It wasn’t without reason that Chang Haosheng was nicknamed ‘Granny Chang’.
Though reputation was valuable, practical benefits were even more precious. During youthful adventures, when encountering treasures, while other privileged youths might ignore them, he would meticulously collect everything like an old accountant, even if only to later aid down-on-their-luck martial artists.
At that victory banquet, he noticed Yang Yi intentionally misleading the martial arts world about Nie Hengcheng’s death, and Yin Dai reluctantly accepted it. His first thought wasn’t anger or disappointment at these respected martial arts elders stealing credit, but rather, “Now Luoying Valley is safe.”
This wasn’t out of malice or using Yin Dai as a shield for Luoying Valley. He assumed the Qingque Sect leader would be well-guarded, making it difficult for the Evil Cult to exact revenge, while Luoying Valley was vulnerable at the time.
However, man’s plans are no match for heaven’s will.
Just months after the banquet, the confident Old Sect Leader Yin was ambushed during a trip by a large force led by Nie Hengcheng’s disciple, Zhao Tianba. With no escape route and no reinforcements, he was hacked to pieces.
On the same day, Old Master Yang Yi, enjoying spring with his concubines at a countryside manor, was attacked at night by Nie Hengcheng’s third disciple, Han Yisu, and his men. They slaughtered for an entire night, leaving no one alive. Yang Yi’s head was found in the manor’s cesspool.
Furthermore, these two remaining disciples of Nie Hengcheng vowed to exterminate the Yin and Yang families, leaving no descendants. They also promised that whichever Evil Cult elder could contribute most to avenging Nie Hengcheng would gain control over Nie’s remaining forces.
The Evil Cult’s minions were restless.
“A centipede dies but never falls. Though Nie Hengcheng is dead, he ruled for decades and has many loyal followers. Old Sect Leader Yin and Old Master Yang celebrated too early,” Chang Ning said casually. Cai Zhao sensed a hint of schadenfreude in his tone. Of course, she felt the same.
Claiming undeserved glory comes at a price!
“Was Great Hero Chang guarding Luoying Valley to protect us from the Evil Cult’s revenge?” she asked quietly.
Chang Ning replied, “Yes, my father anticipated that Nie Hengcheng’s disciples wouldn’t let the matter rest after his death. He stayed at Luoying Valley, not daring to return home. We waited and waited, but instead of an Evil Cult attack, we received news of Yin and Yang’s deaths.”
Cai Zhao was silent for a moment, then said, “I didn’t know any of this. Thank you to your father for his tireless efforts in protecting Luoying Valley.”
It was the most perilous time for the Cai family. All the elders were dead, Cai Ping Shu had lost her martial arts skills, Cai Pingchun hadn’t yet made a breakthrough, and Ning Xiaofeng only knew some mechanism and formation techniques. If the Evil Cult had launched a full-scale attack, Luoying Valley would have been defenseless.
Chang Ning glanced at her, “No need for thanks. Protecting the weak is our duty.” He emphasized the latter part.
Cai Zhao put down her chopsticks and sighed, “Rest assured, I’ll do my utmost to protect you until you recover, to repay Great Hero Chang’s immense kindness.”
“Good that you understand,” Chang Ning smiled, his eyes twinkling, making even his poisonous sores seem charming.
Fan Xingjia sat awkwardly beside them, feeling the atmosphere at the table was overly jubilant. He bravely interrupted his junior disciples’ joy, “Ahem, so what happened next? How did the Evil Cult give up?”
Cai Zhao pointed at the lively Yin and Yang family members, nodding, “Indeed, since so many of them are still alive, it seems the Evil Cult’s revenge wasn’t successful.”
“That was thanks to the clever Lady Qinglian,” Chang Ning smiled.
In the months following Yin Dai and Yang Yi’s deaths, many of their relatives met tragic ends. The Yin family, being numerous, was a large target – Yin Dai had promoted many family members after becoming Qingque Sect leader, making them easy targets for the Evil Cult.
One day it was Uncle Yin Six, responsible for Qingque Sect’s purchases, was found disemboweled on his bed. The next, it was Aunt Yin Three, in charge of the sect’s gardens, hanging from a tree with her throat slit. A few days later, the mutilated bodies of Uncle Yin Two and his brother, who managed the carriages and horses, appeared in the stables… The Yin clan lived in fear, fleeing Nine Li Mountain before they could even hold funerals, hiding in remote corners to save their lives.
Nie Hengcheng’s followers even reached into Guangtian Gate, targeting Yin Dai’s eldest daughter and her two young grandsons – Song Maozhi and Song Yuzhi.
Despite Yin Qinglian’s careful planning and precautions, she discovered the wet nurse and nanny secretly poisoning the children. The former cried that her family was held hostage by the Evil Cult, while the latter confessed to being promised endless riches. The Northern Chen Six Sects couldn’t guard against all these threats.
Yin Sulian, newly married and childless, only needed to protect herself. But Yin Qinglian had young children to worry about. She knew the Evil Cult had wealth and would stop at nothing, clinging like parasites. She had to take the initiative.
Most importantly, she needed to spread the truth that it was Lady Cai who killed Nie Hengcheng.
But this truth, unspoken before and after the victory banquet, now had to be hurriedly revealed during the Evil Cult’s revenge. How would the world view her wise and powerful father, Old Sect Leader Yin? They couldn’t let his reputation die with him.
Soon after Yang He’ying’s two young sons were mysteriously killed, Yin Qinglian couldn’t delay any longer. She quickly summoned her newly appointed brother-in-law, Sect Leader Qi Yunke, and Zhou Zhizhen, who had just finished his father’s funeral, to discuss a plan:
First, they had to reveal that Cai Ping Shu killed Nie Hengcheng, but not openly. They needed to manipulate the Evil Cult members into leaking the information themselves, while the Northern Chen Six Sects feigned ignorance.
The Yin and Yang families were scattered and difficult to protect from assassination attempts. However, the Cai family, with only three members, remained hidden in Luoying Valley, which was easily defensible with only one entry point. With a concentrated target, the Evil Cult’s attacks would also be focused.
After setting up false leads for half a month, Yin Qinglian’s spies finally brought confirmed information.
On a moonless, stormy night, Qi Yunke, Zhou Zhizhen, and Song Shijun led carefully selected disciples from various sects to set up an ambush near Qingluo River, not far from Luoying Valley. After a night of fierce battle, they finally annihilated the Evil Cult’s large force attempting to raid Luoying Valley.
Zhao Tianba was killed on the spot by Chang Haosheng, his head was sent to the Qingque Sect as an offering. Han Yisu was severely wounded by Song Shijun, his fate unknown. Qi Yunke moved freely through the battlefield, half-covered in blood, personally killing over ten Evil Cult experts.
In this battle, almost all of Nie Hengcheng’s remaining core elites were wiped out, ending their revenge.
Thus concluded the bloody era created by Nie Hengcheng. The Evil Cult entered a period of decline, marked by factional disputes and internal strife. Meanwhile, the new “Three Heroes of Northern Chen” officially took charge, commanding the martial arts world.
At the same time, the fact that Cai Ping Shu killed Nie Hengcheng could no longer be hidden and became widely known. Yin Qinglian then spread the rumor that “Old Sect Leader Yin reluctantly took credit for killing the villain to protect Luoying Valley, while Old Master Yang got into trouble by kindly helping.” This brought a satisfactory conclusion for the Northern Chen Six Sects.
Hearing the full story for the first time, Fan Xingjia remarked, “Even Nie’s remnants were so vicious and fearless. Fortunately, Lady Cai eliminated their leader, otherwise, the Evil Cult would have been even more unrestrained.”
Reflecting on those tumultuous, scheming days, Cai Zhao sighed and finally said, “…Lady Qinglian was quite clever.” It’s a pity Yin Sulian doesn’t have even half her sister’s intelligence.
“The most intelligent, the most cunning, the most powerful, the most brutal, the most loyal, the most benevolent – all perished. Those who survived were the mediocre and ordinary – perhaps this is the way of heaven and earth,” Chang Ning mused, his expression unreadable, like a mysterious face behind temple incense. Cai Zhao stared at him, lost in thought.
The atmosphere at the table grew somber, with all three silent. This rare moment of quiet ended with young Cai Han’s burp.
Chang Ning glanced over, “Junior Sister, you should control him. If he eats any more, he’ll turn into a ball again.”
Exasperated, Cai Zhao lifted her little brother from the table, discovering his belly was round once more. She scolded, “You little piglet, haven’t you ever seen food before?”
Cai Han hiccupped and cried, complaining about having to eat vegetarian food at their grandmother’s for a long time. Fan Xingjia smiled wryly and called for servants to bring tangerine peel digestive tea.
“You wretched girl, so this is where you are!” a shrill female voice came from nearby. Cai Zhao and the others turned to see a beautifully dressed woman in her mid-twenties glaring at them. One hand was on her hip, the other holding a thin, sickly-looking boy of six or seven in fine clothes.
Before Cai Zhao’s group could react, Yang Xiaolan hastily stood up and bowed, “Greetings, Mother.”
Yang Xiaolan was the daughter of the Siqi Gate’s leader, so this woman must be Yang He’ying’s wife, Madam Sha.
Madam Sha approached her son, reaching out to pull Yang Xiaolan’s ear while berating her, “You heartless girl, sitting here eating and drinking while neglecting your brother! It’s so late, and you let Tianxi play outside on an empty stomach without bringing him anything to eat or drink…”
The woman’s long, sharp nails left Yang Xiaolan’s ear instantly red and swollen.
Yang Tianxi clapped and laughed, “Sister’s ear is red again, like braised pork, hehe!” Born frail, his face was sickly. Even speaking a few sentences left him breathless, worrying Madam Sha.