Chapter 1447 - 423: Why Did That Old Man Suddenly Show Up? (6k)_2

But he’d been gone a full day now, and still hadn’t shown his face.

Seeing the atmosphere turn a bit stiff, Zhou Qing got up, tore off a piece of golden, oil-slicked beast meat from the grill, and held it out to Yu Yan. "You took quite a hit in that fight. Have a taste."

Shen Hanyi looked at the golden roast being offered. After a brief hesitation, she still reached out to take it, murmuring softly, "Thank you."

Zhou Qing tore off another piece for himself and tasted it. The meat was tender and juicy, cooked to perfection; seemed his cooking skills had improved again.

He asked casually, "Where did Brother Zhao and the others go? After you left the Shen Family, how did you end up running into Yama alone?"

Yu Yan let out a soft sigh and slowly recounted how, after leaving Li Mansion, her cousin was repeatedly plotted against by Yama, and how her elder female cousin Yu Zhu sent a Communication Jade Scroll asking for her help.

When Zhou Qing finished listening, he secretly took note—so the person on the other end of a Communication Jade Scroll might not actually be someone you know. That was a lesson learned.

Just as he was speaking, Zhou Qing’s expression suddenly hardened. He shot to his feet, eyes like lightning piercing the darkness.

From the shadows, a figure slowly walked forward—and hovering above the person’s head were three bright golden characters: [Big Bastard], strikingly conspicuous.

Joy flashed in Zhou Qing’s eyes, and he blurted out without thinking, "Han Yi!"

Right on cue, a cool, slender figure stepped out of the dark.

Her silver hair was like snow, a veil covered her face, and her pair of icy eyes looked even more indifferent in the flickering firelight.

Seeing that the newcomer was actually Shen Hanyi, Yu Yan instantly let out a breath of relief.

But the next second, she suddenly came to her senses and looked at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

What had he just called Shen Hanyi?

Han Yi?

That was way too intimate!

Shen Hanyi, a Level 4 Array Master and a Spirit Slash Realm Perfection powerhouse, was also a famously aloof ice beauty. Who dared address her like that?

Did they have a death wish?

Wait—

Master Zhou was also a Level 4 Array Master. Could it be that he changed his appearance and infiltrated the Shen Family just for Shen Hanyi?

Storms rose in Yu Yan’s heart, but she didn’t dare show a trace.

Shen Hanyi now stopped ten meters away from the two of them, her gaze sweeping over the roast meat in their hands, saying nothing.

Zhou Qing hurriedly took two steps forward, but suddenly sensed something, and abruptly halted, warily looking toward the darkness behind Shen Hanyi.

His pupils split, turning into blood-red Double Pupils, and the scene in the darkness unfolded clearly before him.

Farther off, under the shadow of the trees, a slovenly figure was leaning against a trunk.

The man’s long hair hung loose, covering his face. He held a gourd of wine and was tilting his head back, gulping it down.

Yet in the instant Zhou Qing saw him clearly, that figure vanished like an illusion; no matter how he searched, he couldn’t find a trace.

This person’s strength was unfathomable—who was he?

As Zhou Qing silently went on guard, Shen Hanyi cast a cold glance at Yu Yan.

That gaze was as icy as a deep pond, and Yu Yan immediately understood.

Yu Yan lightly bit her lower lip. After a moment of hesitation, she first bowed respectfully to Shen Hanyi, then turned to Zhou Qing.

"Master Zhou, I suddenly remembered I still have important matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave. I’ll never forget that you saved my life."

She paused, her gaze flickering between the two as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end only gave Shen Hanyi a slight nod and turned to go.

Once Yu Yan had gone far enough, Zhou Qing lowered his voice and asked, "Who was that person?"

Shen Hanyi didn’t answer. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Zhou Qing and spoke in a voice as cold as ice: "Second Uncle is dead."

Zhou Qing’s heart tightened, his eyes still watchful on the darkness.

"He’s my father," Shen Hanyi said mildly.

Zhou Qing’s pupils shrank sharply. He looked at Shen Hanyi in disbelief.

Wasn’t it said that Shen Juefeng ignored you siblings, even despised you?

How could it be...

In a flash of insight, it suddenly clicked—

So that’s how it is!

They’d been putting on a show for outsiders.

What a scheming old fox!

But he’d interacted with Shen Yunzhou many times; judging from his demeanor, Yunzhou was clearly completely in the dark.

A faint smile tugged at Zhou Qing’s lips. He was about to bow, but hesitated—how should he address him?

He looked toward Shen Hanyi, and she gave a barely noticeable nod.

Zhou Qing understood at once: she already knew his true identity.

So he straightened his back and bowed solemnly. "I, Zhou Qing, have met Uncle."

"I have no desire to meet you!"

From the darkness, Shen Juefeng’s voice drifted over, full of displeasure.

Zhou Qing touched his nose awkwardly and let out a sheepish laugh.

Shen Hanyi spoke again, her tone still freezing cold. "Was it you who killed Second Uncle?"

Zhou Qing looked at Shen Hanyi, then toward the darkness, his throat bobbing involuntarily.

How was he supposed to answer that?

The facts were plain—Shen Yunlan had left with him, and now she was dead, while he stood here without a scratch.

By rights, he could spin a flawless tale—for example, that they were ambushed on the road, and Shen Yunlan, in order to buy them a chance to escape, had lured the attackers away alone.

Given the Shen Family’s power, it was perfectly normal for them to have a few mortal enemies.

This had originally been the story he planned to tell upon returning to the Shen Family—after all, who would believe that a Divinity Transformation cultivator and a Nascent Soul Array Master could kill a Spirit Slash Great Perfection expert?

But now, under Shen Hanyi’s gaze, he suddenly didn’t want to lie.

For her to ask outright like this clearly meant she already knew the answer...

Except the problem was, your father is right out there—and the one who died was his own second brother.

The night wind suddenly stilled, and the campfire popped, sending up a spray of sparks.

"Yeah, I know." After a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing straightened his spine, his voice clear. "I’m the one who killed him."

He looked straight into Shen Hanyi’s eyes and enunciated each word: "Anyone who dares bully you won’t meet a good end."

A faint light flickered in Shen Hanyi’s eyes. Her face still showed no joy or anger, but she looked entirely unsurprised.