The moment the Huang Family Head ordered Huang Huasheng to act, Bai Lingfeng instinctively wanted to strike first and eliminate Huang Huasheng.
But Lin Huanhuan anticipated his intention and quickly stopped him, sending a mental message: “Don’t be hasty. Let’s wait and see what happens… Actually, this person is my informant within the Huang family. Let’s see what they’re really up to.” Hearing this, Bai Lingfeng immediately understood and turned back to give Lin Huanhuan a slight smile.
—
The Huang Family Head didn’t catch the strangeness in Huang Huasheng’s voice, thinking he was still just afraid. He explained again:
“Yes, it can’t be helped. I have no strength left to fight anymore. Otherwise, I would never let you do this.” “After we settle this matter and take this Ten Thousand Soul Banner, we can take the remaining Huang family members and develop in the demonic path’s territory. Now, there are only two of us cultivators left in the Huang family. I have no sons. If you’re willing, I could even adopt you as my foster son. The future of the Huang family rests in our hands!”
Although it sounded a bit like an empty promise, the Huang Family Head was genuinely expressing his feelings this time, not pretending at all. This was truly what he thought in his heart.
Faced with such a bright future, Huang Huasheng’s body stiffened slightly, then began to tremble rapidly. The corners of his mouth twisted, and he actually let out a wild, unrestrained laugh: “Hahahaha, hahahaha!!”
“Adopt me as your foster son? So the lofty Huang Family Head actually remembers that my father died long ago. How rare. How truly rare.”
Seeing this, the Huang Family Head finally frowned, sensing something was wrong with Huang Huasheng and feeling puzzled.
Huang Huasheng finally turned around, allowing the Family Head to see the ferocious expression on his face clearly.
Huang Huasheng was staring at him, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes bloodshot with terrifying intensity, teeth clenched as if he wanted to tear him apart and devour him alive.
The Huang Family Head was startled and quickly asked, “Huang Huasheng, what’s wrong with you? If there’s some misunderstanding, you can say it. I’ll definitely explain it clearly.”
“You know, I’ve always treated all clan members very well, treating everyone equally. So it must be a misunderstanding.”
Huang Huasheng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, he spoke slowly, his voice hoarse as if mixed with sand: “Family Head, since you keep saying everything is a misunderstanding, can you explain something to me? How exactly did my father and younger brother die?”
“My father and brother both had high talent. My brother was only fifteen and had already broken through to the peak of Qi Refinement. He might have had a chance to strive for the Golden Core in the future. Under such circumstances, he and my father disappeared without reason. When they were found, they were just skeletons, without a single shred of flesh or blood left on them. Can you explain why that is?”
Huang Huasheng would always remember that day. After his father and brother went out on a family mission, they never returned. Only he and his mother were left. All they found were two skeletons. His mother almost cried her eyes out.
When he went to the family to inquire, not only did he get no information, he was directly beaten out with clubs. The so-called condolence payment was a mere ten spirit stones.
After that, his mother fell seriously ill and never recovered. He himself began to give up on himself, drowning in alcohol every day. If not for having to take care of his mother, he probably would have cracked under the pressure and jumped off a cliff long ago.
Later, he met Lin Huanhuan, and only then did he gain a sliver of possibility for revenge.
Hearing this, the Huang Family Head was stunned for a moment, then quickly recalled a few years ago when the Ten Thousand Soul Banner needed to devour the souls of two Qi Refinement stage cultivators to restore to its next stage. Cornered and with no other choice, he had to use two clan members. After their souls were completely devoured, he sent the bodies back. They were Huang Huasheng’s father and younger brother.
‘He knows about this. He’s been hiding it all this time and is only exploding now. Continuing to hide it would just set him off completely… I should just tell him the truth. He should understand, after all, it was for the sake of the entire family.’
The Huang Family Head carefully considered this in his heart, then spoke with a heavy tone: “I understand you. Your heart must have been in great pain all these years, right?”
“I can tell you the truth. Their deaths were not an accident. Years ago, the Ten Thousand Soul Banner needed to devour two souls at the peak of Qi Refinement. But at that time, the demonic path invasion had just happened. The entire Weiyang City was in panic, and many Qi Refinement cultivators had left. The death of any rogue cultivator could attract attention and be labeled as the demonic path’s work.”
“At such a time, we absolutely could not go out hunting rogue cultivators. With no other choice, I could only select from our own Huang family members. Only that way could it be kept secret. I had no choice selecting your father and brother either, but this was a necessary sacrifice. Please, you must understand.”
“You can rest assured, I would never force any Huang family member to do something they didn’t want to do. So, they were willing to make the sacrifice, to contribute to the family’s strength. Their spirit is worthy of respect.”
Huang Huasheng tilted his head and sneered: “What a fine ‘they were willing’. How do I know if they were truly willing or ‘forced to be willing’? And you think you can convince me with just these few words? Isn’t that a bit too wishful thinking?”
“To be frank, I was the one who notified Lin Huanhuan about everything here. I brought her in. If not for her, none of today would have happened. How about that? Happy?”
“It’s all because you didn’t ‘pluck the weeds and remove the roots’ back then that you’ve brought this disaster upon yourself today. Regret it! This is all what you deserve!” Huang Huasheng said through gritted teeth, radiating intense hatred.
“You!”
The Huang Family Head was visibly stunned for a moment. A pained expression appeared on his face, but he didn’t shout or yell. Instead, he sighed and said:
“I am deeply grieved… You’re right. All of this is actually my fault. I never realized you were in such pain.”
“You ask if I regret it? Of course I do. But I don’t regret not killing you. I regret not discovering your pain earlier. If I had found out sooner and provided you with counseling, perhaps it wouldn’t have come to this.”
“In the end, all of this is my fault. But it’s okay. All of this will end. Forget everything in the past. I promise you, everything will get better.”
“What’s the use of saying all this now?! And why didn’t you sacrifice your own son? Why did it have to be my father and brother?” Tears of pain streamed down Huang Huasheng’s face.
The Huang Family Head sighed again: “It’s not that my son was more important or anything. It’s just that if they disappeared, it would definitely arouse suspicion from certain people. But your father and brother wouldn’t. Both of them were willing.”
“Go and deal with those two. I can make a Great Demon Heart Oath that I won’t pursue today’s events. After all, you are the only clansman left.”
Huang Huasheng turned around, took two steps, and picked up a club from the ground. The corner of the Huang Family Head’s mouth lifted slightly.
The next moment, Huang Huasheng suddenly spun around and swung the club hard at him!
“You spouted a bunch of lies trying to fool me! If everything was really as you said, then why have my mother and I lived in such misery all these years? A condolence payment of a measly ten spirit stones? Go fck yourself! You really think I’m stupid?!”*