Chapter 45 Wu Shao'an's Punishment
The Wu family's internal defenses are now much stronger than before, and information is transmitted much more quickly.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan had barely settled in when their return was reported.
Soon after, Steward He Zhou arrived.
When his master, Old Wu, was deposed, he received care from Steward He, and Zhong Cai had always held a good impression of this steward. However, because the steward was Old Wu's mother's loyal follower, Zhong Cai couldn't do anything to repay him for the time being—the steward would definitely tell his master everything.
So Zhong Cai greeted him rather warmly: "Manager He, it's been a long time."
Looking at the two standing side by side, He Zhou felt a pang of sadness. Thinking about what had happened to the Wu family, he felt a mix of emotions.
But no matter what, Wu Shaogan was doing well, and he was still happy.
He Zhou said gently, "Young Master, Master Zhong, the head of the family and his wife have learned that you two have returned and request that you come over."
Zhong Cai looked at Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan calmly began, "A-Cai and I rushed back after hearing about the incident at home, but we don't know what exactly happened yet. Uncle He, please tell us first."
He Zhou paused, then sighed and said, "It's a long story, let's talk about it as we walk."
Wu Shaogan nodded: "I'm just trying to understand the situation, so please don't hide anything from me, Uncle He."
As he spoke, he took Zhong Cai and followed behind He Zhou.
He Zhou led the way and began to tell the story.
"After the small secret realm closed, Young Master Shao'an was one of the few clansmen who returned alive, and he also brought the most resources, many times more than the sum of the others, including level three resources, which saved the Wu family a lot of face."
"After that, Young Master Shao'an often met with Young Master Dongxiao, and each time he would give him several resources."
"The resources in that secret realm are of excellent quality, and Young Master Dongxiao has a good aptitude. His family has also given him a lot of resources. Young Master Dongxiao has lived up to expectations. With the help of a large number of rare medicines and pills, he has broken through a small realm almost every month in just one year. Even for those few levels, he only needs to spend ten days or so more at most."
“Just a month ago, Young Master Dongxiao established his palace!”
"Such terrifying progress is only slightly inferior to that of the young master back then."
·
Wu Shaogan possessed top-tier Heavenly Qualities. He began cultivating at the age of three, reached the Palace Opening Realm at the age of four years and three or four months, and had already reached the sixth level of the Palace Opening Realm by the age of nine. He began to travel and gain experience, and reached the peak of the Palace Opening Realm at the age of eleven, continuously accumulating profound power. After the age of seventeen, he attempted to break through, and around the age of eighteen, he successfully became a cultivator in the Enlightenment Realm.
Wu Dongxiao's qualifications were a whole grade lower than Wu Shaogan's. Logically, he should have been admitted to the palace a few years later than Wu Shaogan.
He was only a few months behind Wu Shaogan, so how could the Wu family not be overjoyed?
Moreover, the Wu family also felt that Wu Dongxiao was just luckier than Wu Shao.
After all, there were no small secret realms back then. The resources given to Wu Shaogan were certainly good, but they couldn't compare to the quality of resources accumulated over many years in the secret realms.
Wu Dongxiao, however, was able to catch up, and his strength quickly caught up as well.
·
He Zhou slowly began to explain:
"Among them, Young Master Shao'an has devoted no less resources to Young Master Dongxiao than his family has, and Young Master Dongxiao has also become increasingly close to Young Master Shao'an."
"After Young Master Dongxiao established his palace, he quickly informed Young Master Shao'an of the good news, and at Young Master Shao'an's suggestion, he put the Black Dragon Halberd into the Dao Palace."
"Such a suggestion is good, as the synergy between the treasure and the cultivator is enhanced when the treasure is in the Dao Palace. If the young master wants to go out to train, it is not too late to leave the Black Dragon Halberd in the Wu family for protection."
"But no one expected that, apart from the resources and food that Young Master Shao An gave to the young master in the first few times, every time after that, the most important resources and the snacks that the young master liked to eat were all laced with colorless and odorless poison."
·
Zhong Cai felt a little disgusted when she heard this.
Wu Shao'an used resources to gain that brat's trust, and then poisoned him to completely destroy that trust.
Even knowing that he thought this was a safer and more likely way to succeed, it's still disgusting.
Zhong Cai couldn't help but glance at Wu Shaogan again.
Those two, uncle and nephew, were really unlucky; they were both ruined by jealousy.
·
He Zhou continued, "The poison is called 'Thread Poison,' which Young Master Shao An obtained from the secret realm."
·
The venom was originally classified as a level three poison, and it was a chronic poison.
Whether it's poisoning by the Heavenly Guidance, the Palace-Opening, or the consecration of a cultivator, the process is the same: a slow and gradual erosion.
If poisoning occurs, taking a level-three antidote immediately can quickly clear the poison.
However, this poison has a unique characteristic: it is not only extremely difficult to detect, but if taken continuously, it will gradually take root in the flesh, blood, meridians, soul, and even the Dao Palace, becoming increasingly stubborn.
Once the medicinal catalyst is ingested again, the toxins will be triggered and explode, binding the cultivator tightly, making it impossible for them to break free.
At this point, it becomes extremely difficult to find a cure.
Wu Dongxiao had been ingesting this toxin since he was at the third or fourth level of the Heavenly Guidance Realm. By the time he reached the peak of the Heavenly Guidance Realm, the toxin had completely invaded him.
Deeply ingrained, beyond any possible solution.
·
He Zhou sighed again: "After Young Master Dongxiao put the Black Dragon Halberd into the Dao Palace, Young Master Shao'an sent him something as usual. This time it was Hundred Blood Soup, which not only tastes delicious, but is also somewhat useful for the body tempering of cultivators who have reached the Opening Palace."
"The young master liked it very much and asked for several bowls in a row."
"Seven days later, the young master suddenly experienced severe pain all over his body while cultivating, and blood seeped from his meridians."
"The patriarch, the lady, and many of the Xuanzhao Ancestors came to visit him, and that's when they discovered he had been poisoned."
"It completely destroyed any possibility that Young Master Dongxiao could continue his cultivation."
"The meridians are poisoned, so the profound power cannot be used; the soul is poisoned, so it cannot be integrated with the companion treasure; the Dao Palace is sealed, but in fact the toxins are also constantly eroding the Dao Palace. Once the Black Dragon Halberd continues to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, it will accelerate the erosion, devour the Dao Palace, and gradually pollute the Black Dragon Halberd itself."
·
Zhong Cai remained silent.
From this perspective, the little brat is even more unlucky than the old Wu before him.
After all, Old Wu could still use the strength of the peak of the Heavenly Guidance Realm, but that brat could not use even a trace of Xuan Power, except for his physical body which was slightly stronger than that of a cultivator of a lower realm.
But thinking about it again, the little brat's Black Dragon Halberd is still there, but Old Wu's Sun-Shooting Bow was destroyed.
Level 6 antidote pills are far more common than treasures that can restore aptitude. If the Wu family were willing to be so ruthless, they might be able to buy them.
Looking at it this way, the little ones are definitely luckier.
However, compared to the slim chance of finding a restorative treasure, which is practically impossible to obtain, the Wu family had no intention of buying antidote pills at all...
Zhong Cai's lips twitched slightly.
It's hard to say for a moment whether his father, Old Wu, or his nephew was in a worse situation.
·
He Zhou led the two men towards the outside of Chongxiao Garden.
Zhong Cai asked, "Uncle He, this doesn't seem to be the direction of the main courtyard."
He Zhou said, "They're going to the punishment hall."
Then, he sped up his speech and finished recounting what he knew about the aftermath.
·
Similar to the news brought by Zhong Yun, the Wu family quickly launched an operation across the entire city. Heavily armored guards not only stood watch at the city gates but also patrolled many streets, trapping many large and small forces in their homes.
Because the Wu family was furious, and other forces did not have as many Fusion Realm experts as the Wu family, they could only swallow their anger.
The Wu family's so-called "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" meant directly eliminating several small forces involved in the toxic industry.
The Wu family not only thoroughly searched the larger, registered forces of this kind, but also targeted any cultivators who had recently approached the Wu family—even those who were merely passing by—and were capable of controlling poisons.
Later, the city lord's mansion invited the head of the Wu family to a meeting, and the Wu family then toned down their behavior somewhat.
Meanwhile, the city lord's mansion sent alchemists and physicians to the Wu family to diagnose Wu Dongxiao.
They determined that Wu Dongxiao's poisoning could not have been caused by an outsider, and that since Wu Dongxiao was a cultivator at the Palace Opening Realm, triggering the poison in his body would require the essence and blood of another cultivator at the Palace Opening Realm.
The more essence and blood are used, the more accurate the stimulation will be.
The physician concluded that it was likely the use of seven drops of essence blood from a cultivator who had reached the Palace of Opening that caused Wu Dongxiao to develop the poison seven days later.
The essence blood of a cultivator who has reached the Palace of Opening is at most ten drops, and the cultivator whose blood was taken... probably only has two or three drops left at most.
In this way, his lifespan will be greatly reduced, and how long he can live will depend entirely on his luck.
·
The Wu family immediately investigated their internal affairs and naturally suspected Wu Shao'an—aside from the servants and the head of the family and his wife who served Wu Dongxiao, no one else had long-term contact with him.
Even Wu Dongxiao's biological parents would only visit him two or three times a month at most.
There are no conditions for long-term poisoning.
When they found Wu Shao'an, they also discovered the source of his essence and blood.
Xia Jiang, a death guard from Wu Shao'an.
After Wu Shao'an was investigated, he did not show any signs of panic.
Wu Mingzhao was furious. His eldest son, who was also Wu Dongxiao's biological father, attacked Wu Shao'an in a fit of rage.
Wu Shao'an pulled Xia Jiang over and blocked the attack.
As fellow cultivators of the Palace-Breaking Realm, Xia Jiang was severely injured.
Wu Shao'an was unharmed and was sent to the Wu family's punishment hall for interrogation.
·
He Zhou said, "The head of the family and his wife invite you two directly to the torture hall to watch the torture of Young Master Shao An."
Zhong Cai paused: "Torture?"
He Zhou said, "After the interrogation, Young Master Shao An confessed without hesitation. The patriarch invited all the elders of the clan who had been enlightened and the elders of Xuanzhao to the scene, but the two patriarchs were in seclusion and did not appear."
"The elders have differing opinions on the punishment of Young Master Shao'an."
·
The eighth branch where Wu Shao'an belonged, the ninth branch where Wu Shaogan belonged, and the third branch all belonged to the lineage of Wu Yuanxiao, the ancestor.
Wu Dongxiao was no exception.
With Wu Yuanxiao gone, this branch still has two elders, Wu Zonghan and Wu Zitao.
Besides them, there are eight other elders from the various branches of the family.
Although there are many elders in the clan who have performed the consecration ceremony, they have no say at this time.
Regarding the punishment of Wu Shao'an, the other branches all believed that he should be executed to prevent others from following suit and corrupting the Wu family's reputation, thus ensuring that the Wu family could no longer protect its geniuses.
Although Wu Shao'an is the youngest of the middle-ranking Earthly Realm members, there are three other women of the middle-ranking Earthly Realm in the entire Wu family besides him.
Of the three women, only one married into the Wu family through an arranged marriage, while the other two chose husbands to marry into the Wu family and remained there.
The two women were older, stronger, and more diligent in their cultivation.
So what if Wu Shao'an is gone?
·
Wu Zonghan and Wu Zitao also disagreed.
Although Wu Zitao was furious, among his direct descendants—the eighth and ninth branches—only Wu Shao'an possessed the highest aptitude. If Wu Shao'an died, the ninth branch would only have Wu Shaoshan, a low-ranking official, left, making it extremely vulnerable.
So Wu Zitao meant that he wanted to protect Wu Shao'an.
Wu Zonghan's direct descendants—the third branch of the family—only had one daughter who married out and was of low social standing. They were quite worried that if someone of Wu Shao'an's character gained power, he might bring a lot of trouble.
Wu Zonghan's idea was the same as everyone else's: he wanted Wu Shao'an dead.
·
This debate lasted for several days before a conclusion was reached today.
Wu Shao'an's life will be spared, but he will be whipped a hundred times and then thrown into the death cell behind the punishment hall, where he will be imprisoned for a hundred years.
During this period, the family will not give him a monthly allowance, nor will they allocate any resources to him, nor will they provide him with any training.
Wu Shao'an will be released a hundred years from now.
·
Zhong Cai had nothing to say.
People like this should be killed; keeping them alive is just a cancer.
Regardless of whether the hundred lashes were heavy or not, the fact that he would be imprisoned afterwards meant that the force used would certainly not be enough to kill him, so it might not be too painful for Wu Shao'an.
Imprisoned in a death row cell for a hundred years without any resources... If you're so capable, why don't you also seal his cultivation?
Even the Wu family did not confiscate Wu Shao'an's private property!
It's not like there's no energy of heaven and earth in the death row. Wu Shao'an definitely has resources for opening palaces, so at least the early stages of imprisonment won't have any impact.
In the later stages, even a cultivator of mid-level Earth Rank could slowly cultivate by absorbing the energy of heaven and earth through his innate treasure.
What's even more absurd is that the punishment doesn't stipulate "no visits allowed".
In other words, the eight families could also send him resources when they visited him.
So when Wu Shao'an is released, he may already be at the peak of the Palace-Opening stage, ready to be consecrated at any time.
A century of imprisonment, a punishment for loneliness.
·
When Wu Shaoan was being whipped, all the other consecrators were there, and since Wu Shaoan had returned, he, as a consecrator, naturally had to go as well.
Meanwhile, the heads of other branches, their wives, the wives of certain clan elders or elders, and some cultivators of high status will also be present.
As Wu Shaogan's male wife and also an alchemist, Zhong Cai was qualified to go along.
So we called them all together.
·
They soon arrived at the punishment hall.
He Zhou stopped talking, and the atmosphere became serious.
Zhong Cai walked with Wu Shaogan, following behind He Zhou, and soon entered the imposing gate.
Before long, they arrived at the execution hall.
The hall was spacious, with large chairs on both sides.
At this moment, Wu Shao'an was being pressed down in the middle, lying face down on the ground.
Standing to one side, preparing to carry out the execution, was a cultivator at the first level of the Palace Opening Realm, slightly stronger than Wu Shao'an, so there was no need to worry about killing him.
The entire place was quiet.
He Zhou escorted the person to the front of the hall and then withdrew.
When Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan walked in, everyone else turned to look at them.
After greeting everyone, the two walked to two empty seats and sat down side by side.
·
Wu Shao'an, who was originally facing down, suddenly turned his head with great effort as if he had discovered something, looking at Wu Shaogan who had already taken his seat, his face full of malice.
Wu Shaogan noticed, but didn't give him a second glance.
Zhong Cai frowned.
Even now, this bastard is still so resentful of Old Wu?
This whole thing makes it seem like he just poisoned Lao Wu and Lao Wu didn't fall for it.
The Wu family's senior members also noticed Wu Shao'an's reaction. After thinking about it for a moment, they understood Wu Shao'an's thoughts, and their expressions were not very pleasant.
Wu Shao'an was provoked by Wu Shaogan's reaction, his face full of resentment—if the people next to him hadn't held him down in time, he probably would have jumped up.
The head of the Wu family sneered, "Everyone is here. Let's carry out the execution!"
Yang Jingfei stood beside him with a gloomy expression, harboring deep hatred for Wu Shao'an.
Once again! Once again, hope is dashed!
The previous incident was one thing, but the top-tier talent was indeed dazzling. Even she, upon learning that another family had produced such a talent, would be tempted to cripple him, even if it meant resorting to any means necessary.
But Wu Dongxiao was a top-tier Earth-grade cultivator, and his cultivation speed was not dazzling, so he could have grown up safely.
But it was ruined by its own family!
Yang Jingfei gritted her teeth when she recalled how she thought Wu Shao'an was genuinely following Wu Dongxiao—how dare such a despicable and vile person deceive her like this!
After the incident, her husband criticized her several times, and the business he had planned to run for her was also put on hold.
Yang Jingfei also harbored some resentment towards Wu Dongxiao.
If he hadn't shown affection for Wu Shao'an, she wouldn't have been happy to see them spending time together.
Yang Jingfei felt even more annoyed when she thought of Wu Shaogan, who had not returned despite her summons.
If Wu Dongxiao's own uncle hadn't refused to get close to his nephew, why would she have pinned her hopes on her cousin from the next branch of the family?
Now that Wu Dongxiao is in trouble, Wu Shaogan has finally decided to come back.
What's the point of coming back now?
·
"Smack—!"
A long, drawn-out crack of a whip rang out.
Wu Shao'an was held down tightly and then slapped hard.
But just as Zhong Cai had expected, this heavy whip strike would not cause Wu Shao'an much harm.
Wu Shao'an's clothes were torn to shreds, and a deep red whip mark appeared on his back.
Then, the second lash, the third lash...
Wu Shao'an endured the pain with a stiff face, gradually feeling intense pain as well. His face turned red, and sweat poured down his forehead.
Zhong Cai glanced at it and pursed her lips.
He glanced at Wu Shaogan, gesturing towards the whip.
Wu Shaogan nodded gently.
·
The whip used to strike Wu Shao'an was a first-level Xuan weapon.
In other words, after the whipping, at most it will only cause Wu Shao'an pain for a few days and some minor injuries.
Both of them understood it very well.
The Wu family felt that Wu Shao'an should be punished, but after some negotiation, they were still reluctant to give up this mid-level official.
In the end, it just turned out to be... neither too bad nor too bad?
·
The hundred lashes were quickly finished, and Wu Shao'an was pulled up and taken to the back cell.
Wu Shao'an was in so much pain that his lips and teeth turned white, but he didn't faint.
As he passed in front of Wu Shaogan, Wu Shaoan still gave him a venomous look.
Zhong Cai: "..."
·
The elders of Xuanzhao left one after another, and the elders of Kaiguang clan did not linger either.
The head of the Wu family spoke up, calling out to Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai.
Zhong Cai stopped in her tracks.
Wu Shaogan turned around and calmly called out, "Father." He glanced at the beautiful woman beside the head of the Wu family and also called out, "Mother."
Yang Jingfei nodded slightly but did not speak.
The head of the Wu family then inquired, "Has the news already reached Qianqiao Town?"
Wu Shaogan paused for a moment and looked at Zhong Cai.
Zhong Cai then replied, "It hasn't been sent over yet. But since Shao Gan is all alone outside, he doesn't know much about family matters. So I asked my parents to send a letter if the Wu family encounters any trouble."
This was something the two of them had agreed upon.
The fact that Zhong Yun used to deliver letters cannot be hidden, so it's better to say that Zhong Cai "cared for him out of love".
Wu Shaogan said, "It's a token of A Cai's goodwill."
The head of the Wu family understood and felt a slight sense of relief.
The information blockade was somewhat effective; it prevented the news from spreading too quickly.
Then, further suppression and obscuring of this matter are needed.
·
The head of the Wu family didn't say much to Wu Shaogan, only asking again, "How long have you been back this time?"
Wu Shaogan said, "We just came to visit. Acai and I are used to Qianqiao Town, and we'll be going back soon."
The head of the Wu family did not stop him, and nodded, saying, "After we leave, there's no need to mention family matters anymore."
Wu Shaogan agreed, "Of course."
The Wu family head was barely satisfied and let the two leave.
Then, he turned his head and saw Yang Jingfei's face, his brows furrowed: "Madam, what are you doing?"
Yang Jingfei said coldly, "I've wasted my life giving birth to this son!"
The head of the Wu family had been married to her for decades and immediately understood her meaning.
To be honest, he also felt that if his youngest son had been willing to look after Wu Dongxiao, this kind of thing probably wouldn't have happened.
Not to mention that the younger son was originally more perceptive than Wu Dongxiao, Wu Shao'an's jealousy and resentment towards the younger son would also leave traces.
When the younger son realized something was wrong, Wu Shao'an naturally wouldn't succeed.
Patriarch Wu sighed softly, "Among our descendants, apart from Shao Shan who is still at the Earth Rank, the best talent is only at the top of the Profound Rank. I think Shao Gan is the same; you shouldn't be so hostile towards him."
Yang Jingfei took a few deep breaths before saying, "I was just angry for a moment."
The head of the Wu family nodded and said, "We still need to exercise restraint."
Yang Jingfei: "Mm."
·
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan walked out of the punishment hall.
He Zhou was no longer where he was, but Xiang Lin had already followed and was now hiding in the shadows.
Xiang Lin also appeared immediately upon their arrival.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan walked back, and Zhong Cai said in a low voice, "This matter has been clarified, and we've also explained it to those two. When are we leaving?"
Wu Shaogan said, "If you want to leave, leave tomorrow."
Zhong Cai hesitated for a moment: "I'm thinking about whether I should go back and see my adoptive father and stepmother."
Wu Shaogan pondered for a moment and said, "It's better to avoid trouble. If you don't really want to see me, it's better to correspond by letter."
Zhong Cai thought about it and agreed.
He was only going back to Kunyun City, thinking it would be more polite to leave sooner, but considering the atmosphere at the Wu family, it would be better to leave earlier.
·
After exchanging a few words, the two walked to a secluded spot, attracting little attention.
The Wu family still sees a lot of people coming and going, but it's clear that it's not as "lively" as it used to be.
Occasionally, someone would see Wu Shaogan, but they would only glance at him and then hurry away, not really interested in joining in the fun.
The road is lined with lush trees and small groves of trees.
As the two passed by, they suddenly heard a faint commotion.
And there was also a malicious... crisp, tender voice.
"...I thought it was...like before...?"
"...Useless! And still arrogant?"
"You think you're some kind of great-uncle... crippled... but getting better?"
The sounds were intermittent, interspersed with muffled groans and the whooshing sound of clubs being swung.
Zhong Cai stopped in her tracks.
Wu Shaogan looked down at him and said in a low voice, "Go and take a look?"
Zhong Cai frowned: "Someone mentioned you there. At such a young age, you keep calling people 'good-for-nothing,' it's utterly ridiculous!"
Wu Shaogan was taken aback. So it was all for him after all?
Zhong Caicai added, "If I'm not mistaken, it was your little nephew who was bullied." He pulled Wu Shaogan along and walked towards the woods, saying, "He's still just a kid after all."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly.
A-Cai is always a bit soft-hearted.
But it's also good.
·
Wu Dongxiao covered his head and curled up into a ball.
Although he was crippled for less than a month, his life underwent a dramatic change.
Just moments before, all his relatives and friends were happy for his successful career advancement, and his juniors were vying to curry favor with him. But after he was diagnosed as being deposed, they all changed their tune.
His grandparents never paid any attention to him again and simply sent him back to his parents.
His parents did not show him the same care and concern as before, but simply put him in a small room and assigned a maid to take care of his daily life.
People used to come to his side often, surround him, talk to him, and keep him company while he played.
Those people have all disappeared.
Wu Dongxiao lay on the small bed for several days until he was so hungry that he finally accepted reality.
After he got up, there was indeed food on the small table, but it was coarse and not nearly as good as before.
Wu Dongxiao ate it anyway, to replenish his energy.
Afterwards, Wu Dongxiao prepared to go out for a walk.
It was on this trip that he was cornered by his two nephews.
·
My eldest nephew is Wu Nanfang, and my youngest nephew is Wu Nancong.
Both nephews were his elder brother's legitimate sons. The elder nephew was a few years older than him, while the younger nephew was the same age as him.
His two nephews usually enjoy playing with him.
His little nephew, in particular, often clung to him, calling him "little uncle" repeatedly.
Although Wu Dongxiao is young, he is born with knowledge and has the demeanor of a little elder.
Even though many people fawned over him, he still treated his two nephews the best.
When he was blocked, Wu Dongxiao thought that his two nephews were different from others.
But what was unexpected was that they were indeed different from others, but the difference was that... most of the others simply stopped trying to please him and at most mocked him a few times, but these two nephews wanted him dead.
·
More than once, Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong, accompanied by their bodyguards, sneaked into his residence at night, locked the door, beat him with sticks, and constantly insulted him.
Wu Dongxiao realized from their words that he had been deluding himself all along.
He thought he was close to his eldest brother and his two nephews, but in reality, his eldest brother was a top-tier Xuan-grade cultivator who should have received all of his parents' resources and the favor of his grandparents. However, he was more talented, thus stealing all of his grandparents' attention and gaining absolute favor from his parents.
Wu Dongxiao's existence is nothing but a drain on his elder brother's interests!
His two nephews had already developed a deep aversion to him the day the Black Dragon Halberd appeared. They only pretended to be close to him later in order to trick him out of his things. They only ever felt resentment towards him, not a trace of affection.
He's useless now. If he had just locked himself in his room and let himself rot, Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong wouldn't have barged in. But who told him to suddenly come out? They hate him the moment they see him!
In fact, Wu Dongxiao only learned from Wu Nanfang that the person who poisoned him was not an outsider, but Wu Shao'an.
Wu Shao'an deliberately approached him from the very beginning, with the aim of crippling him!
At that moment, Wu Dongxiao almost collapsed.
Not a single relative was truly sincere to him. Those he thought were his relatives were either using him or harboring malicious intent!
Fortunately, Wu Dongxiao thought that Wu Shao'an was just like everyone else, and that he would stop associating with him after he was crippled—Wu Dongxiao was disappointed, but he could barely accept it.
But little did he know that everything he suffered was thanks to Wu Shao'an!
·
At first, Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong bullied Wu Dongxiao by simply beating and mocking him.
These were humiliations for Wu Dongxiao, but because his body was still strong, he was not seriously injured.
But gradually, the two became even more outrageous.
Wu Nancong had not yet activated his Divine Soul Treasury, and continued to beat him with ordinary sticks.
Wu Nanfang had already summoned a low-grade level six iron whip!
Wu Dongxiao had nowhere to hide.
Wu Nanfang could easily injure Wu Dongxiao by whipping him with an iron whip.
Wu Dongxiao had also cried out for help, but no one ever came.
Amidst the increasingly arrogant laughter of Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong, Wu Dongxiao realized that his parents didn't care about his life or death at all.
Because he's no longer useful.
But the eldest brother is their most talented child.
·
Wu Dongxiao hid in the woods on his own, trying to avoid Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong who came looking for him.
Unfortunately, because he was young and highly qualified, a suitable bodyguard had not been assigned to him before he was crippled, so no one protected him.
However, the Wu brothers had bodyguards with them, which allowed them to easily track his presence and find his location.
Despite his best efforts to maneuver, Wu Dongxiao was still frequently caught.
But if you ask him to accept his fate and be beaten, he can't do it...
·
As Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan walked deeper into the woods, the sounds became clearer and clearer.
Under the shade of the trees, two tall guards stood on either side, blocking all escape routes.
There were two more boys—the older one looked to be around ten years old, and the younger one was probably four or five.
Their childish faces were contorted with rage as they relentlessly beat and kicked the small figure on the ground.
The young boy desperately tried to protect his head, rolling around like a ball being kicked and beaten.
Zhong Cai glanced at it and saw everything clearly.
The young boy was dressed in rags, his exposed skin covered in whip marks, and his forehead was covered in sweat. But every time he moved his body slightly, he would protect his front.
It was obvious that he had broken several bones.
However, the young boy was quite resilient.
Even as the pain contorted his face, his eyes still shone with resentment. When the iron whip fell, he would try his best to move his body slightly to prevent it from hitting his vital points.
Even if he is occasionally chosen, he will force himself to change direction and use other parts of his body instead.
·
The two guards immediately spotted Zhong Cai and his group and became alert.
The two abusive boys remained oblivious and continued their abuse.
Zhong Cai instructed, "Xiang Lin, tell them to stop."
A dark shadow flashed by, and Xiang Lin appeared beside the two boys in the blink of an eye. He disarmed them and threw them aside, one in each hand.
The two guards were about to rush towards Xiang Lin, but they were unable to move.
Wu Shaogan naturally wouldn't let A Cai's orders fail. In that instant, he smiled slightly, releasing the aura of the Enlightened Realm, which immediately suppressed the two death guards.
Zhong Cai leaned closer to Wu Shaogan and bumped fists with him.
Wu Shaogan's expression was gentle.
The two boys rolled on the ground several times, and as they got up, they were about to get angry when they saw this scene and recognized Wu Shaogan...
In an instant, they obediently patted the dirt off themselves and stood still.
·
Wu Dongxiao was struggling in pain as he always had, when suddenly, the whip that was lashing down on him disappeared.
He looked up blankly and realized that Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong were no longer in front of him.
Wu Dongxiao slowly looked around.
But then a tall, thin man was seen holding an iron whip and a stick, which he casually tossed aside.
Wu Nanfang and Wu Nancong were also there, but they remained quietly under the shade of a tree on the other side, making no move.
The two guards who had been ordered to block the way were as if they were nailed to the spot, unable to move at all.
Not far away, two young men stood side by side.
One was extremely handsome, the other was pretty and lively.
They all have very good looks.
·
Wu Dongxiao sat up with difficulty and murmured, "...Uncle. Master Zhong Dan."
He bowed his head with difficulty to express his gratitude.
·
Wu Dongxiao knew Wu Shaogan.
Because he was born right when Wu Shaogan was at the height of his fame.
His parents once took him to visit his uncle, and he remembered his uncle's high spirits at that time.
·
At this moment, the handsome young man spoke up: "Xiang Lin, take him back."
Wu Dongxiao saw the man who had saved him squat down in front of him.
I picked him up.
He was covered in injuries and had multiple broken bones, but knowing that Master Zhong meant well, he did not make a move.
He thought: Xiang Lin... is his uncle's bodyguard.
Xiang Lin carried him all the way to his uncle's side.
What Zhong Danshi gave Xiang Lin, Xiang Lin stuffed into his mouth.
Wu Dongxiao was startled and almost instinctively wanted to vomit—
But the next moment, he felt a warm power flowing through his body, rapidly healing his internal injuries.
Wu Dongxiao understood; this was the Hundred Herbs Elixir.
Then, other pills were inserted to treat his internal injuries and bone injuries...
Wu Dongxiao was very careful, so the bone did not shift.
With the help of the elixir, he was enveloped in a warm power and gradually felt a strange drowsiness.
He is unconscious.
·
Zhong Cai had never seen such a vicious brat.
If he hadn't known that Wu Dongxiao had been staying in the Wu family head's courtyard ever since the secret treasure was opened, he would have thought that Wu Dongxiao had dug up the ancestral graves of his two sons.
Moreover, those two brats kept cursing, but I didn't hear any mention of "Wu Dongxiao bullying them before".
This isn't exactly revenge, is it?
In those few words, all Zhong Cai heard was jealousy.
Zhong Cai simply didn't know how to describe it.
That's absolutely amazing.
Wu Shaogan wasn't very familiar with the two boys, only knowing that they were Wu Shaoshan's grandchildren.
Zhong Cai thought of what she had heard about Wu Shaoshan's family before and couldn't help but complain, "Old Wu, what's wrong with your older brother? How do you raise your children? It seems like none of them are good."
Wu Shaogan said helplessly, "I'm not familiar with him."
He and Wu Shaoshan didn't really have much interaction before, and he never paid attention to these things.
Zhong Cai shook his head, tossed a few pills to Xiang Lin, and told him to feed them to Wu Dongxiao.
Wu Dongxiao's injuries were visibly improving, and the scars all over his body were slowly disappearing.
However, the boy was very thin and weak, lacking the fair complexion of a child, clearly having been tormented.
·
Zhong Cai sighed and said, "Let's go and take him back. But given the atmosphere in your elder brother's courtyard, I'm afraid he'll suffer even more in the future."
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly: "I will mention it to Wu Shaoshan."
Zhong Cai nodded: "I hope he can act like a father."
That's true, but if Wu Shaoshan really acted like a father, Wu Dongxiao wouldn't have ended up like this.
Hopefully, after he reminded Lao Wu, this kid will at least survive.
·
Soon, the group arrived at Wu Shaoshan's residence and knocked on the gate.
A guard opened the door, and after seeing the two people, he first showed a hint of disdain in his eyes, but then, remembering that Wu Shaogan had recovered, he immediately put on a smile.
"So it's Young Master Zhong and Master Zhong, what brings you here..."
Zhong Cai pointed to Lin's arms and said, "This kid belongs to this family, right? We brought him back."
Wu Shaogan smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, elder brother. Since I'm passing by, I'd like to meet you."
The gatekeeper quickly said, "I'll go and inform them right away. Please wait a moment."
A short while later, he came out again, led the two inside, and escorted them to the front of the second courtyard.
Then someone else led the two to the front of the inner courtyard.
Zhong Cai: "..."
Wu Shaogan gently squeezed Zhong Cai's hand.
·
After entering the inner courtyard, the two finally met Wu Shaoshan.
Wu Shaoshan was fifty years old, but looked as if he were thirty. He was a cultivator at the fifth level of the Palace Opening Realm.
Upon seeing the two, Wu Shaoshan smiled and said, "Shaogan, Master Zhong, come and sit down."
Beside them stood a rather elegant woman, carrying a tray and placing two teacups on the stone table.
With a smile similar to Wu Shaoshan's, she said softly, "Please, both of you."
It was Wu Shaoshan's wife, Li Ruer—a top-tier Xuan-grade talent, currently at the third level of the Palace Opening Realm.
·
Zhong Cai couldn't help but twitch her lips slightly.
Xiang Lin, a man of such stature, was carrying their obviously adorable child, and it was only after their attendants had informed them of this that neither of the couple showed any concern.
Wu Shaogan gestured to Xiang Lin.
Xiang Lin stepped forward, intending to hand Wu Dongxiao over to Wu Shaoshan.
Wu Shaoshan gestured to one of his attendants to come over and take Wu Dongxiao from him.
Wu Dongxiao felt somewhat uneasy.
Wu Shaoshan instructed, "Send him back to his room."
The entourage immediately went to the Second Hospital.
Zhong Cai glanced in the direction he went, feeling a sense of indescribable unease.
Wu Shaogan said, "Thank you for your kindness, brother and sister-in-law. We won't stay any longer." His tone was very calm. "It's fate that A Cai and I met Dong Xiao and his two grand-nephews this time. However, the two grand-nephews don't really respect their uncle. It would be best if you, elder brother, kept them in check."
The wording was euphemistic, but the meaning was very clear.
Wu Shaoshan didn't seem to care much and casually said, "It's just kids playing around."
Li Ru'er smiled and said gently, "Nan Fang and Nan Cong are lively and like Dong Xiao. They get too enthusiastic when they play around, and sometimes they inevitably lose their sense of proportion. I'll talk to them about it later, and they're obedient."
Zhong Cai: "..."
Okay.
Wu Shaogan nodded slightly, bid farewell to the two, and left with Zhong Cai.
Xiang Lin followed closely behind.
·
On the way back, Zhong Cai said irritably, "Your parents' moods change like the weather, and your brother and sister-in-law are no less so."
Wu Shaogan patted Zhong Cai's shoulder reassuringly and instructed Xiang Lin, "Go and investigate tonight."
Xiang Lin agreed.
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