Chapter 186 The Secret Guarded by the Shangguan Family

Xiaobai's questioning with a tearful voice was like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.

In an instant, all eyes, questioning, angry, and uncertain, were focused on the livid-faced Shangguan Hong, the head of the Shangguan family.

The air seemed to freeze, even the aroma of the hot pot dissipated, leaving only heavy silence and undercurrents.

"Don't talk nonsense." Shangguan Hong slammed the table fiercely, his voice like a bell, "My Shangguan family has a good reputation for generations, how could we do such a despicable thing."

His eyes were as fast as lightning, sweeping across the entire place, finally settling on an elder in the corner who looked a little panicked.

"Third Elder, you are in full charge of the Peach Banquet. Please come out and explain to me what is going on."

The third elder who was named trembled and his eyes flickered. He did not look at Shangguan Hong, but pointed at him tremblingly.

"Master...Master...it's...it's your order."

"You said...you said these people might threaten the status of our Shangguan family, so let's...strike first..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar.

This reversal is even more outrageous than the Nine Turns of the Large Intestine.

Shangguan Hong was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at the Third Elder and said, "You... you are slandering me."

Just when the situation was tense and the Shangguan family was about to be trapped in an untenable situation, Xiaobai's clear voice rang out again.

"Grandpa, there are black things crawling on your body." She tilted her little head and pointed at the third elder. Her big eyes were full of innocence, as if she had just seen something dirty.

Almost at the same time, Zulong Jinggan, who had been silent and standing behind Xiaobai like a background board, suddenly had a golden light flashing in his eyes.

An invisible and powerful dragon power pressed down on the Third Elder like a physical entity.

"puff."

The Third Elder was struck hard, and the protective aura shattered instantly. A few wisps of faint black mist escaped from his body uncontrollably.

"Demonic energy." A sharp-eyed monk exclaimed in surprise.

"It turns out that it was the evil cultivator who was causing trouble!"

"I said that the Shangguan family couldn't possibly..."

Public opinion suddenly reversed.

Lin Jingxuan, who was lying on the ground, cried out “Ouch!”, then stood up with full energy and brushed off the dust on his body. “I was so scared. I almost thought I was going to report to the reincarnation.”

That acting skill was so good that he could be called an actor. Third Senior Brother Nangong Wentian stepped forward at the right time, and a "Peach" appeared in his hand, which he squeezed casually.

“Crack.”

The "Peaches" shattered with a sound, revealing not the delicious flesh, but a ball of gray mist emitting a fishy smell, which was the real body of the "Fake Soul-Captivating Fruit".

"Please look, everyone. This is the true appearance of the fake peaches."

Nangong Wentian said loudly, "I think someone has secretly switched people, intending to harm you all and frame the Shangguan family."

He flipped his wrist, and dozens of jade bottles flew out, falling precisely into the hands of the "poisoned" guests who fell to the ground.

"This is the 'Qingxin Jie' (Pure Heart Eliminating Evil Pill)' specially made by my Qingling Sect. It can cure all kinds of poisons. Please feel free to take it."

The situation was under control again, and everyone expressed their gratitude to the Shangguan family and the Qingling Sect.

When the three elders saw that their conspiracy was exposed and the evil spirit was forced out, a trace of ruthlessness and despair flashed in their eyes.

He suddenly urged the remaining evil energy in his body, transforming it into a beam of black light, and tried to escape by force.

"Want to run?" Jing Gan snorted coldly and snapped his fingers.

A barely detectable spatial fluctuation flashed by.

"Bang..."

The third elder seemed to have hit an invisible wall and was bounced back hard, falling flat on his face.

He just struggled to raise his head, his eyes full of resentment, as if he wanted to say something.

"yes……"

Before he could finish his words, his pupils suddenly dilated and his body stiffened.

An extremely obscure black line emerged from the void like a ghost, pierced into his forehead, and disappeared in an instant.

The third elder died of suffocation.

Everything happened in a flash, so fast that most people only saw him try to escape and then die suddenly.

Only Xiaobai, with his unique eyes, could clearly capture the dark trace that controlled life and death like a puppeteer's thread.

Her heart suddenly shrank and her face turned pale.

What a terrible method.

Shangguan Hong looked at the corpse of the Third Elder, his face so gloomy that water could drip out of it. Then he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to everyone present.

"What happened today was caused by our Shangguan family's poor hospitality and poor judgment of people, which almost led to a disaster. On behalf of the Shangguan family, I would like to express my most sincere apologies to you all."

He immediately ordered his tribesmen, "Give generous gifts to make amends and make sure every frightened guest is satisfied."

After experiencing all these twists and turns and getting the antidote and apology, the guests naturally didn't say much and just said goodbye and left.

Soon, only the Qingling Sect and the core members of the Shangguan Family were left in the huge banquet hall.

Shangguan Hong walked up to Xiaobai and looked at the delicate little girl with complicated eyes.

Just now she pointed out the demonic aura and the pair of clear eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything, especially the unusual faint purple-gold halo that flashed in those eyes.

He thought of the ancient secret passed down from generation to generation in his family, as well as the portraits and instructions left by his ancestors.

Could it be... that it is really...

Shangguan Hong's heart was shaken, and he knelt on one knee with a thud!

"The current head of the Shangguan family, Shangguan Hong, pays respect to the goddess."

Behind him, all the core members of the Shangguan family, including several white-haired elders, knelt down with excited and pious expressions.

Xiaobai blinked his big eyes, a little confused.

"Uncle, why are you kneeling down again? The ground is cold."

Shangguan Hong raised his head, tears in his eyes, and choked up in his voice: "Our ancestors taught us that our Shangguan family has guarded one thing for generations, waiting for the goddess to reincarnate and return! I just saw that you have a keen eye that can see through the evil spirit, and I also saw your unique 'purple eyes', which are exactly the same as what our ancestors described! You must be the man that our ancestors followed back then."

"No wonder... No wonder those villains would deliberately target my Shangguan family. It turns out that they sensed your presence, or they came for that thing."

Xiao Bai became even more curious, "What is it?"

Shangguan Hong said solemnly: "When you died in your previous life, my ancestor risked his life to take back a trace of your essence from the enemy, and it was condensed into a Chaos Pearl."

"This pearl is made from your heart's blood, and contains the seed of a portion of your power. The ancestor left a will that this pearl must be returned to its original owner before it can regain its divine glory."

Chaos Orb? Heart Blood?

Xiaobai was confused by what he heard and his memories of his past life were still hazy.

But looking at the Shangguan family members in front of her who were so excited that they could hardly control themselves, the loyalty and expectation in their eyes transcended eternity and fell heavily on her small shoulders.

A warm current flows through my heart.

She didn't know what kind of person she was in her previous life that could make so many people follow her until death and protect her for generations.

But now, she is Xiaobai, the junior sister of Qingling Sect.

Her goal is very clear: to find the soul of Brother Jinggan, rescue her former companions, find out the mastermind behind the harm of her (in her previous life) and her companions, and then... then she can live a life of well-fed and free life every day, right?

Thinking of this, Xiaobai showed a serious expression on his face.

"Grandpa Shangguan, get up quickly."

She stepped forward and helped Shangguan Hong up, "Thank you for always protecting the Chaos Pearl."

"But I'm still very weak now, so it might be safer for me to keep the bead with you."

"The most urgent thing," she looked at her fellow brothers and sisters, "is that we continue on our journey and find more clues and partners."

Before leaving, Xiao Bai thought for a moment and said to Nangong Wentian, "Third Senior Brother, please leave some useful pills for Grandpa Shangguan and the others. Some for healing and restoring spiritual power."

Nangong Wentian nodded, "Don't worry, Junior Sister, I'll take care of it."

Xiaobai looked at Shen Yurong again: "Junior nephew Yuyan, could you please set up some powerful defensive formations here? I want the kind of unbreakable turtle shell."

Shen Yuyan smiled brightly and snapped her fingers, “It’s a small matter, I guarantee that they will be as strong as a rock, and not even a fly can fly in to make trouble.

Finally, Xiaobai said to Shangguan Hong and the Shangguan family members seriously:

"Grandpa Shangguan, and all the uncles and aunts, your most important task next is to protect yourself and live well."

"When I need the Chaos Orb, I will come back to find you."

"Self-protection is the greatest help to me."

After saying that, Xiaobai waved his little hand at them, turned around, and walked with his short legs, following his senior brothers and sisters and Jing Gan, out of the gate of the Shangguan family, embarking on a journey of searching full of unknowns and challenges.

The sunlight shone on her small back, as if it was also coated with a faint layer of sacred light.