Chapter 78: The Seven Days of Annihilation (Part 7)
That was how the two of them found themselves silently squatting in front of the door, yet both of them turned their attention towards the inside of the room simultaneously.
Qiao Wan and Xiu Quan were not the only ones who felt the presence of Cen Xiangnan.
There was also a certain wooden barrel in the meditation room.
After being nailed to the wooden barrel, Lin Qingzhi had been temporarily imprisoned in the meditation room.
Hearing the commotion outside and seeing a man's shoes, the drum made of human skin felt like its breath was about to stop.
Although he hated Cen Xiangnan to the very core, right now he was the only one who could save him. If he could just escape from this ghastly place, he was even willing to deeply connect with Cen Xiangnan as a son and a father.
And though his meridians were sealed off by that despicable servant, fortunately for him, the Cen family had their spiritual pulse broken, and it benefitted him.
While the amount of spiritual power that leaked past the cracks of the door was meager, according to his calculations, it should just barely be enough for him.
If only he could find a way to bump into the door in front of him...
Countless thoughts passed through Lin Qingzhi's mind...
As long as he could just hit this door, the noise from the collision would surely be heard outside.
As Lin Li's only bloodline, the old man favored him greatly. Even if he shed just a few tears while pinning all the blame on that vile Jiang Rou, Cen Xiangnan wouldn't dare to doubt him.
That was what his mother had taught him long ago.
One must be good at using their advantages.
Back when Lin Li set her eyes on Cen Xiangnan, she had used every advantage of her own beauty and mystery to make a move towards him.
As for his previous engagement, well...
Evil cultivators never cared about the rules. What use was a binding contract such as a prior engagement?
Especially that mean Jiang Rou, she used a marriage contract to tie Cen Xiangnan. On the surface, she acted like she didn't want anything, but when his mother was alive, she hated people like her who pretended to be someone they're not!
...
Inside the house, Cen Xiangnan sat across from Mrs. Cen. A small lamp was lit in the room, casting a dim and gentle light, making the woman's pale face look softer and more delicate.
When did he and Jiang Rou become like this? Cen Xiangnan couldn't help but wonder.
The two of them sat in silence for a long time, unable to say a word.
It was a long, long time ago when that little sister from the Jiang family used to love following him around without saying a word.
The young man, carrying a long sword, was a bit impatient. But he was mature for his age. He knew he couldn't shake off this little tail behind him, and it wouldn't be right to show his annoyance in front of her. So he just clenched his lips, kept a serious face, and walked quickly like the wind.
The young girl seemed completely unaware.
He turned around and she smiled at him, her heart and eyes filled with love for her future husband.
At that time, he thought all the women in the world were annoying.
"Well... what kind do you like?" The girl gathered her courage and asked, "I will definitely learn to be like that."
The boy replied coldly, "I just hope my future wife will be dignified and stable, not causing trouble for me."
Although he didn't resist marrying her, he didn't feel particularly happy about it either. He imagined their marriage to be respectful and polite, that's how Cen Xiangnan envisioned marriage.
Until he met Lin Li in the southwest. The woman always teased him, fooled him, and kept him on his toes. Instead of getting angry, he became even more curious, curious about how many secrets Lin Li had.
It was at this moment that he realized that marriage was different. He liked Lin Li and desperately wanted to marry her. Even if she used dark and mysterious techniques, he didn't mind. Her nature wasn't bad, she just hadn't been taught, which led to her innocent yet cruel personality.
The young boy's love was intense and passionate.
Compared to the restrained and righteous Prime Minister Mei, Lin Li was like a bewitching mist, rebellious and alluring. It was obvious that she had more charm, and he quickly became obsessed with it.
Even though she was nothing like the dignified and composed Jiang Rou.
Because he felt guilty for not giving Lin Li a proper wife status, after they got married, he rarely visited Jiang Rou's room, except for necessary holidays or when he was sick.
At first, he felt sorry for Jiang Rou, but the ability to get used to things was always frightening.
In the beginning, he had gotten used to the gentle Jiang Rou following him around. After they got married, he slowly got used to Jiang Rou becoming invisible among the three of them.
He treated her with respect and they were polite to each other.
But he gave all his love to Lin Li.
The man furrowed his brows, seeming lost in memories.
The woman didn't interrupt, quietly waiting for the man to come out of his memories.
...
Outside the room.
The person crouching together under the corridor suddenly moved.
Qiao Wan's heart suddenly skipped a beat!
Lin Qingzhi, that spoiled brat!
Lin Qingzhi, that spoiled brat, was still in that small meditation room!
She stood up with a start, startling the big dog next to her.
"Miss Lu?"
...
Now, Cen Xiangnan looked up again.
The woman hadn't changed much, with gentle features and a plain appearance.
The little girl from the Jiang family who loved to sing and would sit at the bow of the boat singing "Remembering plum blossoms in the west, sending plums to the north. A single pink apricot dress, with twin braids like baby crows", had indeed grown to be dignified and not seeking attention.
Cen Xiangnan suddenly felt a little awkward, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "How is your injury?"
Mrs. Cen shook her head gently, "It's nothing serious."
Then, there was silence.
Question and answer, dry and lacking emotion.
The woman showed no intention of conforming or trying to hold him back.
Qiao Wan sat for a while, finding it difficult to bear the silence in the room almost frozen. Cen Xiangnan stood up and said, "Rest and heal, you don't need to worry about the matters in the front yard." After offering these comforting words, he left.
As Lin Qingzhi watched Cen Xiangnan leave, he felt anxious. Summoning all his strength, he finally managed to use his power to move the wooden barrel!
The wooden barrel rolled noisily towards the door, hitting it with a muffled bang.
Cen Xiangnan paused mid-step, asking, "What was that sound?" He turned in a different direction and quickly walked towards the inner room.
Mrs. Cen was startled and couldn't stop him in time. Cen Xiangnan was faster.
He opened the door.
The man lowered his head and met the gaze of the wooden barrel in the meditation room.
...
By the time Qiao Wan rushed into the main house, she was one step too late.
As soon as she entered, she immediately saw the familiar and gloomy, yet beautiful, young man in the room.
The young man stood behind Cen Xiangnan.
Cen Xiangnan stared at Mrs. Cen with an angry expression and asked sharply, "What is going on here?"
"For so many days... for so many days, Qīngzhī has been locked in this meditation room by you?!"
The young boy inherited his mother's cunning and cautiously asked Cen Xiangnan not to get angry.
"Dad, please don't be angry. Mom did it for my own good."
"With all the chaos in the mansion these past few days, Mom decided to keep me locked in the meditation room."
"For my own good?" Cen Xiangnan's expression changed drastically. "Is this how they treat you for your own good?!"
The young boy trembled slightly and said, "Father, I traveled all the way from the southwest just to see you. Seeing you healthy put my mind at ease."
The young boy's features resembled Lin Li's beauty from before, but he was also innocent and naive.
The memories of Lin Li's death always caused him a hidden pain, a pain he wanted to forget but couldn't.
Cen Xiangnan's face turned completely cold.
Looking into the woman's eyes, he no longer felt any sympathy. Instead, he felt that the tenderness he once had for her had been abruptly extinguished, leaving him cold-hearted.
"Qingzhi trusts you so much, and this is how you treat him."
His heart became cold.
The thoughts he had once dismissed suddenly resurfaced.
Maybe... just maybe, she had really disregarded Lin Li in the past...
Mrs. Cen quietly watched for a while, then slowly smiled.
Cen Xiangnan glanced at her, feeling a chill run through his body.
He couldn't help but feel that the Jiang family's little sister had completely changed.
Lin Li's words from the past were indeed true - those who appeared gentle, honest, and obedient on the outside often had deceitful and cunning hearts.
"The Cen family's fortune will still be inherited by Qingjia, so don't worry about anyone trying to take your son's share!"
With a disgusted look, Cen Xiangnan coldly uttered these words and left with a wave of his sleeve!
The young boy lowered his head and followed behind him.
Qiao Wan looked back at the woman standing in the same spot and smirked.
Qiao Wan took a step forward and held out her hand to stop Cen Xiangnan.
Cen Xiangnan clearly remembered her: "It's you."
Qiao Wan said, "You can't take him away."
Qiao Wan's gaze fell on Lin Qingzhi: "It was you, Lin Qingzhi, who hurt Mrs. Cen."
Cen Xiangnan's face suddenly changed.
Only the Lin family knew the mysterious technique of skin peeling.
Even so, Cen Xiangnan said firmly, "This is a family matter of the Cen household! What's it to do with you?!"
"Xin Yi."
Mrs. Cen spoke gently, "Come here."
Qiao Wan was taken aback, she looked up in surprise.
Although the woman's eyes showed a touch of sorrow, they were bright and she smiled, gesturing for her to come: "Come."
She didn't care.
Not at all.
Qiao Wan stepped aside.
Lin Qingzhi sneered.
Halfway through his laughter, his gaze met Qiao Wan's and suddenly paused.
Though her eyes were calm, they were cold like a sharp knife.
It seemed like in the next second, he could be nailed to the wall.
After Cen Xiangnan and Lin Qingzhi left, Mrs. Cen called her as if nothing had happened.
"How have you been feeling these days? Is there anything unusual in your muscles and veins?"
Qiao Wan looked away and faced Mrs. Cen again: "Nothing unusual."
After a brief pause, she hesitated and asked, "How is your injury, Mrs. Cen... how is it?"
"It's almost healed."
When she looked up, she finally noticed the young man standing behind Qiao Wan.
Mrs. Cen smiled, "Are you the taoist friend?"
Xiu Quan stiffened and showed a gentle and polite smile, "Yes, Mrs. Cen."
While Mrs. Cen examined Xiu Quan, Qiao Wan stepped out.
In the room, there were only the woman and the dog demon left.
Xiu Quan awkwardly spread his legs and unbuttoned his shirt.
He could feel the woman's fingers on his skin, like a fireball.
He couldn't help but lower his head to look.
He saw a strand of black hair falling on her fair neck.
The young man's Adam's apple moved twice, and he felt something strange in his heart.
Xiu Quan tilted his neck, lifted his head, and covered his eyes with his hand, forcing a bitter smile.
Mrs. Cen is very beautiful.
He...he wants to take her back to the demon clan.
He will definitely treat her well.
Although he thought this way, he couldn't say it out loud.
How should he say it?
Should he say that he is attracted to a married woman? Attracted to a woman with a husband, attracted to someone else's mother?
Both of her sons are almost as tall as him.
A demon, full of direct and passionate feelings, it seems like an offense to this gentle and obedient woman in front of him.
A hundred and eight-year-old old demon, an old bachelor, felt nervous for the first time, as if his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
Qiao Wan walked out of the house and looked into the darkness.
The reason she didn't explode just now was because she had a feeling that Cen Xiangnan was bound to suffer a setback with Lin Qingzhi.
The news from Shichun Hall came that night.
Cen Xiangnan was stabbed.
As he cherished the deep bond with his son, Lin Qingzhi, he remembered the beautiful and innocent Lin Li from the past. But this cunning and wicked person, just like his mother, stabbed him in the back and ran away.
The stab was deep and decisive, without holding back.
With one stab, Cen Xiangnan almost lost his life.
With Cen Xiangnan wounded, the Cen family faced a great enemy, which meant he could no longer lead the family against them.
The responsibility of fighting the enemy fell on the shoulders of Cen Qingyou and Cen Qingjia, the two sons.
Upon receiving the news, Qiao Wan made a quick decision and asked Cen Qingyou for Lin Ershier.
"Are you going to let her go?" Qiao Wan asked.
"There's no use keeping her," Qen Qingyou pondered for a moment. "Letting her go might be an option."
Of course, they couldn't just let her go without any conditions.
"Although father is injured, now might be the right time," Cen Qingyou lifted his head with a clear gaze.
Qiao Wan calmly didn't show any reaction as if she knew her father had been stabbed. Not only that, she even had some thoughts about using her father being stabbed to do something.
So, after discussing with Cen Qingyou for a while, Qiao Wan went to the room where Lin Ershier was being held.
Upon seeing Qiao Wan, Lin Ershier's eyes flashed with hatred. She refused to give in and stood her ground firmly, saying, "Go away! No matter how you force me, I won't say anything!"
Qiao Wan approached and squatted down. "I have no intention of forcing you."
Lin Ershier was taken aback and confused by her actions. "What... what do you want?!"
The young girl stared angrily. "Don't even think about playing any tricks!"
Qiao Wan calmly said, "I want to make a deal with you. If you agree, I will let you go."
"I warn you, don't play any tricks!!"
Qiao Wan asked calmly, "Do you know how you ended up being captured?"
"Do you know how we always manage to learn about your movements?"
After surviving for over forty years, Qiao Wan often went down the mountain to help Ma Huaizhen with his tasks. Qiao Wan could tell that Lin Ershier, who was young and impulsive, had a passionate desire to do things for the family and bring glory to the family name. She was even willing to sacrifice herself for the Lin family. Furthermore, she had a small-minded nature, held grudges, and was naive.
"I warn you! Don't even think about playing any tricks! I won't be fooled by you!"
"Because of Lin Qingzhi."
Lin Ershier was taken aback.
Qiao Wan saw an opportunity and thought to herself, "Because of Lin Qingzhi, he betrayed your whereabouts. Lin Shiliu and the others, he sold them all."
"Why are you suddenly telling me this? I'm telling you, don't try to sow discord!"
Qiao Wan said, "I'm not sowing discord. Don't believe me? Go ask Lin Wu."
Qiao Wan sneered, "Don't you know what kind of person he is? He would sell anyone for his own benefit. Don't tell me you trust him."
Of course, they didn't trust him. Lin Ershier felt a bit embarrassed.
Lin Qingzhi was very self-centered.
Qiao Wan quietly watched Lin Ershier.
If Cen Xiangnan was stabbed, Lin Qingzhi would definitely not be able to stay at the Cen family. Most likely, he would go to the Lin family and seek revenge with their support.
She wasn't afraid of Lin Qingzhi forming an alliance with the Lin family. Initially, the Lin family used Lin Qingzhi because he had lived at the Cen family for a period of time. No one knew the Cen family better than him, and no one was more suitable to disrupt the Cen family's formation.
Now that the Cen family's formation had collapsed, he had lost his usefulness.
"Don't tell me that your Lin family solely relies on him and can't function without him."
Lin Ershier instantly got angry, "You're talking nonsense! You can't use someone else's knife to kill!"
Qiao Wan realized she had misspoke and her expression changed slightly, "Madam, he stabbed the head of the family."
Lin Ershier was stunned.
Qiao Wan knew she had revealed too much, "But, by using your help to kill him, it would also be your Lin family cleaning up its own mess."
Once upon a time, there were two families in the southwest. The Lin family and the Cen family had a long-standing feud. The Lin family saw the Cen family as useless and considered them troublemakers. Both families posed a threat to each other. To avoid any more problems, the Lin family decided to kill a member of the Cen family who was causing trouble. It was the safest option for them. This was an agreement between the Cen and Lin families.
