58: Chapter 58 The Rogue Cultivator's Interception of the Dao, A Longing from Afar

On the outskirts of the Black Mountain Range, in a narrow, winding pass.

The wind whipped up sand and soil, making the withered trees on both sides of the road rustle.

Over a dozen corpses of the He Family guards lay scattered across the ground.

A few large carts nearby lay overturned in the roadside ditch, and the Spirit Beasts that had been pulling them had long since scattered.

Young Master Jiang Chen flicked his wrist, performing a sword flourish.

The blood on the blade was flung into the dust.

He sheathed his sword with a crisp, clean motion.

Ding Baiyi crouched beside a corpse, tore the Storage Pouch from the deceased's waist, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it casually to Young Master Jiang Chen.

Young Master Jiang Chen caught the Storage Pouch and scanned his surroundings.

Over a dozen Loose Cultivators, their faces covered with black cloth, were frantically sweeping the battlefield, their movements rough and hurried.

"Brother Ding, can these people be trusted?" Young Master Jiang Chen asked casually.

Ding Baiyi stood up and brushed the dust off his hands. "They cannot."

"These Loose Cultivators will call anyone 'mother' for a drop of milk; they'd sell their own fathers for two Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Young Master Jiang Chen frowned. "Then why did you recruit them to intercept the He Family's caravan?"

"It is precisely because they are greedy that they are easy to use."

Ding Baiyi chuckled as he watched the Loose Cultivators working hard.

"These people have been exploited by the He Family for so many years; they have long been harboring a bellyful of resentment."

"Before, they didn't dare to act. Now that Qixia Alchemy Pavilion is trampling the He Family's face into the dirt, they see that the He Family is strong on the outside but weak on the inside, so naturally, they dare to come up and take a bite."

Ding Baiyi turned his head and patted Young Master Jiang Chen on the shoulder.

"Brother Jiang, when Qixia Alchemy Pavilion asked you to lead us out to do this work, wasn't it precisely these madmen who dare to tear into great Families that they wanted?"

"This batch of Spiritual Plants is worth at least three thousand Spirit Stones."

"We eat the meat, and we let the people below drink the soup; only then will they follow us even more desperately in the future."

Young Master Jiang Chen nodded.

Jiang Feng's eye for talent was truly sharp.

Ding Baiyi was quick-witted and ruthless; he was born to stir up trouble.

"Load the carts and retreat!" Young Master Jiang Chen shouted over to them.

West of Huoyang Commandery, the new Jiang Family residence.

The afternoon sun lazily spilled into the backyard.

Jiang Feng lay slumped in a grandmaster chair, holding a purple clay teapot and sipping old tea from time to time.

At a nearby stone table, Zhang Yuniang was fiddling with a golden abacus.

The abacus beads clicked and clattered incessantly.

Her belly was already visibly protruding, but it didn't dampen her enthusiasm for balancing the accounts in the slightest.

"Husband, according to the income from these past few days, ninety percent of the Loose Cultivators on the streets near our shop have become our regular customers."

Zhang Yuniang pushed the abacus aside, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.

"Once Sister Yao produces another batch of Medicinal Pills, next month's revenue will be able to double again."

Su Wan walked over from the corridor, carrying a steaming white porcelain casserole.

Her lower abdomen was a size larger than Zhang Yuniang's, and she had to support her lower back with her hand as she walked.

"Yu Niang, stop worrying so much. The doctor said that overthinking during pregnancy is harmful."

Su Wan placed the casserole on the stone table and lifted the lid.

A rich aroma of meat and bone instantly filled the small courtyard.

"Husband, this is freshly stewed Snow Deer Tendon Soup. It is the most nourishing; drink it while it's hot."

Jiang Feng stood up and walked over, wrapping an arm around Su Wan's waist and taking the opportunity to stroke her round belly.

"You've worked hard, Wan'er."

"However, as for this nourishing soup, if I, your husband, continue to supplement my body like this, I really won't be able to sleep at night."

Su Wan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lightly slapped the back of Jiang Feng's hand. "You old lecher."

On the other side of the courtyard, a swing made of thick vines was tied up.

Yuan Chu was wearing a loose, flowing fairy dress, sitting on it with her legs spread apart, completely lacking any ladylike grace.

She was holding a piece of dried Spirit Beast meat in her hand, chewing on it with great relish.

The curve of her belly protruding beneath the hem of her fairy dress was no smaller than the other two.

Hearing Jiang Feng's words, Yuan Chu swallowed the meat and rolled her eyes.

"Stop playing the fool here."

"Your body is as sturdy as a Yao Beast; what need is there for any nourishing soup? I think you're just bored all day."

Jiang Feng laughed and walked over to give her swing a push.

"You girl, your appetite has been getting bigger and bigger lately. What meal is this now?"

"None of your business! This is the Jiang Family's seed, after all; if it goes hungry, who's to blame?" Yuan Chu retorted righteously.

Looking at this courtyard full of pregnant women, Jiang Feng felt a sense of comfort in his heart.

As long as these children were born safely, the System would reward him, and he would have everything from top-tier Medicinal Pills to supreme Cultivation Techniques.

His own cultivation would also skyrocket as a result.

His gaze swept toward the courtyard gate, and the smile on Jiang Feng's lips faded slightly.

Calculating the days, it had been three or four months since Lin Yueyao left Jiangyuan City to return to the Qingyun Sect, and there had been no news.

This cold and stubborn girl had finally had her Spiritual Root repaired by him using a mortal shedding pill.

Because of the survival of the Jiang Family, she was taken back to the Sect by her master, and Jiang Feng felt deeply guilty toward her.

"Qingyun Sect..." Jiang Feng muttered to himself.

Ten thousand miles away.

Qingyun Sect, back mountain of Jueding Peak, Cold Wind Cave.

This was a solitary confinement stone chamber used to imprison Disciples who had committed offenses.

There were no windows, and all four sides were made of pitch-black cold iron stone.

The walls were densely carved with Spirit-Suppressing Array patterns.

Lin Yueyao was curled up on a pile of straw in the corner.

Her originally silver-white hair looked withered, and her blue Water Cloud Robe, representing her status as an Inner Sect Disciple, was stained with mud and dark red blood.

A gust of chilling subterranean fire wind poured in through the crack in the door.

Lin Yueyao tried to mobilize the True Qi within her body to ward off the cold.

An excruciating, tearing pain instantly emanated from her Dantian.

Her Meridians had been sealed by the Sect Elder with seven Spirit-Sealing and Meridian-Blocking techniques; at this moment, she was even worse off than a Mortal.

She gritted her teeth, not letting out a single groan of pain.

Her arms only tightly protected her highly protruding lower abdomen.

"Don't be afraid, baby. Mother won't let them touch you."

Huoyang Commandery, He Family mansion.

Bang!

Patriarch He Wanshan kicked and shattered the rosewood table in front of him.

Teacups shattered all over the floor.

Tea splashed onto the faces of several stewards kneeling on the ground, but no one dared to reach up and wipe it off.

"Three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones worth of Spiritual Plants! That's most of my He Family's income for half a year!"

Patriarch He Wanshan pointed at the people below and cursed.

"Just like that, it was robbed on the outskirts of the Black Mountain Range? Are the guards you raise just eating for free?"

The Head Steward prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Patriarch, the incident happened suddenly!"

"The guard team didn't even leave a single survivor, and the scene was left with nothing but a large number of messy footprints from Cultivators."

"Our men went to investigate; in the last few days, those bottom-tier Loose Cultivators in the west of the city have been gathering everywhere. There is definitely someone from Qixia Alchemy Pavilion behind it, directing them!"

"Do I need you to tell me that!"

The Grand Elder, sitting in the seat of honor on the right, slammed his cane down hard.

"Qixia Alchemy Pavilion is going too far!"

"First they killed people and hung their corpses, and now, using the poisonous Medicinal Pill incident as an excuse, they actually incited Loose Cultivators to rob our goods!"

"Patriarch, if this batch of Spiritual Plants cannot be retrieved, the Spirit Stones for the Guest Elders and retainers will be cut off next month. Once morale collapses, our He Family will be completely finished!"

Patriarch He Wanshan's face twitched.

They had reached the edge of a life-or-death precipice.

"Good, very good."

"Since they want to cut off my He Family's path to survival, then no one shall live!"

Patriarch He Wanshan turned and walked to the weapon rack, violently drawing a dark red long saber.

The blade hummed and buzzed, emitting a bloodthirsty, cold glint.

He turned his head, staring at the Grand Elder with bloodshot eyes.

"Grand Elder, you must go to the Forbidden Ground in the back mountain immediately."

The Grand Elder was stunned, then his expression changed drastically. "Patriarch, you want to disturb the Old Ancestor?"

"The strength of that veiled woman from Qixia Alchemy Pavilion is unfathomable. I cannot gamble the entire foundation of the He Family."

Patriarch He Wanshan held the saber, his tone chilling.

"Go and invite the Old Ancestor to come out of seclusion."

"As long as the Old Ancestor is here to hold the fort, I will personally lead men to level the west of the city tonight."

"I want that street where Qixia Alchemy Pavilion is located to be left without even a single breathing mouse!"

The Grand Elder dared not say more; he nodded heavily, turned, and walked quickly out of the hall.