t worry. Your father and I are just playing a game.”
The Divine Son took out a round candy from his pocket.
“Here, have this.”
“It’s very delicious.” His smile was unsettling.
“No!” Ye Huang struggled desperately, but Ye Ling’er, after glancing at her father with a worried expression, hesitantly took the candy.
“If I eat this, will you stop hurting my father?” she asked, her eyes pleading.
“Of course. I promise.”
Ye Ling’er popped the candy into her mouth.
Ye Huang watched in horror as the color drained from his daughter’s face. A sickly sweet smile slowly appeared on her lips.
“Ah… Father…”
Her eyes glazed over, her voice trembling with a strange delight. “This candy… is so delicious…”
The Divine Son waved his hand, and the guards released Ye Huang, who scrambled towards his daughter, his voice shaking as he cupped her face in his hands.
“Ling’er… Ling’er, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me.”
“You bastard! What did you give my daughter?!” He roared, turning to the Divine Son.
“Nothing,” the Divine Son chuckled softly. “Candy is the best gift for a little girl, isn’t it?”
“But you better be obedient.”
“Otherwise…” his eyes narrowed, his voice turning icy cold.
“Your daughter might suffer a fate worse than death.”
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