Chapter 45 Even the best-laid plans can be ruined by a single oversight.
"The Bai family, the Bai family!"
A short, agile old man with gray hair ran quickly to Chen Ping'an's house, knocked on the wooden door, and when he saw someone appear, shouted, "Old Bai, Old Bai! Something's happened to your eldest son!"
Upon hearing this, Chen's mother, who had just come out, immediately gasped for breath, her eyes rolled back, and she nearly fainted.
"What happened?!" Mr. Chen caught his half-conscious wife and asked in a trembling voice, "Uncle Rong, what happened? What happened to my eldest son?!"
The old man, called Uncle Rong, slapped his thigh repeatedly, his eyes reddening, and choked out, "Chang Sheng and his group were killed by bandits on their way back; none of them survived!"
"Ah—" Chen's mother, who had been holding her breath, fainted completely after hearing this.
"Hey, hey, hey, sister-in-law!"
The two men helped Chen's mother to sit in a round-backed chair, poured her a cup of tea, pinched her philtrum, and fed her a sip of tea to help her recover.
"I heard about this from the county magistrate today. It happened hundreds of miles away from here. If someone hadn't seen it and reported it to the authorities, Changsheng probably wouldn't even have a skeleton left!"
After he finished speaking, there was a strange noise at the door.
The government officials had arrived. Behind the large crowd was a cart covered with a white cloth, which was stained with blood, and a human figure could be vaguely made out of it.
Chen's mother couldn't catch her breath and fainted again.
After settling her in, Mr. Chen walked out with heavy steps.
The officials comforted him for a few words, promising to catch the real culprit, before pushing the body into the courtyard and taking their leave.
Throughout the entire process, Mr. Chen acted like a puppet, dealing with everyone, but as the door closed, tears silently streamed down his face.
"Bang!"
The door that had just been closed was violently opened from the outside.
Chen Ping'an's eyes were red and his face was full of grief. He asked his father in a hoarse voice, "Father, where is my eldest brother?!"
Mr. Chen wiped away his tears, unable to utter a sound.
Chen Ping'an saw it: a person wrapped in a blood-stained white cloth. His hands trembled as he tried to lift it, the veins on the back of his hands and wrists bulging, just like his face, pale and helpless.
Blood and gore.
That's the only word to describe everything he saw at that moment.
"No, no, no..." Chen Ping'an retreated repeatedly, shaking his head in disbelief. "No, it's not him! He's not Big Brother! It must be a fake! Big Brother definitely didn't die, how could he possibly be dead?"
Chen Ping'an couldn't believe it. His eyes widened, his scarlet pupils bulged, and his entire face was contorted with shock and disbelief.
"Father, it's... it's fake, isn't it? You're telling me it's fake? My brother is alright, he's not dead!"
Chen's father grasped his hand, his equally red eyes telling him the cruel truth with certainty.
“Ping An, he is your brother.” He took out a token from his pocket, which had the three characters “Chen Changsheng” engraved on it. It was his nameplate.
"The government has already examined it, and it matches up with Changsheng in every aspect."
"..."
His hands fell limply to his sides.
"How could that be?"
How could it be him? Didn't he tell him to stay home and wait for him?
How could that be?
The official coroner must have made a mistake!
Yes! It must be!
"I want to ask that coroner myself! He must have made a mistake!"
Chen Ping'an dashed off like a gust of wind, disappearing before his father could stop him.
Mr. Chen sighed heavily.
His aged, cloudy eyes looked down at the corpse under the white sheet.
The white cloth was half lifted, and he bent down to look.
"puff--"
Suddenly, he fell heavily to the ground on his buttocks.
"Offering, sacrificing..."
How could he not recognize him?
Even if he said he wouldn't participate in church affairs, he spent the first half of his life doing these things, so how could he not recognize him?
His body trembled uncontrollably. He hurriedly crawled to the corpse, wiping his hands violently. He gently turned the head, which was devoid of skin and flesh, and saw a faint black mark in the remaining flesh on the back of the neck.
He collapsed with a thud, his face ashen, his jaw clenching wildly.
"Holy, Holy Sacrifice!"
The so-called holy sacrifice was a sacrifice made for the birth of the saintess. Unlike being turned into a ghost messenger, this was a higher level of sacrifice. Chen's father already knew in his heart who was involved in his son's death, but more than that, he was concerned that they had actually found the saintess.
If the Holy Maiden is found, another war will be inevitable, and the people of this city will inevitably be sacrificed.
Chen's father's eyelids twitched violently. Just how many things had they done behind his back?!
The sect was already in a state of utter chaos. Before the Holy Maiden appeared, they had long since reached a balance: one group was unwilling to seek revenge and only wanted to live peacefully, while the other group was desperately searching for the Holy Maiden, impulsive and always thinking about revenge. Furthermore, because the Holy Maiden had vanished without a trace, the sect's morale had weakened, and now only Chen Cheng's family and a few other scattered families remained steadfast in their commitment.
Who exactly is the saintess?
Chen's father squinted. Chen Cheng must know that he is now in charge of the sect's affairs. He must know the sect's maxims, which even he himself has never seen. He found the Holy Maiden based on this.
With the edifice crumbling, Chen's father stood between two paths: either completely sever ties with the cult, swallow his anger, and take Ping An and the others as far away as possible, never to return; or...
His old, somewhat hunched body now appeared so majestic and imposing.
He is the pillar that holds this family together.
He squinted.
Either we all perish together.
*
With Chen Changsheng dead, rumors about Shang Sukefu spread like wildfire.
Liu Rumeng was furious, but she couldn't possibly tear apart the mouths of everyone she met. Anping County was so big, how could she possibly manage it all?
Fortunately, the Chen family still had some conscience, saying that if the marriage with Chen Changsheng didn't work out, there was still Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an was still a scholar. Seeing that the Chen family had not been affected by the rumors, Liu Rumeng felt even more favorably toward the family, so she specifically asked Shang Su for her opinion.
After her initial sadness and heartbreak, Shang Su also had thoughts of giving up on herself. In any case, she would marry whoever she wanted, and since the Chen family didn't mind, she wouldn't complain or act arrogantly.
Anyway, she doesn't believe she really has a cursed fate.
The wedding was to be held after the mourning period.
Chen Ping'an's personality was different from Chen Changsheng's. He appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, he was still a teenager. His eyes sparkled as he looked at people, his heart and soul filled with her.
Time will take everything away, including pain.
They were very happy after their marriage.
From time to time, Chen's father would send him out to travel and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
In Chen's father's words, "We're old and can't walk anymore, but you're still young. While you don't have children yet and can still run and jump, go out and see the world..."
They traveled to many places over the year, and their relationship became more stable.
Until he needed to prepare for another scientific expedition, and she became pregnant.
On their return journey, a shocking piece of bad news shattered their sweet and peaceful life.
He died again.
His parents are both dead.
The people of Chenjia Village surrounded them, weeping and recounting the tragic events of that day. The vicious wolf on Broken Arm Cliff had killed his parents.
Chen Ping'an felt as if his soul had been ripped out; the buzzing in his ears seemed to be gnawing at his bones and soul.
Shang Su carefully saw the person off, and seeing her husband standing there in a daze, she also felt sad and heartbroken.
In this world, only the two of them remained.
Shang Su stepped forward and gently put her arms around the man's waist. She didn't know how to comfort him, but she just wanted to hug him.
Chen Pingan turned around and embraced his only relative in this life, burying his face in her warm, fragrant, and comforting neck.
"Susu, you are my only family in this world."
Shang Su hugged his waist tightly, took his hand and placed it on his slightly protruding belly, and said softly, "You still have us."
"..." Chen Ping'an held her in his arms without saying a word, a hot, silent tear falling onto her heart.
-
"How did you find out that your parents and your older brother were murdered by them?" Cen Ying couldn't help but ask, seeing his grief-stricken expression.
“I know that everyone in the village is a follower of the Maitreya God Cult. I also overheard my father and mother arguing. They secretly changed my birth date to avoid being sacrificed.”
"Sometime after their burial, I found a handwritten letter left by my mother."
Chen Ping'an closed his eyes tightly in pain: "The letter said that my father and mother made a very detailed plan so that Susu and I could escape from Chenjia Village, including the idea of destroying the Divine Cult."
But everything happened too suddenly.
Before the elderly couple could finish up, they were discovered.
The consequence of betrayal is the sacrifice of a living Gu.
Those who survive become puppet warriors, while those who don't are devoured by the Gu worms and die from mutual gnawing.
He didn't know where Su Su had learned these things; perhaps she had overheard them, or perhaps someone else had deliberately told her.
He was unaware of it at the time.
He had made up his mind. He would take advantage of his trip to the capital for the imperial examination to make everything public. He couldn't take revenge alone; the one who wanted to secure the throne would surely make a move!
“Susu is quite far along in her pregnancy, and the journey to the capital is long and arduous. I dared not take her away without permission, so I asked my father’s trusted friend, Uncle Rong, to take care of her for me.”
He specifically told her that he would secretly leave after the child was born to find Aunt Liu, and that he had already arranged an escape route for her.
But in the end...
As he spoke, his eyes turned bloodshot, and a deep hatred burst forth, with the black aura between his brows fluctuating with his emotions.
"Calm down." Cen Ying gave him another injection.
"Hoo," Chen Ping'an took a deep breath, trying to calm his burning hatred, "While I was away, they somehow found out Su Su's birth date and time, and knew that her destiny was most suitable to be a saintess, so...so..."
Chen Ping'an couldn't speak; the veins on his forehead and neck bulged as if they were about to burst, and tears streamed down his face.
"So, under the pretext of her being a jinx to her husband, they tied her up and left her on the Broken Arm Cliff, exposed to the wind and rain, and devoured by eagles? Was their intention to accumulate her vengeful spirit?" Bai Yuheng suddenly continued for him, her voice cold as if devoid of any emotion. "I think your plan for her didn't work out. Perhaps Uncle Rong was killed by them, or perhaps he was originally on their side, knew your plan, and then turned the tables on you… Am I right?"
Chen Ping'an gritted his teeth and nodded emphatically.
“You’re right.” Chen Ping’an never expected that Uncle Rong, who was on good terms with his parents, who had treated him like a son since childhood, who had always hated the cult for harming his wife and children, and who had planned with him to escape the cult, would reveal all of his plans.
Despite his meticulous planning, he made a fatal mistake, which led to her and their child's death.
Whenever Chen Ping'an thought of the scene of Su Su being sacrificed by the Holy One, his blood boiled, and he wished he could kill everyone in the same way!
So after being ambushed upon his return from the capital, he turned the tables on them and changed his identity to Liang Qizong.
He personally orchestrated the live sacrifice at the Liang family mansion.
Let them all experience the pain of Susu, as well as the pain of his parents and his older brother!
"Hahahaha..." Chen Ping'an laughed wildly, his face turning red and tears streaming down his face. "The way they cried and screamed was so funny, hahahaha..."
“You have no idea how much fun I had back then! Can you imagine the scene?” He suddenly questioned the three men, laughing sinisterly, “Hahaha, they definitely don’t know that I have already regained my memories. I slowly peeled off their skin, one slice at a time, slowly, cutting it open and taking it off, hahahaha… They cried and begged me to use Gu, but I refused.”
He went berserk again, his handsome, wicked features suddenly coming to life: "Hahaha, I'm going to take advantage of their conscious state to feel the pain of their skin and flesh being torn apart, and then I'll put them all on the shelf, set them on fire, hey!"
"Burn it all!"
"Hahahaha..."
"That felt great! That was so satisfying!"
"They all deserve to die! They deserve to die! This kind of death is too good for them, hahaha..."
"Hahahaha!"
Bai Yuheng knocked him unconscious with a single slash, leaving him to fall to the ground.
"Xiao Ying, you should treat him," Bai Yuheng said.
While administering acupuncture, Cen Ying remarked, "What this person said later was quite strange."
Li Tiankuo nodded and lifted the person up as Cen Ying instructed: "It's very strange. He has no magic power, and he can't do so much by himself."
“Then he lied!” Cen Ying said with certainty.
Bai Yuheng also said, "It's also possible that they put a 'poison' on him, making him transform the scenes he sees into his own creations."
Cen Ying: "Wouldn't that be overstimulated!"
"Perhaps someone is helping him."
Li Tiankuo looked up at her: "It's Shang Su."
"It seems we have a complete understanding of the beginning and middle of the matter. As for what happens next, can that Ghost Lord give us a complete answer?"
Bai Yuheng said, "Let's wake him up. With him, we might be able to find out the truth more quickly."
Cen Ying nodded, and without hesitation, she pierced the needle into the person, waking them up.
Chen Ping'an was momentarily flustered, seemingly lost in some memory.
Suddenly he covered his head, and a hoarse, muffled sound came from his hands.
"Father, Mother, Brother, Brother, Susu, Susu..."
He shouted incoherently, but no one responded to him.
Then he suddenly regained consciousness.
"They, they were sacrificed for me."
Chen Ping'an could not hide his pain and sobbed softly, crystal-clear tears falling through his fingers. Two of the three were emotionally detached, while only Cen Ying reached out and patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Since your family was sacrificed for you, do you want to avenge them?" Bai Yuheng's calm voice came from above. Chen Ping'an looked up with red eyes and saw her looking down at him, staring straight into his eyes, her tone firm and powerful, "We can help you, help you get revenge, are you willing?"
Chen Ping'an was stunned for a moment, his originally dull eyes brightened for a instant, and then he said dejectedly, "It's no use, I can't get out."
He stretched out his palm and murmured, "Susu has trapped me here; I can't leave."
Cen Ying: "Trapped? Why would she trap you?"
Chen Ping'an pursed his lips, recalling the scene from that day.
Dressed in black, Su Su coldly glanced at him, her eyes devoid of their former deep affection, filled only with indifference and hatred.
"Although your destiny is suited to be a holy messenger, I don't need you. Just stay here obediently and repent for your deceased brother."
Chen Ping'an pursed his lips tightly.
“We need your help.” Bai Yuheng squatted down, trying to meet his gaze. “I know you hate. Don’t you want revenge? As far as I know, the people from the Liang family that you killed were only a part of the people who harmed your family. The rest are at Broken Arm Cliff.”
"I want to! Of course I want to!" Chen Ping'an shouted angrily.
Bai Yuheng smiled and said, "If you want to, then help us. I have a way to get you out."
"..." Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then asked, "Would you hurt Su Su?"
As far as he knew, Susu was now a saintess worshipped in the church. If he helped them, would it harm Susu? Would they hurt her?
"No. We just want to rescue our friends and retrieve the fragments of the Square Mirror."
"..."
Chen Ping'an lowered his head and remained silent.
Bai Yuheng had no choice but to say, "Don't you want to see Shang Su?"
"Yes!" Chen Ping'an suddenly looked up and answered urgently.
"If you want to, then do as I say."
"……good."
Bai Yuheng ordered Cen Ying and Li Tiankuo to stay away. Her hands moved quickly, forming hand seals. Her golden snake-like pupils flashed, and a magic array resembling the Bagua formation landed on his head. Then, with a flick of her fingertips, it suddenly fell, passing through his body and pressing down on the ground. The earth shook and mountains trembled, and everything swayed.
"Cough cough cough..."
The two people watching from afar dispersed the dust and mist, and they saw that the black aura surrounding Chen Ping'an had disappeared, and his ghostly white face had regained its color, making him even more handsome.
"Alright, you can now freely enter and leave the Liang residence," Bai Yuheng said, interrupting his thanks, and added, "Although you can come and go freely, there is a time limit."
"If you cannot return here safely within three days, at most three days, your body and soul will be separated."
Chen Ping'an cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, Immortal Master! I understand!"
Bai Yuheng nodded.
“The three of us have too much of a living aura; we probably can’t sneak into Broken Arm Cliff.” She narrowed her eyes, calculating. “You should know how to conceal it, right?”
Chen Pingan smiled faintly: "There really is a way."
Cen Ying asked excitedly, "What method?!"
"Then I need you all to come with me to a place."
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