"Damn it!"
"Who on earth is targeting my Chen family?"
Standing in a hidden spot a hundred paces away from the Su family's residence, Chen Kun stared at the Su residence, feeling a mix of dread towards the hidden "yellow sparrow" and the toxin that could stagnate his internal energy. He was wary of being poisoned again.
From a distance, he could see his second brother Chen Xiao, cousin Chen Yun, and uncles Chen Bosen and Chen Bolin lying motionless, but there were no signs of the Su family members.
"The Su family has vanished, and my brothers are still lying there... could it be?"
Chen Kun's heart sank.
That afternoon...
"Did you hear about the fire at the Su residence last night?"
"And there's been no word from the Chen family?"
As usual, Qin Wang was at Feng Laizi's noodle shop, ordering liver and seafood noodles while listening to the diners discuss the recent events in the county.
Among the topics was the fire at the Su residence around 5 AM, which burned the place to the ground and killed many members of the Su family.
As Qin Wang slurped his noodles...
At the Chen family residence...
Chen Kun stood in the main hall, his face dark with anger. Beside him were two elders and a middle-aged man, looking at four wooden boards covered with white cloth, beneath which lay the bodies of four dead family members.
"If I find out who poisoned us, I'll tear them to pieces!"
Chen Kun, resembling an enraged viper ready to strike, glared at the lifeless forms of four second-rate experts. He had waited outside the Su residence for a long time, approaching only with a wet cloth over his nose, but found his brothers already dead and the Su family gone. Enraged, he set the Su residence on fire.
"Master, we've just received word that the Su family has fled by boat down the river to Qingyun County."
At that moment, a young man entered hurriedly and reported respectfully.
"Trying to escape?"
"Not so easily!"
Chen Kun's face was somber as he addressed the three second-rate experts beside him. "You guard the family. I'm going to take Su Dingfeng's head to honor our fallen family members!"
Last night's defeat and the hidden "yellow sparrow" gnawed at him, but he resolved to reclaim the Su family's throwing knife manual and their interests.
Otherwise, his brothers' deaths would be in vain.
"Master, we'll protect the family! Be careful on your journey."
"Take care."
Chen Boshu nodded solemnly.
Chen Kun nodded and left quickly.
On the Black River...
A large boat bearing the Snow Lotus banner sailed downstream towards Qingyun County. Onboard, a lean middle-aged man stared gloomily at the expansive river.
"Master, what should we do next?"
An elder approached with a worried expression.
"We're going to Liangzhou. Chen Kun has advanced to a first-rate level, and with his third son Chen Yi in the Immortal Sect, we can't win head-on. Staying in Yanyun County means certain death for our Su family."
Su Dingfeng sighed deeply.
"If only the intelligence could reveal an Immortal Dao cultivation method like it did for the recipes for Sturdy Blood Soup and Sadness Dispersing Powder."
In his rented courtyard, Qin Wang muttered to himself while leafing through the "Intro to Elixirs" book.
That would be fantastic.
He practiced his skills—Little Red Sun Technique, Flying Eagle Technique, Reflecting Moon Knife Technique, and Grand Ancestor's Long Fist—constantly rotating between them.
Time passed...
At dawn...
[Today's Intelligence]
[1: Yesterday, you ambushed Chen family head Chen Kun, learning that the old lady fainted again upon hearing of her second son Chen Xiao's death.]
[2: Yesterday, you used Sadness Dispersing Powder to assist in killing four second-rate experts of the Chen family. The Chen family now has three mid-second-rate experts left: Chen Boshu, Chen Bowen, and Chen Zhong.]
[3: Yesterday, you observed the conflict, learning that Su family head Su Dingfeng, fearing Chen Kun's first-rate advancement, has fled to Liangzhou with his family.]
[4: Yesterday, you finished off the Chen family members, learning that Chen Kun, unable to justify the deaths, has set off to hunt Su Dingfeng and will return to Yanyun County in six days.]
[5: Yesterday, while practicing Reflecting Moon Knife Technique, you learned that Zheng Kecheng's son, Zheng Lingyun, will soon arrive in Yanyun County to investigate his father's death.]
[6: Yesterday, you learned that the creator of Reflecting Moon Knife Technique, Qiu Wanzhong, is now an elder in the Immortal Sect Badao Sect.]
[7: Yesterday, while studying "Intro to Elixirs," you learned that Master Qing Yao, born to the Chen family, left in anger and vowed to return in glory but never succeeded.]
[8: Yesterday, while observing the Yanyun County situation, you learned that rebel leader Qi Shun received news that the thief 'Zuantian Yaozi' is hiding in Yanyun County, prompting Qi Shun to seal the county and conduct house-to-house searches.]
"The intelligence has updated?"
Qin Wang's eyes lit up as he reviewed the notifications.
"That old witch is still alive?"
Qin Wang was shocked. Despite multiple tragedies, she was still alive. She must be helped.
"There are still three mid-second-rate experts left in the Chen family?"
"Huh? Chen Kun has already set off to hunt Su Dingfeng? He'll be back in six days?"
"This is a great opportunity!"
Qin Wang's heart stirred as he read the second notification.
With Sadness Dispersing Powder at his disposal, his only fear was the first-rate expert. If used correctly, he could possibly eliminate the entire Chen family in Chen Kun's absence!
Ignoring the fifth and seventh notifications...
"A mysterious palm-sized fragment will appear at the next black market? It will greatly benefit my future? How much?"
Qin Wang's interest was piqued by the ninth notification.
He was planning to visit the black market anyway, so this fragment was worth investigating.
"The thief Zuantian Yaozi is hiding in Yanyun County with the Red Sun Technique?"
Qin Wang's eyes flickered at the tenth notification.
"Daytime is unsuitable for action; night is best!"
"Tonight, the Chen family will fall!"
Qin Wang closed the panel, his eyes gleaming with determination.
His sister had sold herself for 600 coins and even agreed to remain a virgin to pave his way. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to save her from the fire pit!
Yanyun County.
Night, 7 PM.
Qin Wang sat in a hidden corner a mile from the Chen residence, full of anticipation.
Tonight, the Chen family would meet its end!
Qin Wang planned to incapacitate the Chen family's second-rate experts with Sadness Dispersing Powder, then kill them one by one. He would then deal with the old witch, the Chen matriarch, and rescue his sister Qin Xuemei!
That old witch was utterly detestable!
She must be killed with thirty-six cuts!
And her soul trapped in a spirit urn for future torment!