Chapter 85 - 84: Birthday Becomes Death Anniversary
On the morning of the second day, the Sun Family estate was bustling with excitement as guests streamed in endlessly.
Not only were there people from Linyuan City, but also many Jianghu people from other cities in Ning Province, and even friends from the Jianghu who had traveled from other provinces just to offer their congratulations.
In his youth, the Sun Family’s old patriarch, Sun Shaoqiu, had also ventured out into the Jianghu and befriended many people.
Those who were still alive today were basically all individuals of some cultivation and status.
Jianghu people from all walks of life reminisced and greeted one another, making the entire Sun Family estate feel as lively as a marketplace.
Meanwhile, the man of the hour, Sun Shaoqiu, was inside a room, listening to Sun Tiancheng’s report.
"Patriarch, there was indeed a major disturbance at the Garrison Mansion last night. But they sealed the mansion afterward, and we’ve heard no news of that Chen Yuan being killed.
Moreover, Gu Hongyuan hasn’t returned. We’re not sure if last night’s plan succeeded or not. Should we send someone to the Garrison Mansion to scout for information?"
Sun Shaoqiu’s eyes were half-closed. "Gu Hongyuan is temperamental and unpredictable. She’s not our subordinate, so it’s normal that she didn’t return to report to us.
Let’s wait and see. What if Gu Hongyuan really did succeed? If we send people to gather information now, wouldn’t that just arouse suspicion?
You know Gu Hongyuan’s strength, and you’ve witnessed the bizarre power of the Blood God Sect. There shouldn’t be any problems."
Sun Tiancheng nodded. "Patriarch, the hour has come. Most of the guests outside have arrived. It’s time for us to go out."
Sun Shaoqiu nodded, put on a warm, genial smile, and walked out of the room with Sun Tiancheng’s support.
The courtyard was now filled with esteemed guests. All the top chefs from Linyuan City’s restaurants had been hired for the occasion, and plates of exquisite delicacies were being served one after another.
Sun Shaoqiu emerged, a broad smile on his face, and clasped his hands in a salute to the crowd. "Another year, another birthday. Thank you all, my friends, for gracing me with your presence. This old man is endlessly grateful."
Everyone present returned the courtesy, offering their birthday congratulations. The scene instantly became extremely lively.
Sun Shaoqiu pressed his hands down. Once the crowd quieted, he chuckled and said, "This old man is now one hundred and six. I’ve celebrated so many birthdays that I’ve long since grown tired of them.
However, the younger generation of my family is filial, and my friends in the Jianghu are kind enough to indulge me, so it has become a tradition.
I won’t say any more. Let’s just consider today a fateful gathering of fellow members of the Jianghu. Please, eat and drink to your heart’s content.
If our hospitality is lacking in any way, I hope you will not take offense."
Just as Sun Shaoqiu was about to announce the start of the banquet, the main gate of the Sun Family estate was violently kicked open.
Chen Yuan stormed in, leading a menacing group of White Tiger Guards who filed in one after another.
The moment they saw Chen Yuan, the expressions on the faces of Sun Tiancheng and Yang Lin, Patriarch of the Yang Family, changed instantly.
Sun Shaoqiu, however, merely narrowed his eyes, his expression unchanging.
"Since you’re so tired of celebrating birthdays, why not change it? How about celebrating your death anniversary from now on?"
Chen Yuan looked at Sun Shaoqiu with a smirk.
Hearing this, everyone present had a strange look on their face.
To show up at someone’s grand birthday celebration and say something like that—it wasn’t just looking for trouble. It was like taking a shit on the Sun Family’s head.
Wasn’t this Guardian Envoy from Zhenwu Hall going a bit too far?
Some of the Jianghu people on good terms with the Sun Family immediately shot hostile glances at Chen Yuan.
The local Jianghu people of Ning Province already had a low opinion of Zhenwu Hall, because Zhenwu Hall meddled in too many affairs.
For example, the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance dominated You Province, but in reality, their sphere of influence was limited to the areas around Longcheng and Sun-piercing Valley.
A small city like Lianshan City might nominally submit to the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance, but most of the time, it was self-governing.
Zhenwu Hall, on the other hand, established a Garrison Mansion in every city to oversee the Martial World and control taxation. Of course, the local Jianghu people of Ning Province had no love for Zhenwu Hall.
Now, Chen Yuan was causing trouble at someone’s birthday banquet, which only made the Jianghu people present despise him even more.
An old monk, appearing to be in his sixties or seventies, dressed in golden kasaya robes and with a tall, sturdy build, stepped forward. He said in a deep voice, "Lord Guardian, aren’t your actions a bit too excessive?
Today is Brother Sun’s birthday. No matter how great the conflict between you, it is improper to say such things at his celebration."
"And who is this old monk?"
The old monk replied gravely, "This humble monk is Guang Ji of Longyou Temple!"
Behind Chen Yuan, Lu Wenxing whispered, "Longyou Temple is just a small temple with only seven or eight monks, but this Guang Ji is powerful—a master at the late stage of the Sea of Reincarnation Realm.
His real age is over ninety, but his Vajra Demon Subduing Skill is incredibly pure, and his physical body is like a Vajra Descent. Even after ninety years, his Qi Blood hasn’t declined.
He’s a friend Sun Shaoqiu made while traveling the Jianghu in his youth. He attends Sun Shaoqiu’s birthday celebration every year."
Chen Yuan nodded and gave Guang Ji a chilling smile. "You think this is excessive now? What will you think in a moment, when I’m about to annihilate the entire Sun Family?"
Guang Ji’s expression changed. Just as he was about to speak, Sun Shaoqiu cut in.
"Lord Chen, it was indeed impolite of this old man not to invite you to my birthday celebration. But must you arrive and immediately declare your intent to annihilate my entire family?"
Chen Yuan shook his head. "I have no interest in your birthday. But your collusion with the Blood God Sect—that matter is far from over."
As his voice fell, Chen Yuan extended a hand, and the quick-witted Lu Li immediately handed him Gu Hongyuan’s head from behind.
"The Sun Family colluded with the Blood God Sect in an attempt to assassinate me. Now, this Blood God Sect fiend has been slain by my hand.
Sun Shaoqiu, old but refusing to die, made offerings to a Blood God Sect fiend in exchange for a blood transfusion to extend his life. Such a person who deceives heaven, betrays his ancestors, and defies all morality—shouldn’t his entire clan be exterminated?"
At these words, the expressions of the Jianghu people present changed dramatically.
Although the Blood God Sect had been destroyed many years ago, its name was still infamous throughout the Jianghu.
If the Sun Family had truly colluded with the Blood God Sect, then forget Zhenwu Hall wanting to destroy them—no matter the province, the local Jianghu forces would never let them off.
"Impossible! Brother Sun would never do such a thing!"
Guang Ji immediately stepped forward to object.
"Lord Chen, there must be some misunderstanding. Even if your Zhenwu Hall is powerful, you cannot casually frame the Sun Family with such an accusation!"
Sun Shaoqiu sighed. "Master Guang Ji, say no more. This Lord Chen will not let me off today.
He previously tried to forcibly seize the businesses of the four great families of Linyuan City. We refused him, and as a result, the Wei Family was destroyed at his hands.
Today, he has set his sights on my Sun Family. It seems he doesn’t want my family to have any peace either.
The Blood God Sect? A blood transfusion? Anyone can see this baseless nonsense is just a frame-up.
I never thought that I, Sun Shaoqiu, would be framed for colluding with the Blood God Sect simply for having lived a few extra years."
Once these words were spoken, the crowd immediately became incensed.
With just a few sentences, Sun Shaoqiu had convinced everyone that Chen Yuan was acting tyrannically, resorting to annihilation after failing to seize the four families’ businesses.
Chen Yuan clapped his hands and said with a smile, "People who become patriarchs really are something else. To be able to twist black into white with just a few words... that’s quite a skill."
Just now, when Gu Hongyuan’s head was revealed, both Sun Tiancheng and Yang Lin had been flustered beyond composure.
Only Sun Shaoqiu remained perfectly calm, as if he didn’t recognize Gu Hongyuan at all. His composure was truly out of the ordinary.
"Unfortunately for you, I didn’t come here to reason with you. Whether you admit it or not is irrelevant to me. Whether you die or not—that’s what’s important to me!"
As his voice fell, Chen Yuan let out a sharp cry: "Kill!"
Sun Shaoqiu had wanted to incite the Jianghu people present to take his side, creating the image that he was the weak one and Chen Yuan was a bully throwing his weight around.
’Gu Hongyuan is already dead. As long as I deny it to my grave, what grounds does Chen Yuan have to claim I’m colluding with the Blood God Sect?’
Little did he know that Chen Yuan had never intended to follow any sort of due process, needing evidence before he would annihilate a family.
’Rather than get bogged down in endless self-justification, it’s better to just draw my blade and shatter everything to pieces!’
The instant Chen Yuan’s order to "Kill!" was given, Qiao Haiduan, who was also seated at the head table, suddenly erupted. His True Qi exploded, and he slammed a fist directly into the back of Yang Lin’s heart.
Yang Lin never imagined that Qiao Haiduan, supposedly one of his own, would suddenly attack, so he had no defenses up whatsoever.
The powerful fist energy tore straight through his body, instantly piercing him!
In truth, Sun Tiancheng was just as close to Qiao Haiduan as Yang Lin was.
But Qiao Haiduan was afraid that if Yang Lin survived and Chen Yuan changed his mind, deciding to let the Yang Family have a piece of the pie, it would be disastrous for him.
Sun Tiancheng, on the other hand, was a member of the Sun Family and thus was certain to die. Therefore, Qiao Haiduan chose to prioritize a sneak attack to kill Yang Lin.
’Even if I have to be a dog, I’ll be the only dog!’
"Qiao Haiduan! Are you insane?!"
Sun Tiancheng stared at Qiao Haiduan in disbelief.
"I’m not the one who’s insane! Your Sun Family colluded with the Blood God Sect—that’s what’s insane!"
Qiao Haiduan roared, "Disciples of the Cyan Scale Gang, move now! Help Lord Chen exterminate these fiends from the Sun Family!"
As his voice fell, Qiao Haiduan charged straight for Sun Tiancheng.
A torrent of True Qi surged around Chen Yuan, and a deafening explosion instantly rang out.
Under the effects of the Fish Dragon Transformation, his figure flashed. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Sun Shaoqiu. The Demon Blade Slash fell, and an overwhelming Demonic Qi descended abruptly!
Sun Shaoqiu glared at Chen Yuan, the aggrieved and accommodating expression on his face gone, replaced by a savage snarl.
’This Chen Yuan... such a decisive mind, such ruthless methods!’
’He doesn’t care about reputation or rules at all. Even if he didn’t know about my collusion with the Blood God Sect, he still would have come to kill me and destroy the Sun Family today!’
From within Sun Shaoqiu’s wide brocade robes, a long sword suddenly appeared in his hand. It pulsed with a cyan True Qi, unleashing a biting Sword Qi as it met Chen Yuan’s attack.
As the patriarch of the Sun Family, Sun Shaoqiu hadn’t personally fought in over thirty years.
But he was afraid of death. Terrified of it.
He was afraid of being discovered for colluding with the Blood God Sect and being attacked by all sides. He was also afraid of the Blood God Sect’s lunatics going berserk.
He was even more afraid that the Sun Family disciples who died for his blood transfusions would return as vengeful ghosts to haunt him. That was why Sun Shaoqiu never let his weapon leave his side, even when he slept.
He never expected that after all these years, none of his worries would come to pass. The one who had truly come for his life was this malevolent star, Chen Yuan, who had appeared out of nowhere!