"What? You despicable thing!"
His wife’s words infuriated Old Qin, who stepped forward in two strides and raised his hand to deliver a slap: "You always spoil her, care for her! For that heartless creature, you push your son and daughter-in-law away and leave yourself to fend for yourself without learning your lesson. Unexpectedly, you even want to take Third Son’s possessions to fill that hole?"
"You hit ?"
Mrs. Qin-Li evidently did not expect Old Qin to actually strike her; the slap was solid!
Once Mrs. Qin-Li ca to her senses, she pounced on Old Qin, scratching and hitting his face: "Go on, hit , hit to death! You just want to kill your old wife now that you’ve seen the demon fairy return, don’t you? I can see that little demon fairy has bewitched you and stolen your soul. To death with you..."
These words made Old Qin even angrier!
After being hit by Mrs. Qin-Li several tis, he too started to fight back in earnest: "You nonsensical fool! I might as well kill you, this appalling thing, and let my old bones pay for your life..."
The two of them fought fiercely, creating a constant racket.
Su Pan’er was unaware of the fight that had taken place between the two elders after she left. She followed Xiren towards the Qin family’s ancestral hall.
"Xiren, have the elder brother and his wife been working outside for short-term jobs and not yet returned?"
Xiren clearly found it difficult to speak, "Yes, that’s... that’s right..."
Su Pan’er looked around and saw that no one was near: "What exactly happened?"
"For this matter, young lady, you’d better ask the old lady. Your servant shouldn’t speak of it..." Xiren lowered her head.
Seeing the look on Xiren’s face, Su Pan’er guessed that sothing must have occurred. She did not press further but went to the Clan Leader’s house, full of questions.
The Clan Leader had aged even more, having been sick and bedridden for quite so ti.
Learning of Su Pan’er’s return, he quickly commanded soone to call her in and stared at Yan Yan for a long ti.
"The child looks just like you, as clever as a sprite."
The Clan Leader chuckled joyously and had soone bring so snacks for Qin Yanyan.
"Not at all! Several uncles said I look more like my father. Humph!"
Little Yanyan was clearly won over by the snacks, appearing much more cheerful in front of the Clan Leader.
"Yes, you also resemble your father, hahaha... cough cough!"
The Clan Leader laughed heartily but started coughing afterward.
This made Su Pan’er worried as she watched him: "Clan Leader, you shouldn’t overexert yourself, rest more. Don’t tire yourself out."
"It’s nothing, sigh!"
The Clan Leader shook his head, looking sowhat lonely: "My body is already deteriorating so much that I’m rely clinging to life. I never thought I’d see you again before I die. It’s a rare thing indeed!"
"Clan Leader, please don’t talk like that. With careful treatnt, your health will improve!"
"Don’t..."
Yet, the Clan Leader had accepted his fate: "Do I not know my own body? dication is just prolonging the inevitable, causing more pain, and wasting resources. Why bother? I say, in one’s lifeti, death is predestined. When it’s ti to leave, one should not cling to this world and suffer more than necessary."
"Clan Leader, you..."
Su Pan’er was at a loss for words.
"Don’t speak further; I actually have sothing I would like to discuss with you alone."
The old Clan Leader glanced at his elderly wife in the house and at Xiren and Little Yanyan beside Su Pan’er.
Mrs. Qin-Li, clearly understanding her husband well, quickly took Xiren and Little Yanyan downstairs.
When only the two of them were left in the house, the old Clan Leader fell silent for a mont before finally speaking.
"Ugly girl, what is your relationship with the Ghost Valley Sect?"
That one question made Su Pan’er unable to sit still any longer!
She sprang to her feet, her eyes narrowing in an instant, "Clan Leader, what do you an by that?"
The old Clan Leader waved his hand dismissively at her and leaned back on the bed with exhaustion, "Don’t worry, I have no ulterior motives. I just want to have a talk with you today. If I’m not mistaken, the techniques you’ve used are the Internal Power Heart thod of the Ghost Valley Sect, aren’t they?"
"..."
Su Pan’er didn’t speak, but secretly clenched her fists.
"Don’t worry. The reason I could recognize it is that there’s a reason for it."
The old Clan Leader covered his mouth and coughed for a while, "Do you know why the ancestral tombs of families like the Qin Family, the Su Family, and a few others are all gathered on the sa mountain?"
"Why?"
This was a question that Su Pan’er had also asked Qin Yi, but had never gotten a clear answer to.
"That’s because, with our Qin Family at the head, along with the Su Family, the Xue Family, the Zhang Family, and several other major families, we were once guardian families under the Ghost Valley Sect. Our families live at the foot of Deicide Mountain solely to protect the Ghost Valley Sect."
"Originally among these guardian families, it was our Qin Family who led but, sadly, over many years of developnt, while the Su Family has grown more and more flourishing, our Qin Family has gradually declined, and a few families have almost lost their lineage. For example, the Zhou Family. Up to now, there’s only Zhou Ning left."
The old Clan Leader sighed and then looked at Su Pan’er, "Moreover, due to the Imperial Court’s suppression of the Ghost Valley Sect over the past few centuries, only the clan leader of these guardian families would pass down the secrets to the next clan leader before dying. My days are numbered, and I originally planned to take this secret to my grave. I didn’t expect to encounter you all again."
Having seen them use the techniques, the old Clan Leader had confird their identities. The reason he had not spoken up in previous years was naturally related to the Imperial Court’s suppression of the Ghost Valley Sect. But now that he was seriously ill and had no more opportunities to inquire...
A whirlwind of thoughts spun through Su Pan’er’s mind, flashing several tis.
Then, she gradually cald down, "Clan Leader, do you an to say that in the Qin Family, only you are aware of this matter?"
"Indeed."
The old Clan Leader nodded gently, "These guardian families depended on the Ghost Valley Sect for our existence and have not practiced the Ghost Valley Sect’s techniques. However, ancient texts passed down from our ancestors clearly detail these techniques. Thus, I recognize them."
"Old Clan Leader, since the Qin Family’s existence is dependent on the Ghost Valley Sect, and you have lived in fear for these few hundred years, it’s ti to let bygones be bygones now that the Ghost Valley Sect has perished. Let’s not bring up this dependency anymore. Let all grievances end here!"
Su Pan’er said solemnly.
These were the thoughts she had after long contemplation.
Indeed, as she said, these guardian families had protected the Ghost Valley Sect for so many years and lived in fear for enough ti. It was ti to put an end to it!
These words made the old Clan Leader look deeply at Su Pan’er several tis, finally filled with admiration!
"The ugly girl is indeed free and unburdened, unlike , who has been imrsed in it for so many years, unable to extricate myself..."
He couldn’t express the lancholy in his heart but silently breathed a sigh of relief. Pan’er spoke well! So things should indeed be let go!
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