https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-190-Another-Powerful-Card-The-Zheng-Family-s-Elder/12619261/
Chapter 191: Fury, Rancor, and Human Sacrifice
"Speak, where did He'er die, and how? Explain everything clearly to me, or I'll send all of you to accompany He'er in death!"
In the main hall of the Zheng mansion, an elderly woman exuded a suffocatingly icy aura as she glared at the kneeling guards.
Her lips, like old tree bark, uttered each word with a chilling intensity.
Though the guards' hearts turned cold, they still trembled and recounted what they knew.
"The young master's body was found in a place called Yuanyang Stockade outside the city.
Yesterday, we followed the young master out of the city to a stockade in the mountains. The young master then found an excuse to send us away, asking us to wait for him at the foot of the mountain.
He took only Commander Yang with him into the stockade.
That stockade is called Yuanyang, a place of debauchery and pleasure..."
The guard's report was interrupted by the old woman's sharp rebuke, "Nonsense! He'er has always been well-behaved and sensible. How could he go to such a filthy place!"
The guard was so scared that he fell silent, not daring to continue. He bowed his body lower, shaking even more violently.
"Mother," Master Zheng said gently.
The old woman coldly snorted, "Continue!"
"Yes, Elder."
The guard's body trembled, and he chose his words even more carefully.
"Not long after the young master entered the stockade, we heard chaos and commotion coming from the mountain. Many people fled the stockade in a panic.
Fearing the worst, we rushed up to the stockade and discovered a gruesome scene. Bodies were strewn everywhere, and many had perished, all of them martial arts experts.
Even the young master and Commander Yang had met their end.
Commander Yang's fine iron shield was shattered, his body broken, and he died with a pierced brow."
The guard's heart trembled as he spoke these words.
Commander Yang was exceptionally powerful, a martial artist who had achieved minor success in the Internal Organs realm. His skill with the blade and shield was extraordinary.
Even a typical martial artist who had achieved great success in the Internal Organs realm might not have been able to defeat him.
Yet, the formidable Commander Yang had met such a tragic end, his shield broken and his body shattered. It was unimaginable who could have delivered such a blow.
"So, as He'er's guards, you didn't even see the killer who took his life?" The old woman said flatly.
The guard's heart turned icy, and he quickly replied, "We didn't catch the killer, but after discovering the young master's body, we immediately captured a group of people who were trying to escape the stockade and interrogated them.
From their mouths, we learned that the one who killed the young master was a black-clad man in night-traveling attire.
This person was extremely powerful and moved like a ghost. He single-handedly killed everyone in the Yuanyang Stockade.
More importantly, we learned from some guests that the black-clad man kept saying that the Yuanyang Stockade was actually an outpost of the Seven Kills Tower.
He carried out this slaughter to take revenge on the Seven Kills Tower and intentionally spared the guests."
"What did you say? Seven Kills Tower? Are you sure you didn't mishear?"
Master Zheng's body shook, and he asked anxiously.
Even the old woman's expression changed, a glint flashing in her eyes.
"I swear, I didn't mishear! We interrogated over ten people, and they all said the same thing!" the guard hurriedly replied.
"The Seven Kills Tower has already established a foothold here?"
Master Zheng's face grew grave.
This fearsome sect, which commanded most of the power in the assassins' world, had always based itself in the Central Plains. When did they become interested in a remote state like Cangzhou?
What surprised him even more was that someone dared to provoke the Seven Kills Tower so boldly, destroying their outpost in such a high-profile manner.
Who was this person, and what was their purpose?
At that moment, Master Zheng keenly sensed something amiss.
The old woman's mind was also filled with questions.
Yet, all of this paled in comparison to the pain of losing her grandson.
"Since you say that person's target was the Seven Kills Tower, why did he kill my He'er?"
Chapter: A Heavy Loss
The elderly woman's eyes narrowed, emanating a terrifying light as she fixed her gaze on the kneeling guard. "Are you speaking the truth, or are you lying to me?"
"I'm innocent, Ancestor! I speak only the truth. Not a single word is false; I dare not deceive you, Ancestor," the guard quickly pleaded his case.
"Then tell me, why did that man in black kill He'er? Wasn't He'er a guest as well?" she demanded.
"That... that was because..." The guard stuttered, afraid to continue.
"Because of what? Speak, or I'll crush you with my palm!" the old woman shouted.
"I... I also heard this from one of the guests. When the Second Young Master and Commander Yang were killed, he was hiding in a corner of the building. He heard the man in black say that he killed the Second Young Master to avenge the courtesans from the brothel who had been wronged and abused to death by the Young Master..."
"Nonsense!!!"
Before the guard could finish, the old woman lost her patience. The iron dragon-headed cane in her hand suddenly lashed out, slamming into the guard's chest with tremendous force.
Under this powerful strike, the guard was helpless to defend himself. His body flew backward with a sickening crack, spraying blood in the air before crashing heavily to the ground. His chest caved in, and it was clear he wouldn't survive.
"Those courtesans from the brothel are despicable and lowly. How dare they compare to my He'er? Even a thousand or ten thousand of them wouldn't be worth a single hair on He'er's head! You despicable thief, how dare you humiliate He'er and disgrace our Zheng family! No matter who you are, I will find you, torture you to death, and tear your body to pieces!" The old woman's anger did not subside after taking down one guard; instead, her face twisted with malevolence as she spoke, her terrifying aura filling the room.
The oppressive atmosphere not only weighed heavily on those in the hall but even extended outside, startling those beyond.
Seeing the old ancestor's fury, the other guards kneeling on the ground trembled even more violently, their legs turning weak as they struggled to remain kneeling.
However, even this did not deter the old woman from her wrath.
"And you! You were supposed to protect He'er, yet you all abandoned your posts. Not only do you deserve to die, but your families will also accompany He'er in death!" she declared.
Hearing this, the guards paled and were about to beg for mercy when the old woman's dragon-headed cane struck out again, landing on their heart meridians.
In an instant, the guards' bodies jerked, their eyes lost focus, and they collapsed to the ground, dead. Their faces still held the terror of their final moments.
The smell of blood filled the air, and everyone in the hall turned pale.
After a long while, the master of the Zheng family stepped forward to support the old woman.
"Mother, the dead cannot be revived. Please take care of yourself; your health is not good," he said gently.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to die yet," the old woman replied coldly. "You, prepare a coffin for He'er's body, and bring me the families of these useless guards. They failed to protect He'er, and now they shall join him in death!"
"Mother!" Master Zheng exclaimed. "Live sacrifices are forbidden by the Royal Capital and the Holy Mountain!"
"Hmph, who said anything about live sacrifices? As long as they're dead before they're buried, it's not a live sacrifice," she scoffed. "He'er died so miserably. He lost his father at a young age, and who knows how lonely and helpless he'll be down there. I'm just sending more people to serve him; is that wrong?"
"But Mother..." Master Zheng tried to interject.
The old woman glared at him. "What? Do you think that because He'er's father died early, no one will stand up for him, and you can even disobey my orders?"
Under the weight of her stare, Master Zheng's heart chilled. "I dare not, Mother. I will make the arrangements now."
(End of Chapter)
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