Chapter 36

The fires at the pharmacy and the South Courtyard were particularly strange. It was clearly a case of malicious arson, but no one in the vicinity saw any suspicious figures. Even the Xiao clan man who had been guarding the pharmacy's entrance did not see anyone enter or leave.

Fortunately, the fire was not too intense and was quickly brought under control. Xiao Yunhai quickly made some arrangements and then, with a heart full of anxiety, called out to Xiao Gu, rushing back to Xiao Yulong's courtyard.

Pushing open the door, Xiao Yunhai had not yet called out Xiao Yulong's name when he was struck as if by a bolt of lightning, standing there in shock.

Xiao Yulong was no longer on the bed but was sprawled on the ground like a dead dog. He was covered in blood, with thick, dark red marks on his wrists and ankles, and his hands and feet were twisted. His face was smeared with blood, with only two piles of bloody flesh left on either side of his head. His nose and upper lip were gone, and he was spitting out blood bubbles. His eyes, black and hollow, were oozing a mixture of red, white, and black fluids... His lower body was completely stained red.

Xiao Gu's whole body trembled, and his legs, weakened, dropped to a half-kneel. He had spent his life in medicine and had seen countless injuries, but he had never seen such a cruel, bloody, and inhumane scene. From Xiao Yulong's current skin color, he could tell that Xiao Yulong was still alive... and his vital signs were not weak... but such a state was more tragic than dying a thousand times.

Xiao Yunhai's whole body trembled, his heart and soul shattered, his face pale and bloodless. As if vaguely sensing someone's approach, Xiao Yulong's body twitched, and a hoarse, desperate moan, like the sound of sandpaper, escaped from his blood-bubbled mouth...

Xiao Yunhai's body suddenly swayed, and he staggered forward a step, suddenly roaring like a madman: "Who is it!!! Who is it!!! Who is it!!!"

"Come out! I will tear you to pieces!!! I will flay you alive!!! I will make you childless!!!"

Xiao Yunhai's roar was filled with endless resentment and madness, as if he had suddenly gone mad. He felt his chest almost explode, and his veins seemed ready to burst. Looking at his son, who was lying on the ground, completely ruined, not quite human or ghost, he wanted to weep bitterly and even wished he could go mad himself!

"Who is it! Who is it! Come out!!! Come out... Ahhh!!!"

In the piercing roar, Xiao Yunhai suddenly lunged forward two steps, shattering the rear window of the room. At that moment, he suddenly noticed two rows of blood-red words on the wall beside him... words written in his son Xiao Yulong's blood.

"Xiao old dog! To congratulate your dog of a son on his impending ascension to the Xiao Clan, I present this grand gift. Please accept it with a smile."

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Xiao Yunhai punched the wall with the blood-red words, shattering it. He let out a piercing roar, and a jet of blood spurted from his mouth. His eyes rolled back, and he fell heavily to the ground.

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After brutally torturing Xiao Yulong, Xiao Che returned to his room, putting the clothes Xiao Lingxi had made for him and all his savings into the Heavenly Poison Pearl. His savings were not much, a total of 1800 Yellow Profound Coins.

Before leaving, he hesitated for a moment and also put the blanket he and Xia Qingyue had shared into the Heavenly Poison Pearl.

"A place I've lived for sixteen years... I probably won't come back here again."

Xiao Che looked at the place for a while with some reluctance... He was not reluctant for the Xiao Clan, but for the many memories he and Xiao Lingxi shared here. Before he was eleven, this room was not only his but also Xiao Lingxi's. They were together day and night, almost every moment...

After staying for a long time, Xiao Che returned to his hidden state and climbed over the wall into the back mountain area.

There was still over an hour before the Star Concealment Pill's effect wore off. The main reason he used this Star Concealment Pill was to see Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi and confirm their safety. Xiao Yulong alone was not worth wasting a Star Concealment Pill. Although he found two Star Concealment Grasses on his first day of rebirth, he was certain that such a rare item would not exceed ten in the entire Profound Sky Continent.

Torturing Xiao Yulong was just a side effect. It was to take a small interest for himself, for his grandfather, and for his aunt... just a small interest!!

What he truly wanted to kill was Xiao Kuangyun! However, even with the Star Concealment Pill's miraculous ability, he could not possibly kill Xiao Kuangyun. Although he did not know Xiao Kuangyun's Profound Power, he was sure that even if Xiao Kuangyun was a bumbling fool, his Profound Power would far exceed Xiao Yulong's.

But if not now, there would be a day when he would be able to... He vowed to reclaim this debt a thousandfold!! He was not the weak and inferior Xiao Che of before; his will was more like that of Yun Che, who faced the world's heroes with pride! He would make all the sects in the world pay for his master's death! And for those who hurt his loved ones, he would make the Xiao Clan and Xiao Kuangyun regret it for life!

The method he used to torture Xiao Yulong was incredibly cruel, enough to make most people who saw the scene break out in cold sweat and have nightmares. But in his eyes, it did not even count as cruel; it was the price that must be paid for touching his taboo!!

The Xiao Clan was now in chaos, with the shrill alarm sounding continuously. This was exactly what Xiao Che wanted... He tortured Xiao Yulong and set fires within the Xiao Clan to force the clan to issue a full-clan summons... When the full-clan summons were issued, those guarding the back mountain would have to return.

As he expected, he had not gone far when he saw four members of the Xiao Clan rushing towards him, passing by like the wind, heading straight for the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Che quickened his pace, heading straight for the Repentance Gorge in the back mountain.

The Repentance Gorge was where the Xiao Clan confined its errant disciples. It was dark and damp, hot in summer and cold in winter, but fortunately, the entrance was narrow, so no fierce Profound Beasts could enter.

In Xiao Che's memory, few people were confined to the Repentance Gorge, and the longest confinement did not exceed two months. But the Xiao Clan knew that Xiao Lingxi was framed and still confined her and Xiao Lie for fifteen years...

Fifteen years... How many fifteen years does a person have in their life? Xiao Lingxi was only fifteen years old. If she were confined there, her most beautiful years would be spent in darkness, cold, and loneliness... This was an incredibly cruel punishment.

Xiao Che released his hidden state and looked at the entrance to the Repentance Gorge, his hands clenching... How could he allow his grandfather and aunt to be confined here... But he currently had no power to save them, and could only watch, endure, and hate...

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Che walked forward. Without being hidden, his steps naturally made sounds. The sound of his footsteps caught Xiao Lie's attention inside the Repentance Gorge. When his gaze met Xiao Che's, he was suddenly stunned and exclaimed, "Che'er!!"

"Ah!"

A young girl's cry of surprise came, followed by hurried footsteps. Xiao Lingxi soon appeared beside Xiao Lie, her face slightly haggard, her hair disheveled. Seeing Xiao Che, she covered her mouth with her hand, standing there in shock, and in an instant, tears began to well up in her eyes...

"Xiao Che!" She called out, rushing over and throwing herself into Xiao Che's chest, hugging him tightly and sobbing. She had thought she would be confined for fifteen years, and Xiao Che had been expelled from the Xiao Clan, so she would not see him for at least fifteen years. She never expected that, like a dream, he would suddenly appear before her.

Xiao Lie walked over, his face full of excitement: "Che'er... you... why are you here? Did the Xiao Clan call you back?"

Xiao Che shook his head and gently patted Xiao Lingxi's soft back: "I came back secretly... but Grandfather, don't worry. Something big has happened inside the Xiao Clan, and everyone has been summoned back. No one will discover me."

"..." Xiao Lie nodded, not asking what had happened inside the Xiao Clan. He was now disillusioned with the Xiao Clan and would not be greatly moved even if it were destroyed.

The Repentance Gorge had multiple caves, some deep and some shallow. The interiors were very simple, with only a few cold stone tables to look at.

Xiao Lingxi's crying was so intense that Xiao Che did not stop her from continuing, allowing her to vent all her委屈, fear, worry, and confusion. Otherwise, staying here for a long time might make her depressed... After all, she was just a fifteen-year-old girl.

When Xiao Lingxi stopped, she was almost fainting from crying.

Xiao Che and Xiao Lie sat face to face at the stone table, with Xiao Lingxi leaning against Xiao Che's side, hugging his arm tightly, her head resting on his shoulder, not letting go even though Xiao Lie was right there, afraid that he would disappear from her world again.

"Have they done anything to you since you were confined?" Xiao Che asked worriedly.

Xiao Lie shook his head and comforted with a smile: "Don't worry. The Fairy Chu from the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace hinted that she would protect us before the Xiao Clan leaves. With this deterrent, they wouldn't dare to harm me or Lingxi. After the Xiao Clan leaves, they would be even more afraid, after all, the title of the first expert in Flowing Cloud City still stands, hehe."

"That's good." Xiao Che nodded, feeling grateful to Xia Qingyue's master.

"Xia Qingyue is a good wife; she did not tear up the marriage contract in the end." Xiao Lie said with some melancholy.

"..." Xiao Che nodded silently.

The three fell silent for a moment. After today's disaster, their future would undoubtedly be completely changed. They had a thousand words to say but did not know where to start...

"Grandfather, I want to know..."

"Are you asking who your biological parents are? Right?" Xiao Lie's face was calm, and he directly followed Xiao Che's words.

"Yes," Xiao Che nodded, his gaze firm as he looked at Xiao Lie: "I don't believe I was picked up for no reason... Grandfather, you must know something, right?"

Xiao Lingxi also raised her eyes, looking at Xiao Lie with surprise.

Xiao Lie silently looked at Xiao Che for a long time, then sighed softly and slowly closed his eyes.

"I thought this secret would stay in my heart forever, and no one else would ever know... Now, the Xiao Clan can no longer tolerate you, and you have grown up. It's better for you to know, to return to your roots, which is the duty of a descendant..."

"Your biological father's surname is Yun..."

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