Old Master An also took a sip of tea before he began to speak:
"Back then, when my An Family was competing with the Qian Family for profits, it wasn’t as if we were at a disadvantage from the start."
"At first, both families had their victories and defeats, but the Qian Family was greedy, and their disciples were mostly selfish and greedy, while our An Family was harmonious, unified in spirit, and not as exploitative as the Qian Family. In our struggle against them, we gradually gained the upper hand."
"At that time, within Tongxian City, our An Family controlled most of the Artifact Refining and Alchemy businesses—so much so that the Qian Family was on the brink of defeat..."
"Was there some kind of mishap?" Mo Hua asked.
Old Master An nodded and sighed deeply before continuing:
"Indeed, a major mishap occurred—the An Family took on a certain business deal..."
"It was the largest deal the An Family had ever encountered. If we could secure this transaction, the Qian Family wouldn’t be able to compete with us for at least a hundred years."
"We had everything prepared; all that was left was to safely transport the goods out of Tongxian City and deliver them to Runan City nearby. With that, the deal would have been successfully completed."
"Therefore, I specifically arranged for the only Foundation Building Elder in the An Family to lead the formation, with fifty of our elite disciples as escorts, accompanied by two hundred An Family cultivators."
"The strength of these cultivators was not to be underestimated, even by the Qian Family. And the Qian Family wouldn’t dare to engage us directly; the loss of life would lead to too great a loss, no matter how you look at it."
"I thought I had been cautious enough and the preparations were adequately safe, but I never, never could have anticipated..."
Old Master An’s face showed a look of regret and agony.
"...I never could have anticipated that after they entered Big Black Mountain, they would never return!"
"Not a single one of them returned!"
"They all disappeared in Big Black Mountain!"
Old Master An’s face twitched, his emotions fluctuating violently.
Mo Hua quickly poured him a cup of tea. After drinking it and catching his breath, Old Master An nodded slightly and continued:
"This was not just a crippling blow, but it also struck at the very root of the An Family—like cutting a chunk of flesh from my heart!"
"Afterward, I went into Big Black Mountain myself, but no matter how I searched, I could not find our Elder or any of the An Family disciples. It was as though they had evaporated from the earth."
"I even braved the risks and ventured into the deep mountains, but the fog was heavy, and I couldn’t find any trace. I dared not venture too deep, so I was forced to retreat."
"Did you ever suspect the Qian Family?" Mo Hua asked.
Old Master An nodded. "They were my first suspects."
"But I paid attention, and on the day our An Family disciples went into the mountain, the Patriarch of the Qian Family and most of the Qian Family’s Foundation Building Elders did not leave home, nor did they enter Big Black Mountain. They had no opportunity to act against my An Family..."
"However, I am positive that it was the Qian Family’s doing!"
Old Master An clenched his teeth, his eyes reflecting a chilly resolve.
Mo Hua quietly asked, "How do you know?"
Old Master An hesitated, not wanting to involve Mo Hua by sharing this information, but now it seemed that the young man might already know something.
Moreover, these were all old issues from the past; it was unlikely they would bring up old grievances.
Old Master An said, "Originally, I wasn’t certain whether the Qian Family was involved, but later on, over a Pill Furnace, the An Family had another falling out with the Qian Family."
"Although the An Family was severely weakened, we didn’t want to succumb to defeat, so I decided to oppose the Qian Family to the end. But then, the Patriarch of the Qian Family said something to me..."
"No one can outcompete the Qian Family. In Big Black Mountain, whoever I wish to disappear will disappear..."
Old Master An sighed, "From then on, I knew—all of it was the Qian Family’s doing. The strength of the Qian Family was greater than I had imagined, and their methods were more ruthless."
"I wanted to bring the Qian Family down with us even if it meant mutual destruction, but the other disciples of the An Family still needed to live on. To confront the Qian Family head-on, they might not suffer much, but the An Family could be wiped out..."
"Then do you know," Mo Hua’s eyes flashed as he spoke in a low voice, "what exactly did the Qian Family do?"
Old Master An shook his head, then suddenly his expression grew severe, "Do you know?"
Mo Hua nodded.
Old Master An asked in astonishment, "How could you know?"
"Are you aware of Black Mountain Stronghold?" Mo Hua continued.
Old Master An slightly nodded, "It is said to be a group of Evil Cultivators in the depths of the mountains, recently exterminated by the Taoist soldiers."
Old Master An then paused in realization, "You mean to say..."
Mo Hua nodded and explained, "Black Mountain Stronghold was established by the Patriarch of the Qian Family behind the scenes. It’s likely the An Family disciples were killed by its Evil Cultivators. This way, the Qian Family Patriarch wouldn’t have to dirty his hands and could avoid any direct involvement."
Old Master An realized the truth, then drifted into a somber daze, "So that’s how it was..."
With that explanation, everything became clear to him.
These An Family disciples, though not killed by the Qian Family, indeed died at the hands of the Qian Family.
Old Master An’s gaze turned sharp. "You didn’t come to me just to say these things, did you?"
"I’d like to confirm with you the relationship between the Patriarch of the Qian Family and the Black Mountain Stronghold, and also to ask if you wish to seek revenge."
Old Master An’s gaze grew more focused. "Revenge?"
Mo Hua nodded. "The Patriarch of the Qian Family has extended his life with the Human Life Pill, and he can live for a much longer time. If he goes on living, he will sooner or later become a great calamity, so it’s better to strike first."
Old Master An pondered, "How many people are available?"