Chapter 326: Kicking the Door Open

The Xia Manor, as the wealthiest household in Flowing Cloud City, usually buzzed with life, with two to three hundred servants and attendants moving in and out constantly. However, when Yun Che entered, the courtyard was empty except for a single young servant in green robes listlessly sweeping the ground. Most of the hundreds of rooms and pavilions were shut, giving off an air of deathly silence. Only the valuable flowers and plants, still lush and vibrant, seemed to be the sole signs of life.

Yun Che's heart tightened slightly. What was going on? Why was it so quiet and deserted here? Where were the people from the Xia Manor? Where was Uncle Xia?

Yun Che had sneaked in, intending to find Xia Hongyi directly and ask if Xia Yuanba had returned. He hadn't expected to see such a desolate scene. Lost in thought, he no longer bothered to hide his presence. The young servant sweeping the ground turned around and spotted him, instantly exclaiming in surprise, "You... who are you? When did you come in...?"

Mid-sentence, he recognized Yun Che's face and paused, hesitant. "You... aren't you that one from the Xiao family... the one who..."

Although three years had passed, Yun Che's appearance hadn't changed significantly, apart from a hint of cold resolve in his eyes. After all, the higher one's profound strength cultivation, the slower the aging process. With several divine arts and the blood of the Phoenix and Dragon God, Yun Che currently possessed a lifespan of at least a thousand years.

Yun Che stepped forward and spoke directly, "I am Xiao Che, the one who was expelled from the Xiao Sect three years ago! Tell me, what happened to the Xia family? Where is your master? Has your young master returned in the past two years? Why has the Xia family become like this?"

The young servant stared at Yun Che for a moment, his face immediately falling into a mournful expression. "Master... Master, he's gone... He left a year ago..."

"Gone?" Yun Che frowned. "Where did he go? Why did he leave?"

The servant's voice began to break with sobs. "Master didn't want to leave, but he suffered so much... I've been with him for over twenty years. On the surface, he was gentle and kind, always without sorrow, but I always knew his pain... His wife passed away more than ten years ago. After that, Master often cried himself to sleep, and for over ten years, he never remarried. Later... later, the Young Miss joined the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, becoming half an ethereal being. But at least Master still had the Young Master... yet then the Young Master also went missing, with no sign of him alive or dead. No one knows where he went or if he's still alive... With his wife gone, the Young Miss in the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, and his only son missing with an unknown fate, Master, even after enduring most of his life's hardships, simply couldn't bear it anymore!"

"...So where did he go? Did he perhaps go to search for your young master?" Yun Che asked, his heart heavy.

"Yes," the servant nodded. "Master said, 'If the Young Master is truly gone, what good is a family fortune ten times larger?' A year ago, Master sold off the properties, dismissed the servants, and left alone, leaving only me and Old Liu to guard this empty manor..."

"Did he say where he was going?" Yun Che urgently asked. Xia Hongyi only had one son, Xia Yuanba. For him, Xia Yuanba's disappearance and unknown fate was indeed an unbearable blow.

The servant thought for a while and said, "When Master left, I asked him where he was going, but he didn't say. However, when I was helping him pack his bags, Master held a piece of sandalwood for a long time. I secretly noticed that there were no words on the token, only a carved... black crescent-shaped pattern."

Black... crescent... Black Moon? The Black Moon Merchant Guild!

As the largest merchant guild on the Profound Sky Continent, the Black Moon Merchant Guild was omnipresent, reaching every town and city, large or small. Its power lay not only in being the continent's biggest commercial empire but also in controlling its most extensive intelligence network. The annual income the Black Moon Merchant Guild earned from selling information was an astronomical figure, almost impossible to imagine.

Xia Hongyi having a Black Moon Merchant Guild token might indicate some connection with them. If he intended to search for Xia Yuanba, relying on the Black Moon Merchant Guild's intelligence network would undoubtedly be the most reliable method.

However, although the Xia family was the wealthiest in Flowing Cloud City, they were insignificant in the eyes of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, perhaps not even worth a mention to a branch of a branch guild. How could they have any connection? Could it be that he had friends within the Black Moon Merchant Guild or had done them a favor in the past?

"Don't worry, your young master will be fine, and Uncle Xia is a cautious man, so nothing will happen to him. They should be reunited soon," Yun Che said, comforting both the servant and himself. He didn't know where Xia Yuanba had gone; even the Azure Cloud Imperial Family's extensive search had yielded no news of him.

"Master was kind-hearted his whole life, treating us servants like family. Why did he end up with such a tragic fate, separated from his wife and children? Alas, the heavens are truly unjust. I wonder when Master will return," the servant said, tears in his eyes.

Yun Che said no more. He turned and left the Xia Manor, his mood becoming slightly heavy.

"Yuanba, where exactly did you go? If you've received news that I'm alive, then come back soon... I didn't die saving you. Instead, I met my first family member and gained a great opportunity. You no longer need to blame yourself," Yun Che murmured to himself as he walked along the street.

Before long, the gates of the Xiao Sect appeared before him. The words "Xiao Sect" were inscribed with bold, sweeping strokes, just as he remembered them, completely unchanged. It seemed there had been no significant transformation due to the "favor" granted by the Xiao Clan three years ago.

In the distance, he could vaguely make out the silhouette of the Xiao Sect's back mountain. Three years ago, Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi had been confined there for fifteen years, accused of the grave crime of "stealing a valuable gift from the Xiao Clan." Furthermore, because it involved the Xiao Clan, the Xiao Sect would never release them early. All of this, however, was a despicable setup orchestrated by Xiao Yunhai, Xiao Yulong, and others, in collusion with Xiao Kuangyun. If it hadn't been for Chu Yuechan, Xia Qingyue's master, being present at the time, Xiao Lingxi's fate would have been countless times more tragic than mere confinement. At that time, no matter how angry or resentful he was, he had no power to stop it.

Therefore, during these three years, he had yearned for power with an intense desperation.

And for their own benefit, Xiao Yunhai and the others had not hesitated to frame and persecute their own kinsmen and fellow sect members... unforgivable! This resentment had been deeply embedded within him since the moment he was expelled from the Xiao Sect, never fading.

Gazing in the direction of the back mountain, Yun Che whispered again, "Grandpa, Little Aunt, I'm back... I'm back..."

He desperately wanted to rush directly to the back mountain at top speed, to embrace the two people he had longed for and missed for three years. However, remembering his oath to make the entire Xiao Sect kneel and beg for their release from the back mountain, he suppressed his excitement. He walked to the main gate of the Xiao Sect and kicked it.

The gate wasn't fully closed. With Yun Che's kick, it swung open.

The Xiao Sect was bustling today. It was the day of their annual young generation's competition! The arena was the main plaza in the center of the Xiao Sect. In the middle of the plaza, a disciple was competing fiercely. Several rows of seats lined the sides, and the Sect Master Xiao Yunhai, First Elder Xiao Li, Second Elder Xiao Bo, Third Elder Xiao Ze, and Fourth Elder Xiao Cheng were all present.

When the gate was kicked open, all eyes immediately sharpened and converged on its direction.

"How dare you! Who is it that dares to provoke my Xiao Sect!" First Elder Xiao Li instantly stood up, roaring in anger.

Yun Che's gaze swept over them. He hadn't expected them all to be present, almost as if they had gathered specifically to welcome him. He walked in slowly, a cold sneer on his face, and spoke in a low voice, "Xiao Sect old dogs, it's only been three years, and you've already forgotten this young master so quickly!"

Xiao Yunhai, Xiao Li, Xiao Bo, Xiao Ze, Xiao Cheng... all of them were within his sight, not a single one missing! Back then, they had constantly colluded to oppress Xiao Lie, the strongest member of the sect. Three years ago, they had conspired to frame him despicably, all to curry favor with Xiao Kuangyun and let him take Xiao Lingxi! Even after Yun Che had openly exposed their scheme, they had shamelessly continued to press the false charges...

No one would escape the debts they owed!

"Xiao Che?" Xiao Li was briefly stunned, then burst into laughter. "I wondered who was so arrogant, but it turns out to be you, the bastard who was thrown out three years ago! Tsk tsk, I thought after leaving the Xiao Sect, you'd either become a beggar or be beaten to death. I never imagined you'd actually come back alive and in one piece... and even grown bold enough to provoke us!"

The highest profound strength in the Xiao Sect was only at the Spirit Profound Realm. In terms of profound energy level alone, Yun Che completely overpowered the entire Xiao Sect. Not a single person could sense his profound energy aura... Of course, they wouldn't believe that the 'crippled' waste they had once disdained now possessed profound energy surpassing theirs; they merely assumed he had no profound energy aura due to his supposed crippled profound veins.

"Xiao Che, I told you three years ago that you had been expelled from the Xiao Sect and were forbidden to set foot inside it again for life!" Xiao Yunhai stood up. Being called an "old dog" by a 'waste' naturally didn't sit well with him. "Now you've not only trespassed into my Xiao Sect but also insulted its members... Are you at a dead end outside, coming back here to die?"

"No!" Yun Che sneered, a cold grin on his face. "I'm here to collect debts from you old dogs! Old dog Xiao, how has your son, Xiao Yulong—the one who was blinded, deafened, rendered mute, crippled, and castrated—been doing these past few years? Oh, no, no, no, I should ask, is the son who became a pile of rotten flesh three years ago even still alive?"

Yun Che's words struck Xiao Yunhai's most painful nerve like a poisoned thorn. His entire body trembled, and he roared in fury, "Xiao Yang, seize him... break his limbs!!"

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Xiao Yang had just broken through to the fourth level of the Elementary Profound Realm. He had also achieved a top-thirty ranking in today's competition and was feeling quite pleased with himself. Dealing with a 'crippled' waste with no profound veins and not even a hint of profound energy was like child's play to him.

"Heh heh..." Xiao Yang approached Yun Che with a cold smirk, casually flexing his wrist. "Xiao Che, I'm actually a little impressed with you. A waste like you, surviving alone for three years outside... and not only surviving, but also growing some guts! You actually dared to come back and provoke our Xiao Sect. Today, let your grandpa here give you a proper lesson! Last time, you walked out of the Xiao Sect; this time, I'll make you crawl out like a pathetic tortoise!"