"How do you know this person? Tell me everything in detail!" Zhang Shao demanded.

"My lord, I was once a disciple of the Void Sect. I grew up with Mo Qi, so there’s no way I could be mistaken."

As she spoke, Fang Min removed her mask, revealing one side of her face to be a hollow, terrifying ruin.

"Mo Qi may seem simple and kind, but in reality, he’s ruthless and incredibly cunning. This face of mine is his handiwork."

Fang Min then recounted her version of events.

In her telling, however, Mo Qi became a sinister and vicious villain. She claimed that in his obsession to possess her, he went so far as to murder her father, and ultimately, disfigured her.

She, on the other hand, was painted as the complete and utter victim.

When she spoke of the events in Nanyang City and mentioned Jin Sanpang, Zhang Shao cut her off.

"Are you saying Mo Qi was accompanied by a fat, powerful young man?"

"That’s right," Fang Min nodded. "He was ridiculously fat."

"Heh." Zhang Shao sneered and looked at Jin Quan. "That would be your son, Jin Sanpang, wouldn’t it? Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Jin Quan’s expression remained unchanged. "To claim that man is my son based solely on his build is absurd," he said in a low voice.

"Then summon your son here to be questioned by this young lady!" Zhang Shao said coldly.

"My son is unwell. It is not convenient for him to see guests," Jin Quan refused.

"I’d say he’s not in the Sect at all!"

Jin Quan fell silent for a moment. He then raised his head to look Zhang Shao directly in the eye and said coldly, "If my son is truly not in the Sect, I’m sure the Sect Leader understands the reason for that better than I do."

Zhang Shao’s gaze hardened, and his heart pounded.

’Zhang Cheng wouldn’t have dared to trick Jin Sanpang into going to the Earth-level Spiritual Ore without my approval.’

’Could that old fox Jin Quan have discovered something? Is this his retaliation?’

"Hmph. The Wolf Fang Sect suffered grievous losses in the Earth-level Spiritual Ore incident. Jin Quan, as the Steward Leader, you bear an undeniable responsibility. I hereby sentence you to solitary meditation. You are forbidden from taking a single step outside the Wolf Fang Sect for half a year. Do you accept your punishment?"

After weighing his options, Zhang Shao decided against having a direct confrontation with Jin Quan, choosing instead to keep him in check for the time being.

The thing he wanted most right now was to go to the Void Sect, demand they hand over Mo Qi, and tear the boy to shreds to appease the spirit of his son, Zhang Cheng.

"Since the Sect Leader has spoken, I will naturally accept my punishment. I take my leave!"

Jin Quan turned and left without a backward glance.

After Jin Quan had gone, Zhang Shao slammed his palm down, shattering the table before him.

"You’ve gone too far! Jin Quan, just you wait. Mo Qi will die, and you won’t live to see another day either!"

Kneeling at the foot of the hall, Fang Min kept her head lowered, but a smirk played on her lips.

’Oh, Mo Qi, Mo Qi... To think you actually killed the son of the Wolf Fang Sect’s Leader. You’ve truly dug your own grave. The only pity is that I won’t be the one to kill you with my own hands!’

After venting his fury, Zhang Shao looked toward Fang Min.

"You have brought me such vital information. What reward do you desire?"

Fang Min shook her head repeatedly. "I came here for my own selfish reasons. I dare not ask for a reward. I only ask that when you slay that villain Mo Qi, my lord, you allow me to stab him a few times to quench the hatred in my heart."

Zhang Shao’s expression shifted at her words. "You despise evil, and you are not greedy," he said appreciatively. "Your character is commendable."

With a wave of his wide sleeve, an invisible force lifted Fang Min to her feet and brought her before him.

"Your talent cannot compare to my Cheng’er’s, but it is still first-rate. Young lady, are you willing to become my disciple?"

Fang Min was overjoyed. Zhang Shao was the Sect Leader of the Wolf Fang Sect!

As his disciple, her status would be completely transformed. She would no longer be a rootless wanderer.

"Disciple Fang Min pays her respects to Master." Fang Min immediately prostrated herself, kowtowing three times with heavy thuds.

An opportunity like this was one in a million; naturally, she wouldn’t let it slip by.

"My good disciple, rise. Go and get settled for now. Your master has matters to discuss with you later."

"As you command."

After a servant led Fang Min from the hall, the smile on Zhang Shao’s face gradually faded, replaced by boundless fury and grief.

Had he really been taken with Fang Min’s character and talent?

Of course not.

What he valued was Fang Min’s hatred for Mo Qi and the Void Sect. A person like that, used correctly, could become a sharp and unexpected blade in the future!

...

Zhang Shao was not the only one grieving after Mo Qi killed someone dear to them.

Wang Xinglong stared at Xu He’s shattered Soul Jade Token, falling into a momentary silence.

’Even Xu He couldn’t kill him?’

Wang Xinglong couldn’t understand how a master at the Peak of the Vajra Realm could die at the hands of a worthless disciple who hadn’t even condensed True Essence.

’Could it be that old fox Yang Ming spared no expense, using his own life force to prepare numerous trump cards for him?’

’But even so, it doesn’t make sense.’

’Mo Qi is just a disciple. With his level of Cultivation, even with trump cards from Yang Ming, he should have only been able to force Xu He to retreat, not kill him.’

’Unless... Mo Qi obtained something extraordinary in the Wailing Abyss. Something powerful enough to slay a master at the Peak of the Vajra Realm?’

This was the only reasonable explanation Wang Xinglong could come up with.

"Treasures belong to the worthy. Mo Qi, everything you have will be mine sooner or later!"

...

After several days of relentless, sleepless travel, Mo Qi and his group finally arrived on the outskirts of the Void Sect headquarters.

In another half day, they would be "home."

When they stopped to rest, Mo Qi took the Pig Emperor aside.

"Pig Emperor, be honest with me. Who saved me? Do you know something about my past?"

The Pig Emperor’s wagging tail stilled. An image of the woman in white flashed through its mind, and it involuntarily flinched, a shiver running through it.

"Mo the kid, there are some things I know, but I can’t tell you."

’Since the woman in white didn’t want Mo Qi to know of her existence, she must have her reasons.’

’I can’t just go spouting off and overstepping my bounds. If I were to disrupt the plans of someone so important, a hundred lives wouldn’t be enough to pay the price.’

"Why not?" Mo Qi demanded, his expression agitated. "It’s my own past! Don’t I have the right to know?"

The Pig Emperor shook its head. "You have the right to know," it said in a low voice, "but, Mo the kid, to put it bluntly... you aren’t qualified. You’re far, far too weak!"

"Hah..." Mo Qi gave a bitter laugh, his expression turning to one of dejection. "You’re right. I’m too weak. I’m not even qualified to know who I am, or who my parents are." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Seeing Mo Qi’s crestfallen look, the Pig Emperor couldn’t bear it.

"Mo the kid, don’t be so down. You’re the most talented person I’ve ever met. At the very least, you still have a chance to uncover the truth of your past yourself, a chance to meet your parents. Unlike me... Heh, but I’m getting sidetracked."

Mo Qi seized on the key point. He shot his head up and grabbed the Pig Emperor.

"My mother... she’s... she’s not dead?"

In his dreams, the woman in white had been seized by a colossal hand that tore through the sky. Every time he recalled that scene, Mo Qi felt a pain so sharp it took his breath away.

"Hey, easy there, you brat! You’re choking me!"

Mo Qi quickly loosened his grip, his face full of anticipation as he looked at the Pig Emperor.

The Pig Emperor shot Mo Qi a look. "What kind of being do you think she is? How could she possibly die? Besides..."

The Pig Emperor seemed to think of something and abruptly clamped its mouth shut.

"Besides what?" Mo Qi grew anxious. ’You can’t just leave me hanging!’

"It’s nothing. Anyway, you just need to know one thing: even if everyone in the world dropped dead, even if you and I were both dead and gone, she could never die!"