Demonic Calamity

The great hall fell silent.

Only the words of the Han Family head echoed through the space.

The other Han clansmen, perhaps having been forewarned, spoke not a word, instead sweeping the Qin Family party with strange, scrutinizing gazes.

Lady Li's brow furrowed slightly at the words.

Qin Jiu, however, listened with a blank expression, making no move to speak. He knew the other party hadn't finished yet—pointing out the crisis facing the Qin Family was merely a way to add leverage.

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But just then.

Wang Yue, who had been stooped and following behind the two, took a small step forward.

"This humble one is the steward of the Qin Estate, paying respects to the Han Family head."

"This old servant followed the old madam and the young master here and should not have spoken. Yet just now, I heard the Han Family head say that his cultivation practice went awry. I think otherwise—the unabashed demonic aura on your person is very similar to that of the demon that attacked my master that day."

Wang Yue spoke in a weary tone.

He had come on this trip solely to ensure the safety of Qin Jiu and the old madam, and should not have interfered.

But the moment he stepped into the great hall, his five senses detected a chilling, sinister presence.

That presence was no different from the demon that had assassinated Qin Guihong that day.

However, this kind of aura was difficult for martial artists at the Third Refinement realm or below to sense. Thus, while raising the question, he was also subtly warning the old madam and Qin Jiu.

As for the Han Family head seated in the main seat.

He had been raising his teacup for a sip, but his movements froze at the words. His eyes then shot toward Wang Yue like lightning, locking onto him.

"So this sick tiger has come along as well."

The Han Family head's expression turned ugly.

He had failed to notice this figure following behind the two earlier, dismissing him as an ordinary household servant.

On the other side.

Both Qin Jiu and Lady Li.

Their faces sank.

"Han Family head, please explain yourself."

"Your Qin Family is truly bold, bringing your estate's only Inner Strengthen martial artist out here. Aren't you afraid someone will take advantage of the vacancy?"

The Han Family head sighed. "Han, no—the Han Family, in fact, encountered the same thing as your Qin Estate a few days ago. A demon attacked in the night. If Zong Yuan hadn't sacrificed himself to save me, I would have died on the spot."

At these words.

A look of shock immediately appeared on Lady Li's face.

Qin Jiu, however, spoke in a heavy tone. "Han Family head, this matter concerns a blood feud for my Qin Family. It won't be so easy to brush off the reason for the demonic aura on your person with just one sentence. Uncle Wang..."

He turned to look at Wang Yue.

The latter nodded.

He then drew a gleaming long blade from the waist of a guard following them.

"Huum—"

The blade hummed.

A chilling, heart-stopping aura.

Burst forth from Wang Yue's body. His aged demeanor vanished, his back and waist snapping straight as he strode step by step toward the center of the hall.

"Hold on."

The Han Family head's brow twitched violently. "Han can naturally prove the truth of this matter."

"Men, bring the coffins."

He ordered a servant beside him.

Seeing this, Qin Jiu also signaled Wang Yue to stop.

Before long.

Eight dark red coffins were carried into the great hall. The Han Family head then ordered the servants to open them.

"Family head, Zong Yuan's body is still warm—how can you disturb his peace..."

"Shut up."

The Han Family head shot a cold glare at the one who had spoken.

He then walked personally to the coffin at the center, raised his hand, and blasted the lid open, revealing a mutilated, bluish corpse inside.

"These eight people in the coffins were all pillars of my Han Family. They all died from the demon's attack that night. Nephew, and old madam, if you don't believe me, feel free to look at the bodies in the other coffins. The demon's aura still lingers on them."

"If I have been offensive, please forgive me, Uncle Han."

Qin Jiu was not polite.

He immediately ordered his accompanying guards to open each coffin one by one.

As for whether this would offend the Han Family, it simply wasn't within his considerations—after all, if the Han Family truly had ties to the demon that had once ambushed and killed Qin Guihong, today's matter could not end peacefully in any case.

When the remaining coffins were opened, the corpses inside were all mutilated and discolored, a sickly green.

"Uncle Wang."

Qin Jiu turned his head to look at Wang Yue.

He couldn't sense any demonic aura himself, so he had to rely on Wang Yue to make the identification.

"They were indeed killed by a demon."

Wang Yue nodded and said, "And it was the same demon that ambushed and killed the family head. That icy aura—Young Master need only touch these corpses to know it's exactly the same as the aura that once lingered inside your body."

Hearing this, Qin Jiu's heart sank.

Regardless of whether the demon's ambush on Qin Guihong and his past self had been orchestrated by human hands, in the face of the Han Family's current tragedy, the situation was extremely grave—a demon that could rampage through the inner city with no one able to suppress it...

He took a deep breath and looked at the Han Family head.

"Uncle Han, then why is there still a trace of demonic aura lingering on your person..."

"Rip."

Before he could finish speaking, the Han Family head grabbed his own left shoulder and violently tore open his brocade robe, revealing a hideous claw mark.

"This is from my struggle with the demon."

"Nephew, do you have any further doubts?"

The Han Family head asked, his face expressionless.

Qin Jiu bowed to him solemnly: "The Han Family has suffered this calamity; our Qin Family should not be reopening old wounds like this. But since it involves my father's blood feud, I must treat this matter with utmost caution. Please forgive any offense, Uncle Han."

Seeing this, the Han Family head's expression softened slightly.

"I ask that the Qin Family not reveal this matter to outsiders. As for the marriage alliance..." He paused here, glanced at Wang Yue, and said, "My Han Family has met with misfortune. Even if we proceed with the marriage, it will be three months before my nephew can wed my daughter."

"I can understand."

Qin Jiu nodded, his eyes flickering, and said, "But Uncle Han, may I ask which daughter you intend to betroth to me?"

The Han Family head had two sons and three daughters.

If it was a marriage alliance, according to the agreement from back then, it should rightfully be the eldest legitimate daughter.

He asked this now

only to gauge the Han Family head's attitude.

The Han Family was not much different from the Qin Family—they also had two Inner Strength martial artists on the surface, one of whom was Han Zongyuan, now lying in a coffin, and the other, who appeared to be severely wounded...

As he pondered, his gaze met the Han Family head's.

The latter's pupils contracted slightly, then he turned his face unchanged toward the servant beside him.

"Go and call the eldest young lady here."

"Yes."

The servant bowed and left.

The hall quickly fell into an eerie silence.

Lady Li kept her eyes lowered, appearing to be resting with her eyes closed, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with her—but inside, her mind was far from calm.

Before long, a slender figure in a light blue form-fitting outfit walked into the hall.

Her posture was graceful, her features delicate and fair-skinned.

She came before Lady Li and performed a poised bow: "Qingyue greets the Old Madam, Young Master Qin."

"Rise, rise."

Lady Li sized up Han Qingyue and nodded slightly.

But after finishing her bow, the latter did not linger.

She walked straight to the Han Family head and knelt before him.

"Since ancient times, marriage has been by parental command and matchmaker's word; a child should obey her father's every arrangement. However, I am devoted to the martial path and have even received a recommendation from an elder of a major sect. I am only waiting for next spring to go and take the sect's entrance examination. I beg my father to withdraw his command."