Chapter 59: The Ordained Monk and the In‑Law

The eight people, eyes wide, watched Heng Xian pass by; when they recovered, they gave chase, but Heng Xian had already boarded the carriage and gone far.

They could only stomp their feet in frustration, waiting to speak when the young master returned.

The carriage sped along the bluestone road.

The nameplates "Heng" and "Xian" hanging on the carriage swayed.

Pedestrians on the road, upon seeing it, immediately stepped aside respectfully, clasping fists in deference.

Inside the carriage, Su Wan'er asked, "Young master, has Sun Bufan truly seen through the mortal world? He actually wants to become a monk!"

Heng Xian said, "Someone who calls himself Banyu Sanren and wants to try 18p—do you expect him to see through the mortal world? Even becoming a monk would be a fake monk."

Su Wan'er covered her mouth and chuckled, "I wonder if his 18p grand undertaking has been completed!"

Heng Xian glanced out the window, "If I see him, I'll ask."

The carriage continued forward; after a little less than half an hour, it passed the city gate and arrived at the west ferry dock of Qianli Lake outside Donglan City.

The sky was a deep blue, the lake surface merged with the heavens, starkly contrasting with the winter‑withered grasses and vines along the shore.

The ferry dock was crowded; dozens of three‑decked wooden boats set off one after another.

The master and his servant alighted from the carriage, searched the crowd, and after a long while still did not see Sun Bufan.

Heng Xian could only nod, "Shout then!"

Su Wan'er rolled up her sleeves, no longer caring about decorum, and shouted loudly, "Banyu Sanren! Your elder brother is calling you home for a meal!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a bald man in the nearby crowd leapt up, "Banyu Sanren is here!"

Just as the words left his mouth, an old monk behind him struck him with a chestnut, instantly silencing him.

The four approached; the old monk had kind eyes, clasped his palms together, and smiled gently: "Amitabha, I am Shan Cun of Lingtai Mountain, pleased to meet you, Heng benefactor!"

Heng Xian gave the old monk a few glances, unable to discern his cultivation level, and replied respectfully, "I have met you, Master!"

He then exchanged a glance with Sun Bufan, and the two moved to the side.

Sun Bufan touched his bald head, gave a wry smile, "I thought you wouldn't come after receiving the letter; after all, you're so impressive now, famous throughout Donglan, a pride of heaven!"

Heng Xian nodded, "It's cliché, huh? I was just bored and came to see your bald head!"

Sun Bufan gave a wry smile, "I've been reciting sutras and being tonsured by this old monk for over a month; the day before the big New Year he insisted on setting out, not even letting the year pass, saying it could cut off mortal ties."

As for the Heng family's matters, I don't know; don't blame me for not helping."

Heng Xian laughed, "It's all in the past!"

Sun Bufan awkwardly nodded, "Although you've been distant lately, we've always been best friends. Give me some face and spare the Sun Family!"

Without waiting for Heng Xian's reply, the old monk Shan Cun softly called, "Since your heart is set on my Buddha, parting from the mortal world requires no further words!"

"The old monk shouted, sigh!" Sun Bufan hung his head and trudged back.

Shan Cun, the old monk, smiled calmly at Heng Xian: "Benefactor, your merit is profound; your future cultivation is incalculable, but alas you have no affinity with my Buddha,"

"If you have free time someday, come often to Lingtai Mountain!"

Without waiting for a reply, he took Sun Bufan, flashed oddly, and they were on a boat on the lake.

The boat then set off, sailing farther and farther.

Heng Xian suddenly remembered something he hadn't asked, and hurriedly shouted, "By the way, Sun Bufan, have you done the 18p yet?"

From the boat came Sun Bufan's loud laugh, "Hahaha, that guy I'll tell you…"

He seemed to be beaten again, quickly changed to: "Amitabha! This humble monk does not know your intention; I am Yuan Tong, we shall meet again in the cultivation world!"

Damn, Yuan Tong?

Heng Xian shouted, "Yuan Tong, Yuan Tong, may your journey be smooth!"

"All set!"

……

That night, Heng Xiu and Heng De, father and son, summoned Sun Heshan and the other eight teetering clan heads.

The Heng family had only a few simple demands:

First, the eight families, ungrateful and burning bridges, must compensate the Heng family with one hundred million low‑grade spirit crystals; if they lack the sum, they may pay in installments!

Second, the legitimate daughters of the eight families must marry into the Heng family!

Third, all business involving elixirs, spiritual artifacts and other resources in Donglan City shall give priority to the Heng family.

Fourth, at critical moments, the eight families' medicinal fields, elixir shops, spiritual artifact stores, and markets shall be occupied by the Heng family.

Fifth, the eight families must worship the Heng family and never waver; any breach shall result in the extermination of the entire clan.

It is said the eight clan heads stared blankly for half an hour, obediently signed the documents, and then,

collapsed collectively!

……

The next day, the New Year had arrived.

The Heng family put up spring couplets and lanterns, the atmosphere jubilant.

One could not see at all the devastation of the Heng family's annihilation a few days earlier.

After all, people must look forward.

Around noon, the county sent someone to deliver the city‑chief appointment documents.

The entire Heng family cheered ecstatically.

That evening at the New Year's Eve dinner, five thousand people gathered; the family head, who is also the current city lord of Donglan City, Heng Xiu, the elder, gave a detailed account of the family's future development plans.

Of course, Heng Xian's scheming was indispensable.

……

The first day of the first lunar month.

Heng Xian prepared thirty thousand red envelopes; not only the Heng family but all prominent citizens of the city received them.

Inside the small pavilion of East Garden.

Heng De and the other gentleman each lay on a recliner.

Heng De said: "Your mother seems about to break through to the Elemental Core! She's been in closed-door cultivation somewhere, with no time to come see you,"

Don't be angry with your mother; we should remember her kindness, your mother's heart is forever with us……

Heng Xian glanced at him: "Speak properly, don't insult people!"

"Your mother's... oh, I wasn't insulting anyone!" Heng De was taken aback, "Well, let's change the topic, the family is on the right track, the only downside is,"

Those little brats of Ye Xiaoyao are hiding rock solid, and there's simply no chance.

If we sent people to directly go in and brutally assassinate them, we'd fear others laughing at the Heng family for being too ruthless, and we also have to give face to the Pill Refining Alliance and the Artifact Refining Alliance!

Opportunities will always come! For example, these few days we find a chance to set them a big fire, and they'll come out! Heng Xian ate his snacks leisurely.

"Excellent!" Heng De couldn't help but clap.

Just then, a Heng family disciple hurried over: "Reporting to Young Master Xian and Second Uncle, people from the Wang family of Muqing City have arrived, causing a ruckus at Tingmei Courtyard!"

"The Wang family of Muqing City?" Heng Xian exclaimed in surprise.

Heng De sat up: "That's your aunt's husband's home!"

……

"Tingmei Courtyard."

Dozens of people were surrounding Heng Ruoyue's room door, making a noisy mess.

One of them, a middle-aged bearded man, shouted angrily: "As a wife of my Wang family, you spend the whole year hiding back at your maiden home—what kind of woman are you?"

Where is your womanly virtue? Where have you placed my brothers?

Beside him, a youth under thirty, handsome but somewhat timid, looked anxious: "Big brother, it's not like that; Ruoyue is feeling down, she came to her parents' home to relax!"

"Get out of the way!" the big-bearded man shoved the youth aside, "You're just lacking balls, can't control your wife, look at your cowardly appearance!"

"Say that again!" Heng Ruoyue inside finally pushed her wheelchair out, cold-faced looking at the big-bearded man, "In this world, there are still elder brothers who insult their sister-in-law—where is your sense of shame? As the head of the Wang family, where is your dignity?"

The big-bearded man laughed loudly: "What do I need propriety, righteousness, integrity, and face for? You lowly woman, how long have you abandoned your home?"

The youth behind him turned pale then flushed: "Wang Shengchun, you're not allowed to insult my wife—this is truly a disgrace to refinement!"

The big-bearded man kicked the youth flying: "You scoundrel Wang Shengwen, I am your eldest blood brother, I'm disciplining this lowly woman for you!"

"You……" Heng Ruoyue's face went white with anger, she made a move to step forward.

"Huh?" More than ten men at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Condensation blocked the doorway.

Xie Lingyu beside Heng Ruoyue said coldly: "Do you think the Heng family has no one?"

"Ha ha……" a group of Wang family members laughed loudly.

Wang Shengchun seemed to have been waiting for these words, he said coldly: "Everyone knows the Heng family was almost wiped out; in the end it relied on a kid named Heng Xian to turn things around, right?"

Both are at the ninth level of Qi Condensation; no matter how strong one person is, how strong can they really be, Qing'er!

Behind him, a youth about twenty stepped forward and performed a solemn salute: "Nephew Wang Qing greets Aunt; nephew has recently broken through to the ninth level of Qi Condensation, and this time I've come to challenge Heng Xian!"

Heng Ruoyue stared: "Qing'er, listen to Aunt, we won't fight, we can't win!"

(End of chapter)