Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 431: The Willow Orphan Mourns, Intending to Seek Revenge_1

Chapter 431: Chapter 431: The Willow Orphan Mourns, Intending to Seek Revenge_1

The news of the Liu Family’s extermination caused a tumultuous uproar throughout Zhenhai City, far surpassing the frenzy previously stirred by Wang Linchi’s actions. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Naturally, word of this reached the Capital. After all, the annihilation of a Great Family—and not a minor one, with nearly a thousand members and not a single survivor—was an alarming event.

The sole survivor was the eldest son of the Liu Family’s main branch, who had been in the Capital for training. Upon hearing the tragic news, he rushed back to Zhenhai City.

Liu Yan’s expression was grim and sorrowful. Upon returning from the Capital, the most common sentiment he heard in Zhenhai City was that his Liu Family had reaped what they sowed, suffering divine retribution in the form of a red light descending from the sky.

But he didn’t believe it; he was more inclined to believe it was the Spirit Law of some Spirit Master.

He was also aware this might be his own conjecture. After all, if a Spirit Master’s Spirit Law were truly so powerful, other races wouldn’t dare offend the Great Jing Dynasty.

The southern bandits and northern marauders had always been a grave concern for the Great Jing Dynasty.

"I just want to know what truly happened," Liu Yan asked, his voice low and filled with suppressed madness. If anything displeased him, he might truly erupt.

The Prefect of Zhenhai City wasn’t afraid in the slightest. To him, Liu Yan was merely a homeless dog. If he dared to cause trouble, suppressing him would be simple.

If Liu Yan were smart, he would endure for the sake of the Liu Family’s continuation. With his status as a Lifted Person, if he could ensure the family line continued for three to five generations, there was a chance they could be restored as a minor Great Family.

"It’s just as you’ve heard," the Prefect stated calmly. "A red light descended from the sky. Any place within the Liu Family estate touched by the red light either burst into flames or exploded. Anyone who came into contact with it was reduced to ashes."

"I’m asking if you know who did it!" Liu Yan was not interested in these details.

"It fell from the sky. Do you think a person did that?" The Prefect had no intention of indulging the young man. Did he really think he was someone important? If the Liu Family were still around, the Prefect might have tolerated him to maintain balance in the city, but now, he wouldn’t bother.

Liu Yan faltered for a moment, then finally nodded. "Then I want to know who the suspects are. That should be permissible, right?"

The Prefect immediately understood Liu Yan’s meaning. He understood Liu Yan wanted scapegoats to accompany the Liu Family to their graves—individuals who had recently feuded with or offended them.

Hearing this, a sarcastic smile touched the Prefect’s lips. "Suspects? Everyone in the city knows what happened to your Liu Family."

He wasn’t a fool. Why should he give him the list? If he did, Liu Yan might then pressure him to arrest those individuals, implicating the Prefect.

Moreover, with people, it’s ’out of sight, out of mind.’ The Liu Family was gone; they held no value. Why help him? It would only invite trouble without any benefit.

Although Liu Yan was a Spirit Master with the status of a Lifted Person, no one in Zhenhai City was willing to recruit him.

The man was clearly bent on revenge, already half-mad. Recruiting him wouldn’t be a help, but a hindrance.

He could probably find someone to take him in another city, but how could an outsider so easily become a core member, let alone freely use a Great Family’s resources?

This caused Liu Yan’s face to darken, and he nodded gloomily. "I understand."

He knew he was being ostracized. Without the Liu Family, no one would pay him any mind.

Even this Prefect, who once had to defer to his Liu Family, now looked down on him.

Only Spirit Masters from Great Families could enter the upper echelons. Lacking that, one at least needed to be from the Poor Families.

"After the mourning period, you should go to the Capital. That’s where you belong. Zhenhai City is too small for you," the Prefect said.

This wasn’t a kind suggestion. It meant that with the Liu Family gone, Zhenhai City had no place for him. If he stayed, they wouldn’t be merciful.

Considering their past dealings, merely telling him to leave was already quite magnanimous.

Liu Yan, who had taken a few steps, stopped abruptly.

"If I go to the Ministry of Personnel in the Capital and request a reassignment back to Zhenhai City, Prefect, what rank do you think I could obtain?" Liu Yan’s tone was calm.

This was a clear threat. If he returned with an appointment from the Capital, it wouldn’t be too difficult to have a Prefect like him removed and then bring ruin upon the city’s Great Families. If the worst came to worst, they would all perish together.

The Prefect’s expression changed slightly.

"I will have all intelligence related to the Liu Family from the past month sent to you." The Prefect hadn’t expected him to actually dare gamble his own life against the Prefect’s future.

If Liu Yan truly went through with it, the Prefect, at worst, would lose his official post. Liu Yan, however, would undoubtedly die.

Thus, the Prefect could only concede, hoping to appease Liu Yan’s desperate madness.

Why should his own future be jeopardized over such a trivial matter?

"I hope it can be delivered by tonight, and please ensure it’s as complete as possible," Liu Yan conceded. He had no choice; he couldn’t gather sufficient intelligence on his own.

Furthermore, many of the hidden, underhanded dealings would remain beyond his reach, no matter how he tried to investigate.

"Very well." The Prefect flicked his sleeve, turned, and departed.

He didn’t want to stay a moment longer. Liu Yan clearly didn’t know his place. With his Great Family gone, how dare he still threaten him? The audacity was preposterous.

Liu Yan, however, merely gazed at the ruins of the Liu Family estate, his eyes devoid of any discernible emotion, his mind no doubt churning with desperate, mad thoughts.

For him, with the Liu Family destroyed, many things had already lost all meaning.

...

"Heh, so it’s true: ’When the tiger is absent from the mountain, the monkey declares itself king,’" Wang Linchi scoffed, glancing at the invitations on his table.

After he annihilated the Liu Family, the power struggles among the city’s Great Families had grown increasingly fierce. All sorts of factions were forming and vying for dominance, and even he was being drawn into it.

As a Spirit Master holding an official rank, he naturally couldn’t escape this vortex.

But speaking of which, why hasn’t the fortuitous opportunity arrived yet? Could it have been within the Liu Family estate?

But I blew up the entire Liu Family estate; not even a Spiritual Treasure could have survived that.

Spiritual Treasures weren’t exceptionally durable items; they were merely special in some way. In terms of material or quality, they were actually quite ordinary.

Much like the piece of jade he held, which he could easily crush.

If it’s not there, then so be it. It’s not like I’m lacking this one opportunity, anyway. Wang Linchi was quite philosophical about fortuitous opportunities, not particularly caring for such things.

The main issue was this world’s low World Energy Level; any opportunities it produced wouldn’t be particularly useful. The ’Imperial Examination Computer’ was probably the most valuable thing here; everything else was insignificant in comparison.

"Brother Wang, open the door!" Jin Cheng’s voice called from outside.

Ever since Wang Linchi had become a Spirit Master, Jin Cheng had been visiting him more and more frequently, likely at his father’s behest.

"Coming, coming." Wang Linchi opened the door to see Jin Cheng laden with packages. "You come when you come. There’s no need to go to such expense every time."

"Brother Wang, what are you saying? This is nothing. With your status, if you just stepped outside, countless people would be lining up to give you gifts, but they don’t have the means to approach you," Jin Cheng replied.

Unlike other Spirit Masters, Wang Linchi still lived a simple life, without a single servant in his small residence.

Jin Cheng entered, set down the numerous packages, and then brought in the food container he had left by the door.

"Signature dishes from Tianxiang Building. Have a taste," Jin Cheng said, arranging the food. He poured himself a glass of wine; he knew Wang Linchi didn’t drink, so he didn’t offer him any.

"Hey, you haven’t been using my name to get money from your father again recently, have you?" Wang Linchi asked, seeing the spread. This isn’t something Jin Cheng could afford on his own.

"That’s right. Since you’re the main beneficiary, Brother Wang, I’m just tagging along for some wine," Jin Cheng said.

"If you put this much thought into your studies, you’d be a Spirit Master by now," Wang Linchi remarked. He didn’t hold any particular dislike for Jin Cheng. After all, the young man had brought him a fortuitous opportunity, and his personality wasn’t unpleasant. He was suitable as a drinking and dining companion.

But only as a drinking and dining companion, Wang Linchi thought. Of course, I know Jin Cheng is trying to curry favor with me; otherwise, why would he visit so diligently?

"I’m just not cut out for it." Jin Cheng shook his head. He had tried. But after repeatedly receiving ’Third Class Lowers’ in the subsequent assessments, he knew Wang Linchi had just been trying to console him back then. After taking a sip of wine, he finally said, "Liu Yan of the Liu Family is back. Zhenhai City is in for more unrest."

"Liu Yan? Where did he pop up from? Wasn’t the Liu Family completely wiped out?" Wang Linchi was taken aback; he hadn’t expected a survivor.

"He’s the only one remaining. He’d gone to the Capital for experiential training, hoping to broaden his horizons and earn the rank of Tribute Official. He never expected that before he could achieve his scholarly honor, his family would be annihilated. He had no choice but to rush back to handle their funeral affairs." As Jin Cheng spoke, he added a reminder, "Brother Wang, you need to be careful. He was a mad dog to begin with, and now that his entire family is dead, he might drag many people down with him."