Chapter 229: Chapter 226: Upheaval in the Nangong Family

One king, two generals, three grand masters. The Qian Family was a family of merchants.

Compared to the other five great families, the Qian Family’s martial heritage was certainly lacking, but they were ridiculously wealthy.

As the saying goes, money makes ghosts turn millstones. Top-grade Spirit Stones, in particular, were an irresistible temptation to powerful Independent Cultivators.

After all, Independent Cultivators didn’t have Secret Realms for their Cultivation.

Thus, with their vast wealth, the Qian Family recruited a great number of experts. Every single one of them was armed to the teeth, equipped with the absolute best weapons and Magical Treasures.

If a real fight broke out, the Qian Family wouldn’t necessarily lose.

Now that Qian Duoduo’s talent had returned and he had proven himself before the family’s ancestors, his status was changing.

He was immediately restored to the Direct Lineage, and his standing rose like a ship on a rising tide.

When he requested that the ancestors authorize him to secretly investigate the poisoning incident, not a single person objected. The motion passed unanimously.

Not only that, but the Qian Family’s ancestors also granted him even greater authority.

"Duoduo, during this time, the Qian Family’s connections and resources are yours to command. Everyone will cooperate fully. Just go ahead and investigate without restraint. Even if you stir up enormous trouble, we old-timers will have your back!"

"Duoduo kowtows in gratitude to the ancestors!" Qian Duoduo prostrated himself, a faint smile playing on his lips. ’The plan succeeded!’

Was his request for family authority really just to investigate the poisoning?

Of course not!

He had another goal!

’Big Bro, before your true self returns, leave some of this vengeance to your little bro to handle for you!’

’Renowned Master Yan Hong, and the Zhao Family’s son-in-law, Wang Chen... Hmph! Courting death! Just watch how I’m going to play you all to death!’

Though Qian Duoduo usually appeared carefree and flippant, he was actually more sentimental and loyal than anyone. Once he committed himself to a person or a cause, he would see it through to the bitter end, no matter the cost.

Therefore, to him, Mo Qi’s enemies were Qian Duoduo’s enemies!

Anyone who dared to harm Mo Qi was making an enemy of Qian Duoduo!

...

Besides Qian Duoduo, the other family disciples who had traveled with Mo Qi Within the Pass were Zhao Zijun, Nangong Yan, and Zhu Fan.

Zhao Zijun and Zhu Fan were fine; in fact, they were even praised by their families for their breakthroughs in Cultivation.

But Nangong Yan was different. News of her intimate behavior with Liu Hui had already spread throughout the Imperial City.

Even toddlers just learning to speak knew that the "awe-inspiring" tomboy of the Imperial City, Nangong Yan, had been "conquered"!

Setting aside Nangong Yan’s status, this should have been a very ordinary matter, but the Nangong Family held an emergency meeting over it.

The Patriarch of the Nangong Family, Nangong Yi—who was also Nangong Yan’s father—had not yet returned. He had been sent by Li Shimu, along with the Zhao Family’s Patriarch Zhao Ruifeng, to the Celestial Prison to release Jin Quan.

Therefore, the meeting was presided over by the family’s Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder’s name was Nangong An. He was an ancestor from another branch of the Nangong Family and held a very high position.

Nangong Yan was ordered to have her Cultivation sealed and was placed under house arrest.

Everyone who pleaded for her was ruthlessly suppressed by Nangong An.

"Grand Elder, you have no right to do this!" Nangong Yan said, glaring at Nangong An.

Nangong An was a robust old man. Though his hair and beard were white, he was full of vigor, with a ruddy complexion and barely any wrinkles.

"Under normal circumstances, I indeed would not have the right. But because you acted so outrageously in front of so many people, I have no choice but to intervene!"

"Outrageously? Just because I fell in love with someone?" Nangong Yan asked.

"That’s right!" Nangong An nodded. "You should know that you were chosen by the great one from that place. You belong to him and him alone!"

Nangong Yan replied with utter exasperation, "The people from that place might not descend even once in ten thousand years! And just because of a casual remark he made, my entire life is supposed to be constrained? On what grounds? I refuse! I have my freedom!"

Nangong An flew into a rage and shouted, "Insolence!

"Your freedom was decided eleven years ago! Forget ten thousand years—even if the great one never descends upon the Empire again, you must remain chaste for him for the rest of your life!"

"Do you have any idea that if word of this reaches the great one’s ears, our entire Nangong Family will be implicated?"

"Weren’t you asking ’on what grounds’? Then let me tell you: on the grounds that the great one can annihilate the entire Empire with a single word. Is that enough?"

It was as if Nangong Yan’s soul had been ripped from her body. She collapsed into her chair.

She had thought that after so many years, the matter would have gradually faded away.

But she never expected Nangong An to still take it so seriously.

"Speak. Who is the man?" Nangong An asked. "Tell me, and I will undo your seal."

Nangong Yan’s head snapped up. "You can forget it. I’ll never tell you."

"Heh." Nangong An let out a soft chuckle. He didn’t press her further, instead drifting into recollection.

"Eleven years ago, I remember you were still a mischievous little girl, a little rascal. Was there a single direct lineage descendant from any of the great families in the Imperial City whom you hadn’t beaten up? Yet you just had to fall for some wild kid, even ’marrying’ him while playing house."

"After that, you were chosen by the great one. And that wild kid? His family was destroyed, its members killed, and he was thrown out of the Imperial City."

As Nangong An spoke, Nangong Yan’s expression turned incredibly grim.

The "wild kid" Nangong An spoke of was none other than a young Liu Hui.

"I’ve said all this just to tell you one thing. I wouldn’t even let a childish game of playing house slide. Do you really think I’d ignore you playing with real feelings as an adult?"

"Even if you don’t tell me, I can find out who that man is. His fate will be far more miserable than that boy’s from eleven years ago!"

Nangong Yan’s face went white with horror. She knew Nangong An’s character well; he was a man who did what he said.

"No, please don’t! As long as you don’t go after him, I promise I’ll never see him again! We’ll make a clean break!" Nangong Yan begged.

She knew Liu Hui was no longer the person he once was and would surely be valued at the Imperial Academy.

But if Nangong An was truly determined to kill him, it would be very difficult for Liu Hui to escape.

"Impossible!" Nangong An rejected her outright. "This concerns the great one from that place. The Nangong Family’s stance must be resolute. That man must die!"

"You will stay here and reflect on what you’ve done!"

With that, Nangong An flicked his wide sleeve, locked Nangong Yan in the room, and left.

"No!"

Nangong Yan pounded on the door, but with her Cultivation sealed, she was completely helpless.

She could only hope her father would return as soon as possible.

...

Jin Quan was personally escorted out of the Celestial Prison by the two patriarchs, Nangong Yi and Zhao Ruifeng.

As a sign of respect, the two brought Jin Quan to the Imperial Academy, intending to hand him over to Mo Qi.

But Mo Qi was currently in a Fighting Cultivation Room, and the two of them couldn’t contact him.

The Imperial Academy had its rules. Unaffiliated people were not allowed to stay for long.

So the two had no choice but to take Jin Quan to the Imperial Academy’s guest reception area and have him wait there.

They were patriarchs of their families, after all. They couldn’t just wait around with Jin Quan, so they took their leave one after the other.

Jin Quan had been brutally tortured in the Celestial Prison. Although his physical injuries had now healed, he was mentally exhausted and wanted to find a room to rest.

Just then, three figures descended from the sky, also appearing in the guest reception area.

For a moment, eight eyes met. A blazing fury ignited in Jin Quan’s gaze.

"Zhang Shao!"

The three newcomers were led by none other than the Sect Leader of the Wolf Fang Sect, Zhang Shao!