Chapter 524: Village Annihilation

Xiao Yin slowly raised his eyes, staring fixedly at Bai Xiaosheng whose face had drastically changed, and gave a light chuckle: "Master Bai, I should also congratulate you."

What joy is there? Prince summoned me from far away to this broken ship, surely not just to amuse yourself at my expense?

Bai Xiaosheng regained his former carefree attitude, but his gaze was icy cold.

That bastard who abandoned his mother back then made him spend his entire childhood in darkness and gloom.

If he found out who that person was, he would certainly not let him off easy.

Xiao Yin slowly picked up the blood jade pendant and brought the 'gan' character on it close to Bai Xiaosheng's face.

It is none other than the Emperor.

As Xiao Yin's words fell, there was a splash, and Bai Xiaosheng sprang to his feet.

His sleeve knocked over the wine cup, which fell onto the deck.

He stared fixedly at Xiao Yin, looking at him in disbelief, then threw his head back and burst out laughing.

Prince, it turns out you're not just amusing me; you've told me a huge joke, it's utterly ridiculous.

I, Bai Xiaosheng, have roamed the jianghu and wandered the mortal world, seeing many things, yet I have never heard such nonsense from a Prince.

So you mean my nominal father is the current Emperor? You're joking.

Never mind, never mind, Prince seems truly bored today, using me, a nobody, for amusement.

But even a nobody has his own livelihood; I still need to earn money, Prince, you drink on your own.

Bai Xiaosheng was truly angry; Prince Rui was his major client, but that didn't give him the right to humiliate him at will.

He flicked his sleeve and walked toward the cabin door; after just a few steps, Xiao Yin's cold voice came from behind.

More than twenty years ago, when the Emperor was still a prince, he was not favored.

The late Emperor fell ill with an acute condition, an abscess formed on his back; no matter how the imperial physicians tried, they could not save him.

It was said that Mang Shan produced divine elixir; back then, the Emperor, at a disadvantage in the princes' succession struggle, led a party to Mang Shan, mistakenly entered a village stronghold, and formed a century‑long bond with its chief.

Unfortunately, the goddess was affectionate, but Prince Xiang had no intention; the Emperor deceitfully took that single stalk of divine elixir from the village.

Thus the next day the Emperor vanished without a trace, not even revealing his true identity to her; fortunately that woman still left behind a piece of his jade pendant—or rather, she must have stolen it?

Xiao Yin gazed at Bai Xiaosheng, who had stopped in his tracks, with a smiling stare.

Bai Xiaosheng's hand hidden in his sleeve clenched slightly into a fist, his knuckles cracking.

Xiao Yin slowly rose to his feet, playing with that piece of blood jade in his hand: "That is a special mark of the imperial family; back then, after my imperial older brother returned, he searched everywhere for the jade pendant he always carried."

Unfortunately, at that time the imperial court was in turmoil; although the late Emperor had recovered from his abscess and promoted Xiao Qian, he still did not pull through, and soon passed away.

At once the imperial court fell into chaos; Xiao Qian concealed his talents and bided his time, yet he also made unremitting efforts in secret.

As for the whereabouts of that jade pendant, he didn't have time to investigate it thoroughly.

Since he did not willingly give away the jade pendant, someone must have stolen it.

As for close‑range theft, only your mother could have done it.

Xiao Yin steadied his words, looking at Bai Xiaosheng standing before him, and his tone suddenly grew more solemn.

Master Bai, how long has it been since you last returned home?

Bai Xiaosheng let out a cold snort.

Xiao Yin didn't care, clapped his hands, and then Ling Feng led four black‑clothed men carrying a coffin inside.

Such a pitch‑black coffin appeared on the deck, and even Bai Xiaosheng, who had experienced much, was badly startled.

Open it! Xiao Yin ordered.

Ling Feng hurriedly had the thin wooden coffin pried open, revealing the half‑burned skeletal remains inside.

Although it had turned into a skeleton, no one knew what accident had occurred back then—only half of it was burned, yet half of the face remained clearly discernible, as if the whole person had been burned alive.

Yet, summoning his last breath, he crawled out of the fire pit, only to die halfway.

Thus the twitching half‑face imprinted itself in Bai Xiaosheng's eyes; he gasped, staggered forward, and fell to his knees with a thud before the light curtain.

What's going on? What's going on? Why is this happening? Why?

Bai Xiaosheng's face turned deathly pale; he turned away and stared fixedly at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin waved his hands repeatedly and said lightly: "I don't have such a vicious mind to kill an innocent woman."

You also understand a thing or two; take a look at that skeleton—it's probably been some years, and if I'm not mistaken, it's at least five or six years old.

Because the women of Mang Shan village have their bodies cultivated with gu poison, there are also some sayings to that effect.

Even though it was burned and reduced to this emaciated state, the corpse hasn't rotted—it just looks unpleasant, I think you can also recognize who this woman is.

Bai Xiaosheng caught his breath, stared fixedly at the scene inside the coffin, the half‑burned black planks within, and tears finally welled up in his eyes.

Although this woman had beaten him for so many years, she abused him.

For all those years, yet she was ultimately the mother who gave birth to and raised him.

At that moment a surge of feelings overwhelmed him, and he gripped the coffin's edges with both hands.

Xiao Yin also finally stopped being angry with him, gazing at him and said: "This time I sent people to Mang Shan to look for something, and by chance, at the mountain's foot, I discovered a village that had been wiped out."

Now there are no survivors left; the scene is grim.

My people found your mother's skeleton in that village, along with this piece of jade.

Although I don't know why someone would not spare even such a remote village, I suspect there is a close connection between this recluse and you, Bai Xiaosheng...

Xiao Yin looked at the man before him and called out to stop his departure.

Bai Xiaosheng's expression grew heavier with unspeakable pain; he knelt before the coffin, remained silent for a long while, and Xiao Yin did not urge him, just standing there.

Early winter snow fell in layers, and Ling Feng's brows furrowed slightly.

The overcast sky lent a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.

Bai Xiaosheng has already been standing like this for an hour; must Wang Yan continue to accompany him thus?

Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Yin raised his hand to stop him.

Finally, after standing for two hours, Bai Xiaosheng stiffly straightened his body and slowly rose to his feet.

Because he had knelt too long, his knees ached; he even staggered before he could steady his feet, then turned and stared fixedly at Xiao Yin: "Prince Rui, let's discuss terms!"

Xiao Yin laughed, then ordered his servants to reset the food and drinks and pour wine.

Bai Xiaosheng, facing his mother's skeleton, still couldn't bring himself to drink; he simply stared fixedly at Xiao Yin and asked, "Prince, what do you want me to do? What should I do?"

Xiao Yin smiled faintly and said, "You are one year older than Crown Prince Xiao Ting!"