Chapter Twenty-Two: In the End, Debts Must Be Repaid

The bearded man's gaze grew distant, as if lost in his own thoughts. Quietly, he murmured, "That year in the Blackwind Mountains, you were on the verge of death from grievous wounds. A married couple generously gave you medicine, pulling you back from the brink. Yet for the sake of a mere vermillion fruit, you betrayed them—ambushing the pair. The woman died a pitiful death on the spot, the man was left gravely wounded. Tell me, am I not supposed to recognize you?"

Upon hearing this, the man in black opened his mouth, yet seemed relieved, a sneer curling on his lips. "So what? You were all simply fools—what's it got to do with me?"

"Indeed, what's it to you? I should have watched you turn to dust long ago, yet here you are, still in my hands. Every action has its consequence; in this world, debts are always repaid." The bearded man appeared unfazed by the other's mockery, speaking in a measured tone. "Back then, I didn’t have this beard—you gave it to me. I was already at the fifth tier, a rising star of the younger generation. Because of you, only now have I reached the seventh tier. Tell me, how should I deal with you?"

The man in black bared his teeth, unrepentant. "On the Continent of Zichen, the strong prey on the weak—everyone knows it. Are you trying to lecture me about kindness and gratitude? Has a mule kicked you in the head?"

The bearded man sighed deeply. "Yes, and because of it, my wife died and I didn’t even know who my enemy was. At least today, I finally have the answer. Heaven has not utterly disappointed me. So many years wasted, more than a decade gone as if in a blink. My daughter is already so grown, but she never got to see her mother again." He gazed tenderly at his daughter by his side.

"If you want to kill me, get on with it. Spare me your pointless stories. You're just a sorry wretch yourself—couldn’t even protect your own wife, and still have the nerve to whine here." The man in black's words grew sharper, anxiety creeping into his voice. He feared the bearded man might uncover the family behind him, and so sought death.

The bearded man glanced at him, unmoved. "Care to guess how much I know about the family backing you?"

The man in black’s eyes turned icy, his face blanching as his body trembled slightly. Yet he forced a cold laugh. "What could you possibly know? Even my own family might not recognize me."

"I don’t need to. I just need to know enough. Your intentions today were never hidden from me—and I’m not the only one who knows. So tell me, is that stubborn mouth of yours any use?" The bearded man's smile was stiff, sending a chill through those who saw it—the stillness before a volcanic eruption, the calm before a storm.

Drip… drip… Cold sweat fell from the man in black’s forehead, though he seemed oblivious. The light in his eyes slowly faded. "Don’t bother, Commander Xi. Even if you know, you'll get nothing from my lips."

"It doesn't matter. I never planned to make you talk. I just want to see your expression—despairing, helpless, lost. Even if you were willing to confess, I wouldn't bother to listen. There's no need."

"Seeing the madness in your eyes, the look of utter hopelessness—it brings me a strange satisfaction. Without you, aren't there still several of your kind left on the ground? I trust they’ll be more cooperative. I’ll let them watch as you’re flayed alive—we’ll see how long their resolve lasts. What do you think, Lord Du? Do you have confidence?" The bearded man's expression grew twisted.

Yun Yufeng stood quietly behind, making no move. He understood that the uncle needed to vent—decades of hatred suddenly confronted, no one could restrain their feelings.

The man in black closed his eyes, the muscles in his cheeks twitching. When he opened them again, they were lifeless. He knew that failure in this mission was not the greatest problem—the real issue was the bearded man. The vengeance for a murdered wife would not be denied, and now that he himself had come after the man, his actions would bring disaster upon his family.

For all his cruelty, the man in black could not cut off his feelings for his kin. One mistake, and over a decade later, his family would suffer for it. When the bearded man called him Du, all hope was shattered. The words were true—he needed no answer, just the sight of his defeated state. Death he did not fear, but he dreaded implicating his wife and children.

The bearded man's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the man in black, then broke into a smile. "All these years, you’re still only at the sixth tier. That vermillion fruit—clearly, you weren’t destined to use it yourself. I suppose you gave it to your son. No, you’re not fated to have a son—even if you had one, you wouldn't waste it. So, you gave it to your daughter. Truly, a father’s love is profound."

The man in black’s face turned ashen. Even if his family escaped the consequences, his immediate kin were doomed. Had he known, he would never have acted as he did.

The bearded man, his mouth dry from talking, took a swig from his canteen, then moved to restrain the man in black, sealing his powers. He grabbed him by the belt and dragged him toward the lakeshore, kicking awake the other black-clad figures on the ground.

A piercing scream split the air by the lake. Xi Mu Yan tugged at Yun Yufeng’s sleeve, her expression fearful. She had never seen her father like this—always gentle and cheerful, bold and free-spirited.

The men lying on the ground trembled uncontrollably. With every scream, their bodies shook. By the end, they were all sprawled out, lips pale, quivering in terror.

The screams lasted a full hour before ceasing. The bearded man’s body was drenched, his clothes plastered to him, soaked in blood—he must have taken a dip in the lake. He nodded to the crowd and returned to his tent alone, needing time to compose himself and find some peace.

Yun Yufeng stood in a daze for a while before crawling back into his own tent, pulling the covers over his head for a deep sleep. Though he’d spent most of the night cultivating, his spirit was bright, but the fatigue of his body could not be fully relieved.

The next morning, the sun rose early. One by one, everyone emerged from their tents, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the morning light. Although they had plenty of provisions, the mercenaries caught a few fresh fish from the lake and made fish soup and grilled whole fish for breakfast.

Freed from the Du Clan’s pursuit, Yun Yufeng felt much more at ease. Taking advantage of the early morning before they set out, he went to the bearded man to ask about some basic cultivation principles. With a seventh-tier sovereign at hand, how could he possibly waste such an opportunity?

The bearded man answered every question without reservation. For this exceptionally gifted junior, he took pains to explain everything in detail, and Yun Yufeng benefited greatly.

Yet the bearded man couldn’t help but be surprised—many things everyone took for granted seemed entirely new to Yun Yufeng, who was utterly clueless, like a complete novice. How could a scion of a great family be so ignorant? And the cultivation method he used clearly required a matching bloodline—of that, the bearded man was certain. Could something have happened to him in the past?

Sensing the bearded man’s doubts, Yun Yufeng spoke up, "Uncle, I suppose you’re wondering why I seem to know so little?"

The bearded man did not hide his curiosity. "A little. But if you’d rather not say, I won’t press you."

Yun Yufeng smiled. "There’s nothing I can’t say. In fact, I’m rather puzzled myself—perhaps you can help me figure it out."

"Oh? Go ahead then. If someone as sharp as you doesn’t know, I can’t promise I’ll have the answer, but it can’t hurt to try."

"It’s not a matter of wit. When I woke up, I found myself lying on a branch in the sixth-tier region. I vaguely remember that before losing consciousness, I was escorting someone with my guards when we were beset by magical beasts—many of them, all sorts, as though they had a common aim. I was snatched up by a flying beast, and then I blacked out. I’m very curious as to why this happened."

The bearded man frowned deeply, pondering for a moment before asking, "Where and when were you attacked?"

Yun Yufeng lowered his head in thought. The secret of his transmigration must be kept forever—he could only offer a harmless lie, even to his uncle. "I’m not sure, but I think it was in the mountains near Weishan Town. At the time, I was only at the early second tier, and I remember little else. When I woke up, I was already heading out from the sixth-tier region of the Blackwind Mountains. It took me over a month to reach the Muzha Encampment—lucky to be alive, I suppose."

The bearded man was truly shocked. Over a month ago, Yun Yufeng was only at the early second tier, and now he could defeat fourth-tier martial adepts. He’d walked alone out of the sixth-tier region of the Blackwind Mountains—such capability was extraordinary.

He gave a wry smile. "There’s something called Beast-Luring Incense—it draws magical beasts to attack the one carrying it, for they are irresistibly attracted to its scent, overriding even their fear of natural enemies. But I can’t be certain that’s what it was. It’s said that the incense comes from the Western Desert—a boundless, deadly sea of sand. So, it’s mostly a rumor. Besides, who would carry such a thing without precautions?"

"So someone wanted me dead. But who?" Yun Yufeng’s brow furrowed. The previous wastrel’s memories offered nothing useful, and he couldn’t fathom it. He would have to return to his family, but if someone lurked in the shadows, he might never be safe.

The bearded man sighed, patted Yun Yufeng’s shoulder, and rose to get everyone ready for departure.

Shaking his head, Yun Yufeng found himself no closer to the answer. Watching the busy camp, he realized he would have to solve this mystery after returning home, and would need to be extra cautious. With vigilance, he was sure to catch a clue.

He packed up his tent, stored it in his spatial pouch, and waited quietly for the others to finish. After all, the bearded man’s mercenary group had only two or three spatial pouches; packing up for several dozen people was quite a task.

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