Chapter 143 Before the storm had even passed, A-Fan nodded without hesitation…

Afan nodded without hesitation.

Old Hei was so shocked that she didn't know what to say. Her gaze lingered on Afan's face for a long time before she looked blankly at Lu Qing.

Lu Qing found it hard to accept that this troublesome guy, who was always causing trouble, actually had this kind of relationship with her. Recalling the ways she had tormented Lao Hei, Lu Qing looked up at the sky. It is said that a sapling will not grow straight if it is not pruned. The elders love and hate deeply, and the younger generation should be grateful.

Yes, that's exactly right.

Old Hei received no enlightenment from her and became even more bewildered. Lying in the grave for countless days and nights, she had repeatedly pondered why she had become that way. Her parents were ordinary people, and she wasn't a legendary cultivator; why had she become such an extraordinary being without any instruction? Now, she finally had an answer. But this answer left her with mixed feelings. "So, my beloved..."

Afan, having accompanied her through those years, naturally understood what she was asking. "Your husband, though handsome, was truly a man of questionable character. He married you because he thought your constitution was unusual. I tried to persuade you many times, but you wouldn't listen. I thought as long as it made you happy, it was fine. Later, when he achieved great success in his cultivation, he felt your constitution wasn't helpful to him, so he neglected you. I originally wanted to kill him to avenge you. But when you were seriously ill, he spared no expense in seeking medical help everywhere. Although he couldn't save you, he treated you very well during that time, and in the end, he arranged your funeral with great pomp and circumstance, even adopting a child into your name and offering incense. That's why I let him go. Later, his cultivation didn't progress, and he died of old age at over a hundred years old."

In other words, Nanbei's bloodline truly ended with Lao Hei.

Lu Qing was very puzzled, "Then why did you appear at the Fang family's house again?"

Afan sneered, "The Fang family has harmed Nan Bei so badly, how could I let them go? But it's just murder, they can just close their eyes and know nothing. How can I let this go? So I thought I'd make the Fang family pay the price, make them kill each other generation after generation, and never have peace."

Lu Qing really wanted to clap and cheer.

But Afan continued, "What I didn't expect was that before I could do anything, the Fang family was already fighting amongst themselves generation after generation. Moreover, the child I replaced spent a few years in the Divine Palace before returning to the Fang family. I felt guilty towards her, so I stayed by her side, thinking I could help her if I could. But the Fang family later discovered my identity and became even more convinced that the child was Nanbei's bloodline. They racked their brains to control her descendants. They didn't dare to offend me and made careful offerings every year. That's how I stayed."

"So, the second young lady of the Fang family, who was born out of wedlock..." Lu Qing wanted to confirm again.

"She is the bloodline of that child who was switched at birth. I've been following her all along. Her temper suits my taste, so I sometimes teach her a few tricks. The Fang family thought they could rest easy once they had her under their control, but I've been waiting to see their expressions when they find out the truth," Afan said sarcastically.

Having said that, all four fell silent. Old Hei finally stopped lamenting about Tanlang. She owed him, he owed her, and now that they were both dead, what else could be done? But her complicated and mysterious past, and Nanbei's hatred, could not be left unresolved.

"I'm going to kill the Fang family." Old Hei said whatever came to mind. "That's settled then." Anyway, Lu Qing couldn't kill her. Now that the truth was out, they were still family. She didn't believe Lu Qing could do anything to her now.

Lu Qing also wanted to teach the Fang family a lesson, but she didn't want to indulge Lao Hei's temper. This guy was getting too big for his britches, and if she let him run rampant, who knew what kind of trouble he would cause in the blink of an eye. So she looked at Wu Chen.

Wu Chen hadn't expected this outcome. But indeed, letting the Fang family go wouldn't resolve the matter. If Qi Wu found out, he might wipe the Fang family out overnight. In that case, innocent people would be implicated. He said to the old man, "Let me think about it. But without my approval, you are not allowed to kill indiscriminately."

"Those are all members of the Fang family!" Old Hei said indignantly.

“Miss Fang is also a member of the Fang family,” Wu Chen said. “Besides, if you can kill people whenever you want, what difference is there between you and the Fang family?”

Old Hei looked at Afan, whose expression was also conflicted. Although she usually treated Fang Lanxi coldly, she was, after all, a child she had watched grow up, and this child had never done anything wrong.

Old Hei also fell silent. It seemed that, apart from her grave, in this world, every person and every place was bound by unseen entanglements that prevented people from being free.

Qi Ying knocked on the door. "My lord, the Fang family patriarch requests an audience."

"Why don't we kill him first to vent our anger!" Old Hei refused to give up.

Lu Qing also shook his head, "Not for now. Whether it's murder or fighting, there has to be a legitimate reason. What happened back then has nothing to do with the current clan chief Fang. If we go out to reason with him, we won't have the upper hand. Let's hear what he has to say first. Maybe, like what A Fan experienced, we don't even need to do anything; they'll just seek their own death."

Wu Chen nodded. "You all go sit in the back first. I'd like to hear what he has to say."

The three then went behind the screen. Old Hei's eyes darted around, and it was unclear what trick he was plotting.

Lu Qing sighed, "Don't think that just because we're related now, you can do whatever you want. If you dare to mess around, I'll send you back to the Western Wilderness, where there are things far more terrifying than the Abyss of Earthfire." Lu Qing thought of Qi Wu and smiled genuinely, "At that time, you'll definitely miss me terribly."

Old Hei could tell whether Lu Qing's smile was genuine or not, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. "What existence?"

"Someone who can make you miss me sincerely every day, and cry and shout to run to me." Lu Qing clapped her hands and suddenly felt that this was a good idea. The Western Wilderness was so big, and Qi Wu was particularly good at dealing with naughty children. Old Hei could probably "live a carefree life".

"I'm not going." Old Black frowned. Although she said that Lu Qing "bullied" her, she knew perfectly well how Lu Qing treated her.

"If you don't want to go, you have to listen to me." Lu Qing lazily pulled two porcelain bottles out of her sleeve and tossed them to her. "Put some medicine on A Fan. Look at the slash on his forehead, he almost looked like he could be steamed with snake brains."

Footsteps were heard outside, and the three of them immediately fell silent.

Chief Fang entered alone to see Wu Chen, saying, "Greetings, High Priest."

Wu Chen said calmly, "What is it?"

Chief Fang looked at his calm and indifferent face, feeling uneasy. He hadn't expected the new priest to be so young and so dignified. He chuckled dryly, "Having learned that Your Excellency is here, I have come to pay my respects and congratulate you on your succession."

Wu Chen simply hummed in agreement.

The Fang clan chief was also unsure of his meaning. "These are gifts from the Fang family. They are not particularly valuable, but they represent the Fang family's goodwill. Please take a look, sir."

"No need." Wu Chen didn't even look at it.

Chief Fang chuckled dryly, “This gift is rather special. The High Priest may not know, but there is a branch of my family with a deep connection to the Divine Palace.”

"oh?"

“Yes. I dare not deceive you, sir. One of my ancestors once went to the Western Wilderness, saw the Spirit Fruit, and married it, having children with it.” As the clan chief spoke, he secretly observed Wu Chen’s expression. Seeing that Wu Chen did not seem surprised, he felt slightly relieved, thinking that Wu Chen must know the inside story to have gained the upper hand in the Divine Palace’s struggle this time. “Everyone says that the Spirit Fruit is a spiritual fruit, but in fact, when the Spirit Fruit ripens and falls to the ground, it can transform into a human. Back then, a priest from the Zou family came here specifically to take away this Spirit Fruit.”

Wu Chen couldn't help but sneer, "And then?"

Clan Chief Fang couldn't fathom Wu Chen's meaning. "Although that Spirit Fruit has left, her bloodline descendants have always lived in the Fang family. If you, sir, take them in as maids to serve you."

Wu Chen could only sneer, "No need. The mistakes the Zou family made will soon be known throughout the world. I have no interest in those crooked ways. Is there anything else?"

"Unorthodox methods?" Clan Chief Fang was indignant. The reason the Divine Palace became a Divine Palace was because Zou Yubo ate the Spirit Fruit. The Zou family had gone to great lengths to obtain the Spirit Fruit before, so how could Wu Chen, who inherited the position of High Priest, not know this? Could it be that, as he suspected, Wu Chen had obtained the real Spirit Fruit, which was why he looked down on it? Oh well, if Wu Chen didn't want it, then Zhan Yantai would surely be interested. Clan Chief Fang was somewhat displeased. "There's another matter. The younger members of my family accompanied our distinguished guests last night and haven't returned. We've searched everywhere but haven't found them, so we've come to bother Your Excellency. We wonder if Your Excellency knows their whereabouts?"

Wu Chen did not answer his question. "I don't know your younger generation, but yesterday I encountered a few petty thieves who dared to offend me and tried to assassinate me. They have all been apprehended and are awaiting their fate."

Chief Fang was taken aback. "Is there some misunderstanding?"

Wu Chen smiled, "So assassinating a priest can also be explained by the excuse of misunderstanding. I wonder if the Fang family has some misunderstanding about me, thinking that I am easy to talk to because I am young? Moreover, the Fang clan chief knew that these petty scoundrels were all from the Fang family before even seeing them. Could it be that the Fang clan chief was also in the know?"

"No, no, no, Your Excellency, you misunderstand." Clan Chief Fang's expression changed. "I was just anxious to find the person and hadn't thought of these details yet."

Wu Chen's smile vanished. "Then I won't delay Clan Chief Fang's search any longer." He picked up his teacup, showing no intention of continuing the pleasantries.

Chief Fang was surprised by Wu Chen's reaction and could only leave awkwardly.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2020-11-09 14:09:32 and 2020-11-11 11:44:23!

Thank you to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Gobi Desert 30 bottles; Someone passing by 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!