Sun Qinghong knew very well that in the Great Spirit, the punishnt for criminals colluding with secret sects was extrely severe.
It could even implicate several generations of descendants.
His daughter, Sun Chaoyue, was still young and did not understand how serious the punishnt of implicating several generations could be.
It ant that not only would you be punished, but your children would be born into servitude.
Boys beca slaves, girls beca prostitutes.
This was the key reason he was desperately trying to escape.
Once caught, there would be no hope of redemption!
Thus, even though he suspected the Tong family of scheming to seize his property, he dared not show any displeasure on the surface.
After all, Tong Haocun himself was a top Ninth Grade expert, and the Tong family had several Eighth Grade mbers.
With his current sickly body, his daughter only at Fourth Grade, and an old servant at Fifth Grade,
In this Cituogang Port, they wouldn’t escape a few miles before eting a grim fate.
So he endured... bearing and waiting for the right opportunity....
"Father... rest early, I’ll return to my room now." Sun Chaoyue’s voice ca from outside the door.
Even in their downfall, she maintained the habits she had from their ti in Tan Yang.
She always thought this way.
These habits and etiquettes were the biggest distinction between their Sun family and other common families.
She believed that one day they would return.
And all of this was just a dream, a nightmare beyond imagination.
"Yes, go on. Don’t worry, Chaoyue, trust your father, everything will be fine." Sun Qinghong said solemnly.
"Yes... I’m not worried, father." Sun Chaoyue replied softly, then the footsteps gradually faded away.
Squeak.
The door closed, and thereafter there was no sound.
"Master. Is this arrangent really alright?" A voice suddenly sounded from the corner of the room.
There was actually another person standing there.
It was an elderly, thin man with white hair, dressed in a dark blue long robe.
This person was Sun Yunyao, the old steward who had served Sun Qinghong for decades.
"There’s nothing wrong with it," Sun Qinghong answered blandly. "This is the only chance for our Sun family to turn the tables. Life has driven us to a dead end."
"But...." The old steward hesitated.
"Let’s not talk about this. How is the thing I asked you to investigate?" Sun Qinghong asked in a serious tone.
"Well, we’ve discovered so bits. The pursuers from the Snow Rainbow Pavilion indeed acted based on an external tip-off to co here... Initially, they had no idea we were here...." The old steward sighed.
"...Is that so?" Sun Qinghong sighed softly, recalling how Tong Haocun had co twice consecutively to persuade him before.
He finally confird it...
"It seems they’re finally losing their patience.... They want to squeeze the last ounce of value out of my Sun family...."
"Master...." The old steward wanted to say sothing but was stopped by Sun Qinghong raising his hand.
"If we still have value, then the pursuers from the Snow Rainbow Pavilion will try their utmost to extract it.
If we have no value left, then the arrival of the pursuers can conveniently remove this burden from us, to avoid entanglent.... no...."
Sun Qinghong suddenly paused.
"If even the person who reported us is one of them, then it’s a case of atoning for cris with achievents.... Tsk tsk... Truly...."
Ruthless.
Brutally ruthless!
Combining the information from the pursuers, Sun Qinghong could clearly see through Tong Haocun’s plot.
It’s not enough to take his family wealth; they also want to extract every bit of utility from him.
But what difference does knowing make?
His mind was a turmoil of thoughts, pondering a way to break the stalemate.
"Have you found out what kind of relationship Chaoyue has with that Lord Guardian?" he suddenly asked.
"Inquired a bit, there seems to be very little connection, just acquaintances," the old steward replied.
"Back in Tan Yang, when that Lord Guardian hid his identity, Miss Chaoyue only spoke with him. Nothing more is known."
Sun Qinghong nodded.
Back then, he was aware of his daughter, high and distinguished, charming, the object of admiration and fantasy for many young n in Tan Yang.
This is just right.
"Alright then, proceed according to our prior arrangents." He said firmly.
"Yes."
"Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Lord Guardian with Chaoyue; success or failure hinges on this!" Sun Qinghong declared fiercely.
"But... it seems to that Miss Chaoyue doesn’t seem to know that the Lord Guardian is the Zhang Ying she knows...." The old steward said with a bitter smile.
"No need to tell her, let her know when the ti cos," Sun Qinghong said calmly, "I believe she can understand. After all, our Sun family now has no way out...."
Victory or defeat, as long as they can turn their fortunes, everything else can be made up for afterward.
He was a man, so he understood clearly that to overturn their fate, perhaps they could only leverage the connection between his daughter and the Guardian.
However, this connection was already weak; how to make the Guardian act for their Sun family....
*
*
*
Several days later.
Agarwood Temple.
Zhang Rongfang grasped a knife single-handedly, facing his other arm, slashing down forcefully.
The sharp blade fell on the skin, making a muffled sound.
It only left a white mark.
In the past two days, Zhang Rongfang had accumulated two more attribute points; he now closed his eyes, opening the attribute bar.
He decisively allocated them to the Iron Cloth.
Iron Cloth instantly advanced from the third layer perfection directly to breakthrough.
In a mont, a tightening sensation spread all over Zhang Rongfang’s body.
He could clearly feel that it was as if his skin was covered in a layer of cowhide, thick and tough.
"Not bad."
Satisfied, he opened his eyes.
He carefully assessed the state of his internal organs.
"Enhancing martial arts by one grade requires augnting life as well, otherwise the organs cannot bear the strain.
Next, I have to calculate accurately how many life points are needed to sustain this grade of martial arts."
He planned to settle in Cituogang Port for an extended period.
For him, this place was the perfect natural refuge.
The variety of dicinal herbs was even greater than in the Great Capital, and the companions from the Sensing Sect were incredibly helpful, without a master looming overhead.
There weren’t many experts here, eliminating worries of sudden threats or dangers.
He intended to bide his ti for a year, after which he could use attribute points to push his bodily limits through hard skills to the human pinnacle.
He was imagining a promising future.
Suddenly, a Daoist hurriedly entered, bowing in greeting.
"Lord, soone claiming to be Sun Chaoyue’s father has co to visit."
"Sun Chaoyue’s father?" Zhang Rongfang closed the attribute panel, slightly surprised.
He recalled that he had visited once before.
Considering Sun Chaoyue’s previous predicant, he nodded.
"Let him in."
Soon, a Daoist guided an elder slowly inside.
This elder’s face was pale, hair grey, and beard newly trimd.
He was dressed in a long robe of deep blue with ingot patterns.
Upon seeing Zhang Rongfang, before even coming closer, the elder sighed deeply and fell to his knees.
"Wrongdoer Sun Qinghong, pay respects to Lord Guardian!"
Unhesitatingly, he knelt, kowtowed, his forehead banging repeatedly on the ground with a thumping sound.
"For the sake of Chaoyue, I implore the Lord to take charge for this wrongdoer! Our Sun family was truly collateral damage, we did not conspire with the secret sect!"
Tears stread down as he wept bitterly, continuously kowtowing.
This behavior imdiately made Zhang Rongfang’s brows knit slightly.
"Since you are Sun Chaoyue’s father, rise and speak first," he said solemnly.
"Yes!" Sun Qinghong stood obediently, forehead marked with red prints from the bowing.
"You spoke of conspiring with the secret sect? What happened then exactly? Who declared the sentence? Who executed it?" Zhang Rongfang inquired sternly.
He recalled the Sun family having the backing of Tan Yang’s prefecture and being supported by a powerful clan.
How did they end up like this now?
"This matter is a long story, actually, my Sun family was implicated by the Black Ten Sect, and the one who declared the guilt was the Eastern Sect at the ti..." Sun Qinghong smiled bitterly.
He originally appeared middle-aged, but within a little over a year, he looked as old as if he was seventy or eighty.
"Eastern Sect..." Zhang Rongfang paused, suddenly recalling sothing.
Could it be... the Celestial Maiden...
"Lord, the matter is extrely complex. My daughter awaits outside. Why not have her explain it to you?" Sun Qinghong suggested cautiously.
"...Alright." Zhang Rongfang gave him a deep look.
Soon, a Daoist led Sun Chaoyue, who was waiting outside, to slowly approach.
Sun Chaoyue only knew her father had called her to accompany him to visit an influential person.
Soone who possibly could help the Sun family escape a life of disgrace.
At that mont, she kept her head down, tense, continuously thinking of how she should speak when the ti ca.
"You’re here, Chaoyue; co quickly to pay respects to Lord Zhang Guardian Zhang! Lord Zhang is wise and courageous, imnsely talented, and the Daoist of the Celestial Treasure Palace, on par with the prefect of all Cituogang Port! Hurry, hurry!"
Sun Qinghong smiled with her, pulling his daughter to make her kowtow.
"No need." Zhang Rongfang interjected, looking towards Sun Chaoyue.
Upon hearing his voice, Sun Chaoyue was taken aback, quickly raising her head to follow the sound.
Seeing Zhang Rongfang, her apricot eyes widened suddenly.
"You....!! You are!!?"
Countless doubts, countless thoughts exploded in her mind like fireworks.
The worries, caution, and rehearsals she prepared before coming vanished instantly.
Only surprise and shock remained.
The two emotions flooded her entire being like water, causing her skin to tingle.
Sun Chaoyue never expected the influential person she was visiting to be Zhang Ying whom she knew!?
Wasn’t he the one who followed Wanyan Road?!?
Wasn’t he just a poor, muddy martial cultivator?!?
Why!? What’s going on!?
"Lord, this is my daughter, Chaoyue.
If my Sun family can be helped out of this mire, I, Sun Qinghong, pledge to serve the Lord without question, as a horse or footstool, repaying the Lord’s great kindness!!"
Saying that, Sun Qinghong knelt again, continuously kowtowing.
"In truth, my daughter has admired the Lord for a long ti. If she could be justified, she’s willing to serve in front of the Lord, even as a toilet-cleaning attendant!!"
Upon this statent.
Sun Chaoyue’s face flushed suddenly, looking at her father repeatedly kowtowing.
And a Zhang Ying expressionless.
A massive sha surged through her heart.
Previously, she maintained her final dignity before Zhang Ying.
And now...
Being a horse stool involves kneeling to beco a mounting stool.
As for toilet-cleaning attendant...
That was only seen in the Great Spirit’s court, an attendant waiting bedside at night to clean the master’s ss with their mouth!!
Father... how could he...?!
Sun Chaoyue’s mind was blank.
Montarily feeling like struck by lightning, she stood there, face as pale as snow.
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