In the mountains, danger has always been present, and the lakes are no exception.
Although the place where the Bai Tou Savage Deer is located is quite far from the lakeside, the beasts in the lake should jump out to drag it into the water for prey.
But now there are no such beasts, which is quite strange.
Zhong Cai rubbed his chin, pondering.
Xiao Qingyu had already flown over quickly.
Seeing Zhong Cai’s thoughts, Wu Shaoqian smiled and pointed to the gray fur of the savage deer, saying, “Look.”
Zhong Cai followed his direction and saw a few cyan feathers sticking there, suddenly understanding.
“It was Xiao Qingyu who did it, leaving a scent?”
Wu Shaoqian nodded.
Zhong Cai suddenly realized, “It’s a second-grade, sixth-stage savage beast. It has a deterrent effect on savage beasts that are weaker than it. So it’s not a big problem if it leaves for a while to find us.”
Wu Shaoqian smiled and said, “Exactly.”
Zhong Cai happily ran towards the savage deer, shouting, “Their whole family of deer is together, and we can’t let them down. We must have a whole deer feast later, so they can be reunited on the dinner table!”
Wu Shaoqian strongly supported it, following Zhong Cai closely to protect him, and also offering a reasonable suggestion.
“Pick a few good pieces from each deer, compare them, and then pick the best one. Our appetites are limited, and it would be a waste if we can’t finish it.”
Zhong Cai carefully picked off the cyan-green feathers of Qingyu and asked casually, “What about the rest?”
Wu Shaoqian replied, “Make it into jerky.”
Zhong Cai, recalling the taste of jerky made from savage deer, which was a different kind of delicious compared to fresh meat, licked his lips and agreed decisively.
After plucking the feathers, Zhong Cai waved them in front of Xiao Qingyu.
Xiao Qingyu chirped, indicating it couldn’t take them back.
So, Zhong Cai stored them in a small box, deciding to handle all future feather drops this way.
Wu Shaoqian was examining the deer carcass.
At first glance, it looked more intact than when he and Zhong Cai hunted it, but by observing the direction the deer blood flowed, he could find the fatal wound.
Thinking of this, Wu Shaoqian casually flipped the deer over.
Zhong Cai leaned in to look and saw a bloody hole in its chest, with most of the blood flowing out from there.
Wu Shaoqian paused, then reached his fingers toward the bloody hole.
Zhong Cai quickly realized what he was about to do and grabbed his wrist, saying, “Old Wu, roll up your sleeves first, or you’ll get blood all over.”
Wu Shaoqian obediently rolled up his sleeves, segment by segment, until his entire forearm was exposed. Only then did Zhong Cai release his grip.
Then, Wu Shaoqian’s long fingers went through the bloody hole and started digging inside.
“I’m looking for the deer’s heart.”
Zhong Cai found the scene a bit eerie, but considering how many animal carcasses they had processed, as long as his friend was careful not to soil his clothes, retrieving a deer heart was no big deal.
Wu Shaoqian didn’t pull out anything.
Zhong Cai, suddenly curious, decided to reach in as well, also digging around.
Both came up empty-handed.
They exchanged a glance and called Xiao Qingyu over.
Xiao Qingyu swiftly landed on Wu Shaoqian’s palm.
Zhong Cai asked, “Where’s the deer’s heart?”
Xiao Qingyu extended its claws, made a grabbing motion in the air, and pecked aimlessly in front of it with its sharp beak.
Zhong Cai laughed, “So Xiao Qingyu burrowed under the savage deer’s belly, dug out its heart, and ate it.”
That’s how the Bai Tou Savage Deer had died.
Wu Shaoqian sighed, “We lost a deer’s heart.”
Zhong Cai also sighed, “The little thing really knows how to choose. The deer’s heart is the most vigorous part, tastes good, and is highly nutritious for it.”
Xiao Qingyu, as if understanding, flapped its wings and proudly flew a few laps.
Watching this, Wu Shaoqian couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity. Though it was his prized bird, it really did resemble A Cai…
The two inspected Xiao Qingyu’s spoils and, seeing that the deer blood had almost been cleaned up, prepared to put it away.
At that moment, a sharp male voice rang out from a distance, “Stop!”
In an instant, Wu Shaoqian stepped in front of Zhong Cai.
Hidden in the shadows, Xiang Lin gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to pounce like a leopard at any moment!
Zhong Cai squinted his eyes, looking towards the approaching cultivator.
They were several robust men, all dressed in somewhat simple beast-skin light armor, which probably offered some defense. Their auras were quite strong, and in terms of strength, they were likely around the fifth or sixth level of the Heavenly Induction Realm.
The one who had just shouted was a slightly chubby youth at the fifth level of the Heavenly Induction Realm, with the most intact light armor.
The others seemed to be forming a protective stance around him.
After quickly standing firm, the slightly chubby youth had a greedy look on his face, “Those who see it get a share. You two can’t eat the whole Bai Tou Savage Deer by yourselves, so why not share it with us?”
Wu Shaoqian remained expressionless.
Behind him, Zhong Cai frowned.
They are enjoying a fruitful outing, and now this unpleasant surprise shows up, really spoiling the mood!
Seeing that the two hadn’t spoken, the slightly chubby youth’s face turned angry, “What, you won’t take the easy way out?” He then raised his hand to command, “You two, go over and take the savage deer…”
As he said this, a few of the light-armored cultivators exchanged glances and were ready to move.
But before the slightly chubby youth could finish, he was interrupted by a loud female voice.
“Zang Baoman! Just a few days without a whipping, and you’re itching for it again, aren’t you? Robbing the Xihu Hunting Group‘s catch?”
Zang Baoman’s face turned beet red.
He never had a handsome face, but at least he wasn’t ugly. Now, with a few red and swollen spots, he looked quite unappealing.
Enraged and humiliated, he issued a direct order.
“Everyone, attack! Kill these two and take everything from them!”
The group of armored men surrounding him raised their weapons and charged towards Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian.
The woman’s voice rang out again, getting closer.
“Stop! Did you hear me? Everyone, stop!”
Several projectiles were thrown from afar, striking the weapons of the approaching armored men.
At the same time, several figures swiftly arrived, equal in number to Zang Baoman’s group, and confronted them.
In such a short span of time, several dramas had already played out.
Wu Shaoqian stood motionless, showing no reaction. Zhong Cai’s gaze swept over both groups.
The leader of the other group was a woman with delicate features, though her face bore the marks of many travels, making her features appear somewhat hardened. Her skin was sun-kissed, and despite wearing simple leather armor like her companions, it couldn’t hide her athletic figure.
The atmosphere between the two groups was tense.
Undoubtedly, after the woman’s arrival, Zang Baoman didn’t dare to order his men to attack.
—And it was no surprise. The female leader alone was at the seventh level of the Heavenly Induction Realm, higher than anyone in Zang Baoman’s group. Most of her companions were also at the sixth level of Heavenly Induction Realm, putting them at an advantage over Zang Baoman’s team.
After a few tense breaths, the female leader angrily said, “This isn’t the first time. Knowing that we of the Xihu Hunting Group need it, you from the Jinbao Hunting Group still want to intercept us. We were undermanned before, but if you dare to argue now, don’t blame us for being ruthless!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Zang Baoman’s face turned ugly, but he ultimately said nothing further. With a wave of his hand, he led his men away.
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Wu Shaoqian remained expressionless and did not speak.
Instead, Zhong Cai peeked out from behind Wu Shaoqian and asked, “Let’s skip the pleasantries. What do you want?”
When the female leader looked at Zhong Cai, she seemed less tense than when she faced Wu Shaoqian.
She responded slightly more gently, “You both are perceptive. We indeed have a transaction we’d like to propose.”
Zhong Cai asked, “What transaction? I’ll tell you now, the venison from this stag is delicious, and it’s not for sale.”
The female leader smiled slightly, her face still serious but clearly trying to be amiable.
“It’s not the venison, but rather the antlers we wish to trade for,” she said softly. “Our Xihu Hunting Group’s leader was injured, and the doctor said that only Bai Tou stag antlers can be used in the medicine needed for recovery.”
Her gaze fell on the stag’s antlers.
“And if the stag is over a hundred years old, then it would be foolproof.”
Zhong Cai said, “So it’s to save someone.” He paused. “So the group led by that man surnamed Zang was trying to stop you from saving someone?”
The female leader didn’t hide anything and explained in detail.
“The Jinbao Hunting Group and our Xihu Hunting Group have a grudge. Zang Baoman is the deputy leader of the Jinbao group. They know our leader needs this medicine, and since our leader is the strongest in the Xihu group, they use various means to intercept us in hopes of weakening us for a future takeover.”
The main reason Xihu group didn’t get any was that, even with their best efforts and the entire group mobilized, they could only find traces of a bald deer.
Besides, the Bai Tou Savage Deer is a second-grade beast. To hunt it, they relied heavily on traps, and even when they found one, they needed to spend a lot of time setting up and planning.
The Jinbao Hunting Group was always watching them. Whenever they got wind of any news, they followed and either scared away their prey or caused their trap-setting to fail, resulting in repeated failures for the Xihu Hunting Group.
The Xihu Hunting Group deeply resented the Jinbao Hunting Group. Each time their plans were sabotaged, they fought them.
Especially Zang Baoman, who often led the group. The female leader had picked fights with him many times, but unfortunately, she couldn’t kill him. If she had, the Jinbao Hunting Group would have had enough of an excuse to unite with other hunting groups for “revenge.”
At that point, the Xihu group’s leader would have to fight while injured, and afterward, there might be no hope of recovery.
After listening, Zhong Cai asked again, “How much money can you offer?”
The female leader hastily replied, “This item is rare, and we are willing to offer a high price. As long as you two are willing to part with it, we can offer five hundred gold!”
As soon as these words were spoken, several of her companions by her side showed disapproving expressions.
However, despite their disagreement, none of them openly rebutted her, suppressing their emotions.
Zhong Cai glanced at them and snorted, “No need for a high price. Do you think we are a bunch of opportunistic bandits? You bring two hundred gold, and the deal is done.”
The female leader wanted to refuse again.
But Zhong Cai waved his hand, signaling her to stop talking.
The rest of the hunting group members breathed a sigh of relief.
The female leader could only keep quiet, take out the gold, and hand it to Zhong Cai first.
Zhong Cai then picked up a knife, cut off the deer antlers, and tossed it to her.
There was no further conversation between the two parties.
After thanking Zhong Cai and the others, the female leader and her companions quickly left.
—
When they reached the foot of the mountain with the deer antlers, several cultivators from the Xihu Hunting Group finally voiced their doubts.
“Young Vice Leader, why were you so polite to them?”
“Isn’t Young Master Shaoqian already disabled, not even a trace of aura left…?”
“Yeah, you’ve been treating him with such high regard, even if there’s something life-saving, isn’t it too much?”
The female leader didn’t mind her companions’ questioning.
The atmosphere in the Xihu Hunting Group was good. As long as they were out on a mission, no matter what orders the leader gave or how reasonable they were, they wouldn’t easily object.
Any issues could be resolved later, just like now.
The female leader said, “Do you all think Young Master Shaoqian has completely lost his power?”
The rest of the hunting team members were momentarily stunned.
She asked about “completely losing his power,” not “being completely disabled.”
Some immediately understood.
“Being completely disabled and completely losing power are two different things!”
The other cultivators also understood.
The female leader pointed out, “Young Master Shaoqian was once a powerful cultivator at the Enlightenment Realm, far surpassing our realm. Even if his companion artifact was destroyed and his realm inevitably declined, would it really decline to nothing?”
“The aura of a cultivator in the early stages often leaks out because they haven’t completely integrated with their companion artifact. Without his companion artifact, Young Master Shaoqian’s aura is easier to conceal.”
“In my estimation, Young Master Shaoqian was attacked while condensing his soul, his soul was shattered, and his realm naturally fell to the Palace Aperture Realm.”
“Without his companion artifact, he can’t draw in the qi of heaven and earth into his Dao Palace. Although his realm is intact, he can’t use the power of the Palace Aperture Realm. However, the Heavenly Induction Realm primarily focuses on refining the physical body. As long as he takes pills that replenish spiritual energy and fills his meridians with spiritual energy, he can still wield the peak power of the Heavenly Induction Realm.”
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hunting team admired the female leader even more.
Some couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Truly deserving of being Kunyun City’s top-tier genius, now also not to be underestimated! Zang Baoman probably doesn’t know, that’s why he treated Young Master Shaoqian so rudely.”
Someone commented, “I believe he likely didn’t recognize Young Master Shaoqian at all and simply mistook him for a mere dandy out for leisure. Dealing with him would be effortless for them.”
There were also some expressing regret. “The Young Vice Leader spoke too early just now. Otherwise, would Zang Baoman and his group still be alive?”
Then someone said, “That’s not how you should put it. People like Young Master Shaoqian, who knows how much wealth they’ve accumulated before. Is it really that different from our few hundred gold? It was smart of the Young Vice Leader to initiate a friendly gesture first, making it easier to propose a deal later.”
“Indeed, indeed, I misspoke.”
“The leader’s injury is still the most important! Thanks to the quick response from the Young Vice Leader.”
Seeing the varied reactions from many companions, the female leader felt somewhat relieved and continued to advise:
“For those of us striving to earn a living, it’s wise to give it further consideration. Moreover, even if Young Master Shaoqian were to reach a state where he couldn’t muster any strength, he wouldn’t be an easy target. Should he dare to venture into this mountain, there are bound to be hidden guards poised for action.”
“Great families like the Wu Family will match each member with elite guards according to their talents. These elite guards have signed life contracts and must obey their master’s orders. Think about it, considering Young Master Shaoqian’s former talents, he must have been matched with an elite guard early on, and the talent of this guard is probably top-notch! After so many years, what kind of strength would that guard have now?”
Many members blurted out, “Palace Aperture Realm!”
The female leader nodded, “Exactly.” With a light sigh, she added, “We, this group of people, are not even enough for that guard to kill with one finger. How could we not respect his master!”
The members of the hunting group all echoed, “Yes.”
At this moment, the female leader waved her hand again and shouted, “Let’s hurry home and rescue our leader!”
The cultivators also shouted, “Rescue our leader!”
Next, the group quickened their pace, heading swiftly toward the hunting group’s base.
The female leader didn’t say anything more, but in the depths of her eyes, there was a hint of complexity.
—
After the group had completely left, Wu Shaoqian took the deer and asked softly, “A Cai, do you know them?”
— As it turned out, Wu Shaoqian had decided to first collect the deer and then slaughter them when Zang Baoman threatened to kill the two and take their belongings.
However, when the female leader was speaking to stop them and approaching, Zhong Cai secretly tugged at his sleeve.
Wu Shaoqian understood tacitly and had kept the deer exposed all along.
At this moment, Zhong Cai withdrew his gaze and pulled Wu Shaoqian over.
Wu Shaoqian sat down beside him and ruffled his hair.
Zhong Cai didn’t mind and rested his chin on his knees, saying softly, “The leader of that Xihu Hunting Group is my grandfather.”
Wu Shaogan was stunned, “Isn’t he the one who, although you’ve never met since childhood, still gives you fifty gold coins every year?”
Zhong Cai nodded.
Wu Shaoqian pondered, “You never told me about his identity, otherwise, I could have found a way for you to meet him. Since he gives you gold every year, he must still have you in his thoughts.”
The monthly allowance in the Zhong family is distributed according to the realms of the clan members.
Before the clan members start cultivating, the allowance is in silver. For those who reach the range from the first to the fourth level of the Heavenly Induction Realm, the allowance is ten silver.
Calculating it, Zhong Cai could only receive a little over one gold from the clan throughout the year.
Zhong Cai had lived for eighteen years. In the earlier years, of course, he hadn’t cultivated, but he still received fifty gold coins every year. Initially, they were held by his stepmother. When he was old enough to understand, his stepmother gave him all the gold coins without embezzlement and told him about his origin.
If Zhong Cai hadn’t had memories from his past life, he would have naturally had many complex feelings, but since he did have memories, his mind was clear.
Zhong Cai shrugged, “He does think of me, but he doesn’t want to see me.” Then he added, “Since he doesn’t want to, I won’t force him either. It involves some unpleasantness between elders. We’re having a good time now. Why should I bring these things up?”
Wu Shaogan listened quietly.
Zhong Cai continued, “Now that it’s come up, I might as well tell you.”
“My mother died in childbirth. You also know, among tens of thousands of female cultivators, it’s rare for one to die in childbirth, but unfortunately, my mother had this stroke of bad luck.”
“If she hadn’t married my cheap dad, she wouldn’t have died so early. At that time, she had just turned twenty.”
—
The female leader, accompanied by a group of companions, returned to the Xihu Hunting Group at the fastest speed.
The hunting group had established its base in a mid-sized town near Kunyun City. The area was not small, with over a hundred members in the group, divided into sixteen hunting teams based on different strengths.
The female leader, named Sun Liu, was the adopted daughter of the hunting group leader. Although she was only an adopted daughter, her own strength was remarkable, and she handled the affairs of the group methodically. Therefore, everyone in the hunting group respected her greatly.
When the leader of the group was seriously injured, Sun Liu took charge, and no member had any objections.
Sun Liu quickly handed over the deer antlers to Doctor Liu, who had been invited back at a high price. Then, she went to the residence of her adopted father, Sun Hu, which was a quite comfortable large house.
Sun Hu was lying on the bed, his face pale and weak.
Seeing her adoptive father in such a sorry state, Sun Liu couldn’t help but feel a bit teary-eyed. She hurried over and tucked the blanket for him.
Sun Hu was just resting, but he opened his eyes when he sensed movement, smiling affectionately.
Sun Liu naturally returned the smile and said, “Father, we were lucky this time. We managed to buy the hundred-year-old deer antlers. In a few days, you’ll be fully recovered.”
Sun Hu looked slightly surprised but also pleased.
Sun Liu sat by the bed and talked to Sun Hu about recent affairs in the residence, seeking his advice on some undecided matters.
Sun Hu had long regarded Sun Liu as his successor. Whenever she asked questions, he patiently explained everything in detail.
Listening, Sun Liu gained quite a bit.
After discussing these matters, Sun Liu hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
“In fact—”
Sun Hu gently interrupted, “What is there that you can’t tell your father?”
Sun Liu whispered softly, “Actually, our trading partner for the deer antlers is Cai’er.” Then she quickly described the situation at the time, “Although he’s married to Young Master Shaoqian, when we met Zang Baoman earlier, Young Master Shaoqian always stood in front of him. And Cai’er made the decisions for our transactions… It seems like their relationship is very harmonious.”
Sun Hu suddenly closed his eyes and hoarsely said, “He is doing okay? That’s good.”
“Her mother insisted on marrying that playboy, and ended up losing her life in just two years. My good grandson, living a humble life, never causing trouble, was forcibly married off to their family by the Zhong’s, serving as a stand-in for someone with good aptitude! If it weren’t for Young Master Shaoqian’s good character, my grandson would have suffered an even worse fate than his mother! That Zhong Guanlin, that bastard, he—”
Sun Hu became too emotionally overwhelmed, coughing violently.
Sun Liu hurriedly helped Sun Hu calm down and poured him a cup of tea to soothe his throat.
After drinking the tea, Sun Hu gradually calmed his emotions, feeling somewhat despondent.
“It’s my fault as a grandfather, harboring resentment towards that child because of his parents’ actions, I never visited him in these years. It’s also my fault for being weak and having no influence. I couldn’t say a word for him in matters of marriage.”
Sun Liu immediately comforted, “It’s not Father’s fault. Father is not yet a hundred years old, even if you want to improve your strength, there’s still time. Besides, the Wu family is powerful. We found out when Cai’er had already married into their family, so it was too late to try to stop it..”
Sun Hu sighed heavily.
Sun Liu comforted him, “Maybe… Cai’er is willing to sell the deer antlers because he knows that you’re injured, right? Perhaps he also cares about you. Take good care of your injury. When you’re healed, we can write to him.”
Sun Hu shook his head slightly, slowly closing his eyes.
“Don’t bother him. As a grandfather, I have never truly cared for him. How can I have the face to write to him now?”
“Moreover, even though he’s intelligent and might know that I sent him gold, I’ve never passed on any messages to him, and the Zhong family doesn’t even know that I’ve formed this hunting group. It’s even less likely that he would know…”
Sun Liu listened without saying anything further.
Seeing Sun Hu fall asleep exhausted, she quietly left, closing the door behind her.
—
In the mountains, by the lake.
Zhong Cai said to Wu Shaoqian, “My mother and father weren’t involved in any sort of business exchange or familial alliance. She came from a background of wandering cultivators, and her relationship with my father was a result of love.”
Wu Shaoqian nodded, “I’ve seen many wandering cultivators traveling together, willing to live and die together, often rescuing each other. It’s different from alliances between families, it can be called ‘partnership’.”
Zhong Cai agreed, “Exactly. My mother also longed for a partner, but she fell in love with my cheap dad.” He remembered something and added, “Oh, by the way, that female leader we just met is actually my aunt.”
Wu Shaoqian raised an eyebrow.
Zhong Cai continued, “To understand those matters, we need to start with my grandfather.”
Sun Hu’s aptitude wasn’t particularly good; he was just at a middle level of the Huang rank. In order to have the ability to preserve his life, he had been practicing alone for many years, a solitary wandering cultivator.
By the time he reached the twelfth level of the Heavenly Induction Realm, he was already in his forties.
Due to numerous hidden injuries in his body, Sun Hu sought refuge in a village to recuperate, hoping for a smooth breakthrough in the future. It was during this time that he met a girl named Wu Xi, who was at the second level of the Heavenly Induction Realm.
Wu Xi admired Sun Hu greatly and often brought him drinking water.
Gradually, Sun Hu developed feelings for her, and they got married.
The couple was very happy after marriage, and Wu Xi soon became pregnant, giving birth to a daughter, whom Sun Hu named Sun Xi.
Both husband and wife doted on Sun Xi.
Sun Xi was not only beautiful and kind-hearted but also had exceptional talent, surpassing her parents, reaching the pinnacle of the Huang Rank. She was indeed their precious gem.
When Sun Xi was ten years old, she discovered an abandoned baby while playing in the mountains.
She liked the abandoned baby very much and brought her back home.
The abandoned baby became the adopted daughter of Sun Hu and his wife. Due to her lucky escape from being taken by mountain beasts and her strong vitality, she was named Sun Liu, meaning resilient willow by the creek. She was supposed to be a sister to Sun Xi.
Interestingly, despite not being blood-related, Sun Liu bore some resemblance to Sun Xi.
Sun Xi was thrilled, and the sisters had an excellent relationship.
Sun Liu learned from village gossip at a young age that she was adopted, but she didn’t care much. After all, her parents and sister loved her dearly. What did a little gossip matter? And when her talent was revealed, also reaching the pinnacle of the Huang Rank, the gossip disappeared. Many people even began to envy Sun Hu and his wife.
But Sun Liu remained unchanged. She worked hard to cultivate, wanting to protect her loved ones in the future.
However, when Sun Xi turned seventeen, she encountered a major crisis in her life.
At that time, Zhong Guanlin was only in his teens and had the strength of the tenth level of the Heavenly Induction Realm. While training in the mountains, he was chased by two savage beasts stronger than himself.
Sun Hu was giving hunting guidance to his two daughters at the time.
Sun Xi fell in love with Zhong Guanlin at first sight. Sun Hu helped Zhong Guanlin lure away one savage beast and kill it, allowing Zhong Guanlin to deal with the other one.
Zhong Guanlin was injured and decided to stay in the village for a while.
Knowing how her parents had met, Sun Xi also showed kindness to Zhong Guanlin.
Zhong Guanlin’s legal wife had just passed away. The talent of his new wife could be compromised, and he quite liked Sun Xi’s appearance, so he proposed to her.
Everything progressed swiftly.
Sun Hu did not like the cold-bloodedness of such prominent families and felt that they, as wanderers, were not on the same path. He also felt that his beloved daughter wouldn’t adapt well. But Sun Xi was enthusiastic, and Sun Hu could only agree.
The wedding went smoothly. Sun Hu spared no effort in preparing the dowry for his daughter, even Sun Liu contributed her savings.
After Sun Xi married into the Zhong family, perhaps out of genuine affection, Zhong Guanlin treated her well. He often accompanied her to meet Sun Hu’s family.
Sun Hu disliked the numerous concubines in Zhong Guanlin’s backyard, but since his beloved daughter was a main wife and Zhong Guanlin treated her well, he had to accept it.
Later, Sun Xi became pregnant and faced complications during childbirth.
Unfortunately, for Sun Xi, she met with such a situation at a young age and passed away prematurely. However, the consolation was that she passed away before Zhong Guanlin’s enthusiasm faded, and she felt their marriage was loving until the end.
Sun Hu harbored anger towards Zhong Guanlin, feeling that he hadn’t taken care of his beloved daughter well. And Zhong Guanlin quickly found another main wife, which truly enraged him.
However, Sun Hu couldn’t afford to offend the Zhong family.
Zhong Guanlin met him once later on.
Although his attitude seemed polite, it was subtly different from when Sun Xi was alive. One could imagine that in some time, this former father-in-law would become no different from an ordinary wanderer to Zhong Guanlin.
From then on, apart from sending money to Zhong Cai, Sun Hu never stepped foot in the Zhong family’s residence again.
Sun Xi’s death was a huge blow to Sun Hu’s family. Wu Xi became despondent and absent-minded while hunting in the mountains, leading to her falling off a cliff and dying.
Sun Hu lost his loved ones one after another and was in a daze for a long time. It was thanks to Sun Liu’s continuous care that he could cope.
At that time, Sun Liu was young, and despite her efforts in cultivation, her strength was limited. One day, when someone came to bully her, Sun Hu only woke up from his stupor when he saw that Sun Liu was about to be injured and abducted.
After that, Sun Hu began to accumulate power and established the Xihu Hunting Team—named “Xi” after his beloved wife and “Xi” after his beloved daughter.
Several years later, Sun Hu finally broke through to the Palace Aperture Realm, and his influence grew from a hunting team of just a few people to a hunting group of at least dozens.
Zhong Cai lay down on the grass straightforwardly and told everything he knew.
Wu Shaoqian also lay down beside him, looking at him sideways.
After Zhong Cai finished speaking, Wu Shaoqian was somewhat puzzled.
“A Cai, you’re young, and they’re avoiding you. How did you know about these things?”
Zhong Cai looked slightly strange: “You definitely wouldn’t guess the reason.”
Wu Shaoqian really couldn’t guess.
Zhong Cai smiled, “It was my stepmother who told me.”
Wu Shaoqian: “Your stepmother?”
Zhong Cai nodded, “Yes, it was her.”
“I lived with her for a few years when I was young. When she brought me my grandfather’s gold, she would tell me about its origin. Although she didn’t treat me like her own child, she still gave me what I deserved, and she never missed telling me the truth.”
Wu Shaoqian thought for a moment and said, “She must have looked into your grandfather’s family.”
Zhong Cai replied, “Indeed, she did.”
“My stepmother was very meticulous. After she married my father, she wanted to know about his previous relationship, so she must have put a lot of effort into investigating. So she knows how my parents met, how they fell in love, how I was born, and what happened to my grandfather’s side of the family.”
“I thought she still had some good intentions. She told me whatever she found, probably intending for me to know what kind of person my birth mother was, so I can remember her?” Zhong Cai added with a hint of amusement, “But there’s also manipulation. When she told me about my grandfather in detail and implied that my grandfather treated me well, my grandfather already had a hunting group and had just broken through to the Palace Aperture Realm.”
“In the family where my stepmother comes from, there are many people with stronger power than my grandfather, but she hasn’t given up any opportunity to expand her connections. Although it might not be of much use now, over time, who knows when she might need to use the Xihu Hunting Team? It doesn’t take much effort to make some preparations in advance, and it will be convenient to ask for help in the future.”
Wu Shaoqian grinned, “You have a good impression of your stepmother.”
Zhong Cai said bluntly, “It’s not bad. She’s already doing pretty well to this extent. I matured early, so I can see what she’s thinking. The more I understand, the more I can reduce the chance of making mistakes.”
Wu Shaoqian patted him on the back in agreement, “That’s true.” Then he asked, “Since your grandfather sincerely cares about you, and we’re out now, do you want to visit him sometime?”
Zhong Cai hesitated a bit, “He probably still doesn’t want to see me now.”
Wu Shaoqian smiled, “We can contact your aunt first and see what she thinks. If your grandfather is just unable to face you but still wants to in his heart, wouldn’t this be a perfect opportunity?”
Zhong Cai found this reasoning quite convincing.
“Yeah, that’s true…”
Wu Shaoqian reminded him, “Don’t forget, even though your grandfather has already achieved antler medicinal breakthroughs, the hunting team faces risks year-round. If someday they encounter even more difficult situations and you only find out afterward, it might leave you with regrets.”
Taking a deep breath, Zhong Cai nodded, a sudden eagerness appearing in his expression.
“After we descend the mountain, I’ll write to my aunt!”
Wu Shaoqian smiled at Zhong Cai, feeling pleased to see him finally looking radiant.
Even though he himself has little familial affection, and the Zhong family mostly utilizes Zhong Cai, his grandfather’s side seems genuinely sincere.
Restoring some degree of affection will likely be beneficial for Zhong Cai.
Unaware of Wu Shaoqian’s thoughts, Zhong Cai caught his gaze and couldn’t help but feel something odd about it.
But there was also a hint of joy…
The two of them lay on their backs, silent.
In this situation, Xiang Lin suppressed his presence even more, leaving the tranquil moment to his two masters.
Xiao Qingyu had somehow curled up next to Zhong Cai’s neck, sleeping with its paws facing the sky.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian seemed to be affected by this atmosphere. After a moment of silence, they involuntarily took a nap.
When they woke up, it was already dark.
Despite their intention to visit the Xihu Hunting Group, there was no need to rush.
Sun Hu’s injuries required time to heal, and Sun Liu would undoubtedly be busy, unable to manage everything at once.
Hurrying to contact Sun Liu would only add to her troubles.
Moreover, Zhong Cai had already figured things out and was in a good mood, so he was ready to enjoy some leisure time again.
The two stayed in the outer mountain range for seven or eight days, spending their time exploring, hunting, and enjoying the scenery. Whenever they found delicious food, they would quickly roast or stew it while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
In addition, they occasionally gathered some medicinal herbs from the mountains to replenish Zhong Cai’s medicine cabinet.
Sometimes, they came across rare herbs that had been growing for years, often guarded by rare beasts or savage beasts.
If they encountered rare beasts that weren’t particularly hostile, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian would usually just drive them away.
However, if they came across savage beasts, it was always a fight to the death.
Their mustard seed bags gradually filled with various types of meat.
As a result, they became more selective about their food, discarding anything that wasn’t up to their standards and setting it aside to be sold in bulk later.
When they finally had their fill of fun, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian descended the mountain together.
They returned to Fengyun City and went straight to their small courtyard.
The next day, after a night of rest, Zhong Cai picked up a brush and wrote a letter.
It was addressed to Sun Liu.
Wu Shaoqian called for Bi Cen and instructed him to deliver the letter personally to the young leader of the Xihu Hunting Group.
Bi Cen carefully secured the letter.
Then he saddled a horned horse and swiftly left Fengyun City.
The town where the Xihu Hunting Group was located lay between Kunyun City and Fengyun City. However, with the speed of a first-grade horned horse, it took him several days to get there.
Bi Cen didn’t dare to delay on the road. After several days of travel, he finally reached the town and inquired from the locals about the exact location of the Xihu Hunting Group.
Coming from the Wu family, Bi Cen was quite knowledgeable. After taking a quick look at the base, he knew that the members were fairly disciplined. However, overall, the base itself was a bit ordinary.
Bi Cen walked up to the hunting squad on guard and politely inquired, “May I know if the deputy leader of your group is present?”
The hunters had sized up Bi Cen upon his arrival and formed a general impression.
Seeing Bi Cen’s inquiry, the squad leader stepped forward and, in a relatively friendly manner, asked, “Do you have business with our deputy leader?”
Smiling, Bi Cen replied, “My master has a letter for the deputy leader and has instructed me to deliver it personally. Therefore, I would be very grateful if you could pass the message along.”
The squad leader, not making things difficult, nodded and said, “Please wait here.”
I‘m probably just imagining it but it feels kind of foreboding…
Woooo! New family connection unlocked. Definitely going to come in handy one of these days
Thanks for the tl!
[“didn’t young master shaoqian already disabled, not even a trace of aura left…?”] “isn’t/wasn’t… with not even…?”ooh~ we finally learn about his maternal family. his grandpa seems nice. he’s not heartless and calculating, at least.
Thank you 🙂
When shaoqin is attacked wasn’t he in the 3rd order not suspended illumination relam. 🙄
You are correct! Thank you. Fixed
You are welcome 🧡 and thanks for the update 😘
I feel family warm
Thank you for your translation 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Thanks for the chapter!