Volume 10, Chapter 645 – Elder Zuo, Thank You for Your Sacrifice

Volume 10: Kapok Valley Treasure Land

Late at night, when all was quiet, laughter and chatter filled the main hall of the Cheng family. Besides the family of four, seated at the highest seat was the ancestor Jiang Feng, with General Li standing respectfully to the side.

Cheng Yuan and Jiang Linian had long known that the two of them were zombies, yet they showed no trace of fear. First, what kind of descendant would fear their own ancestor? Second, with two such outstanding daughters, they felt secure.

“General Li, sit and talk.”

Jiang Linian called out again.

“Many thanks, Princess. This humble general dares not overstep!”

General Li replied with utmost respect.

Jiang Linian shook her head helplessly. She had grown up in a commoner’s home and was not at all accustomed to this rigid hierarchy, yet it was difficult to insist further.

“My two granddaughters, this Crown Prince has listened to your advice and has not sought revenge on the imperial clan. Well then? Does this not prove I am worthy of the title of your ancestor?”

From the highest seat, Jiang Feng sought credit. He had originally intended to seek revenge, yet as the Empress ruled more brilliantly by the day, and as he saw the common people living in peace, he found his heart inexplicably softened.

Cheng Hongling remained expressionless, directly ignoring him.

“Not bad. As expected of the Crown Prince of the Great Qi Kingdom.”

Qi Huang did not spare her words of praise. She knew Jiang Feng’s past and understood how much resolve it must have taken for him to restrain himself.

“Hehe, but of course. You must know, back then we had dozens of brothers. For me to rise above them all and earn Father Emperor’s favor, that was no coincidence…”

Jiang Feng began embellishing his own achievements.

The juniors below grew somewhat impatient, but they could only endure it politely.

“What has Zhen Feiyan been up to lately? Has she not gone to seek revenge against the Immortal Alliance?”

Qi Huang cut in without ceremony; after all, she was not a descendant of the Jiang clan.

“Uh, recently she has been gathering Heaven-Deceiving Water. As a Flying Skeleton her strength is comparable to that of a cultivator in the Heavenly Tribulation Realm. If not for the Heaven-Deceiving Water concealing her aura, she would have already drawn tribulation down upon herself.”

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Jiang Feng explained.

“She should have reached the Flying Skeleton stage long ago, right? Why did she not trigger tribulation before?”

Qi Huang asked curiously. This was also what puzzled her most.

“I heard her subordinates had been supplying Heaven-Deceiving Water all along to keep her aura hidden.”

Jiang Feng answered.

“What nonsense? Heaven-Deceiving Water is so rare. How could those fiends possibly obtain it?”

Qi Huang immediately laughed. This explanation was an insult to anyone’s intelligence.

“Who says it isn’t? Yet that is what they claim.”

Jiang Feng smiled bitterly.

“There must be more to this.”

Cheng Hongling furrowed her brows.

“Enough about her. What about our revenge? The Immortal Alliance is also an enemy of the Jiang clan.”

Jiang Feng probed.

“Indeed. If the Immortal Alliance hadn’t meddled back then, we would never have been trapped in Pingshan Mass Burial Ground, the Great Qi Kingdom would not have perished, and the Jiang clan would not have been slaughtered.”

General Li chimed in from the side.

The Cheng family of three exchanged looks at these words. Of course, they too harbored thoughts of revenge, but their strength was far from sufficient.

Qi Huang then turned to her main body and asked: “Well? Do you want revenge?”

“Of course!”

Cheng Hongling replied tersely. She was never one to be soft.

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“Leave it to me.”

Qi Huang agreed without hesitation, then said to Jiang Feng: “Great vengeance must indeed be repaid. But for now, the Immortal Alliance is still of some use to me. Let them linger for a while longer. Within ten years, I will see them erased.”

What she meant by “use” naturally referred to “farming”. Though anyone could technically farm, only the Immortal Alliance could control the spread of Ghost Tomatoes.

“Excellent! Such spirit! As expected of my descendant!”

Jiang Feng declared excitedly. Out of trust in Qi Huang, he did not pursue the matter further.

Not long after, Qi Huang heard a rumor: a terrifying fiend had attacked the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance. Not only had it caused massive destruction, it had slaughtered hundreds, including several elders. In the end, the Alliance Leader himself had to intervene to drive it away.

Qi Huang did not even need to guess, this had to be Zhen Feiyan. Still, she went in person to confirm at Pingshan Mass Burial Ground.

Zhen Feiyan’s condition was dire. She could no longer condense flesh, presenting only the form of a skeleton.

“So, it was you who attacked the Immortal Alliance headquarters.”

Qi Huang immediately concluded.

“What makes you think so?”

Zhen Feiyan retorted stiffly.

“You are a powerful mid-stage Flying Skeleton fiend. Aside from me, only the Alliance Leader could possibly wound you, isn’t that so?”

Qi Huang gave her reasoning.

“Not necessarily. The cultivation world is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. And countless sources of yin energy still slumber. Who knows if there might not be one stronger than me?”

Zhen Feiyan replied modestly.

Qi Huang only smiled, neither confirming nor denying, then asked: “So? How strong is the Immortal Alliance Leader?”

“That fellow’s own strength is a bit weaker than mine. But his body is covered in treasures, and his techniques are heaven-defying, making him extremely troublesome. In overall combat strength, he should be about the same as you. Otherwise, he could never have injured me like this.”

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Zhen Feiyan judged.

“Just as I suspected.”

Qi Huang had long expected this, but she was unconcerned. Her growth in strength was faster than Sect Master Qin climbing a staircase.

“One more thing. I heard that while you were in slumber, you avoided heavenly tribulation only because your followers kept using Heaven-Deceiving Water to hide your aura?”

Qi Huang pressed.

“Jiang Feng told you that, didn’t he? Yes, that’s true.”

Zhen Feiyan admitted frankly.

“Don’t you find that strange? Heaven-Deceiving Water is exceedingly rare. Your followers should never have been able to obtain it.”

Qi Huang pointed out.

“Of course I thought it was odd. After waking, I secretly investigated. Want to know what I found?”

Zhen Feiyan dangled the answer before revealing: “The ones supplying the Heaven-Deceiving Water to conceal me were actually people from the Immortal Alliance headquarters.”

“What? Why would they do that?”

Qi Huang asked in shock.

“Nothing strange about it. Did your ancestor Jiang Feng not also fall into their trap? For the same reason, they want the sources of yin energy to persist, so that Huangtian County remains dependent on the Immortal Alliance.”

Zhen Feiyan explained calmly.

“Those pigs and dogs!”

Qi Huang cursed. The people of Huangtian County were stunted and frail because Zhen Feiyan’s yin energy was too strong for crops to grow. And to think, the real culprit was the Immortal Alliance.

“Immortal Alliance, Immortal Alliance! I truly cannot tolerate your existence!”

Qi Huang seethed inwardly, then warned: “From now on, don’t go attacking the Immortal Alliance by yourself. It’s too dangerous! Besides, I still need them for now. Once the time is ripe, we’ll wipe out that cesspool together.”

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“Fine, I’ll be waiting.”

Zhen Feiyan raised no objection; she knew well the grudge between the Jiang clan and the Immortal Alliance.

The next day, Qi Huang found time to visit the Golden Fortune Auction House in the prefectural capital, because the vast batch of Ghost Tomatoes she had entrusted to Elder Zuo was nearly ripe.

“Young Master Li, this month we purchased a total of five thousand Ghost Tomatoes. I’ll have them delivered to you shortly.”

Liu Yingyue’s red lips were like fire as she reported the results.

“Five thousand in a month? The pace of purchase keeps increasing.”

Qi Huang was somewhat surprised. Though five thousand was hardly enough to fill the gap now, the growth trend was still pleasing.

“The Immortal Alliance has been supplying more and more, and lately many foreigners have also come to sell. It seems word of your acquisitions has spread abroad. But since Ghost Tomatoes have already been cleared from the wilderness of the Western Radiance Dynasty, why not stop now? Don’t let outsiders profit for nothing.”

Liu Yingyue advised with heartfelt concern.

“Very well! Then let’s stop.”

Qi Huang agreed without hesitation.

“Really?”

Liu Yingyue was caught off guard. After all, Qi Huang had always spoken in terms of compassion for the common people, carrying herself like a true saint.

“No choice. Funds are limited! I can do nothing more.”

Qi Huang shook her head with feigned helplessness.

Liu Yingyue was dumbfounded. Has someone possessed this person’s soul? But she understood the wisdom of not imposing one’s will on others. So she sensibly shut her mouth and ceased purchasing Ghost Tomatoes.

“Elder Zuo, oh Elder Zuo! Thank you for your sacrifice. This time, I will make sure you are moved to tears!”

Qi Huang thought with ill intent.