Chapter 797 - 78: The Truth (Part 2)
Chapter 797: Chapter 78: The Truth (Part 2)
One possibility is that the Chu Family Patriarch picked two Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits back then, auctioned one, and hid the other, keeping it for the promising descendants.
However, besides the Chu Family Patriarch, no one would think that the Chu Family would still hide a Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruit for so many years. The Chu Family Patriarch could have simply handed over the map without surrendering the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruit.
Another possibility is that the Dragon Blood Bodhi had matured long ago, and the Chu Family picked it again. But if that were the case, it wouldn’t just be one; there would be many.
It is precisely because of these two points that Lin Chen has some doubts about Qiao Shishuang’s identity. Even if she was genuinely afraid of Zhuo Huai’s grandfather silencing her, would not Zhuo Huai’s grandfather have been able to find out during their months of travel in the Fulong Domain?
His grandson was last seen with a woman. If he were Zhuo Huai’s grandfather, he would definitely investigate the woman’s background and arrange for the Seven Stars Sect’s disciples to pay special attention to female martial artists of the Innate Realm. Yet the martial artist they met from the Seven Stars Sect didn’t even take a longer glance at Qiao Shishuang and the other two women.
He didn’t expose Qiao Shishuang because he was interested in the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruit and had already speculated about Qiao Shishuang’s identity. Qiao Shishuang hiding her identity was understandable.
Were he Qiao Shishuang, he wouldn’t reveal his true identity either.
Chu Shishuang looked at Fan Ping, her eyes filled with endless hatred. It was this man and Zhuo Huai who slaughtered her family of three hundred seventy-four, leaving behind charred bodies and a brother hidden by her mother in a secret room upon her return to the Chu Family homestead.
From her brother’s mouth, she learned that two men had sought their grandfather for the map of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, threatening the lives of the entire clan. To save his clan, her grandfather handed over the map, not expecting the two men to go insane and choose to annihilate the entire clan to silence them.
She survived the massacre because her grandfather had arranged for her to live in a neighboring city from a young age.
In the entire Chu Family, she had the highest martial arts talent. Her grandfather arranged for her to live in the neighboring city, while publicly proclaiming her dead and having an uncle take care of her.
Once she reached the First Grade Realm, her grandfather gave her two Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits and shared with her the greatest family secret. Only then did she understand why her grandfather hadn’t allowed her to live in the Chu Family.
Her grandfather feared that if she consumed the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruit while living with the family, it would arouse suspicion from other forces.
By using one of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits her grandfather gave her, she broke through to the Innate Realm. Just as she was about to share this happy news with her grandfather and parents, what she received was news of her clan’s annihilation.
From her brother, she learned that one of the murderers of her entire family was from the Seven Stars Sect, as this person had announced their background at the gatehouse when they came.
Chu Shishuang clearly understood that this person dared to announce his origin because he was already prepared to eliminate her entire family and wasn’t afraid of news leaking out.
Originally, she planned to go to the Seven Stars Sect to see if she could discover who murdered her family, but before she could go, she heard martial artists discussing the death of a Seven Stars Sect elder’s grandson.
There were not many Innate Disciples in the Seven Stars Sect, and this one just happened to die not far from Sanlian City. Such a coincidence indicated to Chu Shishuang that the Seven Stars Sect elder’s grandson was one of the murderers of her family.
It was highly likely that Zhuo Huai’s companion wanted to monopolize the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree and ambushed and killed Zhuo Huai.
After coming to this analysis, Chu Shishuang knew that the person would surely head to the Profound Dragon Mountain Range based on the map given by her grandfather. After hearing that the Seven Stars Sect had sealed off several cities near Sanlian City, she took her brother to Longyuan City. After settling him there, she chose to head to the Profound Dragon Mountain Range from Longyuan City.
Originally, Chu Shishuang thought that since the one who killed Zhuo Huai would want to monopolize the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, he would certainly act alone. She could set an ambush in the Profound Dragon Mountain Range, and if it wasn’t a match for her opponent, she would lure nearby Demon Beasts to perish together.
The map her grandfather provided was still some distance from the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree. Her grandfather was wary of clan members dying to Demon Beasts in the Profound Dragon Mountain Range and having the map discovered from their bodies, so the map was not complete. The final stretch was a route grandfather had orally dictated to clan members before they entered the mountains and memorized it.
She was not afraid of sacrificing herself for vengeance, but during the few days on the Flying Ship, thinking of her brother and how much effort her grandfather had put into ensuring the Chu Family could firmly establish itself in the Fulong Domain, she gradually calmed down. Her earlier revenge method seemed impulsive. Gu Fei’s appearance offered her other ideas.
If she could both avenge her family and survive, wouldn’t that be even better?
As for exposing the location of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, Chu Shishuang didn’t care. Her family’s massacre was because of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, and after this maturing cycle, it would take another century.
And with only her and her brother left of the Chu Family if she died, even if her brother knew the location of the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, it wouldn’t be possible to reach it with his power alone.
In a hundred years, it’s uncertain whether the Chu Family would even exist.
...
"Miss Chu, isn’t it time to give me an explanation?"
Although he could guess Chu Shishuang’s identity, Lin Chen couldn’t help but open his mouth with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Young Master Gu, no matter what my identity is, it won’t affect my dealings with you."
Chu Shishuang looked at Lin Chen, but hearing her response, Fan Ping across started laughing: "It seems this brother was deceived to come here, what a pity."
"Fan Ping, stop wasting time." The young man in the middle glanced at Lin Chen and Chu Shishuang, "You two better lead the way and find the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree. If I’m in a good mood, I might spare your lives. Otherwise, you face nothing but death."
A hint of gloominess flashed in Fan Ping’s eyes. He killed Zhuo Huai not to monopolize the tree but because Zhuo Huai intended to kill him to silence him. So, he acted first.
Originally, since he’d already killed Zhuo Huai, he thought he might as well take all the Dragon Blood Bodhi Fruits from the tree for himself. But he later learned that there was one corpse missing from the day the Chu Family was burned, a third-generation Chu member was missing.
The knowledge gave him an immediate sense of crisis. If that surviving Chu Family member advertised the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree or sold information to those sects, he would lose out.
He needed to quickly find the Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree, but exploring the depths of the Profound Dragon Mountain Range alone wasn’t safe, and so he called on Ye Yuan, an Inner Sect Disciple from Fulong Sect hailing from the same region.
But what disappointed him was that he and Ye Yuan, following the map, found no Dragon Blood Bodhi Tree when they arrived. The Chu Family Patriarch had held something back, and the map’s endpoint wasn’t where the tree was.
He and Ye Yuan searched all over, encountered several powerful Demon Beasts, and nearly perished at their hands. They had been about to leave if they couldn’t find the tree after a few more days when someone arrived.
Fan Ping couldn’t believe such a coincidence that in the vast Profound Dragon Mountain Range, someone would just happen to come here as well. The term "Chu Family survivor" was an intentional probe, and he was surprised it hit the mark.
"Looks like you’re not giving up. Fine, since you’re not a Chu Family survivor, you’ll be the example."
Ye Yuan appeared impatient, having lost many Treasures due to several Demon Beast attacks in the past days, his anger simmered. Now, confirming the woman was a Chu Family survivor, he intended to make an example out of another.
Ye Yuan drew a long spear from his back, the spearhead pointed at Lin Chen: "Die!"
Boom!
The spear resounded with a dragon’s roar, the spearhead erupting in a blinding cold light, with a sharp whistle piercing through the air towards Lin Chen’s throat. This single attack, with no reservations, was clearly intended to kill!
"Is this person from Fulong Sect?"
Beside him, Chu Shishuang watched Ye Yuan’s move, her delicate face showing shock; she didn’t expect someone Ye Yuan brought would be a disciple of Fulong Sect.
Both being Super Sect disciples, would Gu Fei stand a chance against Ye Yuan?
Observing the panic on Chu Shishuang’s face, Fan Ping showed a mocking smile. It was unexpected that the Chu Family had hidden an Innate Martial Artist. Fortunately, he brought Ye Yuan; otherwise, if he had come alone, the Chu Family might indeed have had a chance for revenge.
But in the next moment, the mocking look on Fan Ping’s face stiffened as if he witnessed an incredible scene.
PS: Writing the second Chapter now. Those in the group have been urging. Posting this first, asking for monthly votes.