Chapter 69 The Pendant’s Secret

The young boy darted through the crowded streets with practiced movements.

Within moments, he disappeared into the maze of narrow alleys behind the marketplace.

After making several turns and confirming that no one seemed to be following him, he finally slowed down.

He arrived at a secluded alley hidden between two abandoned buildings.

Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

"Heh..."

"Looks like I got away again."

He sat down against the wall and emptied the contents of the cloth bag hanging from his waist.

One by one, he laid out the items he had stolen throughout the morning.

Several money pouches.

A few pieces of jewelry.

Two jade pendants.

And a handful of silver coins.

A satisfied grin spread across his face.

"Not bad."

"This should be enough for a while."

He began sorting through the stolen belongings, separating those he could sell from those that might attract unwanted attention.

Just as he reached for another pouch...

His hand paused.

A beautifully embroidered storage pouch lay among the pile.

Unlike the others, it was crafted from fine spiritual silk, with faint golden patterns woven across its surface.

It was the very pouch he had snatched from Ling Tianyou.

The boy's eyes lit up.

"This one must be worth a fortune."

The young man was still inspecting the embroidered pouch when a calm voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"Give me back my pouch."

His entire body stiffened.

He quickly turned around, only to see Ling Tianyou standing a few steps behind him.

There had been no footsteps.

No sound whatsoever.

It was as though he had appeared out of thin air.

The young man's face instantly paled as he subconsciously took several steps back.

Meanwhile, Ling Tianyou merely extended his hand.

His expression remained calm.

"My pouch."

"Return it."

The young man glanced at the pouch in his hand before looking back at Ling Tianyou.

The initial panic in his eyes gradually disappeared.

Instead, a greedy smile emerged.

"Heh."

"You want it back?"

"I don't."

His gaze swept over Ling Tianyou's elegant robes and refined appearance.

"This guy looks rich..."

"If I can rob him too, I won't have to steal for months."

The young man suddenly pulled a dagger from his waist and pointed it toward Ling Tianyou.

"Take off everything valuable."

"Your money."

"Your jewelry."

"And anything else worth selling."

"Leave them here and I'll let you go."

Ling Tianyou remained unmoved.

His outstretched hand did not waver in the slightest.

"I'll say it one last time."

"Return my pouch."

Seeing Ling Tianyou ignore his warning, the young man's expression darkened.

"You're asking for it!"

With a shout, he lunged forward, driving the dagger straight toward Ling Tianyou's chest.

To him, the young man before him was nothing more than a wealthy noble with no ability to fight back.

However...

The moment the dagger came within an inch of Ling Tianyou—

A hand effortlessly caught his wrist.

The blade stopped in midair.

No matter how hard the young man struggled, it refused to move another inch.

"W-What...?"

Before he could react, Ling Tianyou twisted his wrist.

Crack!

The dagger instantly fell to the ground.

A sharp cry of pain echoed through the alley.

With a single movement, Ling Tianyou locked the young man's arm behind his back and forced him to his knees.

The entire exchange had lasted only a breath.

The young man struggled desperately, his face twisted with anger.

"Let go of me, you bastard!"

Ling Tianyou paid him no attention.

He calmly searched the stolen pouch, making sure nothing was missing. After confirming that everything was intact, he stood up and released the young man.

Looking at him indifferently, he said,

"I've recovered my belongings."

"I'll spare your life this once."

"But if I ever catch you robbing others again..."

"I'll cut off both of your hands."

With those words, Ling Tianyou turned around and began walking away.

Hatred immediately filled the young man's eyes.

Without hesitation, he snatched up the dagger that had fallen to the ground.

"You think you can look down on me?!"

Roaring in fury, he lunged toward Ling Tianyou's back, aiming the blade directly at his neck.

A cold flash streaked across the alley.

Slash!

Before the young man could even comprehend what had happened, the dagger slipped from his grasp.

It fell to the ground...

Still clutched by two severed hands.

For a brief moment, he stood there in stunned silence.

Then—

"AAAAAHHHH!!"

A heart-rending scream echoed throughout the alley.

Blood poured from both of his wrists as he collapsed to the ground, writhing in unbearable agony.

Ling Tianyou slowly turned around.

His expression remained as calm as ever.

"I warned you."

"You chose to ignore it."

The young man glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"You damned bastard!"

"I'll curse your entire family!"

He continued hurling vulgar insults without restraint.

Ling Tianyou's gaze gradually turned colder.

He slowly stepped forward and reached out.

His hand closed around the young man's throat, effortlessly lifting him into the air.

The young man clawed frantically at Ling Tianyou's arm, his face turning pale from suffocation.

Ling Tianyou's expression did not change.

He had already given the boy a chance to leave.

Instead, the boy had attempted to murder him.

Under the laws of the cultivation world, this was nothing more than self-defense.

Just then...

Something slipped from inside the young man's tattered clothes.

A pendant.

Ling Tianyou's eyes narrowed.

He released the young man just enough to pick it up.

The moment he examined it closely, his expression darkened.

"This..."

He recognized the emblem engraved upon the pendant.

In one swift motion, he grabbed the young man by the throat once again.

"Where did you get this?"

His voice was colder than ice.

The young man coughed violently and felt as though death itself was staring into his soul.

He completely misunderstood the situation.

"T-Please!"

"D-Don't kill me!"

"I'll tell you everything!"

"This pendant..."

"My boss gave it to me as a reward!"

"I swear I'm telling the truth!"

Ling Tianyou stared coldly into the thief's frightened eyes.

"Where is your boss?"

The young man's entire body trembled.

He could no longer feel the pain from losing his hands.

All that remained was fear.

"H-He..."

"He lives in an abandoned house..."

"In the slums on the eastern side of the capital."

"I-I've told you everything!"

"Please... spare me!"

"I swear I'll never steal again!"

Ling Tianyou remained silent.

He carefully observed the young man's expression, confirming that he was telling the truth.

After a brief pause, he slowly nodded.

"I see."

Hope immediately appeared on the young man's face.

He thought he had survived.

"Thank you! Thank you! I—"

Before he could finish speaking.

Crack.

Ling Tianyou twisted his neck without hesitation.

The young man's body instantly went limp before collapsing onto the cold ground.

Ling Tianyou looked down at the lifeless corpse with an indifferent expression.

"I already gave you one chance."

"You repaid it by attempting to kill me."

He calmly stored the pendant inside his robe.

"If I let you live..."

"You would only continue harming innocent people."

"Perhaps even take another life."

His voice was emotionless.

"People like you rarely change."

Without another glance at the corpse, Ling Tianyou turned toward the eastern district of the capital.

The abandoned house in the slums...

If the thief had been telling the truth...

Then the person who gave him the pendant was waiting there.

And Ling Tianyou intended to find out exactly how that pendant had ended up in someone else's hands.

. . .

At the same time.

Inside the quiet cultivation chamber beneath Cloud Ascension Peak, Zan Yunxiao slowly opened his eyes.

A profound aura silently spread through the chamber before gradually receding back into his body. The spiritual energy surrounding him flowed peacefully, as if naturally submitting to his presence.

Without delay, he summoned the system interface.

[Name: Zan Yunxiao

Cultivation Level: 7th Soul Transformation Realm

Cultivation Technique: Zan Heaven Veiling Scripture

Age: 284 / 6,800

Physique: Clear Spirit Physique

Item: Heaven Moonveil Sword

Offensive Techniques:

• Moonveil Severing Sword Art

• Sun Extinguishing Divine Finger

Defensive Technique:

• Star Thread Reflection ]

Looking at the familiar panel, a faint smile appeared on Zan Yunxiao's face.

A century of uninterrupted cultivation had raised his strength by several minor realms.

Although the progress seemed slow compared to his earlier breakthroughs, Zan Yunxiao understood that the higher one's cultivation became, the more difficult every advancement was.

Reaching the 7th Soul Transformation Realm was already an extraordinary achievement by any standard.

He slowly rose to his feet.

His bones emitted a series of soft crackling sounds as he stretched his body after remaining seated for a hundred years.

"It has been a while..."

With a wave of his sleeve, the stone door of the cultivation chamber rumbled open.

Bright sunlight poured into the chamber.

Zan Yunxiao stepped outside and inhaled the fresh mountain air.

The cool breeze brushed against his robes as he walked to the edge of Cloud Ascension Peak.

From the summit, the entire Zan Clan spread out beneath him.

Just then, soft footsteps echoed behind him.

"Husband."

A gentle and familiar voice broke the silence.

Zan Yunxiao turned around.

Standing a short distance away were his two wives.

Xueyun was dressed in a graceful white robe, her long black hair swaying gently in the mountain breeze. Beside her stood Jin Feixue in elegant crimson robes, her calm eyes carrying the same warmth they had always held whenever she looked at him.

Both women wore gentle smiles.

It had been a century since Zan Yunxiao entered seclusion.

Although cultivators could endure such separations, seeing him emerge safely still brought joy to their hearts.

"You've finally come out."

Xueyun walked over first, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

"We were beginning to wonder if you planned to cultivate for another hundred years."

Jin Feixue chuckled softly.

"If that had happened, we'd probably have to drag you out ourselves."

Hearing their playful complaints, Zan Yunxiao smiled helplessly.

"I didn't expect a hundred years to pass so quickly."

His gaze softened as he looked at the two women.

"Have I made you worry?"

Xueyun gently shook her head.

"As long as you returned safely..."

"...that's enough for us."

For a brief moment, the three simply stood together atop Cloud Ascension Peak, quietly enjoying the peaceful scenery before them.

The gentle mountain breeze carried the fragrance of flowers through the air, making the tranquil moment feel even more precious after a century apart.