Chapter 32 Questioning: "You mean, in the room of that little girl from the Jiang family..."

"You mean, there's a merman in that little girl's room in the Jiang family?"

Qin Yuqi didn't know what a merman was, only that the creature looked very strange. "Who knows what it is? It's definitely not human. It has no legs, only a tail like a fish."

"No, the fish's tail isn't that big. Never mind, you have to kill this thing. I'm worried about leaving it in Jiang Yuhuo's house."

With a human body and a fish tail, sharp fingernails, and stunning beauty, she sounded like a typical merman. Jia Qianyang slowly stroked his cup, but didn't rush to reply.

"Oh my little darling, you're not fully recovered yet, so stop shouting and fighting. This bowl of medicine will get cold if you don't drink it soon. Let's get better first, shall we?" Liu Dan waited by Qin Yuqi's bedside and brought the bowl of medicine to him for the third time.

This little brat was seriously injured on the mountain just two days ago, and yesterday, as soon as he woke up, he insisted on dragging his injured leg to find that little girl from the Jiang family. But before he could even exchange a few words with her, he was thrown out by the monster in the house. He tried to go back in, but no matter what kind of magic was used, he couldn't get in no matter what.

After several attempts, he was knocked unconscious by the magic outside the house, but this little devil was still not giving up. As soon as he woke up, he started giving orders, sometimes muttering that he wanted to bring the little girl over, and sometimes he wanted to rush over and kill the monster.

Looking at the bruises on his little darling's neck, Liu Dan really wanted to pry open his chin and force the medicine down his throat so he could drink it and then take a nap to calm down. Once they finished their business and the little darling had recovered enough, they could start their journey home.

Qin Yuqi refused to cooperate as expected, not even glancing at the medicine. His mind was entirely focused on Jiang Yuhuo, his eyes fixed on Jia Qianyang. "Mr. Jia, she's just a young girl, trapped in a house by such a monster. She's in great danger. You must have a way to rescue her. She's my savior, I absolutely cannot let anything happen to her!"

Liu Dan also glanced at Jia Qianyang, only to find that the man remained unmoved, even taking a leisurely sip of tea. He agreed with Qin Yuqi's assessment that if the goal was to rescue the Jiang family's young girl, Jia Qianyang was the only one present.

That day, when Qin Yuqi disappeared again, he led the whole team to search all over the mountains and fields, almost going crazy with worry. But this National Preceptor Jia remained calm and composed. Not only did he not help search, but he also locked himself in a room and was tinkering with something.

Just as Liu Dan was so anxious he almost led his troops into Liyue Village, Jia Qianyang suddenly came out of the house. His eyes were filled with undisguised excitement, and he was muttering things like "broken" and "it's really dead." After a while, Jia Qianyang saw Liu Dan standing at the door and told him that he had found him. Qin Yuqi was in the mountains to the southwest.

They searched deep into the forest in the southwest and indeed found Qin Yuqi lying in a ravine. He believed that Jia Qianyang possessed some supernatural abilities.

The teacup was gently set down, and Jia Qianyang spoke, “Your Highness flatters me. I am but a rogue cultivator. Even though I glimpsed some heavenly secrets and gained some spiritual power in my early years, it is far from enough to contend with the merfolk. Your Highness is unaware that after the severing of the connection between heaven and earth, the gods completely disappeared from the world. People followed the footsteps left by the gods to cultivate magic and pursue immortality. Those who attained the first level could be called immortals. A mere mortal has to endure countless tribulations and trials to barely touch the threshold of immortality. But the merfolk are born with powerful spiritual power and long lifespans, making them arguably the species in the world closest to the gods.”

Qin Yuqi frowned. "Are the merfolk invincible?"

Jia Qianyang smiled mysteriously, a hint of cunning in his eyes, "That's not entirely true, it's just that I lack the power to fight back."

He then changed the subject, "But Your Highness, rest assured, that merman's days in Liyue Village are numbered soon. Someone has already made their move before us."

*

The high priest has returned, and the village is bustling with activity again. The annual sacrificial ceremony is approaching, and more people are coming and going to help at the temple gate.

Everyone was curious about how Jiang Liuyun returned, but Jiang Liuyun refused to talk about that experience, only saying that he got lost in the mountains and had been walking for many days without finding his way out. Fortunately, Xiao Jiang found him.

"What a wonderful daughter you've raised!"

"Yeah, if it were my little girl, she probably wouldn't have even left the house by the time I got home myself."

When people congratulated him, Jiang Liuyun accepted their congratulations one by one.

"What an extraordinary daughter," a cold sneer suddenly pierced through from the side.

Jiang Liuyun turned around and saw Qingdai walking up behind him. Her usual respect was gone, replaced by coldness in her eyes.

He smiled helplessly, "Let's talk about it inside the hall."

Jiang Liuyun understood this disciple's temperament. Although she was only a few years older than Xiao Jiang, she was exceptionally mature. As the successor tacitly recognized by the clan and the temple, she was usually dignified and composed. However, after spending time with her, Jiang Liuyun knew that she also had quite a temper, and her stubbornness was comparable to Xiao Jiang's.

Qingdai snorted coldly and turned to enter the temple.

"Priest, are you not going to tell your people what your good daughter has done?"

As soon as Jiang Liuyun stepped into the hall, he heard Qingdai's sharp question.

From the moment Qingdai saw Jiang Liuyun carrying Xiao Jiang, who was covered in blood, back to the village, she understood everything.

She originally thought that the merman was responsible for the shattering of the sky and the complete loss of protection for Liyue Village, but she never expected that it was Jiang Yuhuo, and that it was actually a member of her clan who killed the mountain god who protected Liyue Village!

Qingdai only learned of the heavens' protection of Liyue Village a few years ago after she officially became a witch. This was Liyue Village's greatest secret, which she had always carefully guarded, and it was also her source of pride. Born in a land blessed by the gods, she never envied the wealth, power, and money of those outside. She believed that this village, which forever kept war and strife at bay, was the best place in the world.

But now everything has been destroyed by Jiang Yuhuo.

She not only killed the mountain god, but she also walked out alive.

As the culprit who destroyed the peace of Liyue Village, why is Jiang Yuhuo still alive? Shouldn't she apologize for it? And the priest who knows the whole truth, just because the culprit is his own daughter, should he cover up her crime and pretend that nothing happened?

Qingdai could not swallow this insult.

Jiang Liuyun closed his eyes, not answering Qingdai's question, but instead asking her, "Qingdai, have you ever thought about why, how could a child like Xiao Jiang kill the mountain god?"

Qingdai had considered this question before; otherwise, she wouldn't have targeted the merfolk first. Only the merfolk, who are born with powerful spiritual energy, could possibly kill the mountain god living in the mountains of Liyue Village.

The mountain god is said to be a god, but Qingdai and Jiang Liuyun both know that he is not a true deity, but a servant of the god. The true god has long since disappeared from the world, just like the feather god worshipped in the village. Everyone believes in him, but no one has ever seen him. The ancient scrolls enshrined in the temple record that the mountain god is a servant of the god, protecting Liyue Village in the god's stead, and is also the ruler of the heavens.

But even if it is a servant of the gods, Qingdai believes it is by no means weak. Even those who have attained enlightenment and cultivated immortality may not have the ability to fight it.

If Jiang Yuhuo hadn't intruded, He could have continued to guard the heavens and protect the people of Liyue Village for generations.

But she inadvertently entered the forbidden forest, and...

Qingdai couldn't believe it either, but then she remembered the strange things about Jiang Yuhuo.

Jiang Liuyun approached the shrine, took out an object from behind the statue, and handed it to Qingdai.

It was a jet-black short knife, without a scabbard; the ink-black blade and the line of blue along the edge were fully exposed.

"You've been to the mines and seen the ore, haven't you?"

Qingdai suddenly looked up, "How did you know?"

She had only been inside once, when she went into the mine with Xiao Jiang and Wu Hu to search for Liu Chong'er. But after she returned, she felt something was amiss and didn't tell anyone, not even her clan chief father. She also warned Wu Hu and Liu Chong'er not to tell anyone to avoid causing panic. Jiang Liuyun had just returned and probably hadn't even had a chance to see Wu Hu and Liu Chong'er yet.

Jiang Liuyun didn't answer, but pointed to the blade and continued to ask her, "Does this color look familiar?"

Qingdai then realized that the eerie blue glow of the blade resembled that of the ores, but what did that mean?

"This knife was forged from that kind of ore, and it's the very knife that killed the mountain god." Seemingly unwilling to recall that scene, Jiang Liuyun paused for a moment, "...That day, I found this knife in Xiao Jiang's hands, but it wasn't hers; someone gave it to her."

Qingdai took the God-Slaying Blade and examined it carefully. Apart from its craftsmanship being superior to the blades in the village, it had no other outstanding features. Since the blade itself lacked extraordinary power, the problem must lie with the raw materials.

Qingdai narrowed her eyes. "Priest, are you saying that those ores are the weapons to subdue the mountain god? And someone not only knew the properties of the ores, but also specially forged them into a short sword and gave it to Jiang Yuhuo?"

Jiang Liuyun nodded, "To ordinary people, these ores are no different from others, but to spirits, weapons made from these ores are deadly, as they can break through all magical barriers."

Qingdai continued, "But since he knew the use of the ore, why didn't he kill it himself instead of having a child do it?"

Suddenly remembering something, Qingdai's eyes widened instantly.

Jiang Liuyun spoke up, "That's right, this person even knows about the existence of the Sky Dome."

The Heavenly Dome will prevent all acts of killing by outsiders. Anyone who attacks any living creature within the territory of Liyue Village will suffer a tenfold backlash, and even if that person possesses a weapon capable of subduing the Mountain God, they will be powerless to do anything. However, the Heavenly Dome will not intervene in internal village conflicts, so it will use Jiang Yuhuo to kill the Mountain God.

Qingdai suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. What was this person going to do? Why was he so determined to destroy the heavens, going to such lengths to scheme?

Qingdai suddenly realized that even Jiang Yuhuo's intrusion into the forbidden forest might have been orchestrated by this person.

The shattering of the sky had already dealt her a heavy blow, but after this meticulous investigation, Qingdai discovered that the actual situation was even worse; Liyue Village was on the verge of collapse. The depth of this person's scheming and the wickedness of his intentions filled her with unprecedented fear.

Qingdai gritted her teeth, her voice trembling, "Who is this person?"