Chapter 121: The Hua Clan’s Conspiracy

Peng Yu and Yao Ye walked through the front courtyard. As soon as they entered the inner courtyard, they ran into Peng Yu’s eldest aunt. Peng Yu shot her a cold glare and continued walking inward.

“How dare you not even greet your aunt? A bastard is a bastard—born to a mother but raised without one. I really pity you!”

Peng Yu stopped in his tracks. He walked over, head bowed and hands clenched tight, before suddenly snapping his head up to glare at his aunt with eyes full of murderous intent.

“Hua Lin, I have kept in mind how you have ‘cared’ for my mother and me all these years. I swear that one day, I will make you pay the price!”

Not wishing to tangle with her any further, Peng Yu turned to head into the inner courtyard. Hua Lin’s expression darkened. Turning around, she saw Yao Ye watching her with a mocking smile, which sent her into a rage.

“Any stray cat or dog can just walk into my Peng estate? Someone, throw him out!”

Yao Ye straightened his posture and walked up to Hua Lin. A predatory, baleful aura pressed directly against her spirit, turning her face deathly pale and forcing her to stumble back two steps involuntarily.

“Madam, I suggest you don’t go looking for trouble. I am not someone you can afford to offend. If you don’t believe me, feel free to try.”

Yao Ye nonchalantly picked at his ear, the corner of his mouth curling upward. Hua Lin stood frozen in shock. Hearing her outburst, Peng Yu hurried over, grabbed Yao Ye’s arm, and stood before her.

“Don’t force me to kill you right now. Yao Ye is my elder brother, and I am taking him to see my father. Get out of the way!”

Peng Yu shoved Hua Lin aside and pulled Yao Ye toward the back courtyard. Hua Lin stepped aside, her expression as sour as if she had swallowed a dead fly. She walked toward her quarters, feeling dazed and haunted, her mind racing with thoughts of who the young man who had just appeared might be.

“Brother, please wait in the side hall. I need to go see my father.”

Yao Ye, quite satisfied with Peng Yu’s defense of him, smiled slightly and patted Peng Yu on the shoulder. “What is your father’s illness? Perhaps I can help.”

Peng Yu lowered his head and said in a low voice, “I don’t know. Father never told me. Let me go check the situation first.”

“Very well. Call me if you need anything.”

Yao Ye smiled and patted Peng Yu’s shoulder again. Peng Yu walked out of the side hall and headed straight for his father’s quarters. He pushed the door open gently to find a man, gaunt as a skeleton, lying on the bed. Though still middle-aged, his hair was gray and sparse, and his body was curled into a ball, shivering uncontrollably.

Peng Yu rushed forward, dropped to his knees by the bedside with a thud, and called out softly to the man.

“Father, open your eyes and look at me. It’s Xiao Yu!”

“Xiao Yu… Xiao Yu!”

The man on the bed struggled to open his eyes and turned to look at Peng Yu. Seeing his father’s pale face and the sweat drenching his brow—the simple act of turning seeming to exhaust all his strength—Peng Yu gently helped him sit up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The man looked at Peng Yu with tenderness and said softly, “I never imagined that I, Peng Li, who once held such boundless prestige, would fall to this state. But to have you here to see me through my final journey, I am content.”

“Father, what on earth happened? You were fine, how could you possibly…”

Peng Li interrupted him, stroking Peng Yu’s face and shaking his head slightly. “Xiao Yu, the thing I regret most in this life is what happened to your mother and you. When you were both attacked years ago, I suspected something was amiss. I investigated in secret, and sure enough, I discovered the clues.”

“Father, tell me slowly.”

Peng Yu helped Peng Li lean against the wall. Peng Li closed his eyes tightly, as if unable to bear the memory, and remained silent for a long time. Peng Yu did not rush him. Finally, Peng Li opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“Sigh! All these years I have been secretly monitoring your aunt. I never expected this!”

Peng Yu stood up abruptly. “So it really was her! If not for a benefactor helping me this time, I fear I would never have seen you again!”

“What?”

“I was ambushed again on the way back. The ones who tried to kill me were the steward and the household servants.”

Peng Li closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “Alas! I never wanted you to endure these things. Very well, I will tell you, but you must promise me one thing.”

“Father, please speak. I promise!”

Peng Li nodded and said slowly, “Years ago, when your aunt went back to visit her family, I followed her in secret. Late that night, a shadow entered her room. That shadow was your aunt’s cousin. The two of them conspired to seize control of the Four Great Families and arrange for people to infiltrate the Cloud Sky Sect, intending to replace the leaders when the time was ripe. After plotting for a long time, they even engaged in illicit affairs. I wanted to storm in and kill those two wretches, but since this was the Hua Clan’s territory, I retreated and sought out the head of the Hua Clan to demand justice.”

“Sigh! Who would have guessed that the entire Hua Clan had defected to the Demon Clan? That was the task the demons had assigned them. I didn’t know this at the time and was ambushed by that old scoundrel, Hua Nong. I managed to escape with my life, but my cultivation was less than a tenth of what it used to be. That is why your aunt was able to imprison me.”

Meanwhile, Hua Lin had entered the house. Realizing she could not stop Peng Yu from seeing Peng Li and that the truth would inevitably be exposed, she hurried out of the house and flew toward the Hua Clan.

Peng Li gripped Peng Yu’s hand. “Child, listen to me. The head of the Hua Clan is a master at the late stage of the Spirit Communication Realm and has even cultivated a domain. Do not seek revenge until you have absolute strength. Our Peng family relies on you now!”

“Damn the Demon Clan! Damn the Hua Clan! I will surely make you pay in blood. Don’t worry, Father, I will not act recklessly!”

Just as they were speaking, Hua Nong, who had come to investigate, kicked the door open and walked in.

“Brother-in-law, how are you? I’ve come to see you!”

Peng Li gripped Peng Yu’s hand tightly. Peng Yu lowered his head, suppressing the urge to strike. Peng Li gave a faint smile. “Thanks to you, I still have one breath left. Everyone has to die eventually! It is just a matter of who goes first. Your day will come as well!”

Hua Nong was not offended and walked over with a laugh. “Hahaha, well said. But every extra day lived is a day gained. Come, come, brother-in-law, let me examine you.”

As he spoke, Hua Nong forcibly pulled Peng Yu aside. “Nephew, you really are something—you don’t even greet your uncle. Never mind, you go outside first. I need to treat your father.”

Peng Yu opened his mouth to retort, but Peng Li shook his head desperately. Peng Yu lowered his head, clenched his fists, and retreated without a word. Once Peng Yu was gone, Hua Nong glanced at Peng Li with a cold snort and turned toward him with an expression of disdain.

“Brother-in-law, it’s not that I want to lecture you, but can you really protect him? If you had agreed to me earlier, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this!”

Peng Li closed his eyes tight. “Hua Nong, we are family after all. I haven’t told Peng Yu anything about your affairs. Just let him go!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is this the same high-spirited, arrogant Master Peng Li from before? If you’re going to beg, you should look the part.”

Hua Nong held his head high, sneering at Peng Li. Peng Li sighed, slowly crawled off the bed, and knelt on the floor.

“Hahaha! As long as you stay obedient, I can let you live one more day. Hahaha!”

Watching the kneeling Peng Li, Hua Nong burst into laughter. He walked over, kicked Peng Li hard, and walked out with his hands behind his back.