212: Write with your blood

Jiang Shan kowtowed like a pounding pestle.

"Was it your idea to instruct Xu Hai to kidnap my maid?"

"Yes... ah, no! It wasn't!"

Jiang Shan nodded subconsciously at first, then reacted and shook his head frantically.

"It wasn't me, it really wasn't me, Celestial Venerable!"

"Oh, then who was it?"

Han Qing's tone didn't change in the slightest.

Jiang Shan hurriedly cried out, "It was Zhang Lingfeng of the Qingxuan Sect from the Zixiao Domain who instructed me! I was just being used as his tool!"

"Zhang Lingfeng?"

A sharp glint flashed in Han Qing's eyes. "Explain clearly."

Jiang Shan didn't dare to hide anything and recounted the entire sequence of events.

As it turned out, this Zhang Lingfeng was a Core Disciple of the Qingxuan Sect, a first-rate Sect in the Zixiao Domain, and held a very high status.

Jiang Shan had always wanted to join the Qingxuan Sect, so he had tried every possible way to curry favor with this Young Master Zhang.

Just half a month ago, Zhang Lingfeng had come to the Tianxuan Domain.

To please him, Jiang Shan had hosted an extremely lavish banquet at the Listening Wind Villa, inviting most of the young masters from the noble families of the Tianxuan Domain to accompany him.

After several rounds of drinks, for some reason, Zhang Lingfeng suddenly brought up Han Qing.

Joined by several other Sect Disciples from the Zixiao Domain, they began to jeer, and with a mix of half-joking and half-coercion, they egged Jiang Shan on.

They told him to find a way to mess with someone close to the heavenly desolation sword devil to dampen his arrogance.

"Young Master Zhang said that you're just a monkey acting like a king because there's no tiger in the mountain."

"He also said that whoever dares to touch your woman would be slapping your face, and only then would they be considered truly gutsy, and only then would he look upon them with respect."

While Jiang Shan spoke, he secretly observed Han Qing's expression.

Han Qing's face remained devoid of any emotion.

However, the Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable could clearly feel that the surrounding air seemed to have grown a few degrees colder.

"Give me a list of everyone who attended that banquet."

Han Qing spoke coldly.

"Ah?"

Jiang Shan's face fell. "Celestial Venerable, there's no paper or pen here."

"Do you think... I could have someone go and get some?"

Han Qing reached out and grabbed Jiang Shan's right index finger.

*Crack!*

The crisp sound of bone snapping rang out, accompanied by Jiang Shan's pig-like shriek.

His index finger was snapped by Han Qing with brute force; the jagged white bone pierced through the flesh, and blood sprayed out.

"If there's no pen, then write with your blood."

The intense pain made Jiang Shan's vision go dark, and he nearly fainted.

But his survival instinct prevented him from showing the slightest disobedience.

He sprawled on the ground, using that broken finger which was gushing with blood.

On the smooth, warm jade floor, he tremblingly wrote down name after name.

"Li Qingfeng, Deng Qiao, Zhuang Ziyu..."

Each name represented a prominent Family in the Tianxuan Domain.

After hastily writing down over a dozen names, Jiang Shan felt as if all the strength in his body had been drained.

He lay on the ground and pleaded, "Celestial Venerable, they are all here. Please, I beg you, let me go!"

Han Qing stared into Jiang Shan's eyes and asked one final question.

"What is your relationship with that Zhang Lingfeng?"

Although Jiang Shan had been beaten into a daze, his mind wasn't broken.

He instantly understood Han Qing's meaning—this was his final chance.

Jiang Shan said without hesitation, "In response to the Celestial Venerable, my relationship with him is very ordinary."

"He doesn't treat me as a friend at all; he just treats me like a dog he can order around at will."

To save his life, Jiang Shan desperately belittled himself to distance himself from the connection.

"If you want to take revenge on him, this lowly one has a way!"

"Speak."

Han Qing finally nodded.

Jiang Shan's spirits lifted, and he hurriedly said, "Zhang Lingfeng's mother is from our Tianxuan Domain."

"Years ago, she had a brief fling with his father and was abandoned after giving birth to him."

"Although Zhang Lingfeng looks down on his mother's background, he secretly returns to the Tianxuan Domain once a month to visit her and bring Medicinal Pills and resources to fulfill his filial duty."

"As long as we go through his mother, we will definitely be able to find him!"

"Mm."

Han Qing nodded; the clues were now connected.

Zixiao Domain, Qingxuan Sect, Zhang Lingfeng.

The mysterious force that had been coveting the Four Seas Immortal Alliance from the shadows was likely inseparable from this person and the Qingxuan Sect.

Han Qing stood up and straightened his robes.

He calmly glanced at the Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable beside him.

A single look was enough.

The Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable immediately took a step forward, killing intent surging from him as he prepared to finish off this piece of trash who no longer had any use.

Seeing the Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable's large hand about to descend, Jiang Shan suffered a Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering fright, and a wet, hot warmth spread through his crotch.

The fear of death caused a strong desire for survival to erupt within him.

"Don't kill me, don't kill me!"

He screamed, "I have other news that will definitely be useful to you!"

The Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable's movements paused slightly, and he turned to look at Han Qing, waiting for his instructions.

Han Qing raised an eyebrow, signaling for him to continue.

Seeing this, Jiang Shan acted as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, speaking as fast as a string of firecrackers.

"The Li Family of the Tianxuan Domain and the people from the Jiyang Domain are about to make a move against you!"

"The Li Family secretly joined the Hundred Families Alliance long ago. That is a massive Alliance composed of hundreds of powerful cultivation families from across the Eight Great Heavenly Domains."

"They do not allow the emergence of transcendent powers like the Four Seas Immortal Alliance. Your existence has already severely damaged the interests of the Hundred Families Alliance in the Tianxuan Domain!"

"Hundred Families Alliance?"

A flicker of emotion appeared in Han Qing's eyes; this was the first time he had heard of this organization.

"Let him explain clearly."

Han Qing stopped the Star-Gathering Celestial Venerable, who was preparing to strike again.

At this moment, Jiang Shan didn't care if he exposed Family secrets; he only wanted to survive.

"Yes! Yes!"

He lay on the ground, panting heavily, and told everything he knew.

"A few days ago, the head of the Li Family, Li Daoran, secretly visited my grandfather and requested that our Jiang Family cooperate with their actions."

"They said they would unite with experts from the Jiyang Domain hidden in the Tianxuan Domain to strike together, wipe out the Four Seas Immortal Alliance in one fell swoop, and seize all your properties."

Han Qing listened silently, sinking into thought.

When had he ever offended people from the Jiyang Domain?

Zhang Lingfeng from the Zixiao Domain, the mysterious experts from the Jiyang Domain, plus this suddenly emerging Hundred Families Alliance.

The chaotic clues were like an interwoven spiderweb, making Han Qing feel a bit of a headache for a moment.

Behind these seemingly disorganized clues, there had to be an invisible hand pushing everything.

And the ultimate goal of this hand was him, as well as the Four Seas Immortal Alliance he had built with his own hands.

"One last question."

Han Qing looked at Jiang Shan. "What is the purpose of the Jiyang Domain people coming to the Tianxuan Domain?"

Jiang Shan shook his head blankly. "This... this I really don't know."

"Grandfather didn't say, and I didn't dare to ask."

"I only know that they are very strong; even the Li Family has to be extremely respectful to them."