"The six men were merely tools for the cultivators to carry out their tasks. They were able to cultivate these six people, and perhaps one day, they could cultivate another six who would do the same, controlling the court. So the real issue lies with Longshan. As long as they are not removed, this world will never be peaceful, and the Liu family will never be at ease," Yan Huo said.
"Even with such a big commotion in Yan City, no matter how we cover it up, the court will still find out. Once the court knows, it means the people at Longshan will also be aware. This matter is far from over; in fact, it might just be the beginning. Zhang Ge confessed that the Four Lords of Longshan seem unable to leave the confines of Longshan, but that doesn't mean they can never leave. They are just temporarily unable to do so. What I need now is time."
Yan Huo planned to stay a few more days at the Liu family. He originally thought he could rekindle his family bonds, but when something is lost for too long, it feels strange when it is regained. So Yan Huo decided to leave and return to Master Chongyang's cave for some time to cultivate. His future enemies wouldn't just be ordinary people; even the Four Lords of Longshan might surpass him in cultivation, not to mention the two unknown cultivators who had likely been practicing for many years.
Strength. Strength decides everything. If Yan Huo didn't avenge Zhang Feng, it would always be a knot in his heart. Until that knot was removed, it would be difficult for him to make further progress in his cultivation. Yan Huo understood this principle well.
"Yan'er! There's something I've never told you..." Liu Yiqing began, hesitating.
"What is it?" Yan Huo asked curiously.
"It's about Xiu Ning," Liu Yiqing said.
"Xiu Ning Jie!?" Yan Huo was even more curious.
"That day, on the cliff…" Liu Yiqing paused and looked at Yan Huo's expression. Then, helplessly, he continued, "I know you regard Xiu Ning as your family, but I had no choice that day. I had to act as I did."
"What do you mean?" Yan Huo wasn't foolish. He could sense something from Liu Yiqing's words, but he didn't dare think in that direction.
"When Xiu Ning jumped from the cliff, I was right beside her. I could have stopped her." Liu Yiqing finally revealed the truth. After speaking, he leaned back into his chair, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
"Ah!" Yan Huo was in shock.
"Why didn't you save her?" Liu Yiqing's revelation was like a thunderclap. Yan Huo rushed forward and grabbed Liu Yiqing by the collar, angrily demanding an explanation.
"Fourth Brother, don't!" Liu Zheng cried out. Although he didn't know who Xiu Ning was or what had happened between them, he could see the murderous look in Yan Huo's eyes and realized that his father had done something to hurt Yan Huo again.
"You bastard…" Yan Huo raised his left hand, but he couldn't bring himself to strike. Tears began to well up in his eyes. Liu Yiqing had already wronged Yan Huo, and Yan Huo had saved the Liu family. He already owed him too much and didn't want to owe him anything else.
"Go ahead! A life for a life," Yan Huo said coldly.
"Yan Huo, he is still our father!" Liu Zheng rushed forward and grabbed Yan Huo's left hand.
Did Yan Huo not know that this detestable man was his father? If he were truly a cold-blooded, heartless person, no one could stop his palm from landing.
"Is this the kind of father you have? For his personal gain, for the Liu family's…" At this point, Yan Huo suddenly recalled the scene of orphaned children and grieving mothers. Yan Huo clenched his teeth and slowly lowered his hand.
**"Enough! Enough! This is all fate. It's destined that I should walk this path."** Yan Huo slowly let go of Liu Yiqing. **"From now on, you are you, and I am I. Don't ever try to use family ties or anything like that to manipulate me. From now on, I no longer carry the surname Liu, I am no longer your son, and you are no longer my father. From now on, we walk our separate paths, never to meet again!"** Yan Huo said coldly. After finishing these words, he leaped and flew out of the escort agency.
**"Fourth Brother!"** Liu Zheng called out loudly as he chased after him, but Yan Huo had already vanished from sight.
Liu Zheng turned around to see his father, Liu Yiqing, sitting in a chair, his face streaked with tears. **"Sigh..."** Liu Zheng sighed deeply.
Later, as an angry Yan Huo found Fox White in the biggest tavern in Yan City, he told him that he needed a quiet place to meditate. Fox White replied:
**"Heh, if you want to meditate, the stone tower in the cave is the best place. The spiritual energy there is abundant."**
**"The stone tower!?"** Yan Huo was puzzled. **"But doesn't time inside the tower move differently? One hour in there equals a whole day outside. What I need most now is time. If I go in there for a few years, hundreds or even thousands of years might have passed outside. By then, how will I take my revenge? My enemies might be long gone."** Yan Huo said, agitated.
**"What are you rushing for? Let me explain,"** Fox White said, holding up his hand to stop him. **"Heh, I was in a rush the other day, and didn't explain things clearly. Think about it! Master Chongyang can slow down time inside the tower, so of course, he can also speed it up. My foolish junior, the time restrictions inside the tower can be freely controlled."**
**"Really!?"** Yan Huo was overjoyed.
**"What do I have to gain by lying to you?"** Fox White said seriously.
**"Let's go!"** Yan Huo immediately grabbed Fox White and started to leave.
**"Let go! Let go! I swore I would never return to that hellish place!"** Fox White yelled.
If Fox White were in his fox form, Yan Huo might not have been able to catch him, but in front of so many people, Fox White dared not change back into his true form. Yan Huo absolutely refused to let him go. There were too many things Fox White had hidden from him; perhaps there were other mysteries inside the cave that Yan Huo didn't know about. He couldn't let Fox White off the hook.
**"Senior! Master Chongyang said I should go wherever you go. How could I go against Master's wishes?"** Yan Huo smiled.
**"What bad luck I have!"** Fox White muttered, **"A few hundred years ago, I ran into the old man, and now I'm stuck with you."**
**"Before we leave, let me buy some wine and meat. I don't want to live on absorbing spiritual energy anymore."** After Fox White agreed to go to the mountain with Yan Huo, Yan Huo promised to buy some food and drink to take with them into the cave.
**"Fine! I'll go buy it right now. We'll leave right after I'm done."** Yan Huo said.
**"Shopkeeper! Prepare 100 jars... no, 200 jars of top-quality wine, one pound of beef, and 100 chickens! I'm taking them all!"** Fox White shouted from the third floor to the shopkeeper, who was busy with accounts downstairs.
**"Huh!?"** The shopkeeper was so shocked by this order that he dropped his pen. **"Sir, are you planning a wedding or something? We can take care of that for you..."**
**"Bullshit! I'm keeping all of this for myself to eat! Hurry up and prepare it!"** Fox White was already irritated. He was in the middle of eating and enjoying himself when he was suddenly forced by his foolish junior to go to the mountains. The shopkeeper's question only made him more angry, and he couldn't help but curse.