Chapter 605

Chapter 605: Every Cause Has Its Effect

“So what if he has a wife? So what if he has kids?”

“I don’t care, I didn’t even notice.”

“Isn’t it just having a warm home with a wife and kids, someone to sew clothes when it’s cold, to fan you when it’s hot, to cook when you’re hungry? That’s nothing special!”

“With my cultivation, I don’t feel cold or hunger.”

“If I really needed food, couldn’t I just hire a maid to serve me? Right, Chao Chao?”

“I eat my fill and my whole family isn’t hungry. I don’t envy him at all.” Windchaser scoffed, rolling his eyes.

After saying this, he turned and walked toward the carriage.

As he turned, he saw A-Wu tiptoeing to wipe the sweat from Zhu Mo’s forehead. “You’re of the Dragon Clan, you prefer the cold and dislike the heat. I made some chilled chicken noodle soup—it’s perfect for this season. You should have some later…”

Windchaser suddenly turned back, crouching in front of Lu Chao Chao. “Uh… Chao Chao, do you know any unmarried young ladies?”

Lu Chao Chao stared at him blankly.

Just a moment ago, weren’t you declaring how great it was to be single?!

Windchaser scratched the back of his head. “It actually seems kind of nice.”

Lu Chao Chao shot him a glance. “Wait a bit longer. See how you feel after he has the baby.”

Windchaser, surprisingly patient, nodded in agreement.

After a brief rest, the group set off again.

The scenery along the way was breathtaking, but no one stopped to admire it.

As dusk approached, Zhu Mo gazed at the darkening sky, frowning slightly. “It looks like a heavy rain is coming tonight. We should find a shelter to rest. It would be too exhausting to continue, and I worry for the elders among us.”

He was referring to Zong Bai and the others.

With the Celestial Realm issuing a warrant for his arrest, Zhu Mo dared not reveal his true form recklessly.

“There’s no temple around, but I found a small village nearby. Why don’t we ask to stay the night?” Windchaser returned with news.

Everyone nodded in agreement and made their way to the village.

After several days of travel, they had arrived at a remote area where outsiders rarely passed through.

Seeing a military entourage with carriages, the villagers immediately sent someone to call the village chief.

The village chief, though aged, appeared in good spirits. From behind the houses, curious children peeked out, watching the newcomers with wide eyes.

“Village Chief, apologies for the intrusion. Night is falling, and a storm is approaching. May we seek shelter in your village? If there are any vacant houses, that would be ideal.” Windchaser stepped forward and offered a pouch of silver.

The village chief was startled and tried to refuse, but the unexpected weight of the pouch made him hesitate. His village was impoverished; he could only accept the money with a guilty conscience.

“No need for such formalities. You are honored guests. Please, come in. There’s an empty house by the ancestral hall. You may stay there.”

“We have fresh fruit in the village. If you don’t mind, we will bring some for you later.” The chief cast a glance at the group, their noble auras and the fierce presence of their guards filling him with awe.

“Thank you, Village Chief.” Windchaser nodded.

As they entered the village, bolder children ran around them excitedly. Most were boys; only a few girls watched from a distance, timid and unwilling to approach.

“Zhao Di! Get back here and stoke the fire! Where have you been?! You wretched thing, you killed your father! Why is my life so miserable?!” An old woman’s shrill voice rang from afar.

A frail little girl in the crowd hunched her shoulders and turned back, calling out, “I’m coming, Grandmother!”

Her eyes lingered on Lu Chao Chao, filled with admiration.

How could a girl be so beautiful, so well-dressed? It seemed like everyone revolved around her, like she was a moon in the sky, untouchable.

Did she not have to cook and wash clothes?

Did she not have to gather firewood?

Zhao Di glanced one last time before running off toward home.

Shan Shan, resting on his nursemaid’s shoulder, twitched his ears at the sound of the name. He turned to look for the girl, but she had already disappeared.

The village chief’s face darkened at the old woman’s words. Raising his voice, he shouted, “Wang family! Do you even remember how your son died? Keep spouting nonsense, and you’ll face retribution! If you keep mistreating the child, your family will end with you! Zhao Di is your only descendant!”

The cursing abruptly stopped. Moments later, muffled sobs took its place.

Exposing family scandals before nobles—how embarrassing.

The village chief looked flustered. “Rural old women are ignorant and foolish. Please forgive the disturbance.” He opened the door to the house they would stay in. It was a decent place, albeit dusty and cobwebbed.

Yu Shu and Yu Qin quickly set to cleaning. In no time, the place was spotless.

“Why did that old woman say the girl killed her father? She’s so young—could she even kill someone?” Zhu Mo asked curiously.

The village chief’s expression shifted, but rumors spread easily in small villages. He couldn’t hide the truth, so he chose to explain himself.

“It’s a long and strange case.”

“The Wang family’s man was found decapitated in the night, blood splattering three feet high. Yet, no sign of a killer was found. The authorities investigated but found nothing.”

“The villagers started whispering that it was the ghosts of the Wang family’s deceased daughters seeking revenge. Some even claimed to have heard a baby crying in the house that night…”

“It caused a huge uproar.”

The village chief quickly excused himself. “The imperial decree has ordered that the village’s girls must attend the Women’s Academy. I must go discuss sending the children to town tomorrow.”

With that, he hurriedly left.

Not long after, Xie Yu Zhou entered, sneering.

“I thought this little village would be full of honest folk, but it turns out it’s just a nest of wicked scoundrels!”

He spat in disgust.

He had wandered the village earlier, his simple appearance making people lower their guard.

“That village chief didn’t mention that the Wang family had five daughters, did he? The eldest was married off young for a dowry and was tortured to death by a widower.”

“The second was killed with a hoe at eight years old because a wandering priest claimed she was obstructing her brother’s fate.”

“The priest advised that killing newborn daughters would stop more girls from reincarnating into the family.”

“The third girl was buried alive at birth.”

“The fourth was scalded to death with boiling water.”

“The fifth was abandoned in an infant ditch.”

“To ensure a son, to make sure no daughter would ever return, every girl born into the Wang family died a gruesome death.”

“It is said that on the mountain, there’s a ditch filled with infant bones—a ghastly sight, a graveyard of abandoned baby girls.”

“After the Wang man died, the village grew afraid. Only then did they start treating girls slightly better.”

“Even so, they won’t send their daughters to school. They’re already scheming to have their sons take their place.”

Listening to this, the group’s anger boiled. Yu Shu and Yu Qin’s eyes burned red with fury. “Do they even respect the law?!”

Lu Chao Chao heard the name Zhao Di and immediately thought of the spirits she had sent to the Underworld.

Wang Pan Di? Wang Zi Zhen—this must be their family.

Zhao Di must be their sister.

The only surviving bloodline of the Wang family.

“Every cause has its effect. Their retribution… is me.” Lu Chao Chao murmured, a cold glint in her eyes.