Volume 10, Chapter 701 – The Immortal Alliance’s Retaliation (Part 2)

“What’s wrong? Are you willing to confess now?”

A mocking smile spread across Cao Hong’s face.

“Alliance Leader Cao, could I have a word with you in private?”

A pleading expression surfaced on Wenren Jun’s face. He knew that the life and death of the entire Wenren Clan rested in his hands.

“No need. Let’s talk inside the spatial ring.”

With a flicker of Divine Sense, Cao Hong directly pulled Wenren Jun into his spatial ring and entered it himself.

“Speak. Who exactly was the killer?”

Cao Hong’s tone was sharp and commanding.

Wenren Jun did not answer immediately. Instead, his Divine Sense stirred, and countless spiritual herbs, rare elixirs, and treasures of all kinds materialized around them, decorating the inside of the spatial ring in lavish splendor.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Cao Hong’s face darkened instantly.

“Alliance Leader Cao, we truly do not know the true identities of those women. If you insist on an answer… then this is the only answer I can give you.”

Wenren Jun forced himself to speak, gritting his teeth.

“You old bastard, you dare to bribe me? Are you trying to drag me down with you?!”

Cao Hong erupted in sudden fury, striking like lightning. His hand shot out, grabbing Wenren Jun by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

“No… no, no… this isn’t… isn’t a bribe. This is… this is our Wenren Clan’s… compensation to the Immortal Alliance!”

Wenren Jun struggled to explain between gasps. At the same time, his Divine Sense flickered again, and a small jade bottle appeared before Cao Hong.

“A-Alliance Leader Cao, please calm your anger. If this is not enough, this here is the Heaven-Deceiving Water our Wenren Clan has secretly collected over the years. I am willing to offer it to the Immortal Alliance as additional compensation!”

When Cao Hong saw the Heaven-Deceiving Water, his expression softened slightly. He took a deep breath, released Wenren Jun, and said coldly:

“Fine. Seeing that you’re showing such sincerity, I can spare the Wenren Clan this time. But… your son must come with us to cooperate with the investigation. He was the instigator of all this. If he gets to live freely while the Immortal Alliance’s dignity is trampled, how would we maintain our authority?”

“But…”

Reluctance and pain flashed across Wenren Jun’s face.

“No buts. Either I take your son with me, or I take the lives of your entire Wenren Clan. You decide.”

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Cao Hong’s voice was cold and unyielding.

Wenren Jun’s face paled. After a moment of silence, he cautiously asked, “Alliance Leader Cao, please tell me honestly. If my son goes with you, can his life be spared?”

“That depends on whether he cooperates. If he obediently reveals the true identities of those women, perhaps the Immortal Alliance may show mercy.”

Cao Hong replied casually, clearly not intending to promise anything.

“Ah…”

A look of anguish twisted Wenren Jun’s face. He understood very well that even if his son cooperated, his chances of survival were slim. And revealing those women’s identities was out of the question.

“To be frank, the Alliance Leader sent me here with orders to destroy the Wenren Clan as a warning to others. The fact that only your son is to be sacrificed, you should already be thankful.”

Cao Hong frowned slightly, then pulled Wenren Jun out of the spatial ring.

Not long after, the Immortal Alliance members took Wenren Qing away.

“Don’t worry, Father! I swear this matter ends here. Even if I die, I will never reveal the true identities of those women. If my death can preserve the Wenren Clan, I will die without regret!”

Wenren Qing’s Divine Sense transmitted directly to his father as he was led away.

The entire Wenren Clan collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Survivors of a calamity, they were ecstatic, celebrating more joyously than during any festival.

Only Wenren Jun left with a hunched back, his body feeling decades older in an instant… for that was his only son, now taken away as someone else’s scapegoat.

Qi Huang returned home and went to find her main body.

“In a few days, it’ll be Steward Hu’s sixtieth birthday. I plan to throw him a grand celebration.”

Qi Huang explained her idea, worried that her main body might not understand. She quickly added, “You know how much Master has done for me. But because of my changed identity, it hasn’t been convenient to stay close to him, and I’ve never had a proper chance to repay him. This time, I must fulfill my duty as a disciple.”

“No need to explain. Respecting one’s master is a core rule of the Honghua Sect. Do as you see fit. If you need any help, just ask.”

Cheng Hongling responded warmly and understandingly.

“Your words are enough for me!”

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Qi Huang was delighted and left the house in high spirits.

Before long, Qi Huang arrived at her master’s small courtyard.

Inside, Hu Bing was meditating in seclusion. Although now disabled, he had never given up on cultivation.

“Stew… Steward Hu, it’s me, Qi Huang. I’d like to speak with you!”

Qi Huang gently knocked on the door.

Inside, Hu Bing was startled. He hurriedly stood up. Ever since his injury, he had avoided cultivating in front of others, afraid of mockery.

Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and opened the gate.

“Oh, it’s Nephew Qi! Please, come in quickly!”

Hu Bing greeted her warmly. After all, the young woman before him wasn’t just the Honghua Sect’s beloved prodigy’s doppelgänger, but also his lifesaver.

Qi Huang entered the courtyard and sat down to chat casually.

“Steward Hu, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t your sixtieth birthday on the fifteenth of this month?”

Qi Huang casually brought it up.

“Nephew Qi… you know my birthday?”

Hu Bing was stunned.

“It’s nothing. I happened to come across it once, so I remembered.”

Qi Huang replied awkwardly, trying to play it off.

“How thoughtful of Nephew Qi!”

Hu Bing was flattered.

“Your sixtieth birthday is a significant milestone. How do you plan to celebrate?”

Qi Huang asked deliberately.

“Nephew Qi, you jest. For cultivators, our lifespans are long. Sixty hardly counts as a major birthday.”

Hu Bing pretended to be carefree.

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“That may be true, but it doesn’t make it any less important. The two aren’t contradictory. Haven’t you noticed? Which elder or steward of Honghua Sect hasn’t held a banquet for their sixtieth birthday?”

Qi Huang patiently persuaded him.

“They are them, I am me. As you can see, I’m a cripple now. Even if I wanted a banquet, I couldn’t afford one.”

Hu Bing’s face showed a trace of sadness.

“Steward Hu, don’t joke like that. You may be disabled, but your disciples are not. It’s time for them to show their filial piety.”

Qi Huang said firmly.

“Best not trouble them. My cultivation is low, and I didn’t teach them much.”

Hu Bing’s voice turned awkward. Since becoming disabled, he dreaded facing his disciples, let alone holding a public celebration.

“Then let me handle it for you!”

Qi Huang immediately volunteered herself. Though she couldn’t reveal her identity, this gave her the perfect excuse to help him openly.

“You? Nephew Qi, I… I can’t possibly trouble you like this! I’m not even your master!”

Hu Bing stood up in shock.

“But you are a senior of my sect. How is that any different from being a master? It’s decided then!”

Qi Huang insisted enthusiastically.

“How can it be decided just like that? I’m not ready for any of this!”

Hu Bing panicked.

“You don’t need to prepare anything. Just be the honored birthday star.”

Qi Huang finished decisively and rushed out the door before he could protest further.

“Nephew Qi, wait…”

Hu Bing called after her in a hurry, but she was already gone.

“I’m… not dreaming, am I?”

Hu Bing muttered blankly, unable to understand why this heavenly prodigy treated him so kindly.

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Once outside, Qi Huang immediately found Qin Quan and shared her plan.

Qin Quan had no reason to object, not that he’d dare to, so he quickly ordered disciples to make all the arrangements. Notices were posted everywhere, making the event grander than his own birthday.

Qi Huang herself stayed busy as well, personally handling any problem that arose. With both wealth and power at her disposal, there was nothing she couldn’t accomplish.

Days passed quickly, and soon the fifteenth arrived. Because of how grandly Qi Huang had arranged Hu Bing’s birthday banquet, many of his former disciples came to offer their congratulations, even those who had left the sect years ago.

Although Hu Bing was delighted, he couldn’t help but feel a faint bitterness deep down. He knew those disciples hadn’t come out of sentiment for their old master, but rather out of respect for the Honghua Sect… or more precisely, for Cheng Hongling and Qi Huang.

Qi Huang wasn’t a fool and immediately understood the hidden motives. Soon enough, these people exposed themselves.

“Senior Brother Zhang, where are you working these days?”

“Working? What work? I’m just a first-stage cultivator at the Spirit Gathering Realm. After returning home, I barely managed to get a minor post at the county office.”

“That’s not bad. At least you’re earning state rations!”

“Not bad? Are you kidding me? With all these evil spirits appearing everywhere, and no ghost-repelling items in a regular county office, we’re practically putting our lives on the line every day! If we had known the Honghua Sect would become this strong, we’d never have left.”

“It’s fine. Now that we’re here for Master’s birthday, as long as we show sincerity, he’ll definitely let us return to the sect.”

“Not that easy. We left voluntarily back then. That was betrayal. Do you really think the old man is that magnanimous?”

“Don’t worry. Look at Master now, he’s crippled, has no sons or daughters, and barely any disciples. He should be grateful to take us back.”

“By the way, how did he lose his arm?”

“I heard that a few years after we left Honghua Sect, he went down to the mortal world to investigate leads on Qi-Leaking Powder for one of his disciples, and then had his arm chopped off by the Severed Immortal Sect.”

“Severed Immortal Sect? No wonder… He’s lucky to even be alive! Which disciple was worth such a sacrifice? Is he here today?”

“It’s that stubborn cultivator Huang Qi!”

Several disciples who had abandoned the sect before Qi Huang’s rise whispered among themselves, plotting quietly.

“Wishful thinking.”

Qi Huang smirked disdainfully. Seeing that the guests had all arrived, she signaled for her doppelgänger to make an appearance.

At noon, the main protagonist, Huang Tian, finally made his grand entrance.