Chapter 36 Your Brother is Dead "I thought it was one of the legitimate wives, but it turns out..."

(36)

The phrase "poisoning a member of the Shang family" is truly terrifying when put together. Legend has it that a hundred years ago, the eldest son of a highly valued branch of the Shang family was murdered. The Shang family head at the time was furious and ordered the massacre of the entire city. Since then, no one in the cultivation world has dared to lay a hand on a member of the Shang family, and even demonic cultivators would give him a wide berth.

Xie Liyi felt even more worried when she thought of her younger sister's fearless nature.

How did she get involved in this kind of thing?

Although Ge'er was spoiled by him, he would never kill someone. There must be another reason. Someone else must have done something bad and framed Ge'er. If he finds out who did it, he will not let him off easily!

Xie Liyi followed her junior brother quickly toward the main hall, her heart filled with anxiety, unaware that someone was following behind her.

"How is Yun Ge now?"

The sound suddenly rang out, and Xie Liyi turned her head to look, only to find that Chu Li had also followed.

The junior brother said without turning his head, "Those people just told her to go and question her first. They haven't done anything to her yet. This matter has blown up too much, and it may be difficult to handle. When we went to find Master Sword Immortal, he was in seclusion. The sect leader is dealing with them right now."

Even the sect leader has intervened. Xie Liyi had a headache. She turned to Chu Li and said, "This matter has nothing to do with you. You don't need to come. Go back."

Although Chu Li was once the young mistress of a merchant family, she and her husband had eloped long ago and had no further connection with the merchant family. Even if she went there, it wouldn't change anything.

Chu Li followed him sheepishly and whispered, "I think I'd better go take a look."

If Yun Ge exposes her, she'll still have to make another trip.

Xie Liyi had no time to say more. He hurriedly led his men to the main hall, where he saw many disciples gathered outside. He pushed through the crowd and saw Xie Yunge standing inside the hall, arguing with someone.

"There is no such logic in the world. You have to endure being bullied. They provoked me first. I was just arguing with them. As for why they were poisoned, I suppose someone else took a dislike to them and stepped in to help them."

Xie Liyi's forehead throbbed with excitement. She quickly stepped forward and pulled the person behind her, saying, "Ge'er, be mindful of your behavior."

Xie Yunge turned to look at him, but immediately saw Chu Li behind Xie Liyi. She opened her eyes slightly and said in a low voice, "Why are you here? Go back quickly, I'll take care of things here."

Hearing her words, Chu Li was stunned for a moment.

Chu Li had experienced similar things before. She would steal things with others, agree on who would do the work and who would cover for them, and swear a solemn oath never to betray each other. However, when the other person was caught, they would still betray her without hesitation.

She took it for granted, considered it commonplace, and even thought that perhaps it should be this way.

She and Xie Yunge were only casual acquaintances, yet Xie Yunge was willing to bear the merchants' anger alone for her.

Why?

Why do I feel a warm glow in my heart?

As Chu Li watched her reliable back as she turned to confront the Shang family, something in her heart seemed about to burst forth.

She reached out and grabbed Xie Yunge's wrist, whispering, "Yunge, let me do it."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Yunge and Xie Liyi looked at her in surprise.

"Don't talk nonsense, go back now."

"This is none of your business, don't interfere."

The brother and sister rejected Chu Li in unison, proving that they were indeed a family connected by blood and had very similar personalities.

She liked the brother and sister. Even though they had experienced a tragic past, they had grown into upright and courageous people, completely opposite to Chu Li's insidious, selfish, and unscrupulous nature.

"I killed him."

As soon as she finished speaking, the hall fell silent. Xie Yunge stared at her in disbelief.

Chu Li pulled her behind him, protecting her like he would protect Yin Yin.

She also wanted to try a different life, one where she no longer had to be timid and hesitant, but could live an upright and honorable life like Xie Yunge.

“I killed him. Such a scoundrel has utterly disgraced the merchants,” she said, taking off the jade pendant from her waist and showing it to the merchants. “As a member of the inner circle, I have the right to clean house and eliminate this scoundrel.”

Xie Yunge stood there, stunned. She exchanged a glance with Xie Liyi beside her and asked in a low voice, "Is that jade real?"

Xie Liyi nodded, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

He said that it was impossible for Ge'er to have killed the person. No wonder Ge'er brought Chu Li back to the sect. Now that he thinks about it, it must have been Chu Li who poisoned and killed the person in order to help Ge'er escape from trouble, and that's how the two of them met.

On the other side, the merchants who came to question him were mostly from a branch of the Tianhe City family. When they saw the jade pendant, they were shocked and their faces turned pale and then black.

After a long while, the old man at the head of the group slowly walked forward. After he had a clear look at the piece, he wiped his sweat, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Madam. I am Shang Dingchun from the Tianhe branch."

Chu Li didn't know these people at all. The Shang family's main branch was in the Northern Territory, and these branches in the Southern Territory were all distant relatives.

The other party certainly wouldn't recognize her; they would only recognize the jade pendant in her hand. Naturally, they wouldn't know that she was no longer a member of the Shang family.

She gave the other party a cold look, put away the jade pendant and fastened it to her waist. "Shang Dingchun, why do you allow your scoundrel descendants to do evil everywhere? Do you know that the Tianhe branch of the Shang family has completely disgraced the Shang family?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Dingchun hurriedly bowed again and said, "I have no such intention. The Cangshan Sect and the Tianhe Branch have a long history and have been arguing for a long time. Everyone in Tianhe City knows this, so such quarrels are just a common occurrence."

Other merchants chimed in, "Yes, the cultivators from the Cangshan Sect have bullied us quite a bit. How could Madam side with outsiders and even use poison to kill her own family? This is just too much..."

"Do I need to ask for your opinion before I clean house?" Chu Li coldly glared at him and said in a low voice, "If I had asked you first, with your protection and indulgence, this matter would definitely have been shelved and hastily concluded."

“Madam, you are mistaken. Merchants also have their rules. If we act without following family rules, it will be difficult to convince the public.” Shang Dingchun lowered his voice and said to Chu Li in a voice that only the two of them could hear, “Why not just push it onto the cultivators of the Cangshan Sect? That way, when we get to the head of the family, we will have an explanation to give.”

The dead were not even descendants of merchants; they were just a few arrogant concubines who were not worthy of respect.

However, it is true that the Cangshan Sect and the Tianhe branch have a feud.

Sensing the threat in his tone, Chu Li looked up at Shang Dingchun, frowned, picked up the jade pendant, and said in a deep voice, "You don't need to explain to the patriarch. Seeing this jade is like seeing the patriarch. You've lived to such an old age, and you've even forgotten this rule?"

Shang Dingchun stared at Chu Li without changing his expression, his expression gradually darkening.

It seems she's determined to protect the Cangshan Sect cultivators; in that case, don't blame him for showing no mercy.

"Alright, Madam, please wait a moment while I go and ask for instructions." He said this abruptly, and turned to walk into the hall under Chu Li's confused gaze.

Chu Li then realized that there seemed to be someone else behind the screen in the hall.

Before long, the two servants removed the screen from both sides.

The man, dressed in a dark pine-black embroidered gold robe, exuded nobility and elegance. He leaned against the window, quietly sipping tea. Opposite him sat another person, dressed in the Taoist robe of the Cangshan Sect. The two seemed to have been talking about something.

He placed the teacup on the table, slowly raised his face, and gave Chu Li a cool smile.

"I thought it was one of the direct wives, but it turns out to be my sister-in-law."

Upon seeing that face clearly, Chu Li's pupils contracted sharply, and she abruptly took half a step back, almost losing her balance.

If there was one person in the business who made Chu Li most uncomfortable, it wasn't the head of the household who insisted on kicking her out of the house, nor the servants who were gossiping, but the person in front of her.

Shang Xinglan's third younger brother, Shang Jinyue.

The image of the man whispering in her ear flashed through Chu Li's mind, and she trembled uncontrollably.

“Sister-in-law’s scheming and tricks can only fool my brother. He is kind-hearted, but I am different from him.”

“I’ve already said, if you want to keep him by your side forever, there’s only one way: take him away from the business and let him go wherever you want.”

"Of course you can ignore my advice, but I've never been one to keep secrets. Who knows, I might accidentally reveal your true identity to my brother one day... What will my sister-in-law do then?"

This person is insidious, ruthless, and cunning. Somehow, he learned about her and Achu's affair and has been pressuring her to take Shang Xinglan away from the Shang family.

As for the purpose, Chu Li guessed that after Shang Xinglan left the Shang family, Shang Jinyue would become the successor head of the family, holding great power and no longer having to be subordinate to others.

This person is jealous of Shang Xinglan's status as an ascended being, and jealous that he can enjoy the attention and preferential treatment of the whole family. That must be it.

However, it was thanks to his secret help that Chu Li was able to barely conceal her identity from the merchants.

Pulling herself back to reality, Chu Li felt a chill run down her spine, and her vision went black for a moment, but someone stepped forward to support her.

"What's wrong? Do you two know each other?"

Xie Liyi's calm voice came through, and Chu Li came back to her senses.

She turned to Xie Liyi and said urgently in a low voice, "Where is your Sword Immortal Master? Can you go and invite him over quickly?"

“You can’t disturb someone during cultivation, or you might go into a state of demonic possession,” Xie Liyi shook his head. “With the sect leader here, there’s no need to panic.”

The person sitting opposite Shang Jinyue was none other than the sect leader of the Cangshan Sect.

Hearing his words, Chu Li could only bite her lip and force herself to turn around and look at Shang Jinyue.

What are you doing here?

Shang Jinyue picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and the servant beside her immediately brought over a stool. "I was passing through this place when I heard that the woman of Tianyin was visiting, so I came to see her. It's really fate that I bumped into you, sister-in-law."

He placed the teacup on the other side and said with a faint smile, "Please sit down, sister-in-law."

Chu Li took a deep breath, suppressing her anxiety, and sat down beside them.

"You may all leave."

Shang Jinyue waved his hand, and upon hearing his words, the Shang family members of the Tianhe branch immediately withdrew. Shang Dingchun even gave Chu Li a special smile as he left, full of provocation.

You old geezer, you just wait.

Chu Li clenched her fingers, lowered her head, and remained silent.

The sect leader of Cangshan Sect turned to Xie Liyi and Xie Yunge and said in a low voice, "Liyi and Yunge, you two can go down too."

Since Chu Li has admitted that she did it, there is no need to question them further.

Xie Yunge looked anxious and wanted to say something more, but the sect leader stopped her with a look.

"Get down."

Left with no other choice, Xie Liyi could only grab Xie Yunge's hand and leave, saying, "Ge'er, let's go first."

He had to find Shang Xinglan; after all, this matter was caused by Ge'er, and he couldn't just sit idly by.

The palace doors slowly closed, leaving only the three of them inside the vast hall.

Chu Li held the cup of tea and took a small sip, feigning nonchalance.

Suddenly, Shang Jinyue's meaningful voice came from in front of him, "Sister-in-law, this is the sect leader of the Cangshan Sect."

Chu Li politely bowed, and when she looked up, she winked at the other person.

Sect Master, we are on the same side, you must protect me.

The sect leader saw her hint, his lips twitched slightly, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

Shang Jinyue seemed oblivious to their subtle interaction and asked gently, "Where is my brother?"

Since Shang Xinglan and Chu Li eloped, he has used magic to hide his whereabouts, and no one can find them.

Chu Li paused, thinking that Shang Xinglan had lost all his cultivation. If Shang Jinyue found out about this, she might take the opportunity to harm him and eliminate him completely.

After a long while, she put down her teacup, looked up at Shang Jinyue, and spoke in a deep voice.

"Your brother... is dead."

Shang Jinyue's smile froze instantly, and he slowly repeated, "Dead?"

Chu Li nodded, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Yes, he accidentally fell off a cliff and died without a complete corpse."

After a long silence, Shang Jinyue suddenly slammed her teacup to the ground, drew her sword from her waist, and coldly stared at Chu Li.

"Where did he die? Which cliff?"

Chu Li wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes in astonishment, and looked at the long sword pressed against her neck.

What's going on? Shouldn't he be happy to know that Shang Xinglan is dead?

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Author's note: There will be a second update, it will be late, so please don't wait.