Chapter 62
Chapter 62: Seizing by Force
He Jing never understood how it happened.
A moment ago it was simple: she ran, he chased. Then, in the time it took to trade a few sentences, the He family’s entire plan collapsed—and he ended up kneeling in the He family ancestral hall.
Zhaohua Sect disciples arrived like wolves.
A black wave of people descended without asking who was right or wrong. Xun Ru Tang was carried back to the Xun family in a soft sedan. Every time she named a property, a team peeled off and went to seize it. When they ran short on hands, Eldest Senior Brother Wen sent messages to disciples elsewhere to come take over.
He Jing could only stare.
He barely remembered the rest—He family members arriving with polite smiles, escorting him back, his family head shouting at him. He didn’t even know what was said. He only caught one thing: it wasn’t just the He family. Any clan in Baoping Ward that had taken Xun family benefits was being visited and forced to return them—sometimes with fists, the moment they argued.
Had the world gone mad?
The He family had an immortal!
Meanwhile, Hu Qing didn’t care about any of that. She held Wen Chuan’s hands in both of hers and shook them hard, eyes crinkling with joy. “Beautifully done! You have no idea how poor your Little Martial Uncle is.”
Wen Chuan’s mouth twitched. Poor?
She was Chan Ming’s sole inheritor. And Hu Nuan was set to inherit Cai Xiu Peak—Hu Qing had even asked his master about the inheritance once. Poor, my foot.
“Little Martial Uncle,” Wen Chuan said carefully, “we made a lot of noise. Won’t this cause trouble?”
“What trouble?” Hu Qing waved it off, looking brighter than she had in ages. “We have your master.”
Wen Chuan opened his mouth again, but Hu Qing had already shifted to his personal life with frightening speed.
“By the way, are you married yet? Found someone? Don’t be blind again. When are you breaking through to Nascent Soul Stage? Your master’s going into seclusion soon, right? Are you confident? Do you want your Martial Uncle to get you a bottle of nascent soul pill—”
Wen Chuan fled like his robe was on fire.
He ran straight to Yu Liu Ya and poured out his misery. “Little Martial Uncle’s concern… normal people can’t take it.”
Yu Liu Ya didn’t look amused. He was thinking about something else. “Xun Ru Mei’s soul plaque cracked, didn’t it? Where could she be trapped?”
In a sect this large, Yu Liu Ya couldn’t keep track of every disciple. He only asked because Hu Qing had made such a commotion. When he did, he learned Xun Ru Mei had gone out alone on a mission and still hadn’t returned. Her soul plaque was cracked, but not shattered.
There had been rare cases—very rare—where someone still came back after a crack. No one knew if she could make that kind of miracle.
When she returned and saw what had become of the Xun family… who knew what she’d feel?
Wen Chuan snorted. “Feelings? Family Head Xun is her sister. She gave Little Martial Uncle the entire Xun family old residence. Not just that—the deeds for the clansmen’s housing too.”
He looked disgusted. “When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Fine, outsiders bullied the Xun family. That’s human nature. But even inside the Xun family, nobody stood together. Over profit or grudges, they all abandoned Xun Ru Tang. No wonder she went ruthless.”
Yu Liu Ya’s eyes cooled. “Without even one loyal confidant, you still think she’s pitiful?”
Wen Chuan had asked for the details. “Everyone who supported Xun Ru Tang is dead.”
He lowered his voice. “She took two husbands. The second was He Jing. The first was from the Bai family. After the Xun family perfected died, the Bai family demanded separation and carved off a huge chunk of the Xun family.”
Yu Liu Ya sighed, rubbing his fingers together. “I can’t fall. If I fall, you’ll fare worse than Xun Ru Tang. If it ever comes to that, she can find your Little Martial Uncle for shelter. Who will you find?”
Wen Chuan’s spine went cold. “Master… then please go into seclusion and break through.”
“Seclusion now?” Yu Liu Ya glared. “Debt collectors are everywhere. Get out of my sight and go break through to Nascent Soul Stage. What good is Golden Core Stage?”
Wen Chuan: …Yes, Master. I’m gone.
Back at the Xun family main hall in Baoping Ward, Hu Qing stared at box after box of ledgers and deeds, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt.
“Too bad we didn’t get the spirit stones back,” Hu Zhuo muttered, flipping through the inventory list. “They used a lot of stuff, and now they refuse to admit it.”
Hu Qing waved a hand. “Forget it. Arguing over accounts is endless. We can’t exactly raid every house.”
She leaned back, satisfied. “This is already free profit.”
Her gaze slid to the side.
Xun Ru Tang sat quietly, staring into space. Her spiritphone rose and fell as she absently patted the small child leaning against her thigh. The child looked seven or eight, silent and obedient, with dark eyes that didn’t match his age—eyes that said he was growing up too fast.
“You’re really trading all this,” Hu Qing asked, “just for the three of you to settle inside Zhaohua Sect?”
With senior protection, she could have asked for that outright.
Xun Ru Tang shook her head. “This is enough.”
She forced a thin smile. “I’m buying Family Head Hu’s name.”
Hu Qing didn’t mind the calculation. This was a transaction, paid for in full.
“Fine,” Hu Qing said. “I’ll have someone bring you into the inner sect. The sect will take care of you.”
As the survivors of their own perfected, they should receive compensation and support.
Hearing “inner sect,” Xun Ru Tang’s shoulders loosened. Half her heart finally settled.
The other half would have to wait for Xun Ru Mei.
Hu Qing’s gaze dipped to her belly. “This one… whose is it?”
Xun Ru Tang froze. For the first time, a flush crept into her face. “He Jing’s. At that time, the Bai family had already separated.”
Hu Qing pointed at the child. “And his father? What’s the story there?”
Not the Bai family. The child’s birth father.
Xun Ru Tang’s face turned blank again. “The day he left, I demanded it. The child cut his birth ties. Otherwise, why would the Xun family give the Bai family so much?”
Hu Qing’s mind wandered briefly to the phrase so much, then she looked at the child’s quiet face and let it go. Cutting birth ties might be the better ending anyway.
“And this He family bloodline?” Hu Qing asked.
Xun Ru Tang had clearly thought it through. “If the He family wants it, they can trade for it. If they don’t, then it cuts birth ties too.”
Hu Qing nodded. “All right.”
She turned to Hu Zhuo. “Tell Mission Hall. If the He family wants the child without paying, have them mediate.”
How that “mediation” went would depend entirely on the He family’s attitude. The Hu family wouldn’t mind acting again. The reputation was already out there.
Hu Zhuo immediately sent messages to several contacts, making sure the matter couldn’t be conveniently forgotten.
Xun Ru Tang’s eyes reddened with gratitude.
Hu Qing told her to pack, then called Zhaohua Sect people to escort her to the inner sect. She also sent word to Yu Liu Ya. He replied that arrangements were already in place.
Before she let it go, Hu Qing added one more note to him. “Senior Brother Yu, this happened to smash open my gate at the perfect moment. I took money to do a job. Their lives will be safe, and that’s the end of it. There’s no personal friendship involved.”
She didn’t want Zhaohua Sect giving Xun Ru Tang extra care because of her. If something went wrong later, it would be a mess.
Yu Liu Ya understood immediately. “I’ve seen every kind of person. I know how to handle this. Don’t worry.”