Chapter 1773: Four Seasons (I)

His gaze may have been discreet, but how could Ning Wan fail to notice it?

The enmity between the Ning Family and the Situ Family was far from some ordinary grudge! The hatred between Ning Tiaoxiao and Situ Tang ran as deep as the Eastern Sea and could never be resolved, while the feud between Ning Tiaoxiao and Situ Huo himself was even more irreconcilable. No wonder Ning Wan had gone pale!

Situ Tang had seized whatever he pleased by force, without the slightest consideration for his juniors and leaving Situ Huo saddled with a monstrous blood feud. Situ Huo had been clever enough to hide from place to place across the sea, and yet had fared better than Situ Nu, who had been caught between the two sects. Situ Nu once even had his dharma body shattered by Chi Wei as he was nearly beaten to death on the spot!

Yet just when Situ Huo had finally endured long enough to see better days, Daoist Master Yuansu had still chosen to take out his anger on him before his death!

That battle had cost him an arm and left him in an utterly wretched state. How could a man like Situ Huo possibly forget such a grudge?

Thus, while Ning Wan’s gaze was still and quiet, her heart was ice-cold.

The long-burning feud between her family's Daoist Master Yuansu, Ning Tiaoxiao, and the Situ Family had been unavoidable from the beginning. Although Ning Wan had been in seclusion when Ning Tiaoxiao perished, she was still well aware of much of what had happened.

Back then, with the great war in the north about to begin, that lord knew he did not have long to live and specifically went after Situ Huo one last time... Unfortunately, even that final attempt ultimately ended in failure.

Ning Tiaoxiao’s fame in life had been eclipsed only by the infamy of his sharp tongue. His abilities were extremely formidable. He had relied on his profound mastery of arts and Dao conduct, together with [Spring's Echo], which was both a Body Divine Ability and a Fate Divine Ability, to beat countless petty foes into submission.

Compared with Situ Huo, who had been forced into exile overseas, the two had once been worlds apart. Yet Ning Wan knew very well that in his later years, his will had begun to exceed his strength.

A disparity in divine abilities can never truly be erased. Sometimes, possessing even one more divine ability is enough to determine victory or defeat. It was only because that lord was exceptionally gifted that he could make up the difference through his own Dao conduct... But as the other Daoist Masters accumulated more divine abilities, that gap was inevitably narrowed little by little, until they could even begin to suppress him.

Ning Tiaoxiao must have prepared exhaustively for that final battle, but he had never expected Situ Huo to have condensed a third divine ability. Thus, even though Ning Tiaoxiao still beat him as though disciplining a grandson, he ultimately no longer had any chance to take Situ Huo's life.

It must have been a bitter feeling, watching countless mediocrities whose innate ability fell short of his own, and even some descendants of his enemies, gradually catch up and eventually surpass him. At least, whenever Ning Wan thought of it, sorrow welled up in her heart.

I heard that the lord had become increasingly obstinate in his later years. He must have realized that this great threat could no longer be eliminated... If the Ning Family cannot place itself under the protection of the Chi Family, we may very well face extermination...

Ning Tiaoxiao had left no children of his own. In truth, Ning Wan already felt that this elder of hers had done more than enough. Thus, now that she stood before Situ Huo, she did not regard this feud as some poisonous legacy of her predecessor. Rather, she met Situ’s gaze with one that was equal parts ice and ferocity.

A homeless cur...

Situ Huo met her gaze for a moment. He was unsurprised and even seemed to understand, slowly withdrawing his eyes as his heart remained calm as still water.

Not surprising. Ning Tiaoxiao should have a junior like this!

Even so, he still did not take this woman seriously. His gaze returned to the [Might-Proclaiming Jade Tally] in his hand. As Situ Huo continued to meticulously examine the token shaped like a short blade, a blazing fire of desire kindled deep within his eyes.

Yet, despite the crisis having clearly been resolved, not a sound came from the Great Song side. All wounded in some way or another, their expressions varied as they silently exchanged glances with one another.

Only Lingu Lanying, whose spirit embryo had been taken from her, remained unwilling to accept the outcome. She stepped forward, glanced at Situ Huo, and then at Tinglan, who stood with lowered eyes in silence. In the end, she could only shake her head and frown as she watched the cultivators depart.

Situ Huo returned the immortal decree, and his aged hand abruptly tightened around the jade blade.

He cultivated [Engraved Stone], a dharma body divine ability that ranked among the more formidable even within the Purple Mansion Realm. Yet although the [Might-Proclaiming Jade Tally] was never meant for hacking or slashing, it effortlessly cut open his palm. Thick blood resembling molten gold flowed down along its edge inch by inch, dripping into the air and transforming into surging water and fire, as the tally dimmed and brightened.

Good...

The treasure flickered three times in midair, faintly showing signs that it might break free and escape. Finally, it was suppressed by the immortal decree and descended onto him, whereupon it was subdued.

The old man turned around and said calmly, "I am Situ Huo. I have been undeservedly appointed Huai-Pacifying General, while also serving as Military Commissioner of Golden Tang. Everyone... I look forward to your guidance in the days ahead."

The night sky remained silent. A gleaming jade sword slid back into its sheath, stirring up a hazy veil of white mist. The white-robed Daoist Master, dressed with carefree elegance and standing with his sword in his arms, gave a derisive laugh.

"Looks like the old bastard no longer has to live as a homeless cur!"

It was none other than Daoist Master Zhusheng, who had fought Gongsun Bei with all his might and preserved the overall situation! He showed not the slightest fear, merely sneering as he swept his sleeve and departed, leaving only his icy words echoing through the air.

Those words plunged everyone into another bout of silence, but Situ Huo smiled with considerable satisfaction, as though pondering something.

He took a step forward, swept his gaze around the group, and said leisurely, "It seems Fellow Daoist Liu still remembers old grudges. That's rather petty of him." ℴ

Tinglan found the remark almost impossible to respond to and cursed inwardly, Petty? How could he possibly be magnanimous about this? Situ Tang wiped out an entire surviving Chu branch of the Liu Family... The Liu Family descendants of Chu State who died at his hands could be piled up into a mountain... There is probably no small amount of their blood qi inside the [Blood Fiend Tower]!

And yet none of this stopped Situ Huo from sweeping his aged gaze around before letting it settle on Ning Wan's face.

"So you are Fellow Daoist Yuansu's junior... Rare indeed... rare indeed..."

Ning Wan's complexion had already recovered considerably, though her expression remained cold and severe. She simply held her sword in her arms without saying a word.

Situ Huo suddenly laughed and said, "Daoist Master Yuansu gave me plenty of guidance while he was alive. Now that the man himself is gone, only..."

He wore the expression of someone who did not know her name and glanced around. Xianyao alone stepped forward and had just raised his sleeve when Lingu Lanying spoke first in a soft voice, "This is Fairy Qiuhu, Ning Wan."

Situ Huo's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled. "So you are Ning Wan!"

Tinglan, standing nearby, also looked displeased. This Daoist Master of the Golden Tang Gate truly had terrible relationships with the others. Across all of Jiangnan, especially among the cultivators represented by the Supreme Yang Dao lineage, there were probably very few who were on friendly terms with Golden Tang Gate. How could she possibly be pleased?

The bloody turmoil of the Golden Tang Gate was the result of dealings between the Azure Pond Sect and the Golden Feather Sect. At its root, however, it was a reflection of the terrible relations between the children of Situ Tang. There was no shortage of vicious and treacherous figures among them. Situ Huo was one of the foremost, and only more cautious than the rest... This is troublesome...

Just then, an elderly Daoist Master emerged from among them. Dressed in a glazed ramie robe and wearing a smile, he cupped his hands in greeting, hurriedly changing the subject as he said, "Congratulations, fellow Daoist!"

This elderly Daoist Master was none other than Daoist Master Xianyao of Guoling Peak. The two even seemed to share some measure of friendship.

Situ Huo leisurely returned the greeting, then turned to the others. "Everyone, please remain and guard Yufu. I am heading to Mount Tangdao to report back."

Ning Wan raised her head as though suddenly realizing something.

Tinglan's expression grew complicated, and she hurried forward to separate the two, explaining quietly, "Lord Yang has already... captured Mount Tangdao! I am heading there now to report back."

She rose upon a purple cloud and escaped into the great void. However, after flying a short distance, she turned her head. In the end, she could not simply ignore the matter.

She said softly, "The north is powerful now, and both senior and Wan'er serve Great Song. Many of the old grudges stemmed from Situ Tang, so I hope senior can let them go... It would not be good if they interfered with his majesty's affairs."

Situ Huo's smile faded as he replied quietly, "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Master. Ning Tiaoxiao was a capable man, and to some extent, I respected him. As for hatred... I would not go that far."

The old man's gaze was calm, and he spoke with great solemnity. At his advanced age, he felt more admiration than resentment toward Ning Tiaoxiao, but that did not stop him from seeking repayment for the grudge of having been hunted down.

He did not necessarily try to kill me because he hated me, but because I was Situ Tang's descendant. The same holds true now. If I ever have the chance to eliminate Ning Wan, it will likewise be because she is Ning Tiaoxiao's descendant.

He rested a hand on the [Might-Proclaiming Jade Tally] at his waist, though little of his attention remained on this matter. The key now is reaching the Purple Mansion Threshold... I have been stuck at this stage for far, far too many years... The Light of Cultivating Truth is my only chance!