Chapter 20 : Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Exterminating the Last Remnants of the Su Family
Su Qiong’s reaction was swift. He rolled across the ground and narrowly avoided the cold arrow.
He whipped his head around, and his face instantly turned ugly.
At some point, black-robed figures had appeared along the surrounding eaves, sealing off the entire side room so tightly that not even water could leak through.
The main door slowly opened...
A tall, imposing old man, escorted by several black-robed cultivators, strode in at an unhurried pace.
“The youngest Physical Body Realm cultivator of the Su family, Su Qiong?”
The old man recognized Su Qiong at a glance and narrowed his eyes coldly.
Su Qiong recognized him as well. It was Li Xuanzhong, the Li family’s Second Elder. In that instant, his heart sank into utter despair.
If the Li family had managed to track him down here, then it meant the Jiang family had sold him out.
So much for a marriage alliance that had lasted for generations, Su Qiong thought with bitter self-mockery.
“Su Qiong, there is no escape for you now. If you surrender, I can at least let you keep your dignity.”
Li Xuanzhong spoke flatly.
Su Qiong answered with open ridicule, “In your dreams!”
“In that case, don’t blame me!”
A murderous chill flashed through Li Xuanzhong’s eyes.
He wasted no more words. The aura of Physical Body Realm Perfection erupted from him in an instant, and he attacked Su Qiong directly.
Feeling that overwhelming pressure, Su Qiong’s heart lurched.
Physical Body Realm Perfection?
When had the Li family’s Second Elder broken through as well?
He had no time to think further. In the blink of an eye, Li Xuanzhong was already in front of him.
He threw a punch, the wind of it howling sharply.
Su Qiong wanted to dodge, but it was too late.
Grinding his teeth, he could only force himself to block.
But how could a cultivator at Physical Body Realm Major Accomplishment possibly contend with one at Physical Body Realm Perfection?
Li Xuanzhong’s punch snapped Su Qiong’s arm and then slammed heavily into his chest.
The force sent Su Qiong flying. He crashed hard into a beam inside the room.
“Pff!”
A spray of blood burst from his mouth. At that moment, Su Qiong felt as if all his internal organs had been shattered.
He struggled to rise, but there was no strength left anywhere in his body.
His life force was draining away at a frantic pace...
In his fading vision, he seemed to see his elder brothers beckoning to him.
“I’m sorry... Second Brother... I let you all down...”
Watching Su Qiong gradually lose his final breath, Li Xuanzhong said expressionlessly, “The rest of the Su family remnants are yours.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Behind him, the Li family’s black-robed cultivators surged into the side room.
One after another, the Su family’s surviving embers were butchered mercilessly in their sleep.
A short while later...
“Elder, the Su family remnants have all been executed!”
A black-robed cultivator reported respectfully.
Li Xuanzhong nodded in satisfaction. Now he could return and report to the Family Head.
The group withdrew from the side room.
Head-on, they encountered a group from the Jiang family hurrying over.
At the front was the Jiang family’s Old Ancestor.
The moment he saw Li Xuanzhong, the Jiang family’s Old Ancestor strode forward and said deferentially, “Jiang Zhonghe of the Jiang family greets the Li family Elder.”
“So it is Old Family Head Jiang. This time, we have your Jiang family to thank for helping us wipe out the Su family remnants.”
Li Xuanzhong spoke politely.
“I would not dare claim such credit. To be of service to the Li family is my honor.”
Looking at Jiang Zhonghe’s humble expression, Li Xuanzhong could not help sighing inwardly.
Though they were both cultivators at Physical Body Realm Perfection, the Jiang family’s Old Ancestor still had to bow his head before him. That was the confidence given by the powerful family standing behind him.
“I will report this matter to the Family Head. The Li family will not forget your merit.”
Jiang Zhonghe’s eyes brightened, and the smile on his face deepened.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Li Xuanzhong finally departed with his men.
...
Only after Li Xuanzhong and the others had disappeared from sight did Jiang Zhonghe let out a long breath.
At his side, the Jiang family’s Second Master finally could not hold back and said, “Father, the Li family people really put on airs. He’s only a Li family Elder, yet he’s worth—”
Before he could finish, he saw Jiang Zhonghe’s gaze turning colder and colder, and wisely shut his mouth.
Only then did Jiang Zhonghe say, “The one I respect is not him. It is the Li family behind him. It is that monster behind him.”
After saying that, he turned to look at the Jiang family’s Family Head, who had remained silent all this time, and said indifferently, “You should be thanking your second younger brother in this matter. If not for him, our Jiang family would already have been destroyed by your hands.”
Jiang Chenghe glanced at the smug Second Master Jiang and sighed. “Father, our Jiang family and the Su family have been old friends for a hundred years. Was there really any need to do things so absolutely?”
“Silence.”
Jiang Zhonghe barked the word.
“Impulsive, soft-hearted, weak as a woman. How did I never realize before what a fool you were?”
Faced with his father’s merciless public rebuke, Jiang Chenghe’s face turned extremely ugly, yet he did not dare argue back.
“I heard Su Yue has always been in poor health?”
Jiang Zhonghe suddenly asked a question that left Jiang Chenghe completely at a loss.
“Yue’er’s health has always...”
But the moment he saw the coldness in Jiang Zhonghe’s eyes, Jiang Chenghe seemed to understand.
It was as if he had suddenly fallen into an ice pit. His entire body turned cold.
His voice trembling, he said, “Father, she is my wife—Min’er’s mother.”
“So what? The Jiang family cannot be allowed to leave behind any hidden danger.”
“Do not say I am forcing you. I will give you two choices. First, you personally send her on her way. Second, you step down as Family Head, have your name removed from the Jiang family genealogy, and I will permit you to take her far away.”
Jiang Zhonghe spoke flatly.
“Think carefully, Chenghe.”
With that, he turned and left with his people.
Only Jiang Chenghe remained behind, standing there like a statue.
The next day—
News spread from the Jiang family.
The Jiang family’s mistress, Su Yue, had suddenly fallen gravely ill and died beyond treatment.
...
Qingfeng Valley, the Family Head’s courtyard.
Li Xingge looked at Li Xuanzhong before him. His aura seemed somewhat stronger than before.
After probing his cultivation, Li Xingge said with delighted surprise, “Second Elder, you broke through?”
Li Xuanzhong laughed heartily. “After the last bloody battle, I gained some insight. Not long after returning to the family, I broke through.”
Li Xingge clapped his hands and laughed, saying “Good!” three times in a row.
“My Li family has gained another cultivator at Physical Body Realm Perfection. This is truly cause for celebration.”
The Second Elder laughed loudly. “It is all thanks to the Family Head.”
“Since when did the dignified Elder of the Enforcement Hall learn to flatter people?”
Li Xingge said helplessly.
“Family Head, I speak only the truth.”
Li Xuanzhong’s face was utterly serious.
“If not for the Family Head turning the tide, forget breaking through—there would probably already be grass three feet high on my grave.”
“All right, all right.”
Li Xingge waved a hand, cutting him off.
Then he changed the subject. “Second Elder, you came to see me for something?”
“Yes, Family Head. It concerns the Su family remnants. I came specifically to report to you.”
Li Xingge stood up at once. “Have there been news of the Su family remnants?”
“Yes. And I personally led the operation and wiped them out completely. Not a single one was missed.”
Li Xuanzhong smiled.
Hearing that, Li Xingge showed a satisfied smile.
“You handled this matter well.”
The smile on Li Xuanzhong’s face deepened.
“Family Head, it was only my duty. This time, we were able to sweep up the Su family remnants so smoothly largely because the Jiang family tipped us off. Otherwise, I fear they really might have escaped.”
“Oh?”
Li Xingge raised a brow, interested now. “Tell me.”
As Li Xuanzhong recounted the matter in detail, Li Xingge shook his head and smiled lightly.
“This Jiang family does know how to follow the wind. Still, only such a family can endure for the long term.”
“Since the Jiang family helped us this time, the Li family should not be stingy either. All the Su family properties over in Qishan Town can go to them.”
“If the Third Elder hears of this, he’ll probably come to the Family Head and grumble again.”
Li Xuanzhong said this with obvious delight at the thought.
At that, Li Xingge rubbed his forehead helplessly and sighed.
That Third Elder was good in every way—except that he was far too miserly. He quibbled over everything.
Even now that the Li family had grown large and prosperous, he still could not change that hoarding disposition.
Still, Li Xingge knew that when it came to matters of principle, the Third Elder never once wavered.
For instance, the last time they went to the prefectural city to buy the Qi-Blood Pill, he had produced twelve thousand taels of gold without a second word.
Seeing such a youthful side of the Family Head was rare, and Li Xuanzhong could not help sighing inwardly.
When the children of other families were still hiding beneath the protection of their elders, the Li family’s own Family Head was already holding up the sky for over a thousand members of the clan.
In the end, it was simply that these old men were useless.
“Oh, right. Second Elder, tomorrow morning I will convene a high-level family meeting in the council hall. All senior members of the family must attend. I have already notified everyone else. You were the only one left.”
Li Xuanzhong nodded solemnly.
“I understand, Family Head. I will certainly be there on time.”
“Good. If there is nothing else, you may go. I will not keep you. I still have a mountain of clan affairs to deal with.”
Li Xingge said this with a slight headache.
The family had expanded rapidly in recent days, and many matters required him, the Family Head, to make the final decision.
Li Xingge was suffering and happy in equal measure.