Chapter 299: Dust Settles (End of Main Text)

"This is my obedient daughter, standing behind me; after I deal with these scraps, I'll take you… hmm…"

A muffled hum sounded, and Zhao, incredulous, looked down.

He saw a sharp dagger lodged in her waist, the very dagger he had given her as a master‑apprentice gift years ago.

Chi Nan Yi was startled, turned to look at Mo Junyan; his eyes flickered slightly, but showed little surprise.

"You… you…" Zhao staggered, and Qian hurriedly steadied her.

"Why…"

"It's you! You killed the Bai family! You killed the Situ family! You caused the common folk to suffer! It's you! All of it is you! I will never call you mother; I have only one mother‑consort, and you are unworthy."

"Good, very good!"

Zhao's lips dripped thin blood, a fierce glint in her eyes, and she struck a palm hard at Mo Junyan's chest.

She flew several meters away and crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Wretch, if you didn't share the same blood as I, how could you have survived until now? A child born of hatred, I wish I could have strangled you from the start."

"Sect leader, you leave first; we'll handle this."

Cang Ming wiped the blood from his lip corner, brandishing his great sword sideways: "Even if I shatter to pieces, I will protect you fully."

Chi Nan Yi heard this, sneered: "You claim loyalty, yet in her eyes you are merely the shells she uses to forge and house the poisonous insects." She produced several packets of medicinal powder and suddenly scattered them into the sky.

Zhao's pupils narrowed, her body recoiled, but Mo Junyan would not give her a chance to flee; he surged forward, blocking Zhao's path.

"Today, you will not escape."

At that moment, mournful wails rose from behind Zhao.

"Thanks to you planting soul‑devouring insects in the sect's disciples, I happen to have powder that counters them; inhaling it, none of them will survive."

Zhao clenched her teeth in anger, but her wounds were too severe; even at her prime she could only match her, and now with Mo Junyan eyeing her like a tiger, how could she possibly win?

She glanced at the nearby Qian, a ruthless glint in her eyes, and shoved her away.

Mo Junyan raised his hand, the blade fell, and the old woman lost all life.

Zhao had intended to flee, but before she could activate lightness skill, a force slammed her to the ground.

"Did you think you could still escape today?" Chi Nan Yi stepped beside her, delivered a crushing punch, shattering her dantian with overwhelming force.

A mouthful of blood spurted out; Zhao's eyes were filled with despair.

"I never expected to be defeated by your two youngsters."

"Those who commit countless evils will bring about their own ruin; this is the fate you deserve." Chi Nan Yi smiled faintly: "I could have sealed you into a space, let you suffer torment before dying, but I feared you would defile my domain."

"You… you…"

Chi Nan Yi drew a short sword, her gaze indifferent: "I said today is your death day; I will avenge all those killed by you at Seek Dragon Gate."

With those words, the short sword plunged down; Zhao's mouth filled with blood, her eyes widened to a hollow round, dying without peace.

Having finished all this, Chi Nan Yi staggered a few steps, her strength waning.

She gasped heavily.

"It's over, it's over. Father and mother, I have finally avenged you."

Mo Junyan smiled, pulled her into his arms, whispering softly: "Yi'er, you've worked hard."

"By the way." Chi Nan Yi slipped out of his embrace, saying softly, "I saw two people here."

"Who?"

"Ah Yan!"

The hoarse voice of Old Bai rang out, and Mo Junyan seemed spellbound, frozen in place.

"Maternal grandfather, uncle, you…"

"You stinky brat, I finally get to reunite with you!"

Old Bai stepped forward, excitedly patting his shoulder: "Great! Great! Your leg… I was worried before, great! great!" Old Bai's eyes welled with hot tears; after more than a decade apart, he had countless words, yet at that moment could not utter a single one.

"Maternal grandfather, what exactly happened back then? How did you…"

"It's a long story. The Bai family was framed and could not produce evidence to clear themselves; the Emperor tried everything yet could not prevent the Bai family's extermination. At the last moment, the old head of the Chi family—this girl's maternal grandfather—sent men to the Heavenly Prison and swapped us out. To survive and to investigate the truth, we had to disguise ourselves. You were still young then; we couldn't tell the truth, fearing recognition would endanger the Chi family, so we fled far away…"

Old Bai recounted the past faithfully; Mo Junyan's emotions rose and fell, and at the end he clenched his fist, feeling a surge of regret.

All these years, he had been misunderstanding the Emperor.

"Your mother‑consort killed herself, actually to protect us."

Chi Nan Yi saw his emotional shift, walked slowly to his side, and whispered, "We'll discuss everything after we return to Daqi."

"Fine."

After the group left Seek Dragon Gate, a raging fire ignited there, burning for seven days and seven nights; the vast manor was reduced to ash.

One year later.

Outside the Chi family gate, lanterns and ribbons were strung, and every guest who came wore a smiling face.

"Today is the joyous day of Prince Li and Master Chi; we must go have a celebratory wine."

"Master Chi looks like a celestial beauty, Prince Li is handsome and dashing; their union is a match made in heaven, truly enviable!"

"Who's at that table? Why have we never seen them before?"

"That table is Master Chi's adoptive parents, plus his older brother and sister‑in‑law; Master Chi truly is a great man, now successful yet never forgetting his adoptive parents' kindness, and he and Prince Li are indeed a perfect match."

"You fools still call him Prince Li? The Crown Prince was deposed, the Empress confined to the cold palace, sentenced to death after autumn; a few days ago the Emperor ordered Prince Li to be made Crown Prince, and now Prince Li is the legitimate Crown Prince!"

"Yes, yes, I just said it out of habit, didn't I?"

"Did you hear? The former Crown Prince has gone mad."

"What? Gone mad?"

"Don't you know? The former Crown Prince colluded with enemies and betrayed the nation; the Qin and Meng families linked to him were exterminated. Qin family members were beheaded, the Meng family was exiled to the bitter north, never to return to the capital. The Meng family's eldest daughter had long been betrothed to the Crown Prince, now both are imprisoned in the Crown Prince's residence; the Emperor's decree is that neither of them will live."

The listeners couldn't help but sigh.

At that moment, the wedding matron shouted, "Bride, out of the hall!"

Chi Nan Yi, dressed in a red wedding robe embroidered with phoenix patterns in gold thread, slowly walked out of the room with the help of the servants.

Old Chi watched his granddaughter gradually walk away, then gave a cold stare at Old Bai beside him.

"You old thing, let me warn you: if my granddaughter takes even a little offense from your grandson, I can't defeat him, but I can defeat you; don't blame me if I overturn the Bai family!"

"Rest assured, my grandson's knees are already weak! That day I actually saw Yun Shui and his companions preparing a whole box of washboards, and I have no idea what they intended to do."

Chi Nan Yi walked to the doorway, intending to enter the bridal sedan herself, when suddenly her body lifted into the air, and a pair of strong, large hands scooped her up.

"Ah Yan!"

"Yi'er, This Prince has finally taken you home as my wife; in past life and this life, you are finally mine."

(End of main text)