Chapter 43 A Frustrating Way to Die

Chapter 43 A Frustrating Way to Die

Chen Mujian stared at the jade tablet, his eyes flashing with light.

He lived in an orphanage as long as he could remember, wearing tattered clothes and eating thin porridge. Fortunately, the adults were not bad-natured, and he grew up bumping along like that.

At the age of six, he consciously took the jade pendant to search for his relatives. Especially on market days when there were many people, he would stay there all day. Once, he was targeted by a beggar and was almost knocked unconscious and taken away by the other party.

He shouted to the crowd, "This is a flower-picking game!"

Pai Huazi, on the contrary, claimed that he was the father and had a little argument with the child, asking everyone to leave it alone. This man had a fierce look on his face and spoke in a gruff voice, which made everyone somewhat intimidated.

In a moment of quick thinking, Chen Mujian grabbed a hairpin from the stall and smashed it on the ground. The jade flower on it shattered into several pieces. Seeing that the hairpin was ruined, the stall owner stopped Chen Mujian and demanded that he pay for it.

The stall owner was tall and strong, and wasn't afraid of being photographed.

The beggar had no choice but to pay up, but he was furious and thought about taking the cunning boy back and beating him until he was broken.

Although Chen Mujian was young, he was not simple-minded. Knowing that the beggar had no good idea, he waved his hand and deliberately scattered the delicate and fragile ornaments on the stall.

The man had already paid the money to buy the goods, but when he saw this scene, his face turned green. He hadn't been sold and had instead lost twenty coins. He immediately ran away.

Unfortunately, the beggar couldn't escape and was dragged to the yamen by everyone. No matter what, beggars are always someone that everyone wants to beat up.

Chen Mujian owed the stall owner an immeasurable amount of money. He didn't intend to default on the debt, but he was young and didn't know how long it would take to pay it off.

He also wants to find his family.

At this moment, an immortal descended from the sky, praising him for his cleverness and intelligence. He took out a disc to test whether he possessed "spiritual roots." Fortunately, he was found to have "spiritual roots" and followed the immortal to the White Jade Sect, where he began his path of cultivation.

As for the money he owed the stall owner, the immortal had already paid it off for him.

He loved the White Jade Sect and his fellow disciples. Unfortunately, when he was seventeen, the sect leader and several elders were attacked by unknown assailants and suddenly perished, leaving behind a whole sect of disciples without protection.

Other sects coveted the cultivation resources of the White Jade Sect and attacked. He and his followers were powerless to resist, and in the end, the sect's protective formation was broken. The disciples who were willing to be incorporated were recruited, while those who were unwilling to stay left.

Chen Mujian was one of those who chose to leave.

He knew the cruelty of the cultivation world; sects that showed weakness would eventually be targeted by powerful sects. But even though he thought that, he had already developed feelings for the White Jade Sect. Watching it disappear into history filled him with indescribable sorrow.

At that time, the immortal who brought him into the White Jade Sect had already perished during an outing.

Chen Mujian returned to the town where he grew up, and asked people in the surrounding villages about the jade tablet, but he still couldn't find any clues. The jade tablet was just ordinary jade, with nothing special about it, and the regular script on it was only a bit messy and didn't reveal much.

Chen Mujian gave up on his thoughts and packed his bags to find a reliable major sect, because a major sect wouldn't collapse suddenly like the White Jade Sect. More importantly, he didn't want to experience the pain of separation again.

The sect I admire is the Wendao Sect.

After arriving here, Chen Mujian stayed for decades, built his own career, and found love. For the rest of his life, he will continue to stay, build a family, and contribute his value.

But he never expected that just when he had completely given up on finding out about his past, he would suddenly learn about his origins. It turned out that he was not an orphan, and that he had loving parents who had unfortunately died.

Chen Mujian subconsciously stroked the jade pendant; the rough jade material had become incredibly smooth over the years.

The Chen family, a family renowned for cultivating immortality.

There are no cultivation families with the surname Chen near Wendao Sect. They should be in the direction of the town where I lived as a child. If you search the entire area within a radius of 100,000 li, you should be able to find them.

But... that voice said his identity was stolen and he would die in a stinking ditch. Could it be that the Chen family already has someone named Chen Mujian?

Chen Mujian clenched the jade pendant in his hand. At that moment, a soft hand covered his large palm, and the touch made his heart tremble.

"Mu Jian?" Nangong Wen asked softly.

Chen Mujian held her hand tightly for a long time.

Nangong Wen remained silent, quietly keeping him company. During their time together, she often saw him stroking the jade pendant around his neck, sometimes unconsciously, and sometimes with a look of disappointment.

At that time, she knew that he still longed for family affection.

The current head of the Chen family has three sons.

The eldest son is exceptionally talented, sensible, polite, and ruthless. He has always been groomed as the successor and married a woman from another cultivation family. They had only one son, Chen Mujian.

The second and third sons had far more offspring than the eldest son. After all, the eldest son died young shortly after his marriage, and his wife also passed away. Only their "children" returned to the family.

[Oh my god! If he's really your grandson, then acknowledge him! It makes me so angry. My real grandson was eating thin porridge and pickled vegetables in the orphanage and was malnourished at six years old, while this imposter is being raised to be plump and healthy. You must be blind!]

People can laugh when they're speechless.

Lou Yuqing then revealed a smile, a forced and unsettling one. The disciples, upon seeing it, dared not look at it a second time.

Chen Mujian's eyes dimmed slightly, then returned to normal. If Nangong Wen hadn't been so close to him, she probably wouldn't have noticed his little mood.

She felt very sorry for this man.

From the moment they met until now, he has always been her support and pillar. Now, she also wants to be his support, and she says softly, "Mu Jian, lean on me."

Chen Mujian gazed deeply at her, then slowly and carefully leaned against his beloved's side. The warmth from their physical contact reminded him that he, too, was loved.

Si Nidie understood. Since they couldn't find the real Chen Mujian, they brought back a fake baby to fool him. Grandpa Chen didn't notice anything amiss and doted on this fake grandson.

Who on earth did such a despicable thing!

As Lou Yuqing's inner thoughts resonated, the answer was quickly revealed.

[As expected, family members understand each other best; when they stab each other, it's precise and deadly.]

Everyone was shocked; it was the Chen family who did it!

[Years ago, Chen Laoda and his wife were on their way home from a spring outing in the suburbs when they were pursued and killed by a powerful enemy. Only their son escaped.]

[When Old Master Chen realized his eldest son hadn't returned home for a long time, his eyelids twitched. He sent his second and third sons to look for him. In the end, it was Chen's second son who found the bodies of Chen's eldest son and the others, and brought back "Chen Mujian".]

Upon hearing this, Si Nidie rolled her eyes.

Damn it, this shameless old man did it all. He even dared to fake his own brother's child just to curry favor with Old Master Chen. This brotherhood is too fragile.

Doesn't he know how difficult life would be for the real Chen Mujian without the protection of the Chen family? He might die from a slight breeze or fever.

Chen Mujian's gaze sharpened. He was thinking more deeply than Si Nidie. Since Chen Lao Er dared to do such a thing, did it mean that he was certain he couldn't go back?

Who could be so certain? Only the murderer.

Thinking of this possibility, Chen Mujian's eyes darkened. His second uncle was obviously very suspicious!

The next moment, Lou Yuqing's inner thoughts confirmed his guess.

Chen Lao Er was only born a year after Chen Lao Da, but that one year difference made a big difference. His elder brother was able to become their father's heir, while he was excluded.

As he grew older, Chen Lao Er's emotions intensified; he truly wanted to replace his eldest brother and become the helmsman who could lead the family forward in the eyes of their father and the family.

He pondered this repeatedly, day and night, and finally, during a conflict between the brothers, because their father sided with the eldest brother, Chen Lao Er made up his mind.

[Oh my god, ugly people always cause trouble! That magic weapon was a reward from Old Master Chen for your brother doing a good job. What reason do you have to fight for it? With that round face of yours?]

Lou Yuqing simply couldn't hold back her words.

[I've fought with your older brother a lot for cultivation resources in the past, and I never realized how shameless some people can be, acting like they can't understand human language.]

[Old Master Chen was speechless. It would have been better to get rid of this scumbag son sooner rather than later, so that his eldest son wouldn't have been forced to go back to the cycle of reincarnation. He finally managed to leave behind a descendant, only to have it ruined again.]

What's the point of killing that bandit? The magical traces on your eldest son's body were all faked by your second son. If you really want revenge, you'll have to go after that scumbag son of yours.

Chen Mujian felt a surge of anger just listening to it.

His father and mother, whom he had never met, died at the hands of so-called relatives, and afterwards they did not receive true justice. If they knew this in the afterlife, they would surely die with their eyes wide open in disbelief.

If Old Master Chen knew the truth, would he kill his second son with his own hands to seek justice for his eldest son who had been dead for decades?

He was unsure of the outcome, as both sides of his heart were equally precious to him.

Fortunately, Chen Mujian never had the habit of placing his hopes on others. He would take revenge for his parents' death once he had enough strength!

The Chen family is not his home!

[And that fake Chen Mujian, damn it, he was actually raised by Chen Lao Er's mistress, which means that before he got married, he had a child who was even older than Chen Mujian.]

To bridge the age gap between the two children, Chen Lao Er deliberately waited a few days, pretending that the children had grown up, before bringing his mistress back home.

[Old Master Chen was so focused on the fact that this was the only bloodline left by his eldest son that he believed Chen the second son's explanation. However, if a blood test were used, it wouldn't reveal anything, since this illegitimate son was also his own grandson.]

Everyone: "..."

Speechless.

Today has truly broadened my horizons.

Later, Chen Mujian went out to search for the missing Nangong Wen and happened to bump into Chen Lao Er on the street. Chen Lao Er saw his face and noticed that he looked seven or eight parts like Chen Lao Da.

[Chen Lao Er, feeling guilty, dared not let him stay in the city any longer, fearing he would run into the old man. He immediately decided to kill him and ordered a group of men to lie in ambush, ready to strike after Chen Mu Jian left the city.]

Nangong Wen's heart tightened; he was somewhat afraid to hear about his partner's fate. He had only come out to search for his missing self; how could he be so unlucky...?

Wait, she's gone missing?!

[The enemy was in the dark while we were in the light. Chen Mujian was stabbed squarely by a sword. The sword had been insidiously smeared with poison, and the wound was a shocking black. His life force rapidly diminished.]

At this moment, Chen Lao Er swaggered out and smugly told Chen Mujian the truth, displaying an arrogant and conceited demeanor.

Si Nidie scoffed coldly, "Utterly shameless!"

Chen Mujian himself was much calmer. He knew that he couldn't just sit and wait for his death.

Sure enough, the next moment.

Lou Yuqing changed the subject.

[Heh heh, Chen Lao Er, you laugh at him for being kept in the dark, he laughs at you for being about to die.]

[While you were rambling on, Chen Mujian bought some time to neutralize some of the poison. He then used his spiritual power to launch a surprise attack. Before you could even finish speaking, you were dead.]

This tells us that villains die from talking too much!

Chen Mujian repeated the phrase "villains die from talking too much," and then suddenly laughed out loud. Indeed, Chen Lao Er died because of his nonsense.

He thought he had victory in his grasp, but he still ended up dead.

The only point that Chen Lao Er overlooked was that he was a disciple of the Wendao Sect, and his skills were far beyond those of ordinary cultivators. Therefore, he was caught off guard and ended up in trouble.

Even knowing that he ultimately failed to escape the pursuit and died in the siege, Chen Mujian was not sad. Human strength has its limits, and at least he took away the real culprit who killed his parents.

In reality, none of this happened.

With the offensive and defensive positions reversed and the enemy now in the open while Chen Mujian remained in the shadows, the difficulty of killing Chen Lao Er, the mastermind, and his accomplices who were committing evil deeds, suddenly plummeted.

The moment Chen Mujian fell, the soul lamps burning within the sect suddenly went out, along with Nangong Wen's soul lamp.

Chen Mujian was pondering the future when he suddenly heard this devastating news. He gripped his lover's hand tightly and whispered in fear, "Wen'er..."

He could accept his own death, but he couldn't accept his lover meeting the same fate. She was so young, and she had a younger sister to support...

He could almost foresee how many people would bully Ying'er, both openly and secretly, after losing their protection. She wouldn't lose her life, but she certainly wouldn't be comfortable.

Seeing the man's panicked and helpless appearance, Nangong Wen grasped his hand and comforted him, "I'm here, I'm fine. Look at you, I'm not even hurt, why are you panicking first?"

Nangong Ying glanced at Chen Mujian, then lowered her head, letting her long hair cover her face.

Chen Mujian murmured, "I can't help but panic."

Fate had enough of targeting him alone; why did it have to torment his lover as well?

Junior Sister Lou said that someone tried to force Wen'er to marry him. Wen'er and he were deeply in love, so she would never agree to it. Presumably, this person was so angry that he killed Wen'er.

Thinking of this, Chen Mujian's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and a strong killing intent spread out. Such scum does not deserve to live in this world!

The temperature in the main hall plummeted, and everyone felt the chill and couldn't help but shiver.

[What era are we living in that we still resort to such extortionate tactics? That's right, I'm talking about you, the young master of Tianxing City, Beitang Lechen!]

Nangong Wen paused, realizing it was him.

Although you and Nangong Wen were engaged, that engagement was dissolved long ago when the Nangong family suffered a severe blow and fell into decline!

What? !

Chen Mujian's killing intent suddenly froze, and he cautiously asked, "Wen'er, were you and this Beitang Chen once engaged?"

Seeing his pitiful expression, Nangong Wen couldn't stand it anymore and explained, "I have nothing to do with him anymore. We just played together for a while when we were kids. He always liked to pull my braids. I don't have any feelings for him at all."

Hearing this, Chen Mujian felt extremely jealous. This person and Wen'er had a childhood friendship. When he met Wen'er, he was already a grown man. Humph.

Chen Mujian snuggled closer to Nangong Wen, clinging to his lover in a coquettish manner, and said in a muffled voice, "The past is the past, but now you're mine."

Nangong Wen was both amused and exasperated. This man was usually mature and composed, and it was rare to see him act so childishly. So she went along with him and said, "Okay, okay, I'm yours, and you're mine too."

Chen Mujian's heart felt as if it were soaking in a hot spring, warm and cozy.

Nangong Wen firmly rejected Beitang Lechen's advances, making it clear that she already had a lover and demanding that he let her go. However, Beitang Lechen was persistent and kept her locked up for a full half month.

[What the hell? This is illegal imprisonment!]

[During this time, Beitang Lechen got drunk and broke into Nangong Wen's room, attempting to force himself on her, but was woken up by Nangong Wen slapping him.]

【Well done! This shameless bastard, he just doesn't like her, yet he forces himself on her. How did the City Lord of Tianxing City raise his son! Bah!】

Lou Yuqing spat several times.

The smile on Chen Mujian's face gradually disappeared, and the dissipating killing intent began to gather again.

Nangong Wen frowned uncomfortably; this person's character was getting worse as he grew older.

Nangong Wen's spiritual power was locked by Beitang Lechen's Spirit Sealing Ring. Fortunately, her protective magic weapon had developed sentience; otherwise, the outcome would have been truly unpredictable.

After leaving the city lord's mansion, Nangong Wen wanted to contact her Daoist partner to let him know she was safe, but unfortunately Chen Mujian was being chased by Chen Lao Er's men and was unable to respond to her message.

[After being locked by the Spirit Sealing Ring, the speed at which her spiritual power recovered was affected, and Nangong Wen needs some time to adjust her physical condition.]

[It was precisely because of this time difference that Nangong Wen was approached by the mission target. Seeing that she was in a weakened state, the target engaged her in battle, ultimately resulting in mutual destruction.]

Nangong Wen: "..."

[Given Nangong Wen's cultivation level and abilities, dealing with this shouldn't have been difficult. Besides, the target had already been severely injured by her; he had only escaped into Tianxing City, so finding him would have been a bit of a hassle.]

Unexpectedly, Beitang Lechen appeared out of nowhere, using the excuse that the City Lord's Mansion could help, and brought Nangong Wen to his home. However, he changed his mind and didn't mention the matter again, but instead confessed his feelings for her.

[They rejected my confession and then imprisoned me?!]

Lou Yuqing: Are you alright, you idiot!

Nangong Wen is doing a mission, what are you doing!

Nangong Wen: "..."

She didn't know what to say either.

She was actually caught off guard by Beitang Lechen's delay, allowing the mission target to seize the opportunity and kill her?!

What a pathetic way to die!