Chapter 456

Dusk, on the outskirts of Jinmen.

Huaqing Villa.

This estate-like community contained only twelve villas, designed and built according to the traditional “Twelve Flower Deities” theme, arranged in seasonal order.

Only those of extraordinary status could settle here; merely having money was not enough to acquire a residence.

Compound Six, Qinghe Courtyard.

The pond in the courtyard was filled with blooming lotuses, their clear surface reflecting the solitary moon’s reflection.

Light glowed from the second-floor room; a slender silhouette stood on the balcony, bathed in moonlight that accentuated her delicate, graceful form, even the tight silk pajamas shimmering with an unusual soft radiance.

“Zhi Xia, why didn’t you attend tonight’s family banquet?”

The door opened, and a beautiful woman with a slender waist and lingering charm stepped in.

On the balcony, Xu Zhixia did not turn around, still gazing at the night outside.

“You child, I’m speaking to you—did you hear me?” Wei Qingshuang frowned, walking over in displeasure.

“Mom, you know I dislike such occasions.”

“Tonight was a family gathering,” Wei Qingshuang said firmly. “Technically, your father and Xu Changshou are cousins—you should call him cousin uncle.”

“I never imagined someone abandoned by the clan in youth, who left home for decades, could attain such cultivation.” Wei Qingshuang sighed.

Among Xu clan disciples, whether from the first, second, or third branch, resources and training before adulthood were nearly equal; once they formed a Sword Qi Seed and chose different Dao paths, differences in their Zhan Jiao Fa cultivation gradually emerged.

Those lacking talent or progressing slowly were slowly marginalized, until finally abandoned.

Xu Changshou had left the Xu clan at precisely that moment.

Over thirty years have passed; that man, who once left in youthful anger without grasping the Ancestor’s Dao, has forged his own path, refined an Inner Elixir, and achieved great success in Life Cultivation.

Such cultivation places him among the absolute elite of the second branch today.

“You should call him cousin uncle too. To not even show your face at such an occasion is deeply disrespectful,” Wei Qingshuang complained.

Though all were of the second branch, even within it, there were vast differences.

Take Xu Zhixia’s father, Xu Mingzhang—he, at his age, had barely reached the High Merit realm, and his progress would end here.

With such cultivation, he never entered the core of the second branch’s power structure.

“Mom, you yourself said this cousin uncle left home over thirty years ago. No matter how hard I try, I won’t close the gap,” Xu Zhixia said coolly.

“Why be so mercenary?”

“How dare you speak like that? What do you mean by ‘mercenary’?” Wei Qingshuang shoved Xu Zhixia.

All under heaven bustle for profit; all under heaven rush for gain.

When Xu Changshou was destitute, everyone avoided him; now that he has prospered, all are good people—warmth and kinship return, everyone gathers around with utmost sincerity and goodwill.

This is human nature—and also reality.

“Who am I doing this for?” Wei Qingshuang said, her expression dimming.

“I can’t rely on your father. I have only you, my daughter. To secure a good future for you, isn’t being mercenary necessary?”

Hearing this, Xu Zhixia’s expression tightened, a flicker of guilt rising in her eyes.

“Mom…”

“I know you’ve always resented me for breaking you and Zhang Fan apart,” Wei Qingshuang changed tone.

“I haven’t.”

“You say you haven’t, but you resent me deeply,” Wei Qingshuang shook her head. “Don’t blame me for being harsh.”

“You bear the Xu surname. If Zhang Fan were an ordinary man, you two were doomed from the start.”

“That day in Yujing City, he stripped my cultivation merely for my haughty words—I knew then he was no ordinary man. You, foolish girl, dated him so long and never learned his true nature.”

Here, Wei Qingshuang touched Xu Zhixia’s head.

That day in Yujing City, she had merely been arrogant in speech and posture—and this young man had forcibly seized her Nascent Soul, stripped her cultivation, and dropped her from High Merit to ruin, where she still remains unrecovered.

His ruthlessness and methods left a deep impression on her.

“I knew then that Zhang Fan was a cold-blooded man—his scheming ran too deep, his concealment too complete. Even if I hadn’t broken you two apart, you’d have had no future together,” Wei Qingshuang sighed.

Hearing this, Xu Zhixia’s lips twitched, as if to speak—but she swallowed the words.

Cold-blooded?

If Wei Qingshuang knew that Zhang Fan had killed Xu Banshan and Xu Changnian in Guixi Province and devoured their Nascent Souls, she’d finally understand what true cold-bloodedness meant.

Yet these matters Xu Zhixia had kept locked within her, never mentioned to a soul.

“This time, your cousin uncle didn’t return alone.”

At that moment, Wei Qingshuang shifted tone abruptly.

“I heard he brought back a disciple.”

“A disciple!?”

Yes, unfortunately, he didn't appear at tonight's banquet—but he's clearly a young talent.

Here, Wei Qingshuang lowered her voice: “I heard Yin He and Yin Deng brothers secretly tested your cousin uncle’s disciple—and suffered heavy losses.”

“Huh!?” Xu Zhixia paused, startled.

“Xu Yinhe is a Great Master.”

“Who says otherwise?” Wei Qingshuang said firmly.

“Three years ago, Xu Yinhe gained great fortune in the [Water Mansion]…”

Wei Qingshuang’s eyes shimmered with awe: “The transformation of a Water Dragon spitting a Pearl—enlightened his Nascent Soul and perfected his cultivation.”

“Otherwise, how could a youth his age attain such power?”

Here, Wei Qingshuang’s eyes brightened further.

“Your cousin uncle’s disciple made Xu Yinhe suffer heavy losses—his future is boundless.”

Wei Qingshuang took Xu Zhixia’s hand, speaking earnestly: “Zhi Xia, originally I planned to marry you to the Ge family…”

“But Ge Zhenyan died in Yujing City.”

“You must seize this chance—if you can form a union with your cousin uncle’s disciple, your future will be happier than mine.”

“It won’t be an outside marriage, and you’ll gain Xu Changshou’s support—our family’s status in the second branch will rise dramatically.”

Wei Qingshuang grew more excited, her middle-aged face glowing with an unusual radiance, as if this ideal future had already become real.

“Mom, you’re getting carried away—I haven’t even met him,” Xu Zhixia interrupted.

“No need to have met him yet—I’ll arrange a meeting for you later,” Wei Qingshuang smiled.

At this moment, she saw new hope in life.

Xu Zhixia’s lips moved slightly, wanting to refuse—but seeing her mother’s hopeful expression, she held back.

“What’s his name?”

“He’s surnamed Zhao… Zhao Jiexuan!” Wei Qingshuang said firmly.

…

Deep into the night.

Zhang Fan walked alone along the Haihe River, strolling casually.

He had come to Jinmen specifically to see the legendary [Xu Zu Sword], seeking clues about the [Zhan Shi Sword]; upon arrival, he realized the Pure Yang Xu family’s depths were far greater than imagined.

Thus, before finalizing matters with Xu Changshou, he avoided stirring trouble and left the Shan Shui Club outright.

“The feng shui of Jinmen is fascinating.”

Standing by the river, Zhang Fan could sense the entire river flowing through the city, its core branching into countless tributaries.

As the saying goes: all waters return to their source; water dragons gather at the head.

In ancient times, these waterways enabled trade across the land, circulating wealth—but also concentrated water poisons, brewing disaster.

Hence, Jinmen’s urban layout took the form of a spiritual tortoise, used as a talisman to suppress the water dragon and neutralize its poisons.

“Fascinating—the designer of Jinmen must have been a master; this water dragon now perfectly resonates with the mountain dragon of the capital…”

“When the dragon returns to the sea, royal qi is complete.”