You San looked up after seeing the man who died tragically at his feet. He saw two shadows at the entrance, one in front of another, one larger than the other, one tall and one short, one male and one female, one muscular and one thin.
Due to the light at their backs, You San could not see their faces. However, he saw that the person in front was carrying a body in the air with one hand by a white bone punctured through his pack. Blood flowed from the wound down his legs to the ground.
This person tossed the person aside casually, then his face was revealed. You San quickly fell a step back.
It was Li Chengfeng!
You San’s pupils contracted, hairs standing on his back. He immediately turned around to Green Bead to hold her hostage but she was no ordinary handmaiden. All the handmaidens in the Li family were trained in martial arts. Although they were not experienced in real battle, at least they were no helpless beginners.
When she saw You San turning around, she snapped to her senses and retreated quickly. You San sprung forward and pounced on her. However, the man was quicker as she kept retreating until her back touched a pillar. When he was about to grab Green Bead, his fingers stopped and hovered an inch from her body.
Green Bead, terrified, finally focused her gaze to see a hand on You San’s head. As if he was trapped under a boulder, he seemed to have shortened and could not move.
Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. He wanted to turn his head but dared not move in case it provoked his opponent. His slender eyes kept darting to the side, panicking.
You San did not expect this confirmed victory to go south so quickly. What were the chances? If he knew it would come to this, he would not have gotten involved!
You San chided himself, quickly calculating the best route to escape. He retracted his hand and said slowly, “So it’s Master Li…”
Before he finished, a loud crack came from his neck. Li Chengfeng had twisted his neck, breaking his spine off!
You San’s eyes widened, his eyes filled with either regret or hatred as his body slumped.
Li Chengfeng took one disgusted look and then said to the surprised Asparta and Agatha. “Take this out, I don’t want to dirty our house.”
Green Bead stared at Li Chengfeng in shock, tears flowing, as if afraid the young man would disappear in the next second.
He waved his hand in front of her face with a grin. “Sister Green Bead? Don’t you recognise me? I’m Chengfeng, the guy who steals your pastries!”
She chuckled through her tears and fell into his arms, suddenly sobbing hard as she spoke, “That’s why I’m always wondering why my pastries go missing! I thought it must have been the rats again.”
He patted her back, holding back laughter. “Hey, which handmaiden calls their young master a rat?”
She let go, wiping her tears and took a step back. Turning back into the cautious, calm handmaiden, she said, “Apologies, please forgive me.”
He waved and smiled. Looking around, he saw that there were several servants looking at him with hope and surprise in their eyes.
They often complained about their Young Master causing trouble yet this was the moment they realised the King of Troublemakers was the pillar holding their roof up!
He scanned his surroundings. “Where are the three idiots?”
Green Bead smiled bitterly. “They were heavily injured and are resting in the backyard.”
“My mother?”
She then noticed that Li Chengfeng was wearing tattered farmer clothing and said, “Young Master, you should go wash up first. I’ll go tell Madam that you’re back and safe so she’ll stop worrying.”
He nodded lightly and turned to Su Yuehan. “You go wash and change too.” Su Yuehan nodded and turned. Green Bead turned to Li Chengfeng with questions.
“Without her, I wouldn’t have returned alive.”
Green Bead looked at Su Yuehan for a moment then ran up to her. “Sister Yuehan, it’s very messy here. Washing up will be very inconvenient. Follow me.”
Su Yuehan smiled. She knew that she had been truly accepted into the family by an important member.
Although this family always seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
Li Chengfeng gave Asparta and Agatha some instructions then went to meet his mother at the back hall.
Passing through the corridor, he pushed open the doors. He saw two altar tablets for the past patriarchs of the Li family, as well as the idols of Heavenly Emperor Luo Jiuchong and Lord Zhang Zhaoyang. Wisps of incense smoke rose as a lady knelt before the altar, both palms held together in a prayer position. With tears in her eyes, she muttered in a low voice, “Heavenly Emperor Jiu Chong and Lord Zhaoyang, please watch over my son Chengfeng, ensure that he returns safely. I am willing to be struck by lightning if it means for his safe return!”
Li Chengfeng’s lips quivered as he called gently, “Mother…”
Madam Xie shook hard and looked up, kowtowing heavily in front of the altar. Her shoulders rose and fell as she sobbed loudly.
Li Chengfeng’s heart clenched and quickly knelt down to support his mother.
Madam Xie grabbed him and regarded him from head to toe in utter happiness. “My son! Or am I mistaken?! You… Are you hurt? Come, let me see?”
Li Chengfeng hugged her and smiled. “Mother, I’m fine! Your son is back!”
She hugged him tight, tears falling like rain. “The heavens have shown us mercy! The heavens must not want our family’s only heir to perish! I’m glad you’re home, I’m glad you’re home! My son, don’t do anything like this again, any problem can be solved as long as you’re alive! As long as you’re alive, our Li family will always have hope! You understand!”
Li Chengfeng nodded hard. “Mother, I’d like to be a cultivator!”
She paused for a moment, then her eyes filled with struggle and pain. “My son, you must know that you might die if you decide to cultivate!”
Only“Mother, I might go insane if I cultivate but if I don’t, I’ll be vulnerable to everyone else!”
Madam Xie shook her head with a bitter smile. “No, I’m not talking about that.”
He paused. “What do you mean?”
“My son, which sect do you want to enter?”
He wanted to cultivate on his own but knew that it was not realistic so after some thought, he said, “Anywhere is fine as long as it’s not the Spiritual Mountain Sect.”
Madam Xie replied bitterly, “My son… you cannot go anywhere else other than the Spiritual Mountain Sect!”
Li Chengfeng was shocked. “Why not?!”
You San looked up after seeing the man who died tragically at his feet. He saw two shadows at the entrance, one in front of another, one larger than the other, one tall and one short, one male and one female, one muscular and one thin.
Due to the light at their backs, You San could not see their faces. However, he saw that the person in front was carrying a body in the air with one hand by a white bone punctured through his pack. Blood flowed from the wound down his legs to the ground.
This person tossed the person aside casually, then his face was revealed. You San quickly fell a step back.
It was Li Chengfeng!
You San’s pupils contracted, hairs standing on his back. He immediately turned around to Green Bead to hold her hostage but she was no ordinary handmaiden. All the handmaidens in the Li family were trained in martial arts. Although they were not experienced in real battle, at least they were no helpless beginners.
When she saw You San turning around, she snapped to her senses and retreated quickly. You San sprung forward and pounced on her. However, the man was quicker as she kept retreating until her back touched a pillar. When he was about to grab Green Bead, his fingers stopped and hovered an inch from her body.
Green Bead, terrified, finally focused her gaze to see a hand on You San’s head. As if he was trapped under a boulder, he seemed to have shortened and could not move.
Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. He wanted to turn his head but dared not move in case it provoked his opponent. His slender eyes kept darting to the side, panicking.
You San did not expect this confirmed victory to go south so quickly. What were the chances? If he knew it would come to this, he would not have gotten involved!
You San chided himself, quickly calculating the best route to escape. He retracted his hand and said slowly, “So it’s Master Li…”
Before he finished, a loud crack came from his neck. Li Chengfeng had twisted his neck, breaking his spine off!
You San’s eyes widened, his eyes filled with either regret or hatred as his body slumped.
Li Chengfeng took one disgusted look and then said to the surprised Asparta and Agatha. “Take this out, I don’t want to dirty our house.”
Green Bead stared at Li Chengfeng in shock, tears flowing, as if afraid the young man would disappear in the next second.
He waved his hand in front of her face with a grin. “Sister Green Bead? Don’t you recognise me? I’m Chengfeng, the guy who steals your pastries!”
She chuckled through her tears and fell into his arms, suddenly sobbing hard as she spoke, “That’s why I’m always wondering why my pastries go missing! I thought it must have been the rats again.”
He patted her back, holding back laughter. “Hey, which handmaiden calls their young master a rat?”
She let go, wiping her tears and took a step back. Turning back into the cautious, calm handmaiden, she said, “Apologies, please forgive me.”
He waved and smiled. Looking around, he saw that there were several servants looking at him with hope and surprise in their eyes.
They often complained about their Young Master causing trouble yet this was the moment they realised the King of Troublemakers was the pillar holding their roof up!
He scanned his surroundings. “Where are the three idiots?”
Green Bead smiled bitterly. “They were heavily injured and are resting in the backyard.”
“My mother?”
She then noticed that Li Chengfeng was wearing tattered farmer clothing and said, “Young Master, you should go wash up first. I’ll go tell Madam that you’re back and safe so she’ll stop worrying.”
He nodded lightly and turned to Su Yuehan. “You go wash and change too.” Su Yuehan nodded and turned. Green Bead turned to Li Chengfeng with questions.
“Without her, I wouldn’t have returned alive.”
Green Bead looked at Su Yuehan for a moment then ran up to her. “Sister Yuehan, it’s very messy here. Washing up will be very inconvenient. Follow me.”
Su Yuehan smiled. She knew that she had been truly accepted into the family by an important member.
Although this family always seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
Li Chengfeng gave Asparta and Agatha some instructions then went to meet his mother at the back hall.
Passing through the corridor, he pushed open the doors. He saw two altar tablets for the past patriarchs of the Li family, as well as the idols of Heavenly Emperor Luo Jiuchong and Lord Zhang Zhaoyang. Wisps of incense smoke rose as a lady knelt before the altar, both palms held together in a prayer position. With tears in her eyes, she muttered in a low voice, “Heavenly Emperor Jiu Chong and Lord Zhaoyang, please watch over my son Chengfeng, ensure that he returns safely. I am willing to be struck by lightning if it means for his safe return!”
Li Chengfeng’s lips quivered as he called gently, “Mother…”
Madam Xie shook hard and looked up, kowtowing heavily in front of the altar. Her shoulders rose and fell as she sobbed loudly.
Li Chengfeng’s heart clenched and quickly knelt down to support his mother.
Madam Xie grabbed him and regarded him from head to toe in utter happiness. “My son! Or am I mistaken?! You… Are you hurt? Come, let me see?”
Li Chengfeng hugged her and smiled. “Mother, I’m fine! Your son is back!”
She hugged him tight, tears falling like rain. “The heavens have shown us mercy! The heavens must not want our family’s only heir to perish! I’m glad you’re home, I’m glad you’re home! My son, don’t do anything like this again, any problem can be solved as long as you’re alive! As long as you’re alive, our Li family will always have hope! You understand!”
Li Chengfeng nodded hard. “Mother, I’d like to be a cultivator!”
She paused for a moment, then her eyes filled with struggle and pain. “My son, you must know that you might die if you decide to cultivate!”
Only“Mother, I might go insane if I cultivate but if I don’t, I’ll be vulnerable to everyone else!”
Madam Xie shook her head with a bitter smile. “No, I’m not talking about that.”
He paused. “What do you mean?”
“My son, which sect do you want to enter?”
He wanted to cultivate on his own but knew that it was not realistic so after some thought, he said, “Anywhere is fine as long as it’s not the Spiritual Mountain Sect.”
Madam Xie replied bitterly, “My son… you cannot go anywhere else other than the Spiritual Mountain Sect!”
Li Chengfeng was shocked. “Why not?!”
