Translator: Cinder Translations
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Ai Kun seemed to be living well at the Su family; in just a few months, his complexion had improved significantly.
He was walking with an old woman in her fifties. The two of them were laughing as they walked, occasionally making physical contact, appearing very close.
This must be the friend he mentioned, but judging by their behavior, they didn't seem like just ordinary friends.
Song Wen followed them from a distance, watching the two leisurely stroll through the market.
He was the only one who knew that Ai Kun was cultivating the "Longevity Art." Since Ai Kun had joined the Su family, Song Wen couldn't help but suspect that the Su family's attempt to capture him was connected to Ai Kun.
The two bought some materials for drawing talismans and then left the market, heading towards Qingping Mountain.
They didn't use a flying boat; instead, they flew using a flight technique.
At the market's edge, there were still many people around, making it unsuitable for Song Wen to take action.
When they were about twenty miles away from the market, in a secluded area with dense forests and no one else around for miles, Song Wen saw his opportunity.
The two people flying a hundred meters in the air suddenly showed panic.
A flash of cold light shot through, instantly piercing their abdomens.
To avoid immediately killing them, the Cold Moon Blade only punctured their abdomens, leaving a bloody hole without causing more significant damage.
But their flight techniques instantly failed, and they plummeted to the ground, crashing heavily.
After breaking a dozen tree branches, they hit the ground hard, almost dying.
Both suffered from varying degrees of broken bones and severe abrasions.
Ai Kun's face was covered in blood. He struggled to get up, but the sharp pain in his abdomen made him fall back to the ground.
He could feel that at least half of his ribs were broken.
Raising his head, Ai Kun looked at the old woman with him and, enduring the pain, asked, "Ah Xiu, how are you?"
Su Xiu, with only five layers of Qi training, was more seriously injured than Ai Kun. Her left thigh was bloody and mangled, with the broken thigh bone protruding through the flesh, exposed to the air.
"Help me, my leg is broken, and my internal organs are shattered... pfft..."
She suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, mixed with unknown pieces of internal organs.
Ai Kun took out an elixir, swallowed it, and without time to refine it, tried to crawl toward Su Xiu.
Suddenly.
A mocking voice sounded.
"Hehe... such a loving couple."
"Senior Ai, you've only been at the Su family for a few months, and you've already turned from a brothel frequenter into a devoted lover."
Song Wen's figure slowly emerged from the dense forest, a playful smile on his face. At this moment, he had already resumed his appearance as Zhang Cheng.
"Zhang Cheng, it's you!"
Seeing Song Wen, Ai Kun's eyes flashed with panic, quickly replaced by hatred and confusion.
"I thought I treated you well before. Why are you doing this to me?"
"And you hid so deeply, even being a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
Song Wen's cold smile remained, his eyes sharp, his voice icy.
"No need to act in front of me. Without some confidence, I wouldn't have attacked you rashly."
"Why did you betray me? And why did the Su family capture me?"
Ai Kun replied, "I don't understand what you're talking about."
Song Wen said, "Senior Ai, you're forcing me to torture you. Wouldn't it be better if I gave you a quick death?"
After a moment of silence, Ai Kun pointed to Su Xiu and said, "Fine, I'll tell you everything, but you must spare her. She has nothing to do with this and is innocent."
As if hearing something extremely funny, Song Wen suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha... Unrelated to this matter? Innocent people?"
"I'm peacefully staying at home, but the Su family suddenly barges in to capture me. Am I not innocent?"
"The Su family sent out Golden Core cultivators to hunt me, almost causing my death. Am I not innocent?"
Ai Kun said, "But she is from the Su family. If you kill her, it will set the Su family against you, and they won't let you go."
Song Wen coldly replied, "Do you think I came to the Su family's territory just for you? You don't think I'm here only to seek revenge, do you?"
Ai Kun looked incredulous and said in shock, "Do you intend to make a move against the Su family? Their ancestral elder is a Golden Core cultivator."
Song Wen sneered, "Hmph, just an old, decrepit figure. I only need to lurk in the dark for a few years, and he'll naturally return to the underworld."
Ai Kun wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Song Wen.
"Alright, Senior Ai, tell me everything you know. I'll give you a quick death."
After a moment of contemplation, Ai Kun said, "Fine, I'll tell you everything I know. I've wronged you, so consider it my apology. Just give us both a quick end."
"After coming to the Su family, I learned that they have a unique elixir that can replenish vitality. As you know, my vitality is severely depleted, and without replenishment, I might not survive much longer."
"Later, I learned that the Su family was searching for cultivators of the 'Longevity Art.' I informed them of your whereabouts in exchange for two elixirs to restore my vitality."
"Why does the Su family want to capture cultivators of the 'Longevity Art'?" Song Wen asked.
Ai Kun shook his head, "I don't know. I'm just an outsider, so the Su family wouldn't reveal that to me."
Song Wen stared at Ai Kun. Seeing that he didn't seem to be lying, he continued to ask.
"How many cultivators of the 'Longevity Art' has the Su family captured?"
Ai Kun said, "I don't know, but they only want young cultivators with high cultivation levels."
"I've told you everything I know. Do it!"
With that, Ai Kun closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.
"Do you have any last words?" Song Wen asked.
"No, just do it."
Song Wen's figure flashed, and his left hand, like an iron claw, grasped the top of Ai Kun's head.
A torrent of soul power instantly overwhelmed Ai Kun's consciousness.
Moments later, Song Wen withdrew his hand.
From the fragmented memories obtained through soul searching, Song Wen could roughly determine that Ai Kun was not lying and that what he said was the truth.
Song Wen's gaze turned to Su Xiu.
Su Xiu looked devastated. She had heard the entire conversation between Song Wen and Ai Kun and knew that she was doomed.
Facing imminent death, she was filled with intense fear.
"Please, spare me. I…"
Su Xiu's voice was cut off.
Song Wen performed a soul search on her.
From Su Xiu's memories, Song Wen learned that the information about the Su family capturing cultivators of the 'Longevity Art' was given to Ai Kun by her.
Ai Kun did not want to betray Song Wen initially, but Su Xiu persuaded him multiple times.
Su Xiu had told Ai Kun that if he obtained the elixir to restore his vitality, he could regain his strength, and they could live as a married couple.
From Su Xiu's memories, Song Wen did not gain any additional information. She was merely a low-level cultivator in the Su family and could not have been informed of any core secrets.
After a while, Song Wen looked at the now lifeless Ai Kun with a sense of melancholy.
He had been very cautious, always concealing his aura, and had only revealed minimal true information to Ai Kun. Yet, it still led to trouble.
In the end, Ai Kun, who once bowed to him, had also died at his hands.
Perhaps this is the cruelty of the cultivation world; you can never predict why those around you might betray you.
TL: Damn...
(End of the Chapter)
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