15: Return to the Su family!

The Su Family.

A secret chamber stone door slowly opened, and Su Qingtian, with his hair and beard all white, walked out.

His lifespan was nearing its end, so he had been in a death seclusion, hoping to lock onto his last sliver of vitality and support the Su Family for a few more years.

However, the great limit of his lifespan was like a sword hanging over his head; he could feel that his days were numbered, which was why he chose to emerge from seclusion before his birthday.

Fortunately, his granddaughter was already the Shangqing Sect Holy Maiden, so he didn't have to worry too much about the Su Family.

“Is Qingqiu still at the Shangqing Sect and hasn't returned? It's this Old Thing's birthday; she should at least come back to see him, shouldn't she?”

Hearing this question, the Old Butler's face showed difficulty, and he stammered for a long time, not knowing how to speak.

Su Qingtian frowned and said coldly, “What exactly happened?”

The Old Butler knelt on the ground with a thud and recounted everything that had happened over the past few months in detail.

Upon hearing that Su Qingqiu's spiritual root had been dug out, her cultivation completely abolished, and she had been expelled from the Shangqing Sect, Su Qingtian's spiritual power violently surged around him.

“Quick, quickly take me to see Qingqiu.”

However, the Old Butler dared not even look up.

“The Eldest Young Miss has already been arranged by the Family Head to marry in place of the Second Young Miss, marrying that Utility Disciple named Chu Feng from Tiansheng Academy.”

Bang!

The stone door behind Su Qingtian shattered with a roar, and a violent spiritual pressure uncontrollably burst forth from his body.

“What did you say?”

Just then, a slightly sharp female voice came from outside the courtyard.

“Father, please calm your anger; this matter was a decision jointly discussed by the family.”

Following this, a beautiful woman dressed in luxurious clothes walked in; she was Su Qingya's birth mother, and now the current Matriarch of the Su Family—Liu Rumei.

Her face wore an appropriately respectful expression, but a hint of imperceptible disdain was hidden deep in her eyes.

Su Qingtian's eyes were filled with anger.

“Qingqiu suffered such a great calamity, and instead of finding medicine to help her recover, you threw her out like trash. Do you all think I'm dead?”

Liu Rumei, facing her enraged father-in-law, did not act subserviently as before; instead, she straightened her back, her tone calm but sharp.

“The marriage alliance with the Chu Family of Qingzhou was a betrothal personally set by you, Old Thing. How could our Su Family do something so faithless and unrighteous?”

She paused, her voice rising a few octaves.

“Su Qingqiu is already a cripple. If she doesn't marry, are you going to let Qingya marry him instead?

Don't forget, Qingya is also your biological granddaughter!”

She had been firmly against the marriage alliance with the Chu Family from the start.

It was a pity that at that time, the Old Thing was still in charge, and her daughter had not yet awakened her Earth Spiritual Root.

Even if she was unwilling, she was powerless to stop it.

Things were different now; the Old Thing's lifespan was nearing its end, her daughter had become the new Holy Maiden of the Shangqing Sect, and her son had even entered a top sect. In the future, the Su Family would have to depend on her.

Liu Rumei took a step forward, her gaze directly meeting Su Qingtian's, clearly no longer putting this dying Old Thing in her eyes.

“Qingya has now awakened her Earth Spiritual Root and has replaced her sister to become the new Holy Maiden of the Shangqing Sect.

The future prosperity and decline of the Su Family will depend on my daughter, not that cripple!”

Liu Rumei's words stabbed at Su Qingtian's heart like knives.

He opened his mouth, his chest heaving violently, but found himself powerless to retort.

Who could have imagined that during his seclusion, such earth-shattering changes had occurred?

From the perspective of family interests, the choice made by Liu Rumei and the Su Family was indeed the optimal solution.

What could he say?

Looking at his imposing daughter-in-law, he only felt that he was indeed old.

“It's my fault, it's all my fault…”

“Grandfather, in the future, I will surely make the Su Family a first-rate aristocratic family in the Eastern Region. Sister is merely a necessary sacrifice; why must you blame yourself so much?”

Su Qingya gracefully walked into the side courtyard, even deliberately fiddling with the Shangqing Sect Holy Maiden token at her waist.

She used to be submissive in front of the Old Thing, but now she no longer had to care about anyone's opinion at home.

In the past, this Old Thing would constantly compare her to Su Qingqiu, even betrothing her to a Utility Disciple.

Now, she wanted to tell the Old Thing that she was far more outstanding than that cripple!

Seeing that familiar token, Su Qingtian couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

That token once belonged to Su Qingqiu, but now it hung at Su Qingya's waist.

At this moment, the last shred of fantasy in his heart was shattered; everything Liu Rumei had said was true, his most beloved Qingqiu had become a cripple.

“I'm also happy for you that you can become the Shangqing Sect Holy Maiden, Grandfather.”

As soon as his voice fell, a handsome young man also walked into the side courtyard.

“Congratulations, Grandfather, on emerging from seclusion.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Su Qingtian subconsciously looked up.

“Qingan.”

Liu Rumei had a son and a daughter, and the person who came was her son, Su Qingan.

When Su Qingan stood beside Liu Rumei, Su Qingtian's body trembled when he saw the token at his waist.

He even rubbed his eyes, suspecting that his old eyes were failing him.

If he hadn't seen wrong, the totem on the token was from Tianxing Hall.

“This token is…”

Su Qingan's expression was humble, but he subtly puffed out his chest.

“Your grandson has already joined Tianxing Hall. This time, I specifically rushed back to celebrate your birthday, Grandfather.”

“Tian… Tianxing Hall!”

At this moment, the shock in Su Qingtian's heart instantly overshadowed his guilt towards Su Qingqiu.

Tianxing Hall was a top sect in the Central Plains. Not to mention the Shangqing Sect, even the Jidao Sect, the head of the Eastern Region sects, was inferior to it.

“You really became a Tianxing Hall disciple?”

It wasn't that he didn't believe it; although his grandson was diligent in cultivation, he only had a Profound Spiritual Root. It wouldn't be easy to join Tianxing Hall.

But when he leaned closer and personally touched the token made of Scarlet Cloud Profound Jade, he had no choice but to believe it.

Scarlet Cloud Profound Jade was valuable; the value of this token alone was at least ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, so it definitely couldn't be faked.

“My Su Family has produced a dragon!”

Liu Rumei and Su Qingya exchanged glances. In the end, wouldn't the Su Family still have to rely on them?

As for Su Qingqiu, in the future, she could only live in a dilapidated wooden house with Chu Feng, never to have a chance to rise.

Just then, a servant ran in.

“Old Master, the Eldest Young Miss has returned with her husband.”

Hearing this, Su Qingtian's figure instantly appeared before the servant.

“Where is Qingqiu?”

The servant quickly pointed outside the courtyard and said tremblingly, “They just got off the carriage at the entrance and are walking in.”

Before he could finish speaking, Su Qingtian had already disappeared from the side courtyard.

Even if Su Qingqiu no longer had her spiritual root, she was still his beloved granddaughter, after all, their Su Family owed that person too much.

He had originally thought that he could make up for that debt to that person's daughter, but he didn't expect that he would probably only be able to take that guilt to his grave.

Looking at the afterimage left by Su Qingtian, Liu Rumei's expression couldn't help but darken.

“That b*tch is already a cripple, yet the Old Thing still can't let her go.”

Su Qingya, however, was not too annoyed by this; instead, she gently comforted her.

“I will let the Old Thing know who is most useful to the Su Family. That cripple is only fit to be my stepping stone.”

The reason she had invited Su Qingqiu back for the birthday banquet was to publicly humiliate this cripple.

She wanted everyone to know that the current Su Qingqiu wasn't even worthy of carrying her shoes.

Liu Rumei nodded slightly, then turned to look at her son.

“Qingan, why didn't the Holy Maiden return with you?”

The reason she had such confidence in the Su Family now was not only because Su Qingya had become the Holy Maiden of the Shangqing Sect, but also because her son had won the favor of the Tianxing Hall Holy Maiden.

If they could marry the Tianxing Hall Holy Maiden into the family, even the Shangqing Sect would have to show three points of respect to their Su Family.

Hearing this question, Su Qingan's expression couldn't help but dim.

“The Holy Maiden merely said that I don't need to worry about the Utility Disciple assessment and can always stay by her side as a follower.”

“What?” Liu Rumei frowned, “Didn't she promise to be your fiancée back then?”

Su Qingan couldn't help but clench his fists. Back then, the Tianxing Hall Holy Maiden had suffered a cultivation deviation, her spiritual root was corroded by demonic energy, making her unable to cultivate further, and she almost became a cripple, nearly being expelled from Tianxing Hall.

To win the Holy Maiden's favor, he told her about Su Qingqiu having a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

At that time, the Holy Maiden promised that as long as she could obtain the Heavenly Spiritual Root, she would be his fiancée.

But he didn't expect that after the matter was done, she would go back on her word, only keeping him by her side to be used like a dog.