Struck it rich

Young Master Chen pointed at Ning Shuang. "It was her cat that scratched me!"

Ning Shuang frowned.

She kept a white cat named Jade Ball. He had a trace of Demon Race blood and lived a little longer than ordinary cats, but there was nothing else special about him. How could he have injured a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple?

Elder Chen raged, "Well, well! True Lord Ning actually used her seniority to bully a junior-and my son, at that!" He snatched back the ten thousand Spirit Stones. "Forget a hundred thousand. I won't give you a single coin!"

Ning Shuang said, "Jade Ball wouldn't hurt anyone without cause. Explain exactly what happened."

"What's there to explain?" With his father there to back him up, Chen Wanqian shouted at Elder Ning. "I was fishing by the river when that cat pounced on me and scratched me! The blind little beast actually dared to hurt this young master!"

"Where's the cat?" Elder Chen asked.

"The beast ran fast. He vanished in the blink of an eye. I reckon he came back to his owner!"

"True Lord Ning, you heard him. Your cat injured my son. Just hand over that beast and beat him to death on the spot to vent my son's anger, and we'll call this settled! Otherwise-this isn't over!"

That old bastard actually wanted to lay hands on her cat!

Ning Shuang's fury reached its peak. A freezing chill spread from her, coating the tables and chairs in frost. "Let's see who dares touch Jade Ball!"

Inside the Duties Hall, swords were drawn and bows bent. Just as the two sides seemed about to come to blows over a single word, Qiaoqiao's inner voice rang out again: [Ah, I remember now!]

[Elder Chen's head isn't just a little bald-it's a little green, too!]

[His wife has been secretly carrying on with his sworn enemy behind his back for ages. This precious son of his isn't even his biological child!]

[He treats his son like his own lifeblood, yet he has no idea he's been wearing a green hat for a hundred years! He's a colossal sucker who's spent a hundred years raising his sworn enemy's son! Hahaha!]

Everyone: !!!

There was actually something like this going on?!

Qiaoqiao continued, [Really, he's just reaping the evil he sowed. Back then, he hired a curse master to put a vicious curse on his sworn enemy to cut off his descendants, but the other man had already taken precautions. The curse actually took effect on him instead. He wants to leave the Spirit Stones he embezzled to his son, as though his family has a throne to inherit, but he'll never be able to have children in this lifetime.]

[Tsk, tsk. If he found out this son wasn't his, would he faint from rage?]

Chapter 7: Struck it rich

Qiaoqiao's words landed like a thunderclap, leaving Elder Ning and the two senior disciples stunned.

What had Qiaoqiao said?

Elder Chen's son wasn't actually his?!

Who in the Flowing Cloud Sect didn't know that Elder Chen loved his son as dearly as his own life? This son was his lifeblood, more important to him than anything else.

Back then, True Person Lin's disciple had clashed with Young Master Chen and injured his leg. To retaliate, father and son had plotted together and broken both of that disciple's legs.

The incident had caused a huge uproar, and several Peak Masters had eventually stepped in to mediate. Although the disciple's legs had been healed, he had been left with an inner demon, and his cultivation realm had fallen again and again. A perfectly good disciple had been ruined just like that.

With little power, True Person Lin could only swallow his anger in silence. Young Master Chen had become even more lawless afterward. Even his cultivation had been piled up with countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures supplied by Elder Chen.

Who would have thought this son wasn't even his!

This really was-

Just what he deserved!

The son he had spoiled for decades was actually his sworn enemy's seed. Was this what they called retribution?

[Madam Chen really is a move ahead. She acts as though she's guarding every possible opening, terrified Elder Chen will cheat on her, when she's the one who's actually cheating. Elder Chen even thinks it shows how much his wife cares about him!]

[His wife even said she loved his beautiful hair most of all. Elder Chen was so moved that he thought she didn't find him repulsive and truly loved him. In reality, what his wife hates most is greasy, balding men.]

[Hahaha.]

Listening to Qiaoqiao's laughter, everyone struggled hard to hold back their own.

As they looked at the angry Elder Chen shielding his son behind him, they felt as though they were looking at a colossal sucker.

After learning this secret, even Ning Shuang's anger subsided somewhat.

Once again the focus of everyone's gazes, Elder Chen felt something strange well up inside him. Why are they all looking at me like that? It was as though some secret of his had suddenly been exposed before them...

These people were a bunch of freaks!

He said, "True Lord Ning, are you still refusing to hand over the cat? Are you trying to force me to act?"

Ning Shuang said, "Absolutely not."

[Then fight. Who's afraid of whom?] Qiaoqiao said. [Elder Chen must not know my master has come out of seclusion, right?]

Those words startled Ning Shuang. Immortal Venerable Wanghan had come out of seclusion?

She glanced back at Shen Ji.

Shen Ji nodded.

On hearing that the Immortal Venerable had emerged from seclusion, Ning Shuang immediately gained confidence. "Elder Chen, you want to throw your weight around? Do you really think there's no one on Ethereal Peak?"

Just then, a meow rang out, and a white cat sauntered into the Duties Hall. He circled Ning Shuang's legs twice, then went over to Qiaoqiao, who often fed him dried fish. In a flash, he clambered onto her shoulder, crouched there, and slowly curled into a ball.

It was Elder Ning's cat, Jade Ball.

His fluffy fur tickled Qiaoqiao, and she couldn't resist stroking him.

Chen Wanqian shouted, "Father, that's the cat that hurt me!"

Perched on Qiaoqiao's shoulder, Jade Ball meowed and began licking his paw as though no one else were there.

Chen Wanqian felt that the cat was provoking him. He glared fiercely at Qiaoqiao. "Hand over the cat, or I'll deal with you too!"

Qiaoqiao wasn't afraid in the slightest. Even her eldest senior brother had acknowledged her sword intent. Why would she fear this good-for-nothing young master? She raised her eyebrows at him. "I won't."

With his father backing him, Chen Wanqian was used to throwing his weight around the sect. Seeing this Qi Refining disciple dare to challenge him, he flew into a rage. "You're asking for a beating!"

He raised his hand and struck at Qiaoqiao with his palm. He held nothing back; the blow was plainly meant to cripple her.

A flicker of disgust crossed Ning Shuang's eyes. This man surnamed Chen was vicious indeed!