Chapter 324: The Qian Family Patriarch

The Qian Family Patriarch was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If he had taken a Longevity Pill to extend his life, with neither his vitality nor spiritual power yet waning, he would likely be the strongest Foundation Establishment cultivator in all of Tōngxiān City.

Moreover, he was almost certainly an Evil Cultivator, practicing some strange yet powerful demonic art.

Therefore, the plan to eliminate him had to be meticulous and watertight.

…

At dusk the next day, the Dao Soldiers broke camp and pretended to leave Tōngxiān City.

At midnight, they secretly turned back, lodging for the night at Great Black Mountain. At dawn, they disguised themselves as Demon Hunters and infiltrated the city, hiding in houses surrounding the Qian Family estate.

Their hiding spots had been arranged by the An Family.

Mo Hua had risen early. Finding a secluded house, he climbed onto the roof and extended his Divine-Sense, observing the Qian Family’s movements.

His cultivation was too low to participate in the ambush.

And besides, this operation was extremely dangerous—he couldn’t afford to show himself.

His role was to sketch the Qian Family’s formation diagram, marking weak points for Commander Yang and his men to exploit.

Now, all he could do was watch from afar.

Thankfully, his Divine-Sense was strong and could reach far, so even from a distance, he could grasp the general situation.

The first step of the plan was to enter the Qian Family compound and probe the Patriarch’s strength.

…

Morning sunlight glimmered on the bluestone streets.

The streets were empty and quiet.

Elder Yu had already notified all the rogue cultivators not to go out today.

Then he himself arrived early at the Qian Family gate, knocking loudly and shouting insults.

His insults were harsh and vulgar—something he had done many times before over the years.

Before long, the Qian Family stirred; a family elder came out and began arguing with him.

The quarrel dragged on. Elder Yu refused to leave, fabricating a story about a Demon Hunter’s death and blaming it on the Qian Family.

The Qian Family elder believed him.

After all, such acts were not unheard of from their clan, so suspicion didn’t even cross his mind.

Of course, they denied everything, accusing Elder Yu of slander.

Which, to be fair, he was—but that didn’t stop him. He only grew louder and nastier, shouting that he would report this to the Dao Court Division for justice.

The Qian Family elder grew furious and snapped, “Fine! Let the Chief Adjudicator come—let’s make this clear before him!”

They sent for the Old Chief Adjudicator, who soon arrived, feigning hesitation and advising both sides to stay calm and avoid making trouble.

Elder Yu, face red with rage, retorted:

“The one who died isn’t a Dao Court Division man—that’s why you can stand there talking so lightly!”

The old adjudicator bristled. “And what would you have me do?”

Elder Yu roared, “I want that old turtle Qian Hong to give me an explanation! If he can’t, then the older turtle behind him had better come out—I won’t leave without an answer today!”

At this point, Qian Hong had no choice but to show himself.

Then Elder Yu and the adjudicator were admitted into the Qian estate.

The Qian estate was sealed by formations, so Mo Hua couldn’t see inside in detail.

But if all went as planned, Elder Yu would escalate the dispute, the adjudicator would fan the flames, and they’d force the Qian Patriarch to come out.

Once that happened, Elder Yu would strike suddenly, catching him off guard, to test the Patriarch’s strength—revealing whether he was hiding his true power, or harboring a secret.

Only Foundation Establishment cultivators could do this.

Commander Yang couldn’t—his status as a Dao Soldier commander would immediately raise suspicion.

Old Master An couldn’t—his feud with the Qian Family would bar him from entry.

All considered, Elder Yu was the only suitable choice.

He had grudges with the Qian Family but had long been in and out of their estate to argue and haggle, making his visit seem routine, not suspicious.

And for safety, Adjudicator Zhou had to accompany him.

The Qian Patriarch was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator—if he lashed out suddenly, Elder Yu’s life would be at risk.

With Adjudicator Zhou there, at least he’d have support.

…

What happened after Elder Yu entered, Mo Hua didn’t know.

About an hour later, a massive surge of spiritual power erupted from the Qian estate. Even from far away, Mo Hua could feel the tremor.

A house collapsed, stones flying, formation barriers shattered.

Then Elder Yu’s shrill voice echoed from afar:

“Do it!”

Before the words had faded, the ambushers swarmed out—the An Family disciples, Demon Hunters, Dao Court cultivators, and Dao Soldiers—charging toward the Qian estate.

The Dao Soldiers led the charge.

Layer after layer of the Qian Family’s defense formations flared—then were shattered one after another by Dao Soldier spears, crumbling to dust.

Other cultivators followed closely, storming the Qian estate.

Thanks to Mo Hua’s earlier work mapping the formations and marking the weak points, Commander Yang’s troops were able to breach the defenses much faster.

Caught completely off guard, Qian Family disciples rushed out with swords drawn.

But when they saw their opponents were Dao Soldiers, they froze in shock and confusion.

To fight Dao Soldiers was to defy the Dao Court—a crime that meant the extermination of one’s entire clan!

Hesitation rippled through them.

Their eyes turned instinctively toward the center of the estate, where the formation had collapsed—the Patriarch’s seclusion chamber.

As the smoke cleared, three figures appeared:

One stern-faced and pale—the Old Adjudicator of the Dao Court Division.

One thin and haggard, missing an arm, blood at his lips—the Demon Hunter Elder Yu.

And the last—half-white-haired, eyes glowing blood-red, skin half-molted, exuding a powerful, twisted aura.

“Who is that?”

The Qian disciples exchanged nervous looks.

Some family elders blanched in horror.

“T-that’s… the Patriarch?”

The Qian Family erupted in chaos.

“The Patriarch?!”

“How could he look like that?”

“Why are his eyes blood-red?”

A dreadful realization dawned—their Patriarch was an Evil Cultivator.

Such beings were condemned by the Dao Court.

Tension filled the air like drawn swords.

Commander Yang and Old Master An stepped forward, flanking Elder Yu and Adjudicator Zhou—four Foundation Establishment cultivators, encircling the Patriarch.

Elder Yu coughed blood and warned,

“Be careful… his cultivation art is corrupt—it taints the blood and essence…”

He had ambushed the Patriarch but was detected—after a single exchange, he lost an arm and was poisoned by corrupt spiritual energy, his blood turning impure.

The adjudicator had also exchanged a blow, unharmed but his meridians now aching.

Commander Yang nodded grimly.

Old Master An looked at the Patriarch’s ghastly form, shocked and furious:

“To think you’ve become such a monster!”

The Qian Patriarch sneered,

“As long as one pursues the Great Dao—what does appearance matter?”

Old Master An’s eyes blazed with hatred.

“Qian dog, you’ll pay for the lives of my An Family disciples!”

The Patriarch’s crimson eyes glinted with mockery.

“You’re in my Qian estate, and you think you can kill its Patriarch?”

A tall, thin Qian elder shouted, “Don’t let them harm the Patriarch!”

The Qian disciples raised their weapons, murderous intent flickering.

But Adjudicator Zhou’s cold voice cut through the air:

“By order of the Dao Court—Qian Family Patriarch has cultivated demonic arts and colluded with Evil Cultivators. His crimes are unforgivable. He is to be executed immediately!”

“Any disciple who interferes—shall be slain without mercy!”

“And if the Qian Family knowingly aided him—all shall be executed to the last!”

His tone was like iron—unyielding and cold.

The disciples quailed, uncertainty spreading.

Then one elder shouted angrily,

“The Dao Court is not our Qian Family’s Dao Court! The Patriarch is our Patriarch—how can you mistake loyalty? We must protect him!”

Another elder barked back immediately:

“Silence! Do you want our entire clan destroyed?!”

“You’d abandon the Patriarch?”

“The Patriarch is ours—but the Qian Family isn’t his alone! Would you see us all buried with him?”

“Coward!”

“Foolish slave to false loyalty!”

They shouted and cursed until, one by one, disciples dropped their weapons in fear.

In moments, half the Qian Family stood unarmed.

Those who had been ready to fight now hesitated, too.

Elder Yu sneered, “Qian dog, your clan’s turned on you.”

The Patriarch shook his head and sighed,

“I was right after all. In times of calamity, even blood kin can’t be trusted.”

Elder Yu, his remaining arm gripping his blade, spat coldly,

“You don’t deserve kin.”

The Patriarch, calm despite being surrounded, murmured,

“There’s one question I still don’t understand…”

His voice was curious, not afraid.

“The Black Mountain Stronghold operated in secret for over two centuries—murder, robbery—never once discovered. Anyone who knew of it either joined… or died.”

“I hid my ties well. Almost no one knew I founded it… that I raised so many Evil Cultivators… or what I used them for.”

“So why?”

His blood-red eyes sharpened.

“Why was the Black Mountain Stronghold exposed so suddenly?”

“Why did the Dao Soldiers arrive so quickly?”

“How did the secret leak—and I still don’t know how?”

“I only know… someone tampered with the formation in the stronghold.”

“But who could have done that? Who could have worked right under the eyes of four Foundation Establishment leaders and hundreds of Evil Cultivators?”

“Who unraveled every secret I’d woven over two hundred years?”

“Who destroyed the Black Mountain Stronghold that I built with my own hands?!”

His gaze swept across the battlefield, his blood-red pupils blazing:

“I want to meet that person!”

His aura surged violently.

Mo Hua, watching from afar, froze.

Wait—was he talking about… himself?

Mo Hua’s eyes went wide; he shrank down immediately, pulling in his head like a turtle.

He absolutely did not want to meet the Qian Patriarch. Ideally, they’d never meet—the Patriarch dead, himself alive—perfect!

He whispered to himself, heart pounding… then frowned.

Wait a second.

How could the Qian Patriarch… not have guessed it was him?

(End of Chapter)