Chapter 97: Elder Jiang, Give Me a Favor!

The violet-clad woman glided gracefully to the table where Jiang Ye and the others sat, her skirt flowing like water, rippling with soft light under the lanterns.

She bowed slightly, a faint, perfectly measured smile on her lips, her voice like pearls clinking against jade plates:

“I am Yang Han, honored to meet the members of the Tianqing Sect...”

Her every gesture was flawless, each frown and smile carrying an enduring, intoxicating grace.

To all who saw her smile, it felt as if bathed in spring breeze.

Zheng Feng rose immediately to return her bow, clasping his fists solemnly: “I am Zheng Feng—we’ve actually met a few times before, Miss Yang.”

Yang Han regarded him with a smiling gaze, her eyes glinting: “Zheng Zhenchuan of Tianyangfeng—I’ve never forgotten you.”

At this, the ever-cautious Zheng Feng couldn’t help but smile.

Zheng Hui, who had chattered nonstop beside Chen Lili on the journey, now cowered in the corner like a social phobe, trembling with shyness.

Yang Han was simply too beautiful—she made Chen Lili feel utterly inadequate.

Zheng Feng shook his head helplessly: “Miss Yang, this is my younger sister. She’s shy when traveling—please don’t take offense.”

Yang Han smiled faintly, saying nothing more.

Her gaze shifted, finally settling on Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye’s expression was calm; he was about to speak.

But Yang Han beat him to it, her smile deepening: “If I’m not mistaken, this gentleman must be Elder Jiang—the one who single-handedly wiped out Heifeng Village?”

“Oh?!”

Jiang Ye’s brow lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his aged face.

He smiled faintly, his tone unreadable: “I didn’t know my humble reputation had reached Miss Yang’s ears.”

“Not humble at all,” Yang Han replied with genuine admiration, her eyes like autumn waters fixed on Jiang Ye as if gazing upon some great hero: “Elder Jiang’s feat fills me with profound respect.”

Then her gaze turned to Chen Lili beside her, lingering a moment longer on that familiar face.

A deeper, more meaningful smile touched Yang Han’s lips:

“It’s been a long time, Lili. I didn’t know you’d been with the Tianqing Sect all these years.”

At this, Jiang Ye and the Zheng siblings both showed signs of surprise.

They hadn’t expected Chen Lili to know this Yang family heiress.

Jiang Ye’s thoughts shifted rapidly—he understood at once.

The Chen family was one of the three great clans of Fucheng; it made sense she knew Yang Han.

Chen Lili’s face twisted into an unnatural smile—polite, distant, and layered with a complexity even she couldn’t name.

She gave a slight nod, her voice softer than usual: “It’s been a long time, Sister Yang. You’ve grown even more beautiful.”

Then, as if remembering something, she asked: “Are you also heading to Tai’anshan?”

Yang Han smiled lightly, the expression blooming across her exquisite face like a fleeting Tanhua —breathtakingly beautiful.

She nodded, her tone now carrying a righteous gravity:

“Yes. We’ve received word that the Seven Kill Cult’s demons are active near Tai’anshan...”

She paused, her gaze sweeping over them, her expression growing more solemn:

“Destroying demonic sects is everyone’s duty.”

“The Yang family holds some standing in Yunling Prefecture—how could we stand idly by?”

Her words were noble, flawless.

Yet all present knew the truth.

“Destroying the demonic sect” was merely an excuse.

The real goal was to seize a share of the spoils at Tai’anshan.

But none among them voiced it aloud.

Yang Han did not linger.

She acted with perfect restraint—merely came to greet them, then smiled and took her leave, disturbing neither Jiang Ye nor his companions’ meal.

Watching Yang Han’s graceful figure vanish around the staircase corner, Jiang Ye’s aged eyes flickered with something unusual.

Around her, a dense, vital wood qi radiated—pure and enduring.

Clearly, a master of wood-element true qi.

“So the Yang family has sent two Golden Core cultivators.”

Zheng Feng covertly scanned the Yang family’s group.

Besides Yang Han, there was a short, stout middle-aged man in gray robes, radiating a strong fire qi.

Clearly, another Golden Core cultivator, specializing in fire-element true qi.

At that moment:

“Hey, more people are coming.”

Zheng Hui suddenly flared her nostrils, her youthful face frowning with distaste:

“There’s perfume, but also... a stench of lust.”

No sooner had she spoken—

Another group entered the doorway.

At their head was a man in luxurious brocade robes, handsome but shadowed by an inescapable aura of gloom.

He walked with a heavy, oppressive step; even the serving boy who rushed forward recoiled half a step under his presence.

Behind him followed a slender, stunningly beautiful young woman.

Her face was etched with grief, eyes swollen and red—she had clearly wept bitterly not long ago.

Seeing them, Chen Lili’s expression changed slightly; her fists clenched unconsciously.

Zheng Feng glanced casually, then sneered without restraint: “The Feng family’s come to join the party too.”

Knowing Jiang Ye was new to Fucheng, he whispered an explanation:

“Elder Jiang, the leader is Feng Gang, third young master of the Feng family. He’s a Golden Core cultivator too—but he’s nothing compared to Yang Han just now...”

As he spoke, Zheng Feng’s face twisted with undisguised contempt.

Jiang Ye nodded slightly.

He sensed the man’s water qi was shallow and unstable—clearly forced to Golden Core through massive resource investment. Such a man would be forever stuck at the early stage, never advancing further.

No wonder Zheng Feng looked down on him.

“And the woman beside him is Sun Yu.”

Zheng Feng’s tone turned gossipy: “She’s the sole survivor of the ‘Beheading Demon’ massacre that shook the prefecture last month. Word is she swore a blood oath to avenge her family.”

“Oh? I’ve heard of that.”

Jiang Ye’s expression didn’t change; his aged eyes held a glint of amusement.

He lifted his teacup, sipped, and spoke calmly: “So she’s the one who slipped through the net from the Sun family.”

Zheng Hui couldn’t resist adding: “That’s the one reeking of lust.”

Zheng Feng coughed lightly, exasperated: “Little girl, watch your tongue!”

“Crying, crying—always crying!”

Feng Gang stormed into the inn, cursing.

He glared at the woman beside him, shouting: “You’ve ruined my mood with all your weeping!”

“Husband... I can’t help it...”

Sun Yu trembled, her voice thick with sorrow: “Every time I close my eyes, I see Father, Mother, and Second Brother blaming me for not avenging them.”

“Didn’t I already tell you I’ve sent people to investigate?!”

Feng Gang exploded, his voice echoing through the inn’s main hall: “‘Beheading Demon’... I’ll cut his head off and kick it like a ball for you!”

As he raged, his gaze fell on the violet-clad figure nearby.

His dark eyes instantly filled with unrestrained greed; his face twisted into a lewd grin:

“Miss Yang, you’re as swift as ever.”

He stepped forward to flatter her—then his peripheral vision caught another table.

His body froze.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto Chen Lili beside Jiang Ye; a fury unlike any he’d known exploded within him like a volcano.

“You damn Chen Lili!!!”

Feng Gang snarled, laughing through his rage, voice thick with mad hatred: “All these years I couldn’t find you... you’ve been hiding in the Tianqing Sect!!”

"All these years I couldn't find you... turns out you'd hidden yourself at the Tianqing Sect!!!"

He lunged forward like a rabid dog, true qi surging in his palm, fingers curled into a fist, smashing toward Chen Lili’s skull.

The punch was swift and brutal—meant to shatter her head and ease his burning hatred.

“Monster!! Do you think I’m afraid of you?!”

Facing Feng Gang’s sudden attack, Chen Lili showed no fear.

Her brow was twisted with utter revulsion; her internal force erupted, ready to meet Feng Gang’s Golden Core power with her own Transformation Stage strength.

But no matter how weak Feng Gang was, he was still a Golden Core cultivator.

With true qi amplifying him, his speed was astonishing; his water-charged fist closed on Chen Lili’s face in a blink.

With true qi enhancing him, his speed was astonishing; his heavy fist, condensed with moisture, closed in on Chen Lili's face in the blink of an eye.

A withered hand, like a phantom, shot out and seized Feng Gang’s wrist with perfect stillness.

A withered hand, like a ghost, reached out and firmly gripped Feng Gang’s wrist.

That full-force strike could no longer advance by so much as an inch.

“How dare you lay hands on a disciple of Tianqing Sect? You’ve got quite the nerve.”

Jiang Ye let out a cold laugh, his aged face now filled with chilling menace.

“The Feng family really wants to die!”

Zheng Feng, who had been about to intervene, also sneered and stood up.

Though I don’t know what deep grudge Feng Gang holds against Chen Lili, how dare outsiders touch a Tianqing Sect member?

Then,

Suddenly, a brilliant crimson-gold aura erupted from Jiang Ye’s palm!

Hiss…

The water-element true qi concentrated in Feng Gang’s hand evaporated instantly before the supreme yang and fierce flame, like snow melting under the scorching sun; the searing heat surged afterward, wildly spreading up his wrist.

“Ahh—!!!”

Feng Gang, who had moments ago been raging like a madman, let out a piercing, agonized scream.

His handsome face twisted into an unrecognizable mask of torment; he thrashed wildly but could not break free from that withered hand.

“Elder Jiang, could you please grant me a favor and show mercy?”

Yang Han, standing a short distance away, stepped forward slowly, her stunning face wearing a graceful smile, her voice soft and sincere.

But Jiang Ye didn’t even glance at her.

He merely gazed down at the screaming Feng Gang in his hand, his aged eyes utterly expressionless.

The smile on Yang Han’s face froze slightly.

It was the first time—ever—that she had been so publicly humiliated.