Grandmother?
Chu Lu frowned slightly and asked inwardly, "She's the grandmother you mentioned before?"
Luo Qingdie: "Mm." "I see..." Chu Lu's expression grew complicated.
"Grandmother." Looking at the elderly woman, Chu Lu asked, "Why are you here?"
"I came to save you." Grandmother's tone was urgent and furious. "Your father is a beast, and your mother is a beast too. They actually joined forces with outsiders to kill their own daughter. Is that something parents should do?"
Chu Lu decided to test her. "Wasn't it said that they wanted to confess their guilt?"
"Confess my ass!" Grandmother's face was filled with rage. "It was all a lie to fool you. They set up a powerful formation. The moment you step into it, you'll be smashed to pieces! Those two little beasts said they were taking you to see them, but they were really luring you into that formation!"
"But don't worry, my good granddaughter. Grandma is here. Grandma will save you." Grandma said, "Those people have planted watchmen all over Qingyun City, keeping every place under a dead watch. But Grandma hasn't been idle these past few days either. I investigated everywhere and have already figured out their positions. Follow Grandma, and we can slip around them and leave Qingyun City."
"Is that so? Thank you, Grandmother."
"What are you thanking me for? It's what a grandmother ought to do."
As the two moved through one narrow alley after another, Yang Ruying and the others watched the scene from the shadows, smiles appearing on all their faces.
"Senior Brother Yang, we succeeded," one of his subordinates said. "Mm." Yang Ruying slowly nodded.
After discovering that Luo's Father and Luo's Mother did not actually have a good relationship with Luo Qingdie, Yang Ruying had not been persuaded by Luo's Father's theory of dog-training. More precisely, he had not been completely persuaded.
He still felt that they should prepare a backup plan. Thus, he continued searching the Luo household for a suitable candidate, only to discover that Luo Qingdie was treated abysmally in her own home.
It was not as though he had not anticipated this. After all, Luo Qingdie spent most of her time at the Inquiry Sword Sect and had little time to cultivate familial affection. On top of that, her parents had never treated Luo Qingdie as a person. Could anyone expect her other relatives to be any better?
Yet after investigating, he was still shocked.
Among her peers, not one person got along with her. Among the elders, not one person liked her. She was truly all alone in the world.
Fortunately, Yang Ruying eventually discovered that Luo Qingdie and her grandmother had a good relationship. Whether grandmother was naturally kindhearted or simply especially fond of the younger generation, she was the only person in the Luo family who would look after Luo Qingdie a little.
She would occasionally play with her, save her some leftovers, and speak up for her when Luo Qingdie was bullied.
So he had brought Luo Qingdie's grandmother over to serve as the backup plan.
Once Luo's Father and Luo's Mother's plan failed, grandmother would step forth, pretend to stand on Luo Qingdie's side, expose the conspiracy, and then lead Luo Qingdie toward the formation.
And judging from the current situation, the results were excellent.
Luo Qingdie showed not the slightest warmth toward her own parents and struck with clean, decisive ruthlessness, yet her attitude toward her grandmother was quite good.
"This time, there must not be another mishap," Yang Ruying muttered.
Back on Chu Lu's side, he followed Grandmother onward for some time before suddenly asking, "Grandmother, do you know about what happened at the Inquiry Sword Sect?"
"You mean the rumors saying you killed everyone in the Inquiry Sword Sect?" Grandmother's face was full of scorn. "Pah! Those are rumors! They can't possibly be true! Other people don't understand you, so they'll believe any rumor. But don't I understand you? What kind of person is my good granddaughter? Sensible, obedient, kind, and well-behaved. You can't even bear to kill a chicken. How could you possibly kill your own master and fellow disciples?"
"I could figure out with my toes that the real murderer must be someone else. You were definitely framed!"
"You really do believe in me..." Chu Lu said.
"Of course! If I don't believe you, who should I believe? My granddaughter is the best person in the world." Grandmother said, "Those parents of yours are two beasts. Back when your master took you away, they gnashed their teeth in fury and wished they could skin you alive. Then, once you became successful, they came crawling back with their eyes shining. If ordinary people had such beastly parents, it would already be merciful not to beat them to death. But what about you?"
Grandmother continued, "Whatever they said, you agreed to it. When they told you to come back, you came back. When they told you to bring spirit pills and magical treasures, you brought spirit pills and magical treasures. They beat and cursed you, and you endured it all. You swallowed every grievance into your stomach and stuffed every good thing into their hands."
"You were so filial and respectful even toward beasts like them, yet someone actually came to tell me that you personally killed your master and fellow disciples? Would I believe that?" Grandmother waved her arms as if cursing in the street. "I'd sooner believe an old sow could climb a tree."
"Is that so? That's nice." Chu Lu sighed. "It would be nice if those two old things thought the same way."
"Heh, you can forget about counting on that. Those two beasts are beyond saving!"
As they spoke, the two had already crossed the city and arrived at the gate on the opposite side.
"Alright, it's safe from here on. The exit is up ahead. Walk through it, and you'll escape their control." Grandmother said, "I'll see you off here. You can only walk the rest of the road by yourself. Don't look back."
As she spoke, grandmother's face was filled with reluctance.
"Just me? Aren't we leaving together?" Chu Lu asked.
"Grandmother wants to as well." Grandmother shook her head regretfully. "But these old bones of mine can't endure all that hardship. I'd only drag you down if I went with you."
"I see. Then before I leave, let me say one last thing." Chu Lu said.
"Alright. What do you want to say?" Grandmother asked.
Chu Lu leaned close to Grandmother's ear and whispered softly, "Grandmother, you're actually on the same side as my parents, aren't you?"
"Huh?" Grandmother's eyes abruptly widened. Just as she opened her mouth to defend herself, a spell landed on her, instantly rendering her unable to move.
Chu Lu looked ahead once more and muttered in a low voice, "So the trap formation was actually set up here? Let me see exactly who wants to kill me!"
With that, Chu Lu strode boldly into it.
In that instant, a thunderclap-like boom rang out, and the Ten-Directional Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Exterminating Grand Formation roared to life. Endless light converged from all directions, transforming into surging torrents of mighty spiritual power that shot into the heavens.
Gales howled, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. Every bolt of lightning contained the power to destroy heaven and earth, tearing apart the surrounding air. Countless purple arcs of electricity coursed along the edges of the grand formation, weaving into a massive web of lightning that exuded a soul-chilling aura.
Heaven and earth changed; the Ten-Directional Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Exterminating Grand Formation was terrifying beyond measure!
At the edge of the formation, grandmother's eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the ground.
The citizens in distant Qingyun City poked their heads out to look, only to be frightened out of their wits.
Farther away, Yang Ruying, his subordinates, Luo's Father, Luo's Mother, and the others all looked up at the formation's power soaring into the sky, their faces filled with wild joy.
Before you continue