Chapter 14: Assassination

When Xie Yuanshu returned to the Yuhu immortal sect, his heart was in his throat.

He looked around cautiously, feeling as if everyone could see through his conspiracy. Fortunately, he had always been a troublemaker, and the disciples in the sect dared not provoke him. So he made his way to the inner gate and arrived at Emerald Peak.

As usual, the guard’s disciple had to question him. Nie Qinglan stepped forward and asked, “Senior Uncle, what brings you here today?”

Xie Yuanshu was in a state of panic and immediately shouted, “The Sect Master sent me out on a task a couple of days ago, and now I’m here to report back. Do I need your permission?!”

Nie Qinglan thought for a moment and realized it was true. He said, “Please wait, Senior Uncle. Let me inform them.”

Xie Yuanshu intended to stop him, but he had no choice. Nie Qinglan had just arrived at Yeyun Hall when he happened to encounter Huang Rang and Xie Jiu’er coming out. Xie Jiu’er had tears on her face and seemed to have something to say to Nie Qinglan.

Huang Rang held her adopted daughter and, upon seeing Nie Qinglan, couldn’t help but laugh, “This child’s performance has declined in the past two days. She was scolded by your Master and ended up crying like this.”

Nie Qinglan could only smile wryly and think to himself, “You provoked our Master, so I dare not save you.” He took the opportunity and said, “Junior Martial Sister has been working hard. Our Master has high expectations. By the way, Senior Uncle is waiting outside.”

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Xie Jiu’er watched his figure disappear among the green pines and lush cypresses, as if all hope had vanished.

“That’s right, this is how you should behave, being obedient like this.” Huang Rang brought her back to the inner hall, and blood seeped from Xie Hongchen’s eyes, staining the white silk scarlet. Seeing this, Huang Rang said, “Don’t move, or the bleeding won’t stop.”

Xie Hongchen angrily scolded, “It has come to this point; why do you still pretend to care?”

He didn’t understand why Huang Rang still showed such concern for him at this moment, just as he didn’t understand why Huang Rang had suddenly changed so drastically.

Huang Rang still held Xie Jiu’er, unable to let go, and simply said, “Ah, I’ve gotten used to it.”

One hundred years was too long, and many things had become habits.

A moment later, Xie Yuanshu entered the inner hall with large strides.

When Xie Jiu’er saw him, it was as if she suddenly understood something and said, “It’s really you! You’re actually having an affair with Senior Uncle!”

Before she finished speaking, Xie Yuanshu had already kicked out with one foot. Xie Jiu’er cried out and was instantly knocked to the ground.

“You ungrateful thing, how dare you speak to Ah Rang like this!” Xie Yuanshu walked to Huang Rang’s side and was overjoyed to see that she had really guarded Yeyun Hall. He held Huang Rang’s hand, blew on it, and said, “You’ve worked hard these past few days. Look at my Ah Rang; she’s grown thin. You must have been so worried, right?”

Hearing this ambiguous tone, Xie Hongchen’s temples throbbed with anger.

Huang Rang withdrew her hand. Since Xie Jiu’er had no artifacts on her, it was not quite difficult to control her. She said, “Subdue her first to prevent any leaks.”

Xie Yuanshu dismissed it and said, “This ungrateful brat, just kill her. Why bother subduing her?”

Upon hearing this, Xie Jiu’er panicked, “How am I ungrateful? It’s clearly you two who are the ungrateful couple! Adoptive father, Adoptive father, save me!”

She was about to crawl towards Xie Hongchen when Xie Yuanshu took a few steps forward and kicked her, causing her to roll on the ground in disarray. “You wild seed, you were just a little fly back then. If it weren’t for the kindness of my Ah Rang, how could you be where you are today?! It was Ah Rang who brought you to me for help when you stole the inner sect techniques and encountered problems in your cultivation. Otherwise, would you even be alive?!”

Xie Jiu’er stole the techniques and encountered problems in her cultivation? When did this happen?

Xie Hongchen was bewildered in his heart. Huang Rang had never mentioned it to him before, as far as he could remember.

To vent his anger for Huang Rang, Xie Yuanshu stepped on Xie Jiu’er’s hand and said, “Now, you’re in league with your fake father.”

“Enough.” Huang Rang spoke softly: “Shu Lang, don’t let a child distract us from the main issue. Let’s subdue her.” In fact, back then, although Xie Hongchen recognized Xie Jiu’er as his adopted daughter, he knew she was just a tool used by Huang Rang to solidify her position. He didn’t care much about Xie Jiu’er and even initially wanted her to stay at the Qilu Terrace to accompany Huang Rang.

Huang Rang tried many methods to strengthen Xie Jiu’er’s cultivation. During her teenage years, she excelled at breeding excellent seeds and accumulated a considerable fortune. So she used her dowry and various spiritual medicines and herbs to cultivate Xie Jiu’er into a promising disciple.

Seeing that Xie Jiu’er had a solid foundation, Xie Hongchen naturally cherished her. However, he still disliked her being too close to Huang Rang. Xie Jiu’er was also perceptive and immediately distanced herself from Huang Rang, eager to sever their relationship.

Observing her intentions, Huang Rang gradually let go of her attachment. She had her own flaws, so it wouldn’t be right for her to demand purity from others. Thus, she let it go.

Now, as Xie Yuanshu brought it up, Xie Hongchen vaguely remembered that indeed, Huang Rang and Xie Jiu’er did share a mother-daughter bond in the past.

But this thought lasted only for a moment, as he immediately said coldly, “If this child hadn’t grown up by your side, her character would have been much purer.”

Huang Rang felt nothing about Xie Jiu’er’s departure, but upon hearing these words, she fell silent for a long time. Finally, she could only say, “Is that so? Hearing that, it truly breaks my heart.”

Of course, Xie Hongchen never believed her so-called heartbreak, nor did he care.

Huang Rang didn’t try to make him believe. She asked Xie Yuanshu, “Shu Lang, did you bring back the artifact?”

Xie Yuanshu nodded and said, “How could I disappoint Ah Rang?”

As they spoke, he took out an umbrella-like magic treasure and threw it forward. The black umbrella opened up and covered Xie Hongchen. Xie Yuanshu found Xie Jiu’er troublesome, so he threw her in as well.

Huang Rang wasn’t confident in this artifact. There were probably not many treasures in the immortal sect that could deal with Xie Hongchen.

She reminded him, “Shu Lang, you should be prepared. If by any chance the artifact fails, once he escapes, it will be difficult to deal with him.”

Xie Yuanshu didn’t need a reminder. He had already displayed several artifacts, all of which were rare. These years, he hadn’t controlled the business of the Yuhu Immortal Sect in vain. Huang Rang glanced over and recognized a few of them, feeling relieved.

For Xie Yuanshu to deal with Xie Hongchen, he had basically staked his entire wealth.

She raised her gaze slightly, focusing on the black umbrella. After the umbrella opened, it began to slowly rotate. Soon, it turned as if it had encountered intense heat and gradually became red. Xie Jiu’er started sweating on her forehead, and Xie Hongchen let out a muffled groan, but the Eight Wilderness Shackles in his hand locked all his cultivation, rendering him powerless to resist.

The black umbrella turned crimson, and golden light cascaded down, enveloping Xie Hongchen and Xie Jiu’er. Within the changing and flying incantations, Huang Rang caught sight of the craftsman’s signature—Di Yiqiu.

The seal was intricately designed and not easily recognizable, but Huang Rang could still see it at a glance.

It was him. This name always felt familiar to her.

Xie Yuanshu had made his preparations and started absorbing Xie Hongchen’s power through the array. Xie Hongchen sat cross-legged on the bed, but he was truly powerless to resist. After a moment, a strand of clear light, like a spring or a moonbeam, surged towards Xie Yuanshu.

Huang Rang stood beside him, quietly waiting—just a bit more strength, so that you can help me deal with Xie Lingbi, right?

Xie Jiu’er couldn’t hold on for long and reverted to her true form as a golden cicada. Having lost her cultivation, she crawled around aimlessly and quickly exited the range of the black umbrella. Huang Rang extended her hand, and after a moment of hesitation, the golden cicada crawled into her palm.

“Silly child, in the end, it’s just you and me.” Huang Rang sighed softly. Then she murmured, “There’s actually something I’ve always wanted to ask you. Unfortunately, you probably won’t remember now.”

She wanted to know who had informed Xie Lingbi in the first place. She had merely mentioned it to Xie Hongchen, asking him to take a look at Dark Thunder Peak. But within half a month, Xie Lingbi had received the information.

As a result, Xie Lingbi showed no mercy and subjected her to the cruel torture of the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles

Unfortunately, it was unlikely that she would be able to find out. In this dream, it seemed like they had no memories from outside the dream. Time seemed to have truly rolled back ten years. If it weren’t for the tea needle in her hand, Huang Rang would almost believe that she had truly returned to the past.

Xie Hongchen proved to be truly powerful. Xie Yuanshu had been absorbing his power for a long time and had to take a break. Huang Rang wiped the sweat off his forehead with a silk handkerchief. He held her wrist, seeing her allure, and couldn’t help but feel some desire.

He tilted Huang Rang’s chin and, disregarding Xie Hongchen, flirted lightly: “Xie Hongchen has been your husband for a hundred years, but who knows how beautiful you truly are!”

Inside the array, Xie Hongchen began to cough violently. He was blind, silent, and didn’t even display any signs of anger.

Xie Yuanshu was truly unreliable. Huang Rang felt disdain in her heart but smiled as she gently reminded him, “Shu Lang, you must prioritize important matters. Otherwise, the night is long, and dreams are plentiful.”

“Ah Rang is right.” Xie Yuanshu dared not underestimate Xie Hongchen. After a short rest, he immediately activated the artifact once again.

Huang Rang sat on the side, holding Xie Jiu’er in her hand, but her gaze was fixed on the craftsman’s seal on the magic treasure.

Di Yiqiu… She wondered what he was doing now.

Why did she inexplicably fall into this dream? How were the people outside the dream doing?

Ah, she remembered that before entering the dream, Di Yiqiu was freezing cold. Now she was enjoying her revenge in the dream, but she didn’t know what his dream was like. He had refused her wine last time. Perhaps in this lifetime, she will never have the chance to offer him a cup again.

Regardless, may you have warm dreams tonight, even though you’re such an annoying person.

Huang Rang silently pondered.