Chapter 395: Father Is Here!
Xu Sanyan feigned being blasted away by the shockwave, losing his footing and tumbling down the mountain.
The great elder paid him no attention, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Yunzi’s physical body, his eyes burning with avarice.
What an incredibly resilient body! he marveled. It withstood my full-force strike without a scratch.
If Chen Yunzi hadn’t exhausted so much spiritual power slaying ghost beasts and defending the mountain gate earlier, the great elder doubted he could have faced him alone.
But now, the situation was different. Even those in the void harmony realm eventually depleted their spiritual power. Considering Chen Yunzi’s earlier mental strain, the advantage was clearly his.
Besides, he still had a trump card…
The great elder’s mind raced with calculations, but he quickly steeled himself and issued his final ultimatum to Chen Yunzi:
“Hand over the pool milk, and you may leave to establish your own sect. Otherwise, the centuries-old legacy of Suspended Bitter Mountain will be destroyed by your own hand.”
“Hah! You Wang Family thieves never learn,” Chen Yunzi scoffed. “You covet our sect’s treasures and still dare to utter such ridiculous words?”
Chen Yunzi’s face twisted in a sneer. The pool milk was the foundation of Suspended Bitter Mountain’s sect. If he surrendered it, he would have no face to face his ancestral founders.
He had long known the Wang Family coveted the pool milk, but he never imagined they would stoop so low as to launch a sneak attack during a calamity, completely abandoning the dignity befitting a great clan.
Which dog-born bastard came up with such a despicable plan?! Chen Yunzi thought darkly. Despite his calm demeanor, he wasn’t entirely confident of victory. It was a pity the pool milk was naturally formed and immovable; otherwise, he would have relocated it long ago, sparing himself the trouble of sharing a neighborhood with vipers.
“Since you remain obstinate, don’t blame this old man for showing no mercy.”
The great elder ceased speaking, immediately channeling his spiritual power. Brilliant golden light surged skyward.
Chen Yunzi’s figure blurred as he launched a swift counterattack, his divine sword glowing with radiant purple light, as if imbued with a spirit.
Xu Sanyan, hiding at the foot of the mountain, tilted his head, glancing at the dazzling light overhead before peering into the depths of Back Mountain. After a moment’s contemplation, he darted toward the mountain’s rear, intending to scout ahead.
With both sides locked in fierce combat, no one noticed Xu Sanyan’s movements, allowing him to easily reach the great hall.
The heart of Suspended Bitter Mountain was now deserted. The massive Ancestor Hall stood alone in the center, flanked by several pavilions of unknown purpose.
Just then, a clear child’s voice rang out from within the Ancestor Hall: “Mommy, why isn’t Daddy back yet?”
“Shh, be quiet. Daddy will be back soon,” the woman whispered, soothing the child.
“Oh~”
Though their voices were hushed, they didn’t escape Xu Sanyan’s sharp ears. His eyebrows arched, a smirk playing on his lips as he stepped over the threshold.
Tap-tap-tap
The crisp sound of his shoes striking the stone floor echoed through the hall. Xu Sanyan made no attempt to conceal his footsteps as he strolled leisurely inward.
A dozen futons were arranged on the ground, facing a majestic stone statue—likely one of the Founding Ancestors of Suspended Bitter Mountain.
The voices of the mother and child had come from behind the statue.
Tap-tap
Xu Sanyan kicked aside a futon and slowly approached. The child seemed to hear something, his voice brimming with excitement as he asked, “Mommy, is that Daddy…?”
Before he could finish, his words were cut off—presumably by his mother covering his mouth.
She knew it couldn’t be her husband. If it were him, he would have spoken up immediately, not try to scare them like this.
Xu Sanyan lowered his voice, his tone twisting into a sinister chuckle. “You’d better hide well, Daddy’s coming to find you~”
“Waaah~” The child seemed to be struggling against his mother’s grip.
Xu Sanyan cackled, “Where could you be hiding?”
“Here?”
“Oh, not here? Then…”
“It must be here!”
“Hmm, not here either. Could it be…”
“Hiding over here…?”
The voice grew closer, pressing down on the mother and child with unbearable psychological weight.
Thud.
With the final step, the footsteps ceased, and the eerie voice vanished.
The woman behind the stone statue, her heart pounding, cautiously peeked out. Relief washed over her as she saw the hall was empty, save for the scattered cushions kicked aside.
The whole ordeal felt like a hallucination.
“Looking for me?”
A mocking voice came from behind her, sending her into a panic. She whirled around to see a handsome young man standing behind the child, his large hand resting lightly on the boy’s head.
The child’s eyes widened with terror, as if sensing the danger. He didn’t dare make a sound, tears welling in his eyes as his body trembled like a leaf.
The once mischievous child now stood as still as a quail, fully aware that while his past antics might have earned him a beating, any misbehavior now could cost him his life.
The woman’s eyes widened, her heart leaping into her throat. She hadn’t sensed the man’s approach at all.
For someone to bypass her Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation level undetected, he must be at least at the Dao Seeking Realm.
Moreover, he was definitely not a disciple of Suspended Bitter Mountain. The mountain wasn’t particularly large or small, and even if disciples didn’t know each other by name, they would recognize each other’s faces. This man was nowhere among them.
“Who… are you?” the woman asked, clutching the child’s hand and glancing at Xu Sanyan’s palm. She desperately wanted to pull the child into her arms but dared not move, fearing she might provoke him.
“Me?” Xu Sanyan sized her up, his gaze lingering briefly on her prominent breasts before shifting to her delicate face. Instead of answering, he countered with a question: “Whose Madam are you?”
Realizing he could communicate, the woman quickly replied, “This humble one is Madam Zhang Niu, wife of Daoist Chengxuan.”
Xu Sanyan shook his head, unfamiliar with the name, but he didn’t care. His tone remained flat as he said, “I ask, you answer. Understand?”
“…Understood.”
The woman knew she was outmatched. Her and her son’s lives were now in this man’s hands, leaving them no room to refuse.
“Where is the pool milk hidden?”
The woman’s heart jolted. She instantly understood his purpose, her mind racing with possibilities as she slowly devised a plan to escape.
“In a cave on Back Mountain.”
“Take me there.”
Xu Sanyan nodded, picked up the child, and strode toward the exit. The woman hurried after him, her voice pleading, “Immortal Master, please return my child. We are defenseless and harbor no ill intentions. We will cooperate fully with you.”
“Heh~”
Xu Sanyan chuckled and shook his head. With a thought, he conjured a Talisman Seal in the void and instantly imprinted it on the woman’s forehead.
He hadn’t wanted to bother with this, but for security’s sake, it was best to take precautions.
The woman froze, her eyes clouding with confusion as she mechanically took the child back.
“Let’s go. Lead me to the pool milk.”
“Yes.”
The woman numbly began walking toward Back Mountain. The child in her arms sensed something was wrong. Though still young and in a state of hazy understanding, he vaguely grasped that something was different about his mother. He couldn’t articulate what it was, but the feeling…
It reminded him of the puppets his father had carved for him.
(End of the Chapter)