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There was more muttering as Wang FeiYang confirmed Zhao LanFeng's identity.
"But how?!"
"Wasn't he born without spirit power?"
"Did he consume some kind of elixir?"
LanFen was pleasantly surprised...
When she recently met Wang FeiYang again, he had been even more cowardly than he had been five years ago, and she could only imagine what the Wang family had done to him to make him that way.
She hadn't thought he would have the nerve to even come here, much less speak up in a gathering like this!
It was nice that he was crawling out of his shell.
But pleased as she was, she didn't even glance in his direction. He was currently too weak to face the consequence of being on her side.
Shuǐ ChangSheng sighed. "Before now, a few of us already took an interest in you, since you had killed a lot of people... But it was revealed that those people were wanted murderers, or kidnappers or the like... They were essentially low-lives, so no one bothered you about it."
LanFen remembered those people... The ones who had endlessly chased after her and Jun. 'Turns out I made a name for myself, even before I attacked those clans.'
Shuǐ ChangSheng was still speaking. "However, you attacked two Ruling clans... We would need to hear your reasons for doing such a thing."
Shuǐ ChangSheng thought he knew at least part of the reason, but he had asked, so Zhao LanFeng would have a chance to defend his actions.
But before LanFen could open her mouth, the other clan leaders began shouting one question or the other:
"Yes! Why did you abandon your clan five years ago?"
"Besides, you were born with no cultivation talent, whatsoever... How did you get so powerful?!"
"How did you acquire your skills?"
"How did you win against the two clans?!"
"How did you get from the South to the East so quickly?! Did you steal a long range teleportation talisman?!"
"Where have you been for five years?"
"Why did you destroy the two clans?"
The repetitive questions kept pouring around her, so LanFen pressed her lips together and kept mute till the hall was finally silent.
"My dear Clan Leaders. If you barrage me with so many questions at once, I won't be able to answer any!" She bowed her overdramatic bow again.
Then she turned serious.
"'An eye for an eye.' It's enough to say that I had a score to settle with both Clan Leaders. Their greed led to their own destruction!"
Her fierce declaration had brought the hall to a spell of shocked silence...
"Do you really not want to say anything to clarify the-?" Shuǐ ChangSheng began, but was interrupted.
"I think we've all heard enough! He should be taken away for now!" Clan Leader Wei, the gray-haired old Lady had cut in, and she still held a clear reprimand in her eyes.
Being the Eldest in the room, most of them nodded in agreement, and it was clear that they didn't want to waste further time on someone they considered a 'lost cause'.
Shuǐ ChangSheng sighed. "Lu Xian, take him back for now..." He quietly ordered, and his brows furrowed, as Lu FengHo pulled Zhao LanFeng to his feet, then led him out of the hall.
.
Once they were outside and out of sight, LanFen fell to her knees gasping in air. The Clan Leaders' aura had been no joke. "Heh! A bunch of old men bullying a youth. These are the people leading Xin Dao?"
Lu FengHo leaned down and helped him up.
Frankly he was surprised that Zhao LanFeng had been able to withstand it. He hadn't been on the receiving end of that harsh collection of directed aura, but it had been felt throughout the room!
He shook head.
"My advise to be obedient and repentant were like a soft breeze against a firmly shut window. If you had just knelt at the doorway, wouldn't they have ceased?"
LanFen grinned. "Hmph. Handsome elder brother, you're far too naive. Among the people inside, there are those who want to kill me."
Lu FengHo glanced at Zhao LanFeng in part curiosity, part admiration.
Someone much younger than him, felt like he had experienced things far beyond him...
LanFen stopped suddenly, as she had felt that highly oppressive aura again, but only briefly, and not as powerful.
She cocked her head slowly, as if listening for a while, then sharply spun to the courtyard.
A crow sat on a low tree branch, cocking its own small head at her, but the instant their eyes met, it hurriedly stretched its wings and flew off in a flutter.
Lu FengHo, "What's wrong?"
LanFen turned and resumed walking. "Let's just say that there's no stronghold prying eyes, or ears, cannot penetrate..."
.
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Meanwhile, as the crow flew further away from the Shuǐ Mansion, it slowly turned into a ball of black mist, and then vanished into thin air.
A far distance away, on the other side of Jade city, a man rushed into a vast hall and fell to his knees, cupped his hands before his face and bowed.
"My Lord Emissary, I bring an update. The Elder's Crow has returned."
A calm gentleman sat on the throne-like seat on a raised platform. He wore black and brown robes, held in place with a gilded golden belt, and a large fur-lined, burgundy shawl over his shoulders.
His hair was completely slicked backwards to fall to the middle of his back, but the lower half of his face was covered by a veil.
He nodded to the servant that had rushed in and the servant continued to speak.
"It is indeed Xuè Shèngrén they have captur-."
"Don't waste my time by stating the obvious."
The servant bowed, "Ah, yes, My Lord Emissary. It has been confirmed that Xuè Shèngrén is indeed Zhao LanFeng. The Clan leaders are currently meeting to decide his fate."
He rose a perfect brow at the news. "Ho?" A part of him was immensely angry, because by right, he should have been within that hall to witness things for himself.
But he pushed the feeling away and simply asked, "So Xuè Shèngrén is truly Zhao LanFeng?"
"Yes, my Lord Emissary. The Crow heard everything. A few of our members are in there as well, though they're careful not to give themselves away. The other clan leaders also seem to disapprove of Xuè Shèngrén.
"My Lord, they might do our job for us, and sentence him to death!"
The man just waved the over-excited servant away. "Keep an eye on things. Inform me when he dies."
His lips bent in a small smile when he was alone. 'So what, if I'm not there myself? After Zhao LanFeng's death, the Elder would be so pleased, that he might finally grant what I want!'
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