Chapter 369

Shang Hongchen retorted, "Senior Brother, wasn't Fangyue Junior Sister always with you?"

Now it was Zhang Zuohao's turn to be dumbfounded.

"No, Fangyue Junior Sister said she went to find you; she wasn't with you?"

"I didn't see her, Senior Brother; could it be that you did something to Fangyue Junior Sister?"

Shang Hongchen's words completely left Zhang Zuohao insecure.

He lowered his head to think for a moment; after they parted, he never saw Fangyue Junior Sister again.

Fangyue Junior Sister clearly said she was going to look for Hongchen Junior Sister, so why in the end……

"Hongchen Junior Sister, you really haven't seen Fangyue Junior Sister?"

Shang Hongchen shook her head firmly: "No, Senior Brother; if I had seen Fangyue Junior Sister, I would definitely have come back with her."

"This is also Fangyue Junior Sister's home; maybe she went home first."

Zhang Zuohao pondered briefly, feeling something was off, yet also feeling it made sense.

"That's right; Fangyue Junior Sister missed home, so returning early is understandable. Junior Sister, let's hurry to Fangyue Junior Sister's home."

Zhang Zuohao rushed in anxiously, not seeing Fangyue Junior Sister, and felt uneasy.

He kept feeling that Fangyue Junior Sister had met with misfortune, but……

Shang Hongchen nodded slightly, followed behind Zhang Zuohao, a flash of killing intent flickering in her eyes, without speaking.

The two entered Longshe Cheng; Shang Hongchen said, "Senior Brother, I want to go home for a while; Fangyue Junior Sister's home is that way, so I won't accompany you."

"Junior Sister, how can that be? We've reached the gate; there's no reason not to go in."

Shang Hongchen insisted: "No need; I want to go home to see my parents."

"All right then, Junior Sister, come back early."

"Mm."

Shang Hongchen returned home carrying her sword; the moment she stepped into Longshe Cheng, the Shang Clan already knew the news, and Shang Yingnian had been waiting at the gate for his eldest daughter to return.

Upon seeing Shang Hongchen, he immediately stepped forward, opened his arms, and embraced this daughter.

Long not having seen her, he greatly missed his eldest daughter.

"Hongchen, you've finally come home to see your father; your father is overjoyed."

Shang Hongchen stepped aside, not allowing her father to embrace her.

Instead, she rushed toward her mother, Jiang Luolan, and directly embraced her.

This treatment, this disparity, Shang Yingnian saw, and his heart felt sour.

His outstretched hands awkwardly hung in midair; helplessly he lowered them, his mood somewhat unpleasant.

The eldest daughter had returned, so naturally they should catch up; Jiang Luolan embraced her daughter, asking this and that.

She asked everything—for example, how were your days at the Heavenly Heart Sect? Are you alright? Weren't you bullied?

Shang Yingnian waved his hand, and the people of the Shang Clan voluntarily began to seal off the clan, not letting anyone in.

Inside the main hall.

After the mother and daughter exchanged pleasantries, Shang Hongchen glanced over and asked, "Father, Mother, where is Hongxue?"

From beginning to end, she never saw her sister's shadow; Shang Hongchen missed her sister a little, and this time she wanted to bring her sister along to the Heavenly Heart Sect—she had already arranged it, needing only for Hongxue to follow her back.

As for her younger brother Shang Yue, he would stay at the Shang Clan, requiring no care from her.

Jiang Luolan looked toward Shang Yingnian, prompting him to explain.

Shang Yingnian coughed: "Ahem, the situation is this: your sister is recuperating on Longshe Shan."

Shang Hongchen frowned, her gaze hostile, fixed on her father.

"Father, wasn't it agreed that Hongxue would stay home and not go to Longshe Shan again? Why are you still letting her go there?"

"Chen Chuyang is no good; he and Hongxue could never work out—how could you……"

Shang Hongchen was furious; before leaving, she had sternly warned Hongxue, as well as her parents, telling them not to worry about Hongxue's affairs, as she had already arranged everything, awaiting her return.

Who would have thought, something went wrong on the parents' side.

Shang Yingnian rubbed his nose; the authority of the family head could not be mustered at this moment.

"Hongchen, don't talk about your sister first; tell me about your own affairs. It's been so long with no word—how is Fangyue?"

Jiang Luolan lifted her gaze, fixed on the eldest daughter, awaiting her answer.

Shang Hongchen drew a deep breath and slowly said, "Not long ago, I killed her, right outside Longshe Cheng."

Shang Yingnian narrowed his eyes: "No trace left, right?"

"No, I destroyed the corpse and erased all traces—only a pile of dust remains."

Only then did Shang Yingnian break into a satisfied smile and nod: "You did well; that woman Fangyue has a vicious heart—killing her early saves trouble. As for the Fang family, rest easy; I've already made arrangements. Once Fangyue dies, I'll know what to do, leaving no trouble."

"You must be careful with the Heavenly Heart Sect; don't let them uncover any information. Slaughtering fellow disciples is not allowed there."

"That's the surface rule, but as long as no evidence is found and you aren't caught, it's fine."

"Many sects are like that—you can kill people, but you must not be discovered."

"Once discovered, sorry, no one can help you."

"This is the sect rule, laid out openly, meant for all disciples to obey; it cannot be abolished just because of one person……"

"Father, rest assured; I leave no loose ends in what I do."

"Fangyue could not possibly come back to life; I destroyed the corpse and erased traces, leaving no trace."

Shang Yingnian still added a reminder: "Better safe than sorry—aside from me, who else knows about this?"

Shang Hongchen lowered her voice: "Besides us, there is also a senior brother who returned together."

"That senior brother had a close relationship with Fangyue; I worried he would investigate, so this matter…… must not be exposed. I considered killing him, but alas, there was no opportunity, and my strength is insufficient."

Shang Yingnian asked: "Where is he?"

Currently at Fang Yue's place, he might soon notice something's wrong. Shang Hongchen said truthfully; she returned home right away, also thinking of using her father's hand to eliminate Senior Brother Zhang Zuohao.

This senior brother colluded with Fang Yue, harbored designs on her, so she won't let him off.

Since we're taking action, we must eradicate the root.

This matter must not be leaked; Senior Brother Zhang Zuohao is untrustworthy.

For the future, for the Shang Clan, he must die.

Longshe Cheng, he cannot possibly leave alive.

"Hongchen, you can think like that, it shows you've grown up; rest assured, Father has already sent people to watch him."

"Since he has come to Longshe Cheng, how could we let him return alive?"

"Father will take care of this matter; rest assured."

Shang Hongchen worriedly said: "Father, Senior Brother Zhang Zuohao has already condensed the elixir; his strength is not weak, you……"

Shang Yingnian, hearing this, gave a cold smile: "Is condensing the elixir that strong?"

Saying that, his aura erupted.

That aura, like a huge wave, surged tumultuously.

"Father, when...?" Shang Hongchen was shocked; this aura, the aura of condensed elixir, the Void Elixir Realm—when did Father succeed in condensing the elixir? Why has she never received any news about this?

Shang Yingnian said proudly: "Father has long since condensed the elixir; speaking of which, I owe thanks to your brother-in-law."

"Brother-in-law?"

Shang Hongchen's eyes turned cold, her whole face fell.

Shang Yingnian realized he had misspoken, hurriedly shut up; in a moment of prideful carelessness, he let the slip.

Beside her, Jiang Luolan hurriedly urged: "Husband, quickly act to kill Zhang Zuohao, lest there be trouble."

"Also the Fang Clan cannot be spared; since we're taking action, we might as well wipe them out too."

"Yes, Father will arrange this right away." Shang Yingnian hurriedly left the hall; he didn't want to explain this to his daughter, leaving it to his wife to handle the daughter.