Free Web NovelChapter 454: Chapter 281: Wish Fulfilled (Part 2)
The theft of these records and scriptures caused Zhang Shunan far more anguish than if the treasures in the secret vault had been plundered.
Without these records, the Bishui Zhang Family was just an ordinary Golden Core Clan, as common as they come.
Once his life came to an end, they would fall even further, becoming a mere Foundation Establishment Clan.
"Ancestors above, I, Shunan, have failed you!"
Zhang Shunan’s anguished wails were heartbreaking; even the Lu Family cultivators present shed tears.
For cultivators from established clans, what could be more devastating than the end of their ancestral line and the loss of their heritage?
Soon, the other unconscious Zhang Family cultivators also awoke.
Seeing their clan grounds reduced to ruins, they all broke down, wailing uncontrollably.
The Lu Family’s Golden Core Cultivator stepped forward and asked the newly awakened Zhang Family cultivators what had happened when their clan’s estate was breached.
Piecing together everyone’s accounts, they managed to reconstruct what had happened.
"Patriarch, it was indeed the Black Wind Thieves who breached the Zhang Family’s estate. They used some method to instantly break the Zhang Family’s Grand Array and released some kind of toxic gas, which knocked out most of the Zhang clansmen. Before they passed out, they confirmed the attackers were all wearing the robes of the Black Wind Thieves. A few of the Zhang Family cultivators who were killed were not knocked out by the gas. They put up a desperate resistance and managed to kill several of the Black Wind Thieves’ Tribulation Cultivators."
"Is that so? Were you able to identify the toxic gas?"
Lu Heyun was rather shocked. In the Western Continent, cultivators who specialized in poisons were extremely rare. A toxic gas that could instantly knock out so many cultivators was unheard of.
"We were unable to identify it. We examined the bodies of those Zhang Family cultivators but found no trace of any Foreign Qi inside them."
Yang Jing also put on a show of magically drawing a few Zhang Family disciples to him and examining their bodies with his Magical Power.
His sensitivity to Demonic Qi was far greater than that of the Lu Family’s Golden Core Cultivators, and he could still sense the extremely faint Nine Illusion Mirage Demon Qi in the minds of these Zhang disciples.
As these Zhang disciples woke up and their Magical Power began to circulate on its own, this wisp of extremely faint Nine Illusion Mirage Demon Qi was also dissipating.
"The Black Wind Thieves have two Golden Core Tribulation Cultivators, not just one! I was defeated because a second one ambushed me from the shadows!"
Zhang Shunan shouted, his face flushed with indignation.
The Flying Boat from the Central Army Governor’s Mansion soon arrived.
Two Golden Core Clans had been attacked in succession, and the renowned Wu Family had been completely annihilated. Even the Golden Core Cultivator who came to handle the matter, who was used to major cases, was somewhat dumbfounded.
"Junior Brother Yang, annihilating an entire clan is no small matter. You must produce conclusive evidence that Wu Jingyuan was the mastermind behind the Black Wind Thieves."
Ouyang Jitong said, his expression grave.
He was a somewhat stern-looking Core Formation Cultivator from the Dharma Image Sect who served as the Chief Clerk in the Central Army Governor’s Mansion.
Just a short while ago, the Celestial Observation and Spirit Measuring Instrument inside the Central Army Governor’s Mansion had detected a violent Spiritual Qi fluctuation.
The fluctuation was so intense that the cultivator on duty even thought Nascent Soul Cultivators were fighting within their jurisdiction.
"Of course. The Hall Master of the General Affairs Hall in my Sect has close ties with the Bishui Zhang Family. Hearing that the Zhang Family was being oppressed by the Wu Family and was in a precarious situation, he asked me to come protect them. For the past ten-odd days, I have been keeping the Wu Family under surveillance, which is how I uncovered this earth-shattering secret."
As Yang Jing spoke, he soared into the air, condensed a large Gang Qi Hand, and slammed it fiercely onto the Spirit Vein of the Wu Family’s estate.
With his full power, the Gang Qi Hand plunged directly into the mountainside, digging open the mountain range. The earth shook violently, and the Spirit Vein hidden deep within the mountain was laid bare.
"This...!"
When Lu Heyun saw Yang Jing’s Magical Combat with Wu Jingyuan, Wu Jingyuan had easily broken through this Gang Qi Hand, so he thought it was just an ordinary technique. Now, seeing this Gang Qi Hand knead a mountain as if it were clay with such astonishing might, he realized he likely wouldn’t be able to withstand even a single blow.
Ouyang Jitong was also inwardly shocked.
Yang Jing slapped a palm onto the Spirit Vein, and the Spirit Vein Spiritual Qi immediately surged like a tide.
Streams of Spiritual Light, blasted by the immense force, shot out from the Spirit Vein like meteors. Yang Jing scooped them into his Gang Qi Hand.
"Those are Spiritual Eye Objects!"
Ouyang Jitong recognized at a glance that these streams of Spiritual Light were indeed Spiritual Eye Objects.
"Such an astonishing quantity!"
A quick count revealed there were as many as sixteen of them.
Yang Jing retracted his Gang Qi Hand, sweeping the Spiritual Eye Objects into his Storage Bag. Lu Heyun watched, his eyes burning with envy.
"The Wu Family hasn’t been prominent for long. Where could they have gotten so many Spiritual Eye Objects? It’s obvious they’re the spoils from the Black Wind Thieves’ raids on Flying Boats. Since they were hard to sell off, they simply hid them in their own Spirit Vein to raise its Tier."
As he spoke, he took out a Jade Scroll and handed it to Ouyang Jitong.
"I once captured a key member of the Wu Family who was part of the Black Wind Thieves. I extracted this information from him. Chief Clerk Ouyang can go and verify it."
The information in this Jade Scroll was what the Wanhua Child had extracted from Wu Jinglian’s mind. Yang Jing had edited it, removing anything that was clearly beyond what a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could know.
After seeing the Spiritual Eye Objects in the Spirit Vein, Ouyang Jitong was already seventy percent convinced that Wu Jingyuan was the mastermind behind the Black Wind Thieves. With the detailed information in the Jade Scroll, he was now ninety percent convinced.
"I never thought Wu Jingyuan would be such a despicable person."
Although Wu Jingyuan acted rather domineeringly, his reputation among the five nations under the Central Army Governor’s Mansion’s jurisdiction was quite good due to his humble origins.
Ouyang Jitong shook his head.
He was from one of the Six Great Sects, after all. Since Yang Jing had already presented evidence to clear his own name, there was no need to make things difficult for him.
"Junior Brother Yang, by eliminating the Wu Family, you have truly rendered a great service to our Central Army Governor’s Mansion. If such a despicable person had successfully reached Nascent Soul, he would have become a huge disaster!"
Within the Central Army Governor’s Mansion, only the Governor himself was at the Nascent Soul Realm. And because he was stationed in the heartland of the Western Continent, his Power was the weakest of the five Governors—only at the Early Stage Nascent Soul.
If Wu Jingyuan’s luck had been heaven-defying and he had actually succeeded in reaching Nascent Soul, the Governor of the Central Army might not have been able to control him.
"Since there’s nothing else, I’ll be returning to the Five Elements True Spirit Sect to report back to the Bai Shui Hall Master."
Yang Jing showed no change in his expression.
"You were just unlucky, Junior Brother. Who would have thought the Black Wind Thieves would make a move on the Zhang Family at the exact same time you acted."
A look of sympathy crossed Ouyang Jitong’s face.
What the Bai Shui Hall Master had entrusted to Yang Jing was a private matter, which showed his high regard for Yang Jing.
Yang Jing had clearly done an excellent job. Wu Jingyuan had hidden his identity for a hundred years and was never exposed, yet as soon as Yang Jing arrived, he had rooted out his secrets.
"I can only say my luck was truly bad. If the Black Wind Thieves had acted a day later, the Zhang Family wouldn’t have suffered such a catastrophe," Yang Jing said with a sigh.
"Perhaps this is karmic retribution."
Ouyang Jitong said, struggling to hold back a laugh. As the Chief Clerk of the Central Army Governor’s Mansion, he knew all too well what kind of people the Bishui Zhang Family were.
’Heaven itself wants the Zhang Family to fall, and not even a heaven-sent genius like Yang Jing can defy its will.’
"Fellow Daoist Lu, the Zhang Family, after all, has countless ties to the Hall Master of my Five Elements True Spirit Sect’s General Affairs Hall. Now that they have suffered a great disaster, please look after them, lest the Zhang Family’s ancestral line be broken," Yang Jing said to Lu Heyun.
"Of course."
Lu Heyun replied, patting his chest.
’Now that the Bishui Zhang Family has lost its entire heritage, it no longer poses any threat to my Lu Family. I’m more than happy to do this simple favor.’
The Bishui Zhang Family’s patriarch, Zhang Shunan, suddenly charged hysterically at Yang Jing.
"Zhang Zhen asked you to protect my Bishui Zhang Family! Why weren’t you here, guarding our estate without leaving for even a moment! This calamity that has befallen the Zhang Family is your responsibility! It’s all your fault!"
The complete loss of his heritage had driven Zhang Shunan to the brink of madness.
Yang Jing glanced at him, and a sharp Sword Intent instantly pressed down on Zhang Shunan, causing him to calm down immediately.
"The Black Wind Thieves’ swords can kill. So can mine."
Zhang Shunan’s shoulders slumped in utter despair.
’His ancestors had gone to such great lengths, hoping to build a Flying Boat to secure the Zhang Family’s destiny. Now, it seems, all hope is lost.’
