Seeing Meng Heze in such a state, Ji Chen knew that if he were allowed to find Wei Ping now, a fierce confrontation would be unavoidable.
Both were his brothers, and he didn’t want either of them hurt.
“It really isn’t his fault. While you were away, he did his utmost to protect Brother Song. The Thousand Canal Bazaar was heavily guarded—it’s just that the assassin was too cunning! Look, after surviving this ordeal, everyone has become more united than before.”
Xu Kanshan and the others chimed in, speaking up in Wei Ping’s defense.
“Senior Brother Song has already woken up and is fine. It’s too late tonight; you can see Senior Brother Song and Steward Wei tomorrow morning.”
“Steward Wei has been working tirelessly; it hasn’t been easy for him.”
A gust of cold wind cleared Meng Heze’s head a little.
His recent journey had weathered him, making him more composed than before. It was only the shock of hearing about Song Qianji’s assassination attempt that had thrown him off balance.
With Ji Chen blocking his way, he wouldn’t be able to see that scoundrel Wei Ping tonight anyway. It was better to step back for now.
“Why are you all so worried? I wasn’t planning to cause him any trouble.”
With that, he lifted the carriage curtain and helped four elderly people down. “These are my parents, along with our housekeeper and cook. They’ll be living in Tiancheng from now on. Mom, Dad, these are all my friends.”
Everyone greeted them warmly, and the tense atmosphere instantly dissipated.
Meng Heze’s parents looked slightly uneasy as they stepped out of the carriage, standing behind their son. “Xianzhong, is this Thousand-Ditch Prefecture? Where is that Senior Brother Song you mentioned?”
“Senior Brother Song is at the Immortal Official Manor in Tiancheng.”
Surrounded by the group’s warm greetings, the four elders quickly realized that these immortals and masters were no different from ordinary people—not aloof and distant like those they had met before—and gradually relaxed.
The Meng family, with several dozen members, was one of the prominent households in Qinglu Prefecture. Back when the Huawel Sect came to recruit outer sect disciples, Madam Meng hadn’t wanted Meng Heze to go for the “Spirit Root test.”
Unexpectedly, Meng Heze climbed over the wall, sneaked out, signed up himself, and passed the test on his first try.
The whole city was abuzz, all saying that the Meng family had a son named Heze, courtesy name Xianzhong, who was a dragon among men, destined to cultivate the great arts of “immortality and earth-shattering power.”
The Meng family hosted three consecutive banquets, flaunting their prestige.
Only Madam Meng asked the recruitment elder, “Honored Immortal Master, after my son enters the immortal sect, will he be able to come home for short visits?”
The elder sternly warned her, “Immortals and mortals are different! If he cannot sever his worldly ties, it will only hinder his immortal path! Do not entertain such foolish hopes!”
Master Meng comforted his wife, “Our Xianzhong has always been clever. Once, a wandering mage gifted him a string of Spirit Jade prayer beads and said he had the makings of wisdom. It seems it was his destiny to be different from ordinary mortals!”
Though he said this, his eyes glistened with tears.
Before leaving, Meng Heze was brimming with confidence. “Who cares about the divide between immortals and mortals? Once I enter the inner sect and become a true immortal master, I’ll return home in glory!”
The recruitment elder looked at him coldly. “After you begin cultivating immortality, you will forget everything.”
Meng Heze’s return home this time took the Meng family by surprise. Master and Madam Meng wept with joy upon seeing their son. The housekeeper and cook, a childless couple who had spent most of their lives with the Meng family, also treated Meng Heze as their own son.
The four of them packed their belongings, ready to follow him anywhere. Other cousins, maids, and servants were reluctant to leave their homeland and feared change. Master Meng did not force them, generously dividing the family assets.
A newly arrived outer sect disciple’s eyes reddened, and he sniffled softly.
Zhou Xiaoyun asked with concern, “Did you suffer hardships on the journey? I know a bit of medicine. If anyone is injured, come and let me take a look.”The disciples shook their heads: "No matter how hard it was, we made it through. Now that we're in Thousand Canals, we have nothing to fear."
Someone remarked, "It's just that seeing Senior Brother Meng with his parents made us homesick for a moment."
"What's so difficult about that?" Zhou Xiaoyun laughed. "Senior Brother Song said before that anyone who still has living relatives can bring them to Thousand Canals. It's entirely voluntary."
A junior disciple hesitated, "But the sect elders say that to seek immortality, one must first sever worldly ties."
Zhou Xiaoyun scoffed, "We disciples under Song Courtyard don't follow that nonsense. Those cultivators from cultivation families practice at home since childhood. When they later leave to study under masters, their masters don't make them 'sever worldly ties.' With hundreds or even thousands of clan members, we've never heard of anyone cutting off relations after achieving higher cultivation. Instead, they support each other and share resources."
"Yet they tell Outer Sect disciples from mortal backgrounds to 'sever worldly ties to achieve the great path' and 'the sect is your only home.' What kind of logic is that? Is it just because their relatives are cultivators while ours are mortals?"
The newly arrived Outer Sect disciples gasped in succession, utterly astonished.
Someone said, "We've never heard such words from you, Senior Sister. But upon reflection, it does make sense."
Zhou Xiaoyun smiled, "After coming to Thousand Canals, you'll hear many things you've never heard before."
Ji Chen quietly instructed Xu Kanshan and the others:
"It'll be tough on you here. I need to go inform Brother Wei and have him lay low for now."
Meng Heze had high prestige, while Manager Wei was well-liked, yet the two usually didn't get along.
"Hurry along. We'll keep a close eye on Senior Brother Meng here too."
Ji Chen searched for Wei Ping through the night, imagining himself as a hero bearing great responsibility to maintain Thousand Canals' unity and stability.
Wei Ping was easy to find—if not at Song Courtyard, then at various border defenses, God Temple prisons, and such places.
Since he handled arrangements and coordination, someone would always have seen the busy Manager Wei.
Tonight was unexpectedly different, as if Wei Ping had vanished into thin air, not even responding to communication talismans.
"Didn't he go to Song Courtyard to make midnight snacks?"
"Wasn't he headed to the Toxic Mire Forest?"
"Isn't he at the God Temple prison?"
Ji Chen inquired everywhere but only received questions in return.
When he stood on Tiancheng Avenue, facing the vast night as he took out his Array Disk, his heart felt strangely unsettled.
"We only use arrays to track down enemies... Brother Wei, my apologies..."
Wei Ping was acting abnormally tonight—definitely hiding something from him!
...
After settling his family, Meng Heze slipped out over the wall as he had in childhood.
The arrays of the Immortal Official Manor and Song Courtyard didn't block him; he could push the door open anytime.
The vermilion gate remained as before, and Song Courtyard was as familiar as ever.
The moonlight was just like yesterday's. When he left, the plum blossoms hadn't bloomed; now upon return, the garden was filled with their fragrance.
Before joy could reach Meng Heze's eyes, an unfamiliar song drifted to him with the night breeze and plum blossom scent.
The completely unfamiliar aura made him frown.
A lamp glowed on the stone table in the courtyard, its flame flickering faintly in the winter night.
A man draped in a robe embroidered with hundreds of flowers sat in Song Qianji's rocking chair, leaning against Song Qianji's pillow, with a thin, weak kitten curled on his lap.
Eyes closed, legs crossed, he lightly tapped the armrest with one finger as if keeping rhythm, humming leisurely:
"White blades avenge injustice, gold pours without measure, killing in the mortal dust, repayment in an instant.".."
Meng Heze didn't understand music, but the voice was deep and rough, clearly belonging to a burly man.
It evoked images of carrying a white blade through heavy snow, killing within ten steps—truly murderous and imposing.
This person was dangerous.
His right hand instinctively gripped his cold sword hilt.Just as he was about to step forward and demand an explanation, the melody shifted abruptly, transforming into a delicate, sentimental female voice:
"I thought a life of iron-clad wealth was my destiny, yet who knew fate could change in an instant. In those years, I too could act coy and willful, but now, how can I not reminisce about the past..."
This shrill voice actually came from the same person!
It sounded like a delicate maiden lamenting her fall into the mortal world, trapped in the cage of fate, left only with memories of her former glory.
Meng Heze's frown deepened.
How could such a disreputable person, singing such vulgar tunes, be allowed in the serene grounds of Song Courtyard?
Where had that scoundrel Wei Ping gone? What kind of steward was he?!
Without even opening his eyes, Lin Feiyuan sensed the arrival of a stranger but couldn't be bothered to acknowledge them.
Today, he had finally grasped the situation. As long as Song Qianji didn't want him dead, no one in Song Courtyard could lay a hand on him.
What was supposed to be a prison had turned out to be safer than his own home.
But the visitor's oppressive aura and fierce demeanor were unmistakable.
The earthy-yellow kitten let out a low growl, its back arched and fur standing on end. Its eyes widened, baring teeth in a feeble attempt to intimidate the newcomer.
Lin Feiyuan stopped singing and squinted at the sword-wielding youth. "Who are you looking for in the middle of the night?"
The young man was handsome and sturdy, standing motionless under the moonlight beneath the flower trellis, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Feiyuan.
Like a black leopard poised to strike.
Lin Feiyuan thought to himself, a mere Foundation Establishment brat on the verge of breaking through to Golden Core dares to flaunt his oppressive aura in front of me?
When Meng Heze heard him ask, "Who are you looking for?" blood rushed to his head. What audacious thief dared to occupy another's nest and act as the host?
He replied coldly, "This is Song Courtyard. And who are you?"
Lin Feiyuan thought for a moment, then grinned.
He knew exactly who this person was.
After accepting the assassination commission, he had meticulously investigated everyone around Song Qianji—their backgrounds, experiences, combat skills, and killing techniques.
He had thought this information was useless, but now he was immensely grateful—he knew exactly how to make the newcomer lose his composure with just one sentence:
"Looking for Song Qianji, are you? He's in the back kitchen brewing medicine for me. You might as well come back tomorrow as a guest."
"Clang!"
Sword light pierced the night!
Plum blossoms shattered, and the cat leaped in fright!
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