Book 2 - Fame Spreads - Chapter 41.1 - Cruel Retribution

A gentle night breeze blew across, and countless stars twinkled in a clear night sky with a gentle and warm radiance.
He Yiming chased from afar. While following a trail, a Xiantian realm’s powerful cultivator had no need to follow the prey closely.
Even though that masked man was far from him, He Yiming could easily follow after him from afar.
However, to his surprise, the masked man didn’t go along the direction of Zhen Tong county town. After leaving the Yuan manor and walking merely a little more than thousand meters, he stopped in an area of sparsely scattered woods.
These woods were the farmlands of Yuan family. Daring to stop here, this person was indeed bold in addition to being skilled. However, it should also be considered that even while taking the whole Yuan family into account, how many people could fight against this individual?
The masked man was not alone. As soon as he entered the woods, two other individuals also emerged out of nowhere like ghosts.
Although He Yiming had yet to see them with his eyes, he could already tell that these two were precisely the Xiao brothers who had accompanied Fan Vastsun yesterday.
“Elder Senior brother, did you see that old man He Quanxin?” Xiao Yifan somewhat anxiously asked.
Although Yuan manor was quite far away from these woods, the commotion inside the Yuan manor during the night hadn’t gone unnoticed by them. But since they were eager, they seemed somewhat anxious.
The masked man faintly nodded his head and said, “Yes, that man is truly troublesome. The power of his Internal Energy is even above mine,” He paused for a bit, “No wonder why you two were not an opponent for him even after joining hands. With this person here, it will truly be quite troublesome.”
Xiao Yilin suddenly chipped in, “Elder senior brother, as long as you join hands with big brother Fan, you can definitely kill He Quanxin.”
The masked man glared at him and rebuked, “Don’t speak nonsense. If people find out that I, Zhuang Yuan actually joined hands and fought unfairly, wouldn’t I become a laughingstock? Moreover, if master finds out, what would the old man think of me?”
The two Xiao brothers immediately closed their mouths, evidently quite apprehensive of their master.
“Elder senior brother, what do say, if big brother Fan personally acted, would he be able to kill He Quanxin?” Xiao Yifan suddenly asked.
The masked man coldly snorted and said, “Although Fan Shui has long since attained the tenth layer, the techniques he cultivates are of water-type. Before an earth-type master of same rank as him, you think he has any chance of winning?”
Xiao Yifan immediately turned silent. This answer was too simple. Even a child who had barely started cultivation would know this answer.
Zhuang Yuan muttered to himself for a bit before saying, “You two are really….. you’ve actually managed to tangle yourself in such a matter during this time’s training. If master finds out, he will certainly reprimand you.”
Xiao Yifan bitterly laughed and said, “Elder senior brother, we two have a friendship of several decades with elder brother Fan. Back then, when we didn’t have much success in martial arts, we’ve received a huge, life-saving kindness from him. Now that he’s invited us to act, we can’t do nothing.”
Zhuang Yuan sighed and said, “Let it be. Since it’s about returning a favour, it must be done. Since neither me nor Fan Shui is a match to this person, we can only ask master to act.”
Xiao brothers exchanged a glance with joyous expressions, “Elder senior brother, would master be willing to act for such a trifling matter?”
Zhuang Yuan helplessly said, “Usually, it would have been impossible. However, since you two are his beloved disciples, he might make an exception.”
The two brothers immediately replied, “Senior brother, it is you who is master’s most beloved disciple.”
Zhuang Yuan waved his hand, “Master has even given you his armguards, and you still say you are not his most beloved disciples? Even I, master’s brother, could only envy you.”
The two brothers became quite embarrassed. Zhuang Yuan patted their shoulders, “However, you two are also quite hard working. You’ve actually managed to learn a Xiantian battle skill in Houtian realm. Just this feat alone is enough to make you above me. In the future, you must cultivate with all your strength and attain Xiantian realm. Don’t disappoint master.”
The two brothers could only sound their agreements, though their faces had bitter smiles. Attaining the Xiantian realm is easier said than done. Without a five hundred year beast’s gold core, how would they be able to make the breakthrough?
As if having remembered something, Zhuang Yuan probed inside his robe before taking out a jade bottle and handing it over, “These are the gold cores from master, take it.”
He Yiming and the two Xiao brothers were simultaneously gobsmacked. Unexpectedly, he’d been carrying such a treasure on his body.
“Elder senior brother, which gold cores are these?” Xiao Yifan asked in a pleasantly surprised voice.
“Essence gold cores. After consumption, it will allow you to advance your Internal Energy to the ninth layer’s peak in a very short time period,” Zhuang Yuan voice seemed quite envious as he said, “It has four gold core pills inside. Remember, within ten days, you can only have one pill. Otherwise, the essence will be too excessive, and you’ll lose more than what you’ll gain.”
Xiao brothers immediately sounded their agreement and accepted the jade bottle. However, Xiao Yilin somewhat hesitated, “Elder senior brother, if you were to take these Essence gold core pills, can you advance your Internal Energy and surpass He Quanxin?”
Zhuang Yuan faintly shook his head and said, “Although Essence gold cores have a godly effect, that is only for cultivators under the tenth layer. After attaining the tenth layer, Essence gold core’s efficiency takes a huge hit.”
The Xiao brothers then finally accepted the gold cores. Although it wouldn’t help a cultivator in breaking through the bottleneck, Essence gold cores were still equally valuable for a cultivator. Xiao brothers’ faces beamed with smiles, looking quite excited.
“Elder senior brother, when should we contact master?” Xiao Yifan asked.
“No need to contact,” Zhuang Yuan casually said, “The master will be coming here tomorrow. You can raise your request then. I doubt he will decline.”
Xiao Yifan severely nodded. A sinister expression flickered in his eyes as he said, “If master doesn’t agree, that’s fine. However, if master agrees, I will certainly ask to exterminate the entire He family.”
Distantly hearing He Yiming suddenly raised his head, feeling incredulous and appalled.
He could never have imagined that Xiao Yifan’s enmity with He family would have reached such a degree that he would actually entertain such a frightening notion.
However, unlike He Yiming, Zhuang Yuan didn’t reveal a trace of surprise and instead acted as if it was only to be expected, “If master really agreed to act, he will obviously exterminate both Yuan and He families.”
An intense chill welled up from deep within He Yiming. Even as a Xiantian cultivator, he could feel the cold of winter at this moment.
“Elder senior brother, I heard that He family is far away in Heaven Sieve country. You think their clan will have some treasures?” Xiao Yifan said with a hint of anticipation.
Zhuang Yuan faintly shook his head, “This is hard to tell. However, since they have a tenth layer expert, it’s quite possible.”
Xiao Yifan smilingly said, “Elder senior brother, if we truly find some treasure in He family, we brothers will offer it to to you.”
Zhuang Yuan loudly chuckled and said, “You brothers are quite considerate.”
These three were casually speaking as if the He family in Heaven Sieve country had already turned into a possesion inside their pocket.
He Yiming’s heart gradually chilled. He raised his head and looked at the sky. Indistinctly a bizarre idea came into his mind, ‘He manor sustains several hundreds of people. Could it be that in the mind of these three, their lives don’t hold any significance at all?’