"Uncle Tu!"
"What happened to you? What exactly is going on?"
Seeing Uncle Tu momentarily dazed, Cao Jinxiu quickly feigned ignorance and asked.
At her words, Uncle Tu's heart stirred, and he promptly replied, "This... this old servant doesn’t know either."
"I was resting peacefully, but somehow, I ended up here."
Realizing that Uncle Tu had caught her drift, Cao Jinxiu slowly stood up, pretending innocence as she glanced around at the gathered crowd.
"I am the fiancée of Lu Yun, the Young Master of the Qingyun Sect."
"In broad daylight, under the heavens, I was abducted and brought here. I, too, want to ask—what is the meaning of this?"
"Ye Zhiqiu, this was all your doing, wasn’t it?"
"This is your revenge against me, isn’t it?"
Cao Jinxiu was playing the classic role of the villain who strikes first, planting seeds of doubt in everyone’s minds.
It must be said that Cao Jinxiu had been an expert actress since childhood, and her masterful performance indeed swayed many hearts.
"Looking at Cao Jinxiu, she seems genuinely innocent."
"Could it really not be her? Maybe Ye Zhiqiu’s master framed her?"
"That’s possible. After all, didn’t Ye Zhiqiu come to the Qingyun Sect to seek revenge against Cao Jinxiu?"
"But if he wanted revenge, wouldn’t joining the Qingyun Sect give him plenty of opportunities? Framing her seems a bit foolish."
"If he were smart, would he have refused to join the Qingyun Sect in the first place?"
"Well, that does make sense."
Hearing the murmurs around her, Cao Jinxiu’s face lit up with delight, and she cast a smug glance at Ye Zhiqiu.
"Little fool, trying to outwit me? You’re not even worthy," she sneered inwardly.
Faced with her provocation, Ye Zhiqiu merely scoffed, unfazed. He knew his master would never let her stir up trouble.
Chen Chang'an studied Cao Jinxiu curiously and asked, "When you arrived, did we mention what had happened?"
"If I recall correctly, we didn’t say a word. So why are you accusing Ye Zhiqiu of taking revenge?"
"What exactly did he take revenge for?"
"If you knew nothing, why did you immediately call for Lu Yun’s help the moment you arrived?"
"What are you afraid of? What are you worried about?"
Chen Chang'an’s words struck Cao Jinxiu like a bolt of lightning. She had slipped up—her initial panic had exposed her.
"I—"
Before she could continue, Chen Chang'an cut her off.
"Today, I’m not here to listen to your nonsense."
"Everyone must pay for their actions—unless they possess absolute power. Clearly, you do not."
"Uncle Tu, the assassination attempt on Ye Zhiqiu at Xiaoyun Peak—who gave the order? I think everyone here already knows, even if I don’t spell it out."
"Let all present bear witness."
"Those who harm my disciple... shall die!"
Before anyone could react, Chen Chang'an struck. Uncle Tu didn’t even have time to speak before he was obliterated in an instant.
"This—"
Chen Chang'an’s attack was too swift. No one had expected it.
Few knew who Uncle Tu was, but those from the Qingyun Sect were aware—he was a cultivator of the Void Comprehension Realm. Yet, he had been killed in a single move?
At that moment, even Lu Mengran and the others reassessed Chen Chang'an. This man had clearly concealed his true strength.
"Uncle Tu!"
"You... how dare you kill him?"
"In front of everyone, you slaughtered him without even hearing his side?"
"Do you hold the Qingyun Sect in such contempt?"
Cao Jinxiu was quick to twist the narrative, dragging the entire Qingyun Sect into what was originally a feud between her and Ye Zhiqiu.
"Don’t worry. I have another gift for you."
Chen Chang'an’s words sent a chill down Cao Jinxiu’s spine. A terrible premonition gripped her.
"You... what else are you planning?" she stammered in fear.
Instead of answering, Chen Chang'an turned his gaze into the distance. Moments later, when Da Huang came into view, a faint smile touched his lips.
Da Huang trotted up to Chen Chang'an and dropped a pile of objects at his feet.
At the sight of them, Cao Jinxiu froze.
Jade tokens.
Dozens of them, littering the ground—each engraved with the character "Cao." These were the unique tokens of the Cao family.
"You... you went to the Cao residence?"
"What have you done to my family?" Cao Jinxiu demanded, her voice trembling.
"The Cao family failed to discipline their own. So, I erased them."
"I wonder if you like this gift?"
Chen Chang'an was no saint. When it came to enemies, he showed no mercy.
Perhaps the Cao family had spared the Ye family in the past, but the moment Cao Jinxiu targeted Ye Zhiqiu, there was no turning back.
Every potential threat had to be eradicated—root and branch. No loose ends.
His declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd. No one had imagined Chen Chang'an would be so ruthless—wiping out an entire family?
Even Ye Zhiqiu was stunned. He hadn’t realized that Chen Chang'an had sent Da Huang to exterminate the Cao family.
Gone.
Everything was gone.
Cao Jinxiu had schemed and plotted, even prepared to pin everything on Uncle Tu. Yet, in the end, Chen Chang'an hadn’t bothered with explanations—he had simply annihilated her entire family.
How could he? How could he be so brazen?
"Such audacity!"
"Do you truly think the Qingyun Sect is powerless?"
"Without proof, you slaughtered so many?"
"Cao Jinxiu is my fiancée. The Cao family and the Qingyun Sect are allied by marriage!"
"Besides, there’s no certainty that she was behind this. You’ve killed innocents!"
Lu Yun finally stepped forward. The situation had spiraled beyond expectation, and as Cao Jinxiu’s betrothed, he couldn’t remain silent.
This time, even Lu Mengran didn’t stop him. Chen Chang'an’s actions were undeniably brutal.
"Lu Yun, you must avenge me! Avenge my family!"
"I truly did nothing! I know nothing!"
"Don’t worry, Jinxiu. The Qingyun Sect will never let a bloodthirsty monster like him go unpunished."
Hearing Lu Yun’s words, Cao Jinxiu exhaled in relief. Though her family was gone, she still had him.
"Zhiqiu, she was the one who ordered your death. You know what to do, don’t you?"
Ye Zhiqiu nodded at his master’s words. Before Cao Jinxiu could react, a flash of sword light streaked before her eyes—then darkness.
"Jinxiu!"
Lu Yun never expected Ye Zhiqiu to strike so suddenly. Right before everyone's eyes—did he truly have no regard for the Qingyun Sect?
Even the expressions of Lu Mengran and the others had now shifted.
No matter what, Cao Jinxiu was still Lu Yun's betrothed. The actions of Chen Chang'an and Ye Zhiqiu were nothing short of a blatant disregard for the Qingyun Sect.
With so many guests present, the Qingyun Sect could not possibly stand idly by.
"Father, he—"
"I know."
Lu Mengran's brow furrowed slightly as he rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on Chen Chang'an and the others.
"The Qingyun Sect will never tolerate the existence of bloodthirsty individuals like you."
"Allowing you to remain would only lead to further slaughter!"
"Before all these witnesses, I ask you now—do you have any remorse?" Lu Mengran demanded coldly.
"Remorse?"
"If we’ve done nothing wrong, why should we change?" Chen Chang'an sneered.
"Very well. Then don’t blame us for showing no mercy."
"No mercy?"
"Even if Lu Qingyun himself were here, what difference would it make?"