Chapter 239: Hatred


    Liu Dajin muttered to himself, his face twisted with anger, almost on the verge of shouting. "The hatred of killing one''s own child, an irreconcble enmity. I swear not to be human until this vengeance is avenged."


    Liu Dajin held the highest cultivation base within the Liu Family, but he had always been selfish, disregarding the greater good and acting recklessly. As a result, the higher-ups in the family were rather disapproving of him. Despite possessing a Cultivation Base at thete stage of Foundation Building, he was still just an ordinary elder. The key positions, such as the family head and the grand elder, were far beyond his reach.


    In a cultivation family like the Liu Family, which had a legacy spanning hundreds of years, there were established rules that couldn''t be ignored merely by virtue of a high Cultivation Base. Unless one could form a Gold Core, they would always be bound by the family rules.


    As the oldest cultivator in the Liu Family, Liu Dajin didn''t have many years left to live. His ambitious and promising son was killed by Meng Zhang''s hands, and consumed by hatred, he vowed to exact revenge at any cost.


    Meng Zhang had never set foot in the Liu Family''s territory before. Liu Dajin, who had to suppress the chill within him, couldn''t leave the Liu Family''s gate for long periods. But now, Meng Zhang had taken the initiative to enter their territory to deal with the sand monsters. For Liu Dajin, it was an opportune moment for him to personally avenge his son.


    As the sky gradually darkened, Liu Dajin used the cover of night to stealthily leave the Liu Family''s gate and head in the direction of Meng Zhang.


    ording to the rules of the Flying Swan Sect, during the operation to subdue the sand monsters, all Human n cultivators should put aside their past grievances and focus all their efforts on dealing with the sand monsters. Anyone who dared to cause internal strife during this time would be severely punished by the Flying Swan Sect.


    Liu Dajin knew that his actions wouldn''t receive support from the family head, Liu Dahai, and if his actions were exposed, not only would he face severe punishment from the Flying Swan Sect, but the entire Liu Family would also be implicated. But blinded by hatred, he no longer cared about these consequences. Personal gains and losses, as well as the interests of the family, were all cast aside as he was single-mindedly determined to kill Meng Zhang.


    While Liu Dajin set out to find Meng Zhang, aboard the flying boat of the Golden de Sect, another conflict was unfolding.


    In the cabin of the Second Rank flying boat of the Golden de Sect, all disciples were currently ordered out by Ruan Dadao. Inside, only Ruan Dadao and two strangers remained, engaged in an unyielding argument.


    These two unfamiliar cultivators were the ones who had ambushed Jin Qigu and Jin Qiao''er from the Yellow Lotus Sect.


    Both of them were distant cousins, named Hong Wei and Hong Feng. Like Zhang Ke, who had died at the hands of Meng Zhang, they were Foundation Building stage cultivators from the Yellow Lotus Sect''s East River Branch.


    Several years ago, members of the Qiaoshou Sect and other sects had gone to Great Wind City for trade. Jin Qiao''er, who was touring Great Wind City, caught the eye of an important figure from the Yellow Lotus Sect, who intended to take her away. However, the n was thwarted by patrolling cultivators from Great Wind City, and the Qiaoshou Sect and others managed to escape and return to the Endless Sea of Sand.


    Of course, afterward, that important figure easily learned the identities and backgrounds of Jin Qiao''er and the others. The Endless Sea of Sand belonged to the Flying Swan Sect, and there had been a deep-seated enmity between Flying Swan Sect and Yellow Lotus Sect''s East River Branch for hundreds of years. Even that important figure didn''t dare to act rashly within Flying Swan Sect''s territory.


    Later, when the Endless Sea of Sand erupted with the sand monster turmoil, most of the manpower from Flying Swan Sect got involved in dealing with it. It was then that the important figure sent Hong Feng and the other two to the Endless Sea of Sand, intending to capture Jin Qiao''er.


    Hong Feng and his twopanions had a hard timeing to the Endless Sea of Sand, and they were not willing to simplyplete their mission. They pooled their resources, borrowed from various sources, and finally gathered arge amount of spirit stones to purchase a substantial amount of goods, intending to trade them in the Endless Sea of Sand. The Flying Swan Sect was engaged in a fierce battle with sand monsters, and they had a great demand for various war-rted supplies.


    Carefully selecting items that could not directly enhance thebat power of Flying Swan Sect cultivators but were urgently needed by them, like a hundred wooden kites, was an excellent example. Hong Feng, Hong Wei, and Zhang Ke purchased the goods and stored them in Zhang Ke''s magic tool for transportation.


    Through an intermediary, they contacted Ruan Dadao of the Golden de Sect and, at a price, obtained his support in intelligence gathering. While they were preparing to go to the Firewell Market to sell their goods, they coincidentally received a message from Ruan Dadao that Jin Qiao''er would appear there.


    Abandoning their ns to prioritize their mission, they sessfully ambushed Jin Qiao''er''s flying vessel. However, just when they were about to seed, Taiyi Sect''s Sect Master, Meng Zhang, suddenly intervened. Meng Zhang not only disrupted their mission but also killed Zhang Ke, took away the goods and his personal belongings.


    Hong Feng and Hong Wei held a deep grudge against the meddlesome Meng Zhang. After the incident was exposed, Flying Swan Sect dispatched cultivators to search for the whereabouts of the Yellow Lotus Sect members. For the past two years, Hong Feng and Hong Wei had been constantly evading pursuit by Flying Swan Sect cultivators, and their escape would not have been possible if Flying Swan Sect hadn''t been preupied with the sand monsters.


    Amidst the chaos of the sand monster outbreak, Forest Spring Watch summoned vassal sects to join the battle. Hong Feng and Hong Wei took this opportunity toe to Ruan Dadao and requested his help in diverting the attention of Aunt Jin and Jin Qigu, so they could capture Jin Qiao''er.


    However, Ruan Dadao firmly refused their request. Unwilling to give up, Hong Feng and Hong Wei persisted in their pleas, which made Ruan Dadao both angry and regretful of his past decisions. While Qiaoshou Sect and Golden de Sect had been allies for many years, Qiaoshou Sect had been thriving, with Aunt Jin and Jin Qigu sessfully reaching the Foundation Building stage. In contrast, Ruan Yuan, whom Ruan Dadao had high hopes for, failed to achieve Foundation Building.


    Moreover, Qiaoshou Sect produced a talented disciple like Jin Qiao''er, further overshadowing Golden de Sect. As a long-time ally of Qiaoshou Sect, Ruan Dadao knew many hidden facts that Qiaoshou Sect deliberately concealed and understood how exceptional Jin Qiao''er was. He truly envied her potential.


    If Jin Qiao''er grew to her full potential, Golden de Sect would no longer maintain an equal position in front of Qiaoshou Sect. In the worst-case scenario, Golden de Sect might end up being a mere follower andckey of Qiaoshou Sect. As a proud individual, Ruan Dadao couldn''t ept being suppressed by a group of female cultivators.


    Thus, when the Yellow Lotus Sect cultivators approached him through an intermediary, offering him benefits in exchange for information about Jin Qiao''er, he readily agreed. He never anticipated that the three Yellow Lotus Sect Foundation Building cultivators would all fail in their attempts. Afterwards, Ruan Dadao lived in constant fear, worried that Flying Swan Sect cultivators might track him down and implicate him for coborating with Yellow Lotus Sect.


    Now, two Yellow Lotus Sect members approached him once again, seeking his assistance. If Ruan Dadao were to betray his allies during the sand monster siege, once his actions were exposed, not only he but even Golden de Sect could face the danger of annihtion. Despite Hong Feng and Hong Wei''s persuasions, Ruan Dadao refused to budge, resolutely declining to help.


    [Read at /maxnkoga , without ads and support the work.]