“Master is wise, but don’t forget the agreement from three years ago. Now that Liu Yingyue has completed her mission and will be widely known upon her return, with the ancestors protecting her, no one can force her into a political marriage.”
Lady Liu Er, Madam Lü, said sternly.
“Wife, there’s no need to worry. Since Elder Brother is no longer here, the agreement is naturally void.”
Liu Biao appeased.
“Whether it’s void or not is probably not for you to decide, but for the Ancestor to decide. You should know her character and conduct best.”
Madam Lü reminded him.
“So what? She only has some prestige but no real power. Can she really go against me?”
Liu Biao said with full confidence.
“Why do you lie to yourself, Master? The Ancestor in the Liu family not only has some prestige, but considerable prestige, almost to the point of one call and a hundred responses. Otherwise, why would you need her permission to become Clan Leader?”
Madam Lü retorted with a light laugh, then added, “If your opinions diverge, I dare to guarantee that those who support her will definitely be more numerous than those who support you. At that time, you might become a commander without any troops.”
Liu Biao wanted to speak but stopped, his expression turning very displeased. After a long while, he said, “Then do you mean for me to abandon the political marriage? That’s probably not possible. We have already received many benefits from the Hai family. If we break our word, we might face repercussions.”
“Master, we’ve been together for decades. Do you think I’m the type of person who would back down?”
Madam Lü smiled cryptically.
“Then what do you mean, wife?”
Liu Biao asked thoughtfully.
“The Ancestor is already over a hundred years old. The reason she can live this long is all thanks to the longevity-extending medicine you gave her. Find an opportunity to test her intentions. If she relents, all the better. If she dares to defy you, then find a reason to stop the medicine. With her health, she won’t last long. Perhaps she can be buried with Elder Brother then.”
Madam Lü strategized.
Liu Biao fell into deep thought and after a moment, gritted his teeth and said, “It shall be as my wife suggests.”
“This is what a true man should do, decisive and resolute. In fact, I’m not only asking you to confront her for the sake of the political marriage, but also for our future. As long as the Ancestor is disobedient, you, as Clan Leader, will forever be a nominal one.”
Madam Lü showed admiration on her face.
“Humph, as long as she is dealt with, the Liu family will be under my control. Then, whoever I want Liu Yingyue to marry, she will obediently marry, or else she can change her surname.”
Liu Biao then laughed triumphantly. Using someone else’s daughter for profit was simply a win-win deal.
…
On the other side, Qi Huang and the others were still on a long journey. After chatting during this time, she had a further understanding of the Liu family. For example, the Ancestor was actually over a hundred and ten years old.
“Is your great-grandmother a cultivator? Why is she so long-lived?”
Qi Huang was greatly surprised. Knowing that in troubled times, it was already a blessing for an ordinary person to live to sixty.
“My great-grandmother is not a cultivator.”
Liu Yingyue smiled, then her face showed a complex expression. “Actually, her ability to live this long is all thanks to the medicine my second uncle gave her.”
“Your second uncle? You mean Liu Biao, who secretly caused trouble for you?”
Qi Huang was even more surprised.
“Yes, although my second uncle is indeed a bit materialistic, he still has some connections. He met some incredibly powerful immortal elder somewhere, and over the years, relying on the immortal medicine provided by that person, he has repeatedly saved my great-grandmother from the clutches of death.”
Liu Yingyue explained.
“Uh…”
Qi Huang was speechless. She hadn’t expected the situation in the Liu family to be more complicated than she thought. After a moment of thought, she asked, “Sister, forgive me for being intrusive, but with your father’s death, your second uncle, as the acting Clan Leader, will be officially appointed. Moreover, with your great-grandmother under his control, won’t he be able to cover the sky with one hand and do whatever he pleases in the Liu family?”
“…”
Liu Yingyue did not answer, which was an implicit confirmation.
“Then what if your second uncle forces you into a political marriage? With his character, he could really do it!”
Qi Huang asked curiously.
“That’s why I don’t know if I can come out again after returning home this time. It’s laughable that I’ve struggled for three years, not only failing to change the outcome, but also causing my father to die with regrets. I’m truly an unfilial daughter!”
Liu Yingyue’s delicate face showed a look of melancholy.
“Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, you’ll definitely be able to get out.”
Qi Huang confidently assured her. It was just longevity medicine, wasn’t it? She had prepared a lot for her grandfather. Even if it wasn’t useful, it was easy to find out who sold the medicine to Liu Biao.
Liu Yingyue smiled noncommittally, not taking it seriously at all.
“Sister, then why do they all call you Ninth Miss?”
Qi Huang changed the subject.
“Because I’m the ninth child in the family, with eight older brothers and sisters ahead of me.”
Liu Yingyue tidied up her emotions and replied.
“Are you sure it’s in the family? Not within the clan?”
Qi Huang asked, shocked.
“My dear sister, you have no common sense at all. Which family’s children’s rankings include their cousins?”
Liu Yingyue was somewhat speechless.
“Then how many wives and concubines did your father have? It’s not possible that all eight of your older brothers and sisters were born to your mother alone, is it?”
Qi Huang asked curiously.
“Are you taking my mother for a pig? Giving birth to a litter?”
Liu Yingyue playfully tapped Qi Huang’s little head and said, “Before my mother joined the family, my father had married two previous wives. The first one died of illness, and the second one fell in love with someone else. My eight older brothers and sisters were born to them.”
“So that’s how it is. However, the Liu family is the number one prestigious family in the Xihui Dynasty. There are still women who are not satisfied with your father falling in love with someone else.”
Qi Huang said with surprise.
“You are too young and haven’t traveled much! This Cultivation World is truly vast, what is the Xihui Dynasty in comparison.”
Liu Yingyue sighed to herself.
At this moment, Qi Huang’s spiritual sense suddenly detected something abnormal. Dozens of strangers with weapons were chasing them from behind, all looking fierce and clearly having malicious intent.
“Sister, there’s something exciting to watch.”
Qi Huang said in a teasing tone.
“What is it?”
Liu Yingyue looked confused.
Qi Huang did not answer, but slyly raised her delicate eyebrows, because those guys were clearly ordinary people, not even enough to tickle the guards and cultivators outside.
Soon after, the group caught up and surrounded Liu family’s entourage.
“Stop! You in the sedan chair, get out! Leave your goods and women, or die!”
The scarred middle-aged man leading them held a large saber and commanded in a hoarse voice.
‘It’s indeed robbers!’
Qi Huang was not surprised. The troubled times had given rise to many demons and monsters, and of course, also these villains who were no better than demons and monsters.
“Miss, please don’t get out!”
Xia Wei’s voice came from outside the sedan chair.
Liu Yingyue hesitated for a moment, then stood up and got down. After all, as the leader, if she acted like a turtle in a shell, the impact would not be good regardless of the outcome.
Qi Huang naturally followed her down. She loved watching dramatic events the most.
“How dare you block my path? Have you gotten tired of living and want to be a ghost?”
A cultivator who had been to Broken Cloud Peak cursed. His name was He Zhou.
“How bold! I’ve been running rampant on this road for over ten years, and no one has ever dared…”
The scar-faced man was enraged and yelled back, but his words stopped abruptly because he had already seen Liu Yingyue and Qi Huang.
“Oh my! Today is indeed a lucky day. I didn’t expect such a small entourage to have three top-quality goods. How much will they sell for?”
The scar-faced man’s eyes lit up with greed.
“Esteemed brother, this young lady has urgent business to attend to at home and doesn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble. If you could be so kind as to let us pass, I am willing to offer a generous reward!”
Liu Yingyue said very politely. She wasn’t timid, but she didn’t want to see the people around her bleed.
“Generous reward? What generous reward? Money? How much do you think you’re worth? If you offer yourself in marriage, I might consider it, haha…”
The scar-faced bandit said lewdly.
“Can’t we negotiate?”
Liu Yingyue immediately lost interest and said to the people around her, “Since we can’t negotiate, please take care of these bandits. Be careful.”
“Just a bunch of trash, I’m enough for all of them!”
He Zhou contemptuously sneered, drew his long sword, and charged forward. Instantly, sword energy crisscrossed, and limbs flew. It was as easy for a Guiyi Realm cultivator to kill twenty-odd bandits as it was for an ordinary person to step on twenty-odd ants.
“So strong! Is this a cultivator? I can’t even see his movements clearly!”
Xia Wei’s mouth widened in shock.
“I initially thought Miss’s remuneration was too high, but now it seems it’s more than worth it.”
“Yes, with him here, we won’t need to lift a finger along the way.”
“When we reach the Imperial Capital, I suggest we all kowtow to him. On the surface, he’s protecting Miss, but in reality, he’s protecting all of us.”
…
The three male guards were also greatly impressed, each lamenting that the money spent by Miss was worth it.
“Brother He, leave one for me! Don’t steal all the glory!”
Tian Yu of the HuXiao Sect was displeased, so he transformed into an afterimage and rushed towards the last few people.
“Hmph, you dream of stealing my thunder!”
He Zhou snorted coldly, his sword’s speed becoming even more astonishing as he began to reap the lives of the last few bandits.
“That’s all, done. You’re too slow…”
After killing the last bandit, He Zhou turned around and mocked triumphantly, but before he could finish his sentence, the opponent’s long sword had already ghost-like approached him, piercing straight through his left chest.
“You… why…”
He Zhou slowly fell down with a face full of confusion and fear. He couldn’t understand why the other party had attacked him. Was it just because he stole his thunder?
“He Zhou? I’ll make sure you don’t even get to drink congee!”
After killing He Zhou with one sword, Tian Yu turned towards the entourage he belonged to and said, “Alright, the bandit has now become this immortal elder. The women and valuables are all mine, as for the men, they all have to die!”
