Jin Tianyang's sudden grand gesture, along with this act of entrusting his dependents,
left Yunrong and Jin Xiuju completely dumbfounded; they hastily intervened, particularly Jin Xiuju who was so agitated that she began to cry uncontrollably, overwheld and powerless.
Not so long ago, she had been the esteed eldest daughter of the Jin Family in Demon City, a heiress mingling in the highest circles of society, where even Princess Zhao, the wife of the Ninth Prince who ruled Demon City, would use the Jin's salon to host her events.
Less than an hour had passed,
and everything had changed.
Her family was destroyed, her father, whom she viewed as omnipotent, had fallen to his current wretched state.
Tears streaked Jin Xiuju's face as she couldn't comprehend what had happened.
Tao Qian, however, understood Jin Tianyang's intention imdiately upon seeing his initial reaction and his resolute decision to entrust his child's care.
Clearly, as a "loyal subordinate" to the Ninth Prince, Jin Tianyang had managed to deduce part of the truth.
At the very least, he guessed that the Ninth Prince had intentionally allowed this tragedy to happen, and that the Jin family mansion was deliberately chosen for this incident.
There were plenty of places where Princess Zhao could have been kidnapped publicly.
Choosing the Jin Mansion was rely to add an extra layer of credibility.
"Exhaustive sches but no power, forced into a disaster where extinction is nearly a constant threat,"
Tao Qian expressed his lant just then.
Suddenly, from deep within Demon City, that most esteed and heavily guarded place, significant upheavals began to erge.
Complex auras converged, forming a tide racing towards the ruins of the Jin Mansion.
Among the cultivators present, including Jin Tianyang, enlightennt dawned instantly:
"The Ninth Prince is coming!"
The other cultivators, though not without panic, were sowhat relieved; those who had survived were all well-connected,
such as Qingjing Temple, Xuan Miao Temple, Nanhua Sect, not worried that the Ninth Prince would misdirect his fury towards them.
Even if he wanted to, he would have to hold back.
As for mbers of the National Salvation Congress, they had even less to worry about; with the Three Immortals of the Great Wilderness so close to Demon City, unless the Ninth Prince was out of his mind, he wouldn't risk offending three cultivators of the Ultimate Happiness Realm.
But Jin Tianyang, the true victim of fear, was struggling to stand, his body uncontrollably trembling.
Apart from fear, Tao Qian distinctly saw in his eyes an ergence of imnse resentnt.
He removed a jade ring from his thumb and imdiately erased the mark on it.
Without reservation, his hand trembling, he handed it to Tao Qian.
Simultaneously, his voice, filled with desperate hope, reached them:
"Sirs, this contains all of the Jin family's savings, spiritual material treasures, cultivation manuals, mortal gold and silver, everything."
"I am aware this action entails risks for you both, and the Ninth Prince might vent his anger on you."
"But the likelihood is not high. I will stay here, along with the entire Jin Mansion, to compensate her life with the princess's, along with Xiuzhu's betrothed's influence being sufficient to withstand the Ninth Prince's wrath. I believe this transaction is worth it."
"If you are willing, please quickly take Xiuzhu and leave."
"Once the Ninth Prince's n arrive, it will be too late."
Jin Tianyang's state was truly pitiful.
His flesh was mangled, and after the collapse of his Dao Foundation, he had aged to look like a dry old man in his eighties or nineties, seemingly on the brink of death.
Now, his last effort was to seek a chance of survival for his daughter.
He could have deceived Tao Qian and Yunrong with promises of compensation, simply tricking them to take Jin Xiuju away.
Yet, he knew too well that at this critical mont, deceiving two well-connected Transcend Mortality Cultivators, even if Jin Xiuju survived, would plant seeds of disaster, which would not be worth it.
Faced with this plea,
Yunrong, who already had a fondness for Jin Xiuju, was inclined to agree.
However, now aware of the looming horrific disaster, she did not imdiately consent.
Instead, she slightly turned her head to look at Tao Qian.
Just then, a brief yet comforting voice like music to Jin Tianyang's ears reached him.
"Alright!"
"I can't guarantee other matters, but sending her to the Zhang Family will be harmless."
With that, Tao Qian reached out and took the item.
Triggering the Record: A storage-type magical treasure called "Exorcism Jade Machine."
A quick glance inside confird indeed it was filled with many items, such as gold and silver of the mortal world, amounting to several small mountains.
For others, this ring was of enormous allure.
But for Tao Qian at this mont, it was useless.
Storing away the Jade Machine, Tao Qian ignored the looks from others around, thoughtfully calling Sui and Lian Jing'er, and Shan Jiu—the trio was safe and sound. Sui and Lian Jing'er had not only realized much of their potential for combat within the Mountain Gate but also had received much love from their aunts, possessing many fine things.
As for Shan Jiu?
Well, that Wild Leek Demon had free rein even within the terrifying belly of the Beautiful Corpse Bodhisattva.
Tao Qian even doubted if the Evil Silk of Lian Yulou could seize Shan Jiu.
With everyone assembled, Tao Qian and Yunrong took action together, forcefully dragging the sobbing Jin Xiuju away.
This young girl, though sowhat spoiled and naive, realized this departure ant death.
Watching his daughter being dragged away, Jin Tianyang, after an initial bout of crying, suddenly burst into laughter.
Almost at that mont, the skies over the Jin Mansion district changed again.
Despite the bright daylight, sunlight was suddenly obscured, and a surge of Demon Light and shadows flooded the skies, turning this ruined land into a realm akin to a Demon Realm on earth.
All cultivators knew that as bystanders and firsthand witnesses, they couldn't leave too early; otherwise, they were bound to face future troubles.
Thus, they could only watch as a terrifying army enveloped in Demon Light rapidly encircled the area. A sort of sky-covering array and barrier was swiftly established.
Then, in quick succession, a massive parade erged directly from the Void. Naturally, the most eye-catching was the center, a grotesquely huge black Dragon Chariot.
Within the dimly lit Demon Realm, everyone looked up and saw on that Dragon Chariot a noticeably handso, almost devilishly attractive, black-haired young man, dressed in attire resembling a Dragon Robe, overlooking all the cultivators and surviving gentry below.
Ninth Prince Zhu Qi!
The current Prince Zhao!
Those three elders of the Transcend Mortality Realm were suddenly startled by the terrifying aura exuding from that person.
During the deadly silence in the hall, a voice, hoarse and filled with despair, echoed:
"Your Highness!"
"It's Jin Tianyang's incompetence, allowing that damned Taiping Army rebel to kidnap the Princess."
"Jin Tianyang and all of us at Jin Mansion feel ashad of failing the cultivation Your Highness bestowed on us, and now we can only apologize with death."
"I only ask that Your Highness also not spare that cause of all troubles, Xiao Chenzhou of the Taiping Army."
"All here are witnesses; they, like , saw the soldiers of the Western Capital Army burst into Jin Mansion and murder, and the one who kidnapped the Princess was none other than Xiao Chenzhou's most beloved male concubine, Lian Yulou."
"The evidence is irrefutable, with no mistakes."
"Jin Tianyang deserves to die ten thousand tis, and now, on behalf of the Jin Family, I will go first."
As these cries, sounding like blood weeping, rang out, everyone in the hall was stunned.
Finally, after shouting everything, the Jin Family Patriarch collapsed atop the ruins, silent, and everyone was left speechless by the scene they had just witnessed.
Unspoken, no one revealed that the two elders of Jin Family had escaped with Jin Xiuju.
Zhu Qi, atop the black Dragon Chariot, hadn't expected this turn of events and a rare look of regret flashed in his eyes, quickly concealed.
The next mont, all present heard a voice grinding through clenched teeth:
"Xiao Chenzhou! Western Capital Army!"
"Without killing you rats, I, Zhu Qi, refuse to rest."
…
Just as the upper echelons of Demon City and many cultivators witnessed the Ninth Prince Zhu Qi declaring his unyielding campaign against the Western Capital Army.
However, Zhang Mansion, located in a bustling area, was visited by unexpected guests.
It was about to beco violent until Jin Xiuju appeared.
"Brother Zhang, my… my father is gone."
"Our Jin Family, too, is no more."
Evidently, Jin Tianyang had not lied; Jin Xiuju and Zhang Baisui were indeed betrothed.
The spoiled young lady, upon seeing the handso young man in military attire coming out, imdiately burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. Zhang Baisui, known as the heartbreaker of Demon City's young won and wives, convincingly showed a sympathetic sorrow and began comforting Jin Xiuju softly.
Tao Qian, seeing this scene, couldn't help but recall the encounter at "Sleepless City Dance Hall" previously.
At that ti, the girl Zhang Baisui wanted to cherish was Jiangzhu Fairy.
Compared to then, his expressions were much more vivid.
"This Zhang Baisui dares to try to snatch Jiangzhu Fairy from Zhu Qi because of his father, the great warlord Zhang Jiudeng, backing him."
"But he doesn't know the details; he doesn't know how important Lady i is to Zhu Qi. Not just him trying to snatch her, even Zhang Jiudeng wouldn't be allowed to do so."
"Lady i is unattainable, but with his status, protecting a Jin Xiuju is not difficult at all, and Zhu Qi wouldn't care about an insignificant orphan girl. However, this could be an opportunity to make contact with the Tribulation Leader."
With his thoughts settled, Tao Qian suddenly spoke up.
He revealed everything that had happened in the Jin Mansion without reserve.
As expected, when he finished, both Zhang Baisui and his guards were visibly shocked.
Tao Qian knew that Ninth Prince Zhu Qi was brewing a plot, but the others were unaware.
They just thought Zhu Qi was brutally insane, not like normal people, basically a madman.
What if he irrationally attacked because Zhang Mansion sheltered Jin Xiuju? Who would risk it?
The group, obviously from a Daoist sect, sent by Zhang Jiudeng to protect Zhang Baisui and knowing his temperant, were about to advise caution.
But Tao Qian, regardless, continued:
"Mr. Zhang, since you are Xiuju's fiancé, surely you can ensure her safety."
"However, you must first give and Yunrong a clear answer, whether you intend to honor the engagent and marry Xiuju?"
"If you are willing, Yunrong and I, as Daoists and Xiuju's elders, will no longer bother your Zhang Mansion and will leave."
"If you are unwilling, Yunrong and I will take Xiuju now, following Mr. Jin's last will, and find her a peaceful place to live out her life."
In just a few sentences, Zhang Baisui was provoked.
He hugged Jin Xiuju tight, instinctively about to agree.
The cultivators beside him swiftly intervened, one of them, a Transcend Mortality cultivator with a goat's beard, directly challenged Tao Qian:
"The Jin Family, being a great rchant in Demon City and later transforming into a cultivator family associated with the Ninth Prince, must have accumulated countless spiritual material treasures and Cultivation Manuals."
"If Jin Tianyang was placing his trust for the future, he surely would have handed over the Jin Family treasures as well."
"It seems likely those treasures are now in your possession; if our Young Master is to fulfill this marriage engagent, are you not also expected to provide these treasures as a dowry?"
This person thought Tao Qian, this Dragon Demon, would surely covet the treasures.
With such a provocative reason, they could perhaps pass off this hot potato.
But little did he expect, Tao Qian was waiting just for this mont.
With a sneer of contempt, he flicked out a beam of jade light, which landed in Jin Xiuju's hands.
As the light faded, what appeared was the Storage Treasure Bag called "Exorcism Jade Machine."
"All treasures and spiritual materials of the Jin Family are within this ring."
"If you find it insufficient, Yunrong and I, as Xiuju's elders, can add more treasures."
"I, known as Jin Lin, belong to the Dragon Species, having co from the Overseas Immortal Island. My only purpose in the mortal world was to seek opportunities for breakthroughs, and what I lack least are spiritual material treasures."
"Yunrong, my fellow Daoist, is a descendant of the Jade Ring Mountain lineage and similarly lacks neither materials nor treasures."
"Zhang Baisui, make your decision fast!"
"Looking so presentable, can't you even protect your innocent fiancée? Aren't you ashad?"
As Tao Qian spoke these words, indeed, they enraged Zhang Baisui, causing his face to flush red.
He abruptly slamd the table, stood up swiftly, and yelled:
"Who says I can't protect Xiuju's life?"
"Let Zhu Qi co, to take Xiuju's life, he must step over my dead body first."
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