Chapter 826 - The Dead Forest
They continued their bickering for a while until finally Bei Li Yan and Jin Hao vented their anger, only then did they turn their attention to Jin Hua.
Jin Hua was still dumbfounded, her mouth agape watching Jin Hao fight like a child with Bei Li Yan, as long she could remember Ji Hao was a quiet child and rarely expressed himself, even though he was bullied by Jin Kai and other children Jin Hao never fought back, on the contrary, Jin hao ignore them and treated them as if they didn't exist, as a result, it made Jin Kai hate Jin Hao even more.
Jin Hao is not a friendly child he is introverted, quiet, and doesn't know how to speak sweetly like other children therefore even though he is known to be talented since he was young, his grandfather, grandmother, and his own father never favor him, for them Jin Hao was too serious and too blunt which made him less adorable than the other kids around him.
Jin Hua thought that just how normally Jin Hao is, she believed that was Jin hao's character but seeing Jin Hao bickering with Bei Li Yan while everyone else was holding back a smile, Jin Hua could see how comfortable Jin Hao was that he could show his childish nature in front of those people.
Jin Hua felt happy for him but at the same time, she was also sad because his brother was happier living in the Hei Shen sect than live with her in the Misty Lake clan, but could she blamed him after all Jin Hao had been through at that darned place if she could find a place like Hei Shen sect she would leave too.
Jin Hao saw Jin Hua pensive thinking he was still stressed by what he had been through, Jin Hao then took a small chair and placed it beside Jin Hua's bed, then Jin Hao sat down and folded his arms in front of his chest he asked "Can you tell me what happened?" happened to you?"
Jin Hua gasped in shock and the memory brought her to the moment where he was in the forest whispering, his face paled and she became panicked she grabbed Jin Hao's arm and begin to shake his arms profusely, "Brother, something is wrong in that place, I don't know if you will believe it but ...but Jin Kai did something terrible, he didn't cure those sick people, no...he did something, something terrible with them is like some kind of experiment, but I'm not sure what it is all I could heard was people screaming, screaming in agony...and all of that blood, so many bloods…" Jin Hua eyes filled with horror
"Those people, all of those people..they have turned into...into..., oh I don't know how to explain, it was horrendous, they. ..they turn into something, they're not humans anymore and those strange beasts, they are...I…!" Jin Hua's words choked as she looks like she got trouble breathing.
Jin Hao feel worried for Jin Hua he patted his sister's back gently "Calm down, just breathes...you don't need to hurry...." Jin Hao's gentle voice make the turmoil in her heart gradually calm down.
"Miss Jin please drink first" Yuan Xue An quickly hands her herbal tea to soothe her a little bit "Miss Jin has just awake, maybe we should let her rest first" Yuan Xue An genuinely worry for Jin Hua.
Jin Hao see Jin Hua colorless face he realizes she was too agitated and this is not good for her health, "You are right, she indeed needs to rest first"
The closeness between Jin Hua and Yuan Xue An was so obvious, Jin Hua couldn't help but be surprised, "Miss, are you...are you my brother-in-law?" Jin Hua's eyes sparkled with joy, all this time Jin Hua was quite worried about the life of his older brother who was still a scholar, Jin Hua remembered Jin Hao's mother always said she hoped Jin Hao would marry a good girl and have many children, even until the day of his death she express her regret not being able to see Jin Hao married.
As a younger sister, she thought that the responsibility of finding a good wife for her older brother had fallen to her, unfortunately, she was separated by Jin Hao not long after, she even thought Jin Hao was truly dead until Jin Hao emerged as the powerful King of White Dragon Palace.
Jin Hua heard all her brother achievements and she cannot be more proud of him however she never heard any news about Jin Hao marriage, even after he passed his twenty there's no news to be heard, not even a slight rumor about Jin Hao close with anyone, years go by and there still no news gradually Jin Hua become anxious.
If Jin Hao becomes an old bachelor how could she face Jin Hao's mother in the netherworld?
So when Jin Hua saw Jin Hao speaking softly to Yuan Xue An, he was overjoyed, "Brother-in-law, you look so beautiful, my sister is very lucky to have a woman like you by his side" Jin Hua is not only sweet talk she really thinks Yuan Xue An was very beautiful, but what made Jin Hua like her, even more, was because of her pair of clear eyes that didn't harbor any hatred, greed or greed, since she grew up in the Misty Lake clan she had been exposed with lies, deceit, and cruelty in the women's courtyard so she was quite sensitive about that matter.
On the other hand, Yuan Xue An was completely shocked by Jin Hua words, her whole face instantly became very red, "No - no - no, I am not married to your brother" feeling fluster Yuan Xue An waved her hand so fast that her hand looked like it was doubled.
Yuan Xue An's mouth opened and closed then she turned her pleading gaze to Jin Hao for help, unfortunately, the white fox was pretending to be blind.
"No?" Jin Hua sounded utterly disappointed she make Yuan Xue An struck with guilt.
"I mean, not yet" Bei Li Yan chuckled as he leaned against the bed frame and smirked mischievously, Bei Li Yan's words made Jin Hua aware that his sister was still not, past the courtship step.
Jin Hua felt sorry for her sister she gave Jin Hao a pitiful look mixed with worry, Her sister is too serious and tense, will this beautiful woman be like her boring brother, Jin Hua secretly prays to her mother and Jin Hao's mother to help Jin Hao to catch his bride.
'Mothers please help your old bachelor son'
Jin Hao's eyes darkened as he sensed Jin Hua's impudent thoughts.
"Sleep now!" Jin Hao glared half-threateningly.
"No, brother, let me tell you everything I saw in that abandon temple complex at the Whispering forest before I forgot some detail" Jin Hua hold Jin Hao's arms begging him not to go.
Jin Hao helplessly sigh knowing his sister was quite stubborn "Fine, tell me what happen"
"A week ago my subordinates finally exposed where Jin Kai took the sick person from the Misty Lake Clan, it took me quite a while to investigate as I don't know how he moved all those people from one place to another in such a short amount of time, that would be it took almost a month if using a large ship from the Misty lake region which was from the Dong Shui continent to the Xin Fang continent, then again, a large ship dock on the port should attract the attention of a lot of people in the port, right, or at least it becomes a talking or something, strangely I didn't hear anything until my subordinates bribed one of Jin Kai's underlings "Jin Hua looks bewildered.
"Then you follow the leads to the whispering forest?" Bei Li Yan ask.
"Yes, it was a big mistake, but I didn't know at the time" Jin Hua looked down regretfully, then he took a deep breath and continued his story, "Actually the whispering forest isn't as dangerous as its name suggests and I've been there before but only for fun. Turns out the forest doesn't have many high tier Beasts hence the highest tier beasts I encountered were only at the third tier which was at the Profound Beast level that's why I only stayed there for a few days, however, when I returned to the forest... everything seemed to change"
"Change, how?" Jin Hao and Bei Li Yan unconsciously lean closer.
Jin Hua rubbed her shoulders instinctively as she felt goosebumps just remembering it. "I don't know how to explain it, but the forest feel darker than it used to be, not because the sunlight didn't pierce through between the wide foliage, I could still see the light in some area, even so, everything around me feel so much darker...also the forest feel so quiet, then I realize that there is no grass at all, not even yellow withered grass, all grass disappeared leaving only a black - muddy soil, even the various mushroom that I used to see overgrow on the tree trunks and cover the grounds suddenly gone too, then my subordinates pointing out that she didn't hear any sounds in the forest not birds, small animals, not even crickets as if everything in the forest has died" Jin Hua cannot get rid the eerie feeling she felt that day, she should listen to her instinct but her pride took the best of her.
"And you still pushed through?" Bei Li Yan raised his brows, he didn't should he mocked her or praised her.
Jin Hua smile ironically, "Well, I am a cultivator, I can't back down when I feel so close to uncovering Jin kai's plans, but as I said… it was a big mistake, I was too conceited, I overestimate my abilities, thus I lead all my subordinates to their deaths, in fact, if it weren't for them sacrificing their lives, I wouldn't be here talking to all of you.." Jin Hua's face contort as she struggle to hold her tears, she decide she will not cry until she avenged all her subordinates.