Fleeing for His Life

"Th-this really is Tian'er down there?" Fifth Master Jin suddenly turned around and asked the Jin Family Patriarch in a hushed voice.

"Fifth Brother, would I joke with you at a time like this? These children all witnessed Tian'er's death with their own eyes." The Jin Family Patriarch spoke slowly.

Hearing this answer, Fifth Master Jin's face turned completely bloodless. He spun around again and swept his foot across the ground.

With a whoosh, the white cloth was swept up by a gust of wind, revealing Jin Tian's corpse beneath it, its face resembling that of a vengeful ghost. The Golden Silk Armor that had been on his body was nowhere to be seen.

"Tian'er!"

Seeing Jin Tian's bruised, swollen face, black and blue like a pig's head, and the mangled wound at his throat, Fifth Master Jin clenched both fists and let out a low growl.

"Fifth Brother, don't rush to grieve. I've already learned the whole story from these children. Jin Wu, tell your Fifth Uncle what happened." The Jin Family Patriarch sighed and instructed a somewhat older-looking youth standing nearby.

"Yes, Uncle. Fifth Uncle, this is what happened. This morning, Younger Brother Tian asked us to go hunting in the countryside..." Though the Jin family youth was extremely uneasy, under the Jin Family Patriarch's command and Fifth Master Jin's icy stare, he still recounted the events from beginning to end.

Throughout the account, Fifth Master Jin's expression remained wooden. Only when he heard that Jin Tian had stolen his Golden Silk Armor and even brought out a Wind-Fire Tube did his expression shift slightly.

"Eldest Brother, I've heard the whole story. How do you intend to handle this?" Fifth Master Jin took a deep breath and asked coldly.

"This matter is rather complicated. You have to understand, Tian'er was the one who struck first. Besides, he also stole the clan's Wind-Fire Tube..." The Jin Family Patriarch furrowed his brow and spoke slowly.

"I don't care what Tian'er did wrong while he was alive. All I know is that the one who lost his life is my only son—your own nephew! I'll have that brat Shi Mu cut into a thousand pieces to lay my poor child to rest. If you refuse to agree to avenge him, don't blame me for turning against you and disowning you as my elder brother!" Fifth Master Jin snapped at the Jin Family Patriarch.

"Fifth Brother, have you gone mad? How can you speak to Eldest Brother like that?"

"Fifth Brother, we all know you're grief-stricken, but the Jin Family is an established clan. We can't abandon all propriety."

Several of the Jin family's leading figures nearby tried to dissuade him.

"Hmph, it's easy for you to say that, since it wasn't your son who died. I know you're wary because that bastard Shi Mu is Seventh Sister's son in name. But I don't care. If the Jin Family won't avenge my son, I'll do it myself." Fifth Master Jin glared at the others, looking as though he had thrown caution to the wind.

Seeing Fifth Master Jin make such a scene, the Jin Family Patriarch's expression darkened, and he was about to say something more.

But just then, an aged voice suddenly rang through the hall:

"What, Little Fifth? If I don't let you take revenge, are you going to stop acknowledging me as your father, too?"

"Father!"

"Grandfather!"

"Patriarch!"

Everyone in the Jin Family's main hall turned pale at the sound of the voice and fell to their knees.

That aged voice belonged to the Jin Family's bedrock, the Jin Family Patriarch, who had reached the great perfection of the Houtian realm.

Fifth Master Jin hurriedly replied, his face filled with apprehension:

"Father, how could your son ever harbor such rebellious thoughts? It's just that Tian'er died so horribly. As his father, if I don't avenge him, I'll have no face to remain in the clan. The other great families in Feng City will surely laugh at the Jin Family."

"Hmph. The disaster that befell Jin Tian this time was largely your fault. If you hadn't spoiled him so much, how could he have caused such trouble, even losing his own life?" The aged voice gave a snort, its authority undeniable.

"Your son knows he was wrong, but I beg Father to grant my request and let me take my revenge. Afterward, I'll accept any punishment without a word." Fifth Master Jin dropped to his knees with two resounding thuds, his forehead swollen and bruised, and cried out in a hoarse voice.

"Heh heh. Since you know to repent, it's not too late. Just as you said earlier, no matter what, Jin Tian was a direct descendant of the Jin Family. If someone killed him and we remained unmoved, the other great families in Feng City might truly look down on us. Eldest Brother, send some men with Fifth Brother and make that boy Shi Mu disappear from the great families for good. As for Seventh Sister, I'll personally order her not to leave Feng City for the time being." The Jin Family Patriarch fell silent for a long while before giving a decision with a chuckle.

"Yes!"

The Jin Family Patriarch readily agreed.

After that, the Jin Family Patriarch's voice fell silent.

The others gradually rose to their feet.

"Since Father has personally given the order, Fifth Brother, name whoever you need." The Jin Family Patriarch considered this briefly, then asked Fifth Master Jin amiably.

"Eldest Brother, I don't need anyone else. I only want those Blood Hounds best at tracking and that Green-Headed Eagle." Fifth Master Jin answered without hesitation.

"Very well. Against a mere Martial Disciple, there's no need to send any other Houtian Martial Artists. I'll lend you the Dog and Eagle Servants." The Jin Family Patriarch nodded and agreed at once.

"Excellent! That scoundrel Shi Mu can't have gone more than half a day's journey. I'll set out immediately and try to take his life within two or three days." Fifth Master Jin was delighted, his face twisted into a vicious grin.

At the same time, on the official road dozens of miles from Feng City, Shi Mu drove a gray carriage pulled by two black steeds, racing into the distance in a cloud of dust.

The Sun and Moon Blades hung at his waist, and he carried the enormous Purple Steel Bow and a quiver full of long arrows on his back. A hint of anxiety showed on his face.

"Big Brother Shi, you didn't have to take me with you. If you were traveling alone, it would be easier to escape." A girl's exceptionally melodious voice suddenly came from inside the carriage. Then the curtain lifted, revealing Zhong Xiu's worried face.

"No. If I left you in Feng City alone, the Wu Family might harm you, and even if the Jin Family couldn't catch up with me, they'd surely take their anger out on you." Shi Mu replied gravely without turning his head.

"Then you could leave me somewhere along the way. I can find a place to hide on my own." Zhong Xiu thought for a moment, then said softly.

"You're underestimating the Jin Family's influence. As long as you're still within Quanzhou, you won't find anywhere safe to hide. Even if we were to do that, it would have to wait until I'd taken you beyond Quanzhou." Shi Mu replied with a bitter smile.

"That's true. But, Big Brother Shi, have you come up with a plan? If we keep traveling on the official road like this, it's only a matter of time before the Jin Family catches up with us." Zhong Xiu sighed softly.