Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 395 - Yan Clan, Yan Ling’er’s Tears

The few of them arrived one after another at the highest pavilion building of the Lai Clan and entered a brightly lit, spacious room. An expensive table was neatly placed without a speck of dust on its surface!

“Qing Shui, I am aware of your situation. Yan Clan has now made enemies with the Lai Clan too, so I ought to tell you something now.” Lai Jiutian said after pondering for a moment.

“Uncle, don’t you worry. I will not allow any harm to fall on the Lai Clan. Please don’t worry!” Qing Shui assured him seriously, and the tone of his voice was quite assertive.

“Since you are Chusong’s brother, how can just I watch without lifting a finger? I am here to discuss something with you!” Lai Jiutian gave him a smiling look.

The sky of the Yan City is about to change[1]!

Lai Jiutian thought to himself. His blood was already boiling, but he didn’t show it.

“By now, you know quite a lot of things about the Yan Clan, so I will get straight to the point. Otherwise your wish will be most likely difficult to achieve.” There was a trace of indescribable look in his eyes, but it wasn’t scheming. This was just something difficult to put into words.

“Please go on, Uncle!”

“Qing Shui, you are the youngest Elder in the Heavenly Palace and, at the same time, also the one with the most potential. Although the Yan Clan is the controller of the Yan City in name, Xiao Clan is the most powerful among all, and this is due to Xiao Clan’s second master. He is an Elder from the Sword Tower, a very senior one. ”

Qing Shui finally understood why the Yan Clan was so adamant about having Yan Zhongyue to marry the woman from the Xiao Clan. After he was murdered, the woman from Xiao Clan was remarried to Yan Zhongfeng, and his first wife died an unknown death.

It all came down to the fact that the Xiao Clan had an Elder in the Sword Tower. To put it simply, this was all due to the Sword Tower’s influence. Now, what worried Qing Shui most was a premonition that things were unlikely to go smoothly this time.

“Qing Shui, I am pretty sure you have an idea of how this will go, so I will not comment any further on that. I, Lai Jiutian, will not reject any help you require as long as it is within my capabilities. If you need anything, just tell Chusong directly,” Lai Jiutian offered for Qing Shui with a smile.

After bidding his farewell to Lai Jiutian and the others, Qing Shui headed towards the courtyard where the Qing Clan stayed. There were a lot of things going through his mind right now. The Yan and Xiao Clan should be aware of this situation, but would the Sword Tower take the opportunity to exploit it?

This incident would get the Sword Tower involved again. This Sword Tower was like a thorn stuck in Qing Shui’s throat, and it pained him whenever he recalled that Mingyue Gelou was taken away because of it.

“This Sword Tower needs to be rid of sooner or later.” Qing Shui secretly made up his mind!

Most importantly, Qing Shui was aware that the Heavenly Palace and the Sword Tower were sworn enemies. He had defeated 9 people from the Sword Tower before, and there were 2 casualties. With that, Qing Shui was sure that the Sword Tower would definitely want to get rid of him. Even Cang Wuya had warned him about the same thing.

This incident had already made it clear that the Elder from the Xiao Clan wasn’t going to let him off the hook. He would even use this incident to slaughter him, but perhaps he wouldn’t believe that he had improved so rapidly.

Qing Shui wasn’t too worried about the rest from the Sword Tower because he had the Heavenly Palace behind his back. It wasn’t in the least inferior to the Sword Tower, so now Qing Shui only needed to focus on defeating that cultivator from the Xiao Clan.

The cultivator in question was a Martial King Grade 8, as mentioned by Lai Chusong. However, Qing Shui felt that this information might not necessarily be accurate!

By the time he arrived at that small courtyard, he had raised his head. It had already stopped snowing outside and the piled up snow on the ground was knee deep. On the World of the Nine Continents, this could be considered a heavy snowfall.

He entered the courtyard and made his way into the living room. The living room was as warm as spring, and bedrooms were all located on the second or third floor. Everyone from the Qing Clan was chatting and enjoying some desserts in the living room, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

However, Qing Qing only sat beside Qing Yi very quietly, without speaking at all. Though everyone wanted her to speak up, they didn’t pester her to. They mostly talked to her while she listened.

Qing Yi told the stories about her when she was very little and then mentioned Qing Shui. Huoyun Liu-Li also recounted the incident when Qing Shui passed by the Yan City with them.

In the end the stories they shared revolved around Qing Shui. Qing Shui hadn’t been living an easy life for so many years. He suffered as much as Qing Qing, especially the psychological struggles and physical stress that were inflicted upon him and his body.

Qing Yi was extremely miserable. Her son and daughter were bearing the consequences of her actions in the past…...

Everyone changed topics and started to randomly talk about their daily lives the moment Qing Shui walked in.

Qing Qing’s eyes slightly wavered when she saw Qing Shui. This man that had been a hot topic among them was a genius from the Qing Clan. It also seemed like there were quite a number of beauties by his side, and they all possessed the type of beauty that could topple kingdoms.

She stared at this man in amazement, the man who shared the same mother as her.

Qing Shui greeted with a smile before taking a seat beside Huoyun Liu-Li, a seat which happened to be just right beside Qing Qing. She turned her head and looked at Qing Shui who had settled down beside her.

“Big Sister, shall we kill everyone from the Yan Clan?” Qing Shui asked tenderly while he peered into those beautiful eyes that held no warmth. Regardless, Qing Shui still found a little bit of warmth from Qing Qing, who looked quite like his own mother.

Qing Qing listened to Qing Shui’s calm words. So much confidence was needed to be able to say those words. The person who was sitting beside her, someone whom she should call mother, had been longing to meet her. Just how much efforts did this younger brother of hers, whom she have never met before, have to put in before he could come to this day…...

“Daddy, who had cared the most for me, passed away. It was the work of Yan Haozheng, them and the Xiao Clan. Daddy didn’t die a peaceful death……” Qing Qing slowly said to Qing Shui.

The grievance in those eyes made her feel even lonely.

“Sister, can you promise me one thing?” Qing Shui asked calmly.

“What is it?”

“After everything is settled, return with us. Sever your ties with the Yan Clan.”

As Qing Qing nodded, the corner of her mouth slightly twitched. Qing Shui was uncertain whether or not she was trying to smile, because he couldn’t find a trace of it. He was wondering whether she had even forgotten how to smile.

“Sister, we are going to the Yan Clan tomorrow to help mother and you to get back what they have owed!”

…………...

Meanwhile, in the Yan Clan’s Sixth Branch!

Yan Haoran gathered with his family. Although he didn’t participate in major affairs of the Yan Clan, he was still aware of many things now: the arrival of Qing Shui, the fact that he was the child of his own son, and also the fact that he was the youngest Elder of the Heavenly Palace in history.

The Sixth Branch was not very big. Yan Haoran had only three sons, with Yan Zhongyue being the youngest who was currently no longer around. His daughter in law had also became the primary wife of the Main Branch.

His granddaughter, who was left alone in this world, was forced out of the Yan Clan without anyone to depend on. As her grandfather, he was helpless. Family bonds were something insignificant to the great aristocratic family, and for the sake of allowing the little girl to survive, he could only be indifferent about her.

But now, her mother had come!

Qing Clan had the strength now. They already possessed the strength to bring Qing Qing back!

Yan Haoran felt felt sad and happy at the same time, and his eyes turned moist with tears. His son’s misfortunes were finally about to be settled. It had only driven his son to a pitiful death……….

Yan Haoran had other two sons, but their strength was only common. Other than that, they had a little more than 10 young people, but they were made up by 80% of female.

If it were Qing Shui, he would definitely be able to recognise one of them!

Yan Ling’er!

She was currently sitting there dispirited.

She was unconsciously recalling everything that had happened between her and Qing Shui!

“Thank you, I am Yan Ling’er. A pleasure to meet you!”

“I am Qing Shui!”

“Thank you, Brother Qing Shui!”

…...

“My Clan is from Yan City, which is in Yan Jiang Country. They should still have some powers in the Yan City. If you ever go to the Yan City, I will definitely properly entertain you well.”

“I passed by the Yan City on my way here and saw a Young Miss from your Yan Clan selling tea leaves. Do you know anything about that? I am very curious!”

“You wouldn’t know… actually I am also just a junior. Sister Qingqing is already….. Brother Qing Shui you seem to be very concerned about Sister Qingqing!”

“Don’t you feel sorry for her? For a Young Miss of Yan Clan to be selling tea leaves on the streets, and on top of that, be bullied by some guy called Young Master Xiao… I wonder how the Yan Clan could simply just watch this without doing anything.”

“Sigh, you wouldn’t know. You only saw the surface. There are good people from the Yan Clan.”

“Hurrhurr, I could care less about that. Don’t even bother to find me from now on, because I don’t have any good feelings towards the people of Yan Clan.”

……

“Brother Qing Shui, are you still mad? I know that Yan Clan is at fault in this matter too. Actually many have criticised the Yan Clan, but what I can I do?”

“What have the Yan Clan’s issues got anything to do with me? I just don’t like to be involved with people from such a cold blooded clan.”

……

“Brother Qing Shui, let me tell you some stories about the Yan Clan. Perhaps after that you’d understand why Sister Qingqing is selling tea leaves on the streets.”

……

“When Uncle Zhongyue was still around, nobody dared to bully Sister Qingqing. Even Mistress Xiao had to tread carefully on the surface...”

…...

“Brother Xi Ri is a talented cultivator of the Heavenly Palace, although I think he might be slightly inferior to you. I would like Brother Qing Shui to go easy on him.”

“I’ll promise you that, and don’t call me Big Brother from now on. You will know why in the future.”

……

She had understood everything… The reason why he wouldn’t let her call him Big Brother, why he despised the Yan Clan so much, why he was so concerned about a lady selling tea leaves on the streets of Yan City…...

Yan Ling’er could no longer hear anything else they were saying. Everything was clear to her now. He was her brother and he had come to collect his debt this time. She was not allowed to fall in love with him…..

Two trails of tears streamed down her cheeks!

She had already known that there was no hope in this, yet why was her heart still aching like this…? Why did her tears still fall?

Yan Ling’er secretly dried her tears!

“Father, do you think Qing Shui will still acknowledge us?” A middle aged man asked Yan Haoran.

“Acknowledge us? Do you remember how the Yan Clan had treated the Qing Clan back then? They had a knife to Qing Shui’s grandfather’s throat. Haven’t you heard Qing Shui’s words? Anyone who is involved with Qingqing needs to die, no matter who they are.” Yan Haoran sighed despondently.

“If only I have a younger brother like this, that’d be good,” Yan Xing’er muttered.

Yan Ling’er wasn’t allowed to go to Heavenly Palace again. This was a decision made by the Xiao Clan because someone from the Xiao Clan was the Elder of the Sword Tower. Things may intensify between the Heavenly Palace and the Sword Tower, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a war was to break out between them.

“But Grandfather, we are not involved in that incident,” said a burly youth. He was considered to be heavily built among the Yan Clan, extremely built on top of that.

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Translator Note:

[1] “The sky is changing” is an expression that a situation is going to change.