Chapter 423 - 422: Let’s Have Some Fun
Lin Bei left, taking Li Yunchun’s body with him.
He was practically helpless against the Law Enforcer from Kunyun Palace. Even if he returned to report to the Sect Leader of the Flying Snow Sect, it would likely be useless. After all, Li Yunchun was the one in the wrong, and the Law Enforcer had the right to pass judgment.
The Flying Snow Sect was, after all, a subordinate sect of Kunyun Palace.
They were of a lower status than a Law Enforcer from Kunyun Palace.
「The Huang Family, Main Hall...」
Ancestor Huang Ye gazed at the young man before him, still in disbelief.
To reach the Celestial Human Realm at such a young age was one thing, but to also defeat a Half-Step King with ease... such strength was simply beyond his comprehension!
"The Huang Family owes its survival to your assistance, Young Master Qin. I am Huang Ye, ancestor of the Huang Family, and on their behalf, I thank you," Huang Ye said with a deep bow.
"I owed Miss Huang a favor. It was only right that I repay it."
Qin Ya replied coolly. Hearing this, Huang Ye glanced at Huang Yanrou, then back at Qin Ya. A strange glint appeared in his eyes, as if he were scheming something.
Qin Ya seemed to notice his strange expression and shot him a cold glare. In an instant, Huang Ye felt as if he had been plunged into a freezing cellar, and his heart trembled.
"My injuries have recovered, so I will be leaving soon. Thank you for your care these past few days, Miss Huang," Qin Ya said to Huang Yanrou with a faint smile.
"Heh, I never expected that acting on a whim would lead me to bring back such a great man as yourself, Young Master Qin. I’m truly flattered," Huang Yanrou said.
"Just as you said back then, Miss Huang, it was simply a matter of forming a good bond."
"Are you leaving, Young Master Qin?"
"Soon."
That day, Qin Ya sought out Huang Chuan. He took out a batch of Elixirs and Profound Soldiers, handed them over, and said, "These are a small token of my gratitude."
"This... isn’t this far too valuable?"
Huang Chuan stammered, shocked by Qin Ya’s incredible generosity. The value of these items was likely comparable to more than half of the Huang Family’s entire fortune.
"The Huang Family took me in when I was in dire straits. Please accept this small token of my gratitude, Patriarch Huang," Qin Ya said calmly. ’He had originally wanted to give these items to Huang Yanrou, but knowing her personality, he was afraid she wouldn’t accept them.’
’That was why he decided to give them to Huang Chuan instead.’
"You are too kind, Young Master Qin. Please, take these back. The Huang Family merely offered you a place to stay. You, on the other hand, saved my daughter’s life and helped our family out of a crisis. It is we who should be repaying this great kindness. We absolutely cannot accept these gifts."
To be honest, the wealth before him was indeed tempting. If Huang Chuan accepted it, the Huang Family’s power would skyrocket, enough to supplant the Bai Family and take control of Heifeng City!
And yet, he refused.
Qin Ya gave Huang Chuan a deep look, then put the items away. He took out a Jade Scroll and handed it to him. "This Jade Scroll bears my Divine Thought Mark. If you face any trouble in the future that you cannot handle, crush it, and I will come."
"This..." Huang Chuan hesitated for a long moment before finally gritting his teeth and accepting the Jade Scroll.
Just before leaving, Qin Ya also gave the old butler an Elixir. "This Elixir can repair the latent injuries in your body and help you reopen your Celestial Human Aperture," he said.
The old butler was overjoyed and thanked him profusely.
That very day, the City Lord of Heifeng City personally brought Bai Haichen to the Huang Family to offer his apologies to Qin Ya. Heaven only knew how furious the City Lord had been when he learned what had happened. An expert who could easily defeat a Half-Step King, and a member of Kunyun Palace no less... Bai Haichen had actually provoked such a figure! One wrong move could have brought utter annihilation upon the entire Bai Family!
Thus, he had rushed over with a trove of lavish gifts to beg for forgiveness. Qin Ya couldn’t be bothered with them and casually sent them on their way. Two days later, after fully stabilizing his Celestial Human Realm cultivation at the Huang residence, Qin Ya left Heifeng City.
As she watched Qin Ya’s receding figure, Huang Yanrou’s eyes grew distant, lost in thought. Her father, Huang Chuan, walked up beside her and sighed softly. "Young Master Qin is truly a dragon among men, a peerless talent. But for someone like him, Heifeng City—even all of Chu Province—is nothing more than a temporary stop."
"His stage is the entire Azure Sky Realm!"
"Daughter, do you understand what I’m saying?"
Huang Yanrou snapped out of her daze and gave Huang Chuan a strange look. "Father, you don’t think I’ve fallen for Young Master Qin, do you?"
Huang Chuan was taken aback. "You haven’t?" he asked, puzzled. "For a man like Young Master Qin... if I were a woman, even I would fall for him! Not to mention he saved your life. You’re not the least bit attracted to him?"
"Heh, you’re overthinking it, Father."
"I feel only gratitude and admiration for Young Master Qin."
"And... aspiration, I suppose. If I had his strength, how would the likes of Li Yunchun and Bai Haichen ever dare to have designs on me?"
A new light, one that was completely unlike her usual self, flickered in Huang Yanrou’s eyes.
It was a raging Flame. It was... ambition!
The ambition to become strong—to become stronger.
Watching his daughter’s gradual transformation, Huang Chuan felt a sense of gratification.
"Blessings and curses truly are two sides of the same coin," Huang Chuan said with feeling.
"Father, in a couple of days, I’d like to go out to gain experience and broaden my horizons."
"Go. I know I can no longer stop you."
"Thank you, Father."
.........
After leaving the Huang Family, Qin Ya didn’t immediately return to Kunyun Palace. Instead, he traveled to Shuo Province. As he recalled being hunted down, the corners of his lips curled into a slight smile, and a cold, murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He then found a place to stay.
He took out a blood-red Jade Scroll and probed it with his Divine Thought. Faint points of light, each marking a different region, appeared in his mind.
These were... some of the Blood Nether Association’s gathering places.
After killing Qiann Feng, Qin Ya had taken his Storage Ring. This blood-red Jade Scroll was what he had found inside it. It recorded some of the Blood Nether Association’s strongholds, which were spread across several territories, including Shuo Province, Qingg Country, and Lei Province.
The strongholds were most concentrated in Shuo Province, all of which had been under Qiann Feng’s command. The highest cultivation level in any of these locations was only a Half-Step King. ’Perhaps,’ he thought, ’after Qiann Feng’s death, the Blood Nether Association headquarters will send another King to take charge.’
But Qin Ya was not afraid.
His feud with the Blood Nether Association had begun long ago in the Celestial Dragon Sea Region. Back then, his strength was only at the Sky-Controlling Realm, and his combat power was, at best, comparable to the Celestial Human Realm. He had been hunted by a bald old man at the peak of Celestial Human Perfection, forced to flee into the Celestial Demon Mountain Range, and had nearly lost his life.
Now, he had been hunted by Qiann Feng, another brush with death. This, coupled with the Blood Nether Association’s creation of Blood Slaves and other such inhuman atrocities, meant that Qin Ya felt not a shred of goodwill toward them. The killing intent in his heart had brewed to its absolute peak.
’Blood Nether Association... You’ve tried to kill me time and time again. This time, it’s my turn to strike. Let’s have some fun, shall we?’
A cold smile played on Qin Ya’s lips, and the icy killing intent radiating from his body was so intense it seemed to freeze the very air around him.