Chapter 11: Keeping a Low Profile
Although the Ying family made no official statement, and no engagement ceremony took place on the day of the betrothal banquet, news of what happened quickly spread throughout the Cangqiong Realm.
Especially afterward, people witnessed for the first time what it truly meant to be “uprooted.” It was, in every sense, a complete uprooting.
Now, at the original location of the Zhangsun family estate, nothing remains but a bottomless pit.
Over the years, the Ying family’s tolerance toward the Zhangsun family was well-known. Now that the Zhangsun family had met such a catastrophic end, it showed just how far they had pushed their luck.
The scene was recorded by those who were present: over a dozen Skywing Eagles took flight simultaneously. The heart-stopping spectacle quickly circulated far and wide through recording stones.
With this move, the Ying family sent a clear message to everyone.
Some families, who had experienced rapid growth in recent years and thought they could challenge the Ying family, now had to reassess their capabilities.
Some even speculated that the Ying family’s actions were intentional.
“The Ying family is still the same Ying family—not just anyone can provoke them.”
“Exactly. The Zhangsun family took themselves way too seriously.”
“It was supposed to be a good match, but they had to act like they were something special. Well, look at them now—they’re shattered, bowl and all.”
“Heh, if you ask me, the Zhangsun family deserved it. For years, they flaunted their connection to the Ying family and suppressed other families. If not for the Ying family, those people would have already taken revenge.”
“I just wonder what the Zhangsun family did to provoke such a drastic reaction from the Ying family. I heard that even Venerable Yunhuang was alarmed.”
“Venerable Yunhuang? You mean that soon-to-ascend cultivator in the Deity Transformation stage?”
“Isn’t that obvious? Who else in the Cangqiong Realm would dare call themselves ‘Venerable’ these days?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk… Even Venerable Yunhuang, who usually doesn’t bother with such matters, has been alarmed. It seems the Zhangsun family is…” The speaker trailed off, but everyone understood the implication.
For years, Ying Tong had the reputation of being someone who was uninterested in worldly affairs and focused solely on cultivation. But while she might not meddle in matters, it didn’t mean she lacked a temper.
On the contrary, anyone who provoked Ying Tong rarely lived to see the next day.
As a result, Ying Tong’s name had become widely known throughout the Canqiong Realm, though few dared to speak of her openly. Ignorance might be bliss, because if Ying Tong found out, she would likely hunt them down.
She had a reputation for saying, “Grudges should be settled immediately, lest they give rise to heart demons.”
*
Meanwhile, Ying Xuechen, after preparing himself, kicked open Ying Xuan’s door.
The room was dimly lit, filled with empty wine jars scattered everywhere.
Ying Xuan sat slumped on the floor, reeking of alcohol, cradling yet another jar in his arms. His eyes were vacant.
Seeing him in such a state of despair, Ying Xuechen instinctively frowned.
“Brother Xuan, who are you doing this for?”
Hungover, Ying Xuan’s reaction was slow. It wasn’t until he heard Ying Xuechen’s voice that he realized he was there.
“Brother Chen, I’m in pain.”
Pointing to his chest, he cried, “It hurts here, Brother Chen. It hurts so much.”
It was at that moment that Ying Xuechen truly realized how deeply Zhangsun Ya had affected Ying Xuan, to the core of his being.
“I treated her so well. Why did she betray me?”
Ying Xuan looked up, his face filled with confusion, staring at Ying Xuechen.
This was what troubled Ying Xuan the most. He had treated Zhangsun Ya with such kindness, so why had she betrayed him? And Qin Xuan—what did he have that Ying Xuan didn’t?
“Maybe it’s because you treated her too well.”
At some point, Ying Tong had entered the room from outside.
“Junior greets the Venerable Yunhuang.”
Upon seeing Ying Tong, Ying Xuan quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Junior greets the Venerable Yunhuang.”
“What did the Venerable mean by what was just said?”
What did she mean by treating Zhangsun Ya too well? Wasn’t it natural to be good to someone you loved?
“People often say that men are fickle creatures, but women are no different. The more you treat her well, over time, she comes to take it for granted. One small slip, and she forgets all the kindness you’ve shown. Meanwhile, the slightest token from someone else, she’ll cherish like a treasure. See for yourself.”
As she spoke, Ying Tong handed over a thick dossier containing all the details of Zhangsun Ya’s interactions with Qin Xuan, from their first meeting to the present.
Ying Xuan took the stack of papers, scanning it rapidly. When he reached the part where Zhangsun Ya had become infatuated with Qin Xuan simply because of a string of candied hawthorns, something in his gaze shattered.
…
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The news of the opening of the Jinghong Secret Realm attracted many wandering cultivators, and both Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan mingled among them.
The two were in disguise, as Ying Tong had instructed them.
All those drawn to the Jinghong Secret Realm were independent cultivators or members of small sects. If Ying Xuechen and Ying Xuan stood out too much, they might become the target of a joint attack inside the secret realm.
Ying Tong’s exact words were, “You may be strong, but even a dragon has to beware of local snakes. I’d rather not have to collect your corpses.”
Before they left, Ying Tong also told them about the Golden Spirit Fruit.
After the two departed, a young man with red hair and dressed entirely in red, as if he were engulfed in flames, entered the room, holding an invitation in his hand.
Ying Tong glanced at the gilded invitation in front of her, raising her eyebrow slightly. She didn’t take it but instead gave the red-haired youth a questioning look, silently asking what was going on.
“It’s an invitation from the Great Zhou Dynasty in the Eastern Continent, inviting you to attend the Crown Prince’s coronation ceremony,” the youth explained.
“Coronation?” Ying Tong tilted her head. “I remember they only recently established a Crown Prince. And now he’s already ascending the throne?”
The red-haired youth shrugged. “I’m not sure, but from what I heard through Ye Ying’s channels, the old emperor isn’t dead. He’s probably been imprisoned.”
Ying Tong’s eyes flickered with interest. “Seizure of power? How exciting.”
She recalled the soon-to-be-crowned prince she had met not long ago, his eyes brimming with ambition.
He was someone with great ambition, unwilling to remain under anyone’s control.
“Alright then, I suppose I’ll go have a look. It just so happens that the Jinghong Secret Realm is also in the Eastern Continent,” Ying Tong said, stepping further away from the red-haired youth. She sighed in frustration, “Fentian, can’t you put out your fire? Look, my hair is curled again. Do you have any idea how long it takes to straighten it?”
She sniffed her clothes, confirming they carried a faint burnt smell.
Fentian, looking aggrieved, could only sigh. He was a phoenix, the Crimson Flame Phoenix Lord Fentian, and the fire surrounding him was part of his very being.
