"What! Lin Fei has gone missing? How is that possible? A living being of ninth-level martial prowess could not simply vanish into thin air. He wouldn't leave without a word and return to Lin Family Village first, would he?"
In a basement of Wang Family Village, four formidable figures had gathered: Wang Xu, Wang Tian, Wang Hu, and Wang Hong.
These four were the most powerful individuals in Wang Family Village and its leaders; their every word and action shaped the village's future. However, at this moment, their brows were deeply furrowed, and their faces were etched with anxiety.
The black-faced, fierce Tiger Wang Hu spoke gravely, "Impossible! I just handed him the century-old Zhu Fruit last night. With his temperament, he would have consumed it immediately; how could he possibly have returned to Lin Family Village first?"
He was perplexed, having parted ways with Lin Fei just last night, and now, to discover his sudden disappearance this morning was beyond comprehension.
Everything felt suspicious; even if Lin Fei had returned to Lin Family Village, he would surely have said something.
"Indeed, his son remains in our village. If he were to return now, what would happen to his son?" Wang Tian nodded, his voice deep and resonant. His thick brows and piercing gaze exuded an immense presence, making Wang Hu shiver inwardly, contemplating how much stronger their captain had become—perhaps nearing the realm of martial masters.
"You speak truthfully!" Wang Hu agreed, knowing that Lin Wudi was only at the third level of martial prowess. Without Lin Fei's protection, he could never navigate the perilous outside world alone, especially given the abundance of ferocious beasts; those below the fifth level of martial prowess could hardly wander freely beyond Baiyun Town.
So, why had Lin Fei disappeared so suddenly?
A chilling voice suddenly pierced the air: "Could it be that someone discovered Lin Fei's Zhu Fruit and resorted to murder for treasure?"
"Mm?"
"Mm?"
Wang Hu and Wang Tian turned sharply towards the source of the voice, their expressions turning complex. The speaker was Wang Hong, the only female among the four formidable figures of Wang Family Village.
Regrettably, this woman was not only unattractive but rather grotesque; her face bore several large black spots that appeared menacing, deterring even the villagers from engaging with her. The village children were known to tremble at the sight of her.
Yet, this seemingly hideous woman had eclipsed many martial artists within Wang Family Village, successfully rising to a position of power.
At this moment, Wang Hong spoke with an icy glare and a chilling tone that sent shivers down one's spine.
"Xiao Hong, it seems you are not far from breaking through to the tenth level of martial prowess," Wang Tian remarked with a wry smile as he looked at the ugly woman before him.
Wang Hu, hearing this, cast a shocked glance at Wang Hong.
"In a year at most, or as little as three to five months," Wang Hong replied coldly, licking her lips to reveal a blood-red tongue, which was still dripping. She looked at Wang Tian with a sense of pride.
Wang Tian frowned at once. "Have you been out hunting again?"
"And what if I have?" Wang Hong retorted frostily, her eyes glinting with disdain, showing no regard for Wang Tian.
"You!" Wang Tian seethed with rage, pointing at Wang Hong yet finding himself at a loss for words.
Wang Hu, observing the exchange, seemed to drift into another realm, appearing as though he had seen and heard nothing.
"Enough!"
As the tension in the basement thickened, Wang Xu, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His simple utterance dissipated the surrounding tension instantly.
Wang Tian and the others turned to Wang Xu, their expressions respectful; in Wang Family Village, Wang Xu held a status revered above all—like a deity in the eyes of the villagers.
"Sigh, both of you are elite members of Wang Family Village, so let's cease this bickering. Blood ties are sacred; no matter how deep the grievances run, one should not turn against kin!" Wang Xu cast a glance at Wang Tian and Wang Hong, a hint of helplessness gleaming in his aged eyes.
Few in Baiyun Town knew of Wang Tian and Wang Hong's father-daughter relationship, and the villagers were wary of Wang Tian's and Wang Hong's strength and status, refraining from gossiping publicly. Consequently, very few were aware that they were related by blood.
"Blood ties? Ha! A tiger may not eat its cubs, but some are more merciless than tigers," Wang Hong replied with a chilling laugh, her gaze icy as she regarded Wang Tian.
"Xiao Hong, I acknowledge my faults from years ago, but you must also understand my difficulties. Have I not compensated you sufficiently over the years?" Wang Tian sighed.
"Compensation? Hmph! I earned all that through my own efforts; you were merely icing on the cake," Wang Hong retorted with a cold smirk.
Seeing them bickering again, Wang Xu rubbed his temples in exasperation, aware that the current situation was partly his doing.
He could never have imagined that the flicker of compassion he had shown three decades ago, which had brought Wang Hong into the ranks of their village's strength, would also sow discord among the four powerful figures of Wang Family Village.
This tale began thirty years prior.
Wang Hong was indeed Wang Tian's daughter, but her unfortunate appearance earned her his disdain. He had never once addressed her as his daughter, while the village children disliked her due to her looks.
It is easy to imagine the profound anguish Wang Hong endured in such an environment. At the tender age of ten, she lost her only supporter, her mother, leaving Wang Tian to ignore her completely.
Nevertheless, being Wang Tian's daughter, the villagers loathed her but dared not openly confront her, resorting only to whispered curses and insults behind her back.
She had seemingly resigned herself to a life of suffering, yet a single event would alter the course of her existence.
Thirty years ago, Wang Xu was the captain of the beast-hunting team in Wang Family Village, while Wang Tian served as a vice-captain alongside another named Wang Lie.
The same position led to a quiet rivalry between Wang Tian and Wang Lie, and on one occasion, Wang Lie ruthlessly humiliated Wang Tian by bringing up Wang Hong's situation.
Though Wang Tian vented his fury on Wang Lie, Wang Hong remained a source of deep-seated regret for him; he perceived his only flaw in life to be this ugly daughter.
In a fit of madness, Wang Tian dispatched someone to abandon the ten-year-old Wang Hong in the mountains, leaving her to fend for herself.
Although he later came to his senses and felt ashamed, by then it was too late; he presumed Wang Hong had surely been devoured by a beast and decided not to dwell on it further. He discreetly spread the word that his daughter had mysteriously vanished, even participating in the search to conceal his cruel intentions.
In truth, while he could deceive others, he could not fool the village chief and the beast-hunting team captain, Wang Xu. However, due to Wang Tian's status and strength within Wang Village, both the chief and Wang Xu turned a blind eye to the matter.
Originally, this incident would have ended here, destined to remain an unsavory secret. Yet, fate intervened; having been despised by everyone since childhood, Wang Hong learned to be self-sufficient. She survived for three days by eating tree bark.
More importantly, throughout those three days, she did not encounter any ferocious beasts. Heaven favored her, allowing her to escape disaster. On the evening of the third day, Wang Xu, honing his martial skills alone in the mountains, fortuitously discovered her.
As for Wang Hong, her disfigured face was known to all in Wang Village, and Wang Xu was no exception. At first sight of the little girl, he recognized her as Wang Hong.
She was gnawing on tree bark, her grimy face appearing even more wretched. Even the fierce Wang Xu couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy. Remembering that this girl was a member of Wang Village and had endured such a tragic childhood, he decided to rescue her.
This act naturally displeased Wang Tian, but burdened by shame and knowing that Wang Xu outranked him, he chose not to protest.
Despite his lingering disregard for Wang Hong, he had someone care for her, ensuring she received the best training available in Wang Village.
In the following years, Wang Hong astounded everyone. Though she was unattractive, she possessed exceptional talent in martial arts. Previously, Wang Tian had ignored her, leaving her potential unknown.
However, once she began her training, her abilities shone through. She consistently placed first in every annual competition and ultimately became a martial artist within just a few years, rapidly ascending to the pinnacle of the ninth rank.
Yet, to conceal their true strength, Wang Village publicly claimed that Wang Hong was merely at the early stages of the ninth rank.
"Report! Chief, urgent news!"
Just as the quarrel between Wang Tian and Wang Hong reached a head, a startled voice called from outside the basement.
"What?" Wang Xu exclaimed, swiftly instructing Wang Hu to open the basement door. An elder from Wang Village hurried in, his face etched with urgency. "Chief, it's bad! We found half of Lin Fei's corpse; he has been murdered!"
This elder held a position of high authority, ranking just below the four great warriors in Wang Village. Thus, he was aware of the covert alliance between Wang Village and Lin Village.
"What!"
As soon as the elder's words fell, Wang Tian, Wang Hong, and Wang Hu sprang to their feet, and even Wang Xu's expression shifted.
"Do we know who the murderer is?" Wang Tian shouted, disregarding the elder's status.
Wang Hu and Wang Hong turned to the elder, both understanding the significance of Lin Fei; should he die in Wang Village, they would find themselves defenseless, unable to maintain their alliance with Lin Village and potentially provoking them, leading to the loss of a powerful ally.
"Unclear. We only discovered Lin Fei's lower half; there are no fatal wounds, just some signs of being mauled by a beast," the elder replied, shaking his head.
"Could it have been a beast?" Wang Hu frowned.
"Impossible! A ninth-rank martial artist like him couldn't easily fall prey to a beast unless he ventured deep into the woods and encountered a formidable foe. But that's highly unlikely; Lin Fei isn't foolish enough to go deep into the mountains for no reason—it would be a death wish!" Wang Tian countered, shaking his head.
"Let's head out and examine Lin Fei's body. This matter must remain confidential for now," Wang Xu ordered, his cold gaze sweeping over Wang Tian, Wang Hong, Wang Hu, and the elder.
"Understood, Chief!"
The four responded in unison, their faces grave. Lin Fei's death could significantly impact Wang Village, potentially igniting a war in Baiyun Town.