Chapter 325 – Entering with a Kick
As the richest family of Floating Cloud City, just the various kinds of servants and maids already amounted to two or three hundred, and the atmosphere was normally exuberant and rowdy when they entered and exited. But when Yun Che entered, there was only a green clothed male servant gently sweeping the ground in the empty courtyard. Most of the hundreds of houses and halls had their doors tightly shut, making the atmosphere lifeless and stagnant. Only those rare and valuable flowers and plants that were still blooming with life became the only signs of vitality in the place.
Yun Che’s heart slightly felt anxious.
What was going on? Why would this place be so quiet and still? Where were the Xia Family’s people? Where were Uncle Xia are the others?
Yun Che originally snuck in here with the intention to directly find Xia Hongyi and ask him if Xia Yuanba had returned here, but didn’t expect that he would actually see such a desolate scene. As he was dazed, he didn’t deliberately hide his figure either. That servant who was sweeping the ground saw him the moment he turned around, and instantly screamed out startled: “Who… Who are you? When did you get in…”
As he screamed halfway, he discerned Yun Che’s face and instantly froze for a moment, and said hesitatingly: “You… aren’t you Xiao Family’s… um…”
Even though it had been three years already, other than some added coldness between Yun Che’s brows, there wasn’t really much change to his appearance. After all, the higher one’s profound strength realm was, the slower age would leave scars on one’s body. With the few great divine arts on him, as well as the blood of Phoenix and Dragon God, he had at least, over a thousand years of lifespan.
Yun Che advanced a few steps forward, and spoke without beating around the bush: “I am precisely that Yun Che who was kicked out of the Xiao Clan three years ago! Tell me, what happened to Xia Family? Where’s your lord? Has your Young Master come back in these two years? Why did Xia Family become like this?”
That servant lad looked fixedly at Yun Che for a while, and his expression became sullen at once: “My Lo… lord has left… He left a year ago…”
“Left?” Yun Che’s brows knitted: “Where did he go? Why did he leave?”
The servant’s voice started to carry a tearful tone: “My Lord did not want to leave either, but he really has gone through too much… I accompanied my Lord for over twenty years. He is gentle, kind and never sorrowful on the surface, but I had always known the pain inside him…. Ten-odd years ago, Madam had already passed away; after that, my Lord had often washed his face with his own tears when alone. For an entire ten-odd years, he never remarried. Later… later on, Young Miss entered the Frozen Cloud Asgard, and became a person half out of the world. But then my Lord, at the very least, still had Young Master… But even Young Master went missing; if said he’s alive, there was still no one who could find his live person, but if said he’s dead, no one could find his corpse either. No one knew just where he went, and whether he is still alive or not… Madam is gone, Young Miss became one of the Frozen Cloud Asgard’s people, and now my Lord’s only son went missing, his life uncertain. Even though my Lord had experienced trials and hardships for over half his lifetime, he still couldn’t handle it!”
“…Then where did he go? Don’t tell me, he went to search for your Young Master?” Yun Che said as his heart tightened.
“Yes.” The servant nodded: “My Lord said that if Young Master was really gone, then what was the point of the family being ten times more wealthier? A year ago, my Lord sold off the family possessions, disbanded the servants, and left by himself, only leaving I and Old Liu to keep an eye on this big and empty courtyard.”
“Then did he say where he was heading to?” Yun Che anxiously asked. Xia Hongyi only had Xia Yuanba as his only son. With no news of him and his life or death uncertain, it was indeed an unendurable blow.
The servant thought for a long while, and said: “When my Lord left, I also asked where he was heading to, but he did not tell me. However, I remember when I helped my Lord pack his things, my Lord held an ebony wood tablet and felt it for a long time. I secretly paid attention to that tablet. There were no words on the tablet at all, but on their engraved… a black colored crescent moon marking.”
Black colored… crescent moon…
Black moon?
Black Moon Merchant Guild!
As the biggest merchant guild in the Profound Sky Continent, the Black Moon Merchant Guild was present throughout every single city and town in the continent, and could be said as to have a finger in every pie. Also, its strong point was not simple because it was the greatest mercantile empire, it also controlled the most intricate information network in the continent. The profit that the Black Moon Merchant Guild made from selling information annually, was also an astronomical number that was difficult to imagine.
Since he had a Black Moon Merchant Guild’s tablet, Xia Hongyi probably had some kind of relationship with the Black Moon Merchant Guild. And if he were to search for Xia Yuanba, relying on the Black Moon Merchant Guild’s information network, was unquestionably the most reliable method.
However, even though the Xia Family was the wealthiest in Floating Cloud City, in the eyes of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, or even just a branch of a Branch Merchant Guild, it simply wasn’t worth mentioning at all. So how would he be related to the Black Moon Merchant Guild? Could it be that he had some friends in Black Moon Merchant Guild, or had helped them in some way?
“Don’t worry, your Young Master is going to be fine. Uncle Xia is a prudent person, and nothing will happen to him either. They should be reunited very soon.” Yun Che comforted, which also could be said as comforting himself. He didn’t know just where Xia Yuanba had went. Even after Cang Yue mobilized the Imperial Family’s power and searched for so long, there were still no news regarding him at all.
“My Lord had always been kind at heart, and even treated us servants the same as family. Just why did he end up with such a fate, to have been separated from both wife and children. Sigh, the heavens are really unjust. I wonder just when my Lord will come back.” The servant spoke with tears in his eyes.
Yun Che did not speak anymore, and left Xia Manor with a slightly heavy heart.
“Yuanba, just where exactly did you go? If you’ve already gotten news of me still being alive, then come back soon… I did not die from saving you. Instead, I even met my first blood relative, and even gained a great opportunity. There’s no need for you to blame yourself anymore.” Yun Che muttered to himself with a low voice as he walked on the streets.
Not long after, Xiao Clan’s gate appeared before his eyes. The two flamboyant words, “Xiao Clan”, everything was exactly the same as in his memories, and had not changed in the slightest. Seemingly, nothing intrinsic had changed because of Xiao Sect’s “grace” three years ago.
Far in his view, the outline of Xiao Clan’s rear mountain could be faintly seen. Three years ago, Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi were imprisoned there; the reason, was the great crime of “stealing Xiao Sect’s great gift”. They were going to be imprisoned for an entire fifteen years. Moreover, the matter was related to Xiao Sect, so Xiao Clan would definitely not let them leave early. And all these, were all because the despicable framing jointly acted out by Xiao Yunhai, Xiao Yulong, and others together with Xiao Kuangyun. If Xia Qingyue’s master, Chu Yueli wasn’t present at that time, Xiao Lingxi’s fate would have been many times more miserable than just a simple imprisonment. Even if the Yun Che at that time was even more furious and resentful, he would still not have the strength to prevent it.
Thus, within these three years, he thirsted for power with incomparable craze.
As for Xiao Yunhai and the others who didn’t even hesitate to frame and persecute their family and clan members for their own benefit… Unforgivable! This resentment, had also been hidden deeply within his heart and body from the time he was kicked out of Xiao Clan, and had never lightened.
As his gaze looked toward the rear mountain’s direction, Yun Che once again murmured in a low voice: “Grandfather, Little Aunt, I’m back… I’m back…”
He incomparably wished to directly rush toward the rear mountain with his fastest speed, and hug the two people whom he had been separated from for three long years, whom he missed and thought of even in his dreams. But thinking of the vow he made back then, which was to make all of the Xiao Clan beg them to leave the rear mountain while kneeling, he suppressed the excitement in his heart, walked before the Xiao Clan’s gate, and sent out a kick.
The gate wasn’t shut tightly, and under Yun Che’s kick, it opened as soon as the sound was heard…
The Xiao Clan today was very lively. Because today was the annual competition day of Xiao Clan’s younger generation! The competition site, was precisely the plaza in the center of Xiao Clan. In the plaza’s center, groups after groups of disciples were intensely fighting. Several rows of seats were set on both sides; Clan Master Xiao Yunhai, Great Elder Xiao Li, Second Elder Xiao Bo, Third Elder Xiao Ze, and Fourth Elder Xiao Cheng were all actually there.
When the gate was kicked open, everyone’s gaze instantly went cold, and concentrated toward the gate’s direction.
“Insolence! Who is it, to actually dare provoke my Xiao Clan!” Great Elder Xiao Li stood up at once, and roared furiously.
Yun Che’s gaze swept through. He actually didn’t expect that these people would be present here to such an extent, as if they were especially here to welcome him. He walked in with leisure steps, a cold smile on his face, as he spoke in a overcast tone: “Old dogs of Xiao Clan, it’s only been three years, you’ve forgotten about this young master so soon!”
Xiao Yunhai, Xiao Li, Xiao Bo, Xiao Ze, Xiao Cheng… All these people were in his view, with not one missing! Back then, they jointly suppressed Xiao Lie, who was the strongest in the Clan, all year long. Three years ago, it was them who despicably conspired together and framed, to curry favor with Xiao Kuangyun and let him take Xiao Lingxi away! To the point of even after Yun Che ripped their false accusations bare, they still shamelessly and despicably imposed the sins…
None shall escape from debts that ought to be repaid!
“Xiao Che?” Xiao Li stared blankly for a bit, then started laughing out loud: “I had thought it was someone considerable to be so rampant, so it was actually the bastard who was kicked out three years ago! Tsk tsk, I had thought that after a wastrel like you left the Xiao Clan, you’d either become a beggar, or was beaten to death in two or three hits by someone. Unexpectedly, you actually came back alive like a person… And actually grew the guts to provoke us!”
Within Xiao Clan, ones of highest profound strength was also only at Spirit Profound Realm. Just in terms of profound strength ranks alone, Yun Che had already completely stomped the entire Xiao Clan under him, and no one could sense the profound strength presence on Yun Che… They naturally wouldn’t think that this wastrel they looked upon with disdain back then would have a profound strength that surpassed them, and could only think that he, who had crippled profound veins, simply did not have any profound strength aura at all.
“Xiao Che, I had already said three years ago, you have already been kicked out of Xiao Clan, and can not step into Xiao Clan throughout your entire life!” Xiao Yunhai stood up. Being called “old dog” by a wastrel, he naturally wouldn’t be in a pleased mood: “Not only did you barge in my Xiao Clan, you even insulted my Xiao Clan’s people as well… Were you in desperation outside, and came back to seek death?”
“Negative!” Yun Che coldly grinned: “I’m here to collect debts from you old dogs! Old dog Xiao, how has your blind, deaf, mute, crippled and even castrated son Xiao Yulong been these few years… Ah no no no, I should ask this instead; is your son who had become a pile of rotten meat three years ago still alive?”
Yun Che’s words felt as though a poison needle had stabbed into the most painful nerve of Xiao Yunhai. His entire body shook, and he spoke while flying into a rage: “Xiao Yang, seize him… Break all his limbs!!”
“Yes, Clan Master!”
Xiao Yang’s current profound strength had just broken through into fourth level of the Nascent Profound Realm, and also obtained the result of top thirty in today’s competition. He felt elated, knowing that he had to deal with such a wastrel with crippled profound veins and no profound strength presence at all; it was simply like playing around.
“Hehe…” Xiao Yang neared Yun Che while sneering, and was even nonchalantly twisting his wrist: “Xiao Che, I suddenly somewhat respect you now. A wastrel like you was alone in the outside world for three years, and had actually still survived. Putting surviving aside, your guts actually also fattened, and actually dared to come back to our Xiao Clan and provoke us. Let granddaddy I, give you some good lessons today! Last time, you walked out of Xiao Clan. This time, I’ll make you crawl out like a miserable turtle!”
As Xiao Yang finished speaking, his right hand very casually grabbed toward Yun Che’s throat, as a not too big profound energy twirl emerged from within his palm.