Chapter 206: The Pathetically Sad Feng Family

"You want to leave? Not that easy!"

Jiangnan let out a cold laugh, his figure flashed, and he instantly appeared before Guiye, slapping a palm at him.

"No!"

Feng Ying cried out in shock, trying to stop Jiangnan, but it was already too late.

At that hair‑breadth moment, Jiangnan's palm suddenly halted before Guiye, just a hair away from striking his chest.

"You…"

A flicker of doubt flashed in Guiye's eyes; he didn't understand why Jiangnan had suddenly stopped.

"I told you, my target isn't you."

Jiangnan said blandly, his voice revealing no emotion.

He spun sharply, his figure flashing, and vanished from the spot in an instant.

In the next instant, a wail echoed from the darkness.

"Ah!"

Immediately, a Black‑robed Man tumbled out of the darkness, crashing heavily onto the ground.

His chest sank inward, his heart shattered, dead beyond death.

At the same time, Feng Ying fell straight backward.

"Yingying!"

Guiye cried out, trying to catch Feng Ying, but his injuries were too severe, and he knelt helplessly.

Jiangnan's figure flashed, appearing behind Feng Ying, and he scooped her up.

"Jiangnan, is he… is he the one who controlled Feng Ying?"

Xia Yurou pointed at the Black‑robed Man on the ground and asked.

"Exactly."

Jiangnan nodded,

"Such insidious methods are a secret transmission of the Qijiu Sect."

"Qijiu Sect?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Xia Yurou's eyes,

"What kind of sect is that?"

"A sect that has already vanished."

Jiangnan said lightly, a trace of doubt crossing his brows.

"In the End of Dharma Era, the Qijiu Sect disappeared long ago; why does it reappear now?"

He lowered his head, looking at Feng Ying in his arms, his brows slightly furrowed.

"How is she?"

Xia Yurou asked.

"She's fine, but she's been under the Soul‑Restraining Nail's control for too long and needs a rest."

He walked to Feng Ying's side, crouched, and carefully examined the Soul‑Restraining Nail on her forehead.

The Soul‑Restraining Nail was about three inches long, jet black throughout, exuding a chilling aura.

Its body was etched with bizarre runes, faintly flashing with a blood‑like light,

Jiangnan inhaled deeply, extended his right hand, brought his index and middle fingers together, a flash of golden light, and a Golden Needle appeared at his fingertip.

He carefully inserted the Golden Needle into Feng Ying's forehead, rotating it gently along the edge of the Soul‑Restraining Nail.

As the Golden Needle turned, the skin around the Soul‑Restraining Nail began oozing black blood, emitting a foul stench.

Xia Yurou covered her mouth and nose, her eyes full of worry.

"Jiangnan, be careful."

"Don't worry, I know my limits."

Jiangnan said, his voice calm.

He focused entirely on handling the Golden Needle, daring not the slightest distraction.

After a moment, he suddenly exerted force and pulled the Golden Needle out.

Simultaneously, the Soul‑Restraining Nail was also pulled out, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

The Soul‑Restraining Nail, after leaving Feng Ying's body, instantly turned into a puddle of black water and vanished.

And on Feng Ying's forehead, only a tiny blood hole remained,

"Huh…"

Jiangnan let out a long sigh, sheathed the Golden Needle, and a hint of fatigue appeared on his face.

"Yingying! Yingying, wake up!"

Guiye knelt on the ground, holding Feng Ying, shouting hoarsely.

Feng Ying slowly opened her eyes, her gaze dazed, as if she hadn't fully awakened from the coma.

"Dad… Dad?"

She looked at Guiye, her voice weak, tinged with doubt.

"Yingying, it's me, I'm your dad!"

Guiye said emotionally, tears streaming.

"Dad… I… what's wrong with me…"

A flash of pain crossed Feng Ying's eyes, as if she recalled something.

"You were controlled, and this little brother saved you."

Guiye pointed at Jiangnan and said. Feng Ying turned her head toward Jiangnan, her eyes full of gratitude.

"Thank you, you saved me."

"No need to thank me."

Jiangnan said lightly,

"How do you feel now?"

"I... I feel much better."

Feng Ying said, her voice still weak.

"Rest for a while first; any words can wait until later."

He supported Feng Ying, letting her lean against the wall, then walked to Guiye's side.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, just a bit of internal injury."

Guiye said, his voice weak.

"Let me take a look for you."

Jiangnan said, extending his hand onto Guiye's wrist, a surge of true Qi flowing into his body.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand and said:

"Your wound is severe; you need to convalesce for a while."

"Thank you, little brother, for saving my life."

Guiye said gratefully.

"No need to thank me," Jiangnan said, "Now, can you tell me where the Feng Family is?"

"Feng Family... the Feng Family is already finished."

Feng Ying suddenly spoke, her voice filled with sorrow.

"Finished? What does that mean?"

Jiangnan frowned and asked.

"Feng Family... the Feng Family was exterminated."

Feng Ying said, tears streaming, pointing at Guiye, weakly:

"He, the Guiye you mentioned, is the Family Head of the Feng Family!"

"What did you say!?"

Jiangnan and Xia Yurou exchanged a glance, their eyes full of shock.

"What on earth is happening?"

Guiye let out a long sigh and began recounting the Feng Family's story.

It turned out that the Feng Family was a reclusive clan in Jiangcheng, passed down for centuries, living a life of non‑interference with the world.

However, three years ago, a group of mysterious people suddenly broke into the Feng Family and went on a killing spree.

All members of the Feng Family, regardless of age or gender, met a gruesome end, none spared.

Feng Ying, because she was not at the Feng Family at the time, luckily escaped the disaster.

"Then... who were those mysterious people? Why did they exterminate the Feng Family?"

Xia Yurou asked, her voice full of doubt and incomprehension.

"I don't know..."

Guiye shook his head, his eyes filled with pain and bewilderment.

"Their strength is too great; I am no match for them..."

"All I know is they call themselves... people of Qijiu Sect..."

"Qijiu Sect?"

Jiangnan's brows tightened; it seemed his guess was correct—they were indeed them. Only...

"What exactly is their purpose?"

"I don't know..."

Guiye's voice was full of helplessness,

"They... they seem to be searching for something..."

"Searching for something?"

A spark of brilliance flashed in Jiangnan's eyes,

"What are they looking for?"

"I don't know..."

Guiye's gaze dimmed,

"They... they didn't find it... so... so they just..."

His voice choked, unable to continue.

"So they killed everyone in the Feng Family?"

Xia Yurou's voice was full of anger,

"They are literally beasts!"

Guiye's eyes flashed with a hint of pain,

"They disabled me... they severed my meridians... I became a cripple..."

"I originally thought... Ying Ying could survive... but I didn't expect..."

He lowered his head, tears silently sliding down. His voice was filled with despair.

"I didn't expect… two years ago, Yingying suddenly returned…"

"She… she actually came back to Jianghai Shi…"

"Why does she have to come back?"

Xia Yurou asked, bewildered,

"Doesn't she know this place is very dangerous?"

Guiye shook his head in pain,

"I asked her… she wouldn't say… she only said… she has a reason she can't help but return…"

"And then… she was discovered by those people…"