Chapter 609 - 12: The Liuu Family in Dongling City_2

"Returning to Dongling City?" Lu Qingshan was somewhat surprised.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded: "I need to take care of some matters in Dongling City. My teacher was killed by a bandit, and it was partly my fault that he got involved. I need to resolve this matter!"

"Then... alright!" Lu Qingshan nodded.

Jiang Ning said: "Sect Master Lu, I will take my leave now. I will go to see my teacher and then leave for now! My teacher has been harmed, and my elder brother and sister-in-law’s family are still in Dongling City, so I dare not stay away for too long. I am quite worried!"

"Understood!" Lu Qingshan nodded: "Commander Jiang, go deal with your matters. Your teacher is safe in Medicine King Valley with me here."

...

Shortly thereafter.

Jiang Ning went to see Wang Jin, bid farewell, and left Medicine King Valley.

As he had just mentioned before.

He was filled with worry for his brother and sister-in-law’s family.

Because if he guessed correctly, the harm inflicted on Wang Jin was the work of Yu Manyun.

And Yu Manyun had already probably hastily made her way to Dongling City, having learned of his whereabouts from the martial arts disciples.

By now, it had been more than two days since Yu Manyun left Luoshui County.

On horseback, even if she hadn’t reached Dongling City yet, it wouldn’t be long now.

She dared to attack Wang Jin, so finding Jiang Li and Liuu Wanwan would be no different.

Even with Bai Luoyu’s assistance, he wasn’t particularly confident.

After all, there’s an old saying: It’s hard to guard against thieves for a thousand days.

One slip could lead to a lifetime of regret.

Whether something happened to his brother and sister-in-law, or to his nephew and niece, he couldn’t accept it.

His ties in this world were few, and family was his only connection now.

...

Medicine King Valley.

"Sect Master, where is Jiang Ning?" Several elders arrived together to find Lu Qingshan.

"He left!" Lu Qingshan said.

"Left? Where did he go?"

"He went to Dongling City!"

"Sect Master, why didn’t you keep him here?" An elder slapped his thigh: "We just sent our most beautiful granddaughter over, and now Jiang Ning is gone!"

Lu Qingshan said: "There’s no choice! He can’t stay!"

Then he explained the reason for Jiang Ning’s departure.

"I see!"

The elders felt a sense of relief.

Someone sighed: "Fate is truly unpredictable!"

...

Dongling City.

At the city gate.

A woman wearing a blue long dress, with a white veil on her head, stood wearily at the gate.

This person was none other than Yu Manyun, who had left Luoshui County.

She raised her head to look at the three characters carved above the city wall.

Dongling City.

"I drove one horse to death on this journey and still haven’t found any trace of Jiang Ning. Judging by the time, he should have entered Dongling City!" Yu Manyun mumbled to herself, a trace of fatigue flashing in her eyes.

On her journey, after overexerting the horse, she had relied on her legs to keep pushing forward day and night.

She also had to investigate any carriages on the road that might be hiding Jiang Ning.

Following Jiang Ning’s trail day and night, she was physically and mentally exhausted.

"I’ll rest first, then go to the Water Moon Sword Palace’s base in the city to let them gather information." Yu Manyun quickly made up her mind, then proceeded to enter the city.

...

East District.

Liu Family Gate.

"Liu!"

Seeing the old housekeeper come out of the Liu Family Mansion, Liuu Wanwan immediately spoke.

The silver-haired old housekeeper looked at Liuu Wanwan, then glanced at the Jiang beside her, immediately furrowing his brow, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"Miss, go back! Over ten years ago, when you severed your father-daughter bond with the clan leader and were expelled from the Liu family genealogy, you already lost the right to step into the Liu Family Mansion."

"Your children are also not qualified to acknowledge their ancestry. That’s the path you chose back then, and it’s too late now to regret it!"

Liuu Wanwan shook her head: "I’m not here with my children to acknowledge our ancestry, and I don’t regret my choice back then."

"If you don’t regret it, then why return? Especially bringing back that low-class person full of street air!"

"My father is not a low-class person!" Little Dumpling held Jiang Li’s hand and shouted loudly.

"No manners, truly a street rat’s wild spawn!" The youth behind the silver-haired old man said: "My father is speaking, and you, a street rat’s wild spawn, dare to interrupt?"

As the words fell, he suddenly rushed forward.

"Lu Er, come back!" The silver-haired old housekeeper shouted angrily.

"Father, leave me be!" The young man didn’t even turn his head.

In the next moment.

Jiang Li was instantly sent flying sideways.

The young man reached out, trying to grab Little Dumpling.

"You dare!" Jiang Yiming couldn’t hold back any longer upon seeing this and immediately went to strike.

"Stop!!" A loud shout suddenly came from behind.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yiming and that young man clashed with fists and feet.

In an instant.

The young man’s complexion changed drastically, his body pushed back repeatedly.

He looked at Jiang Yiming with an expression full of shock.

His Qi-Blood was already Great Success, and he had ample combat experience, yet he was repelled by Jiang Li’s son in one move, a fact he couldn’t accept in his heart.

"Sis!" Liu Shansheng rushed out from the Liu Family Mansion.

His gaze swept briefly, immediately understanding everything that had occurred here.

When he looked at Jiang Li, his pupils suddenly constricted.

"Pa——"

Right then, he slapped, the old housekeeper staggered from the impact, thrown to the ground.

"Third Young Master!!" The young man saw his father slapped flying by Liu Shansheng, his eyes immediately flared with anger.

Yet Liu Shansheng didn’t spare him a glance, eyes fixed upon the fallen old housekeeper.

"Housekeeper Liu, when did the subordinates dare insult the masters? You’ve been a housekeeper in my family for so many years, and is this the respect you have failed to maintain?"

"Th... Third Young Master!!" Sensing Liu Shansheng’s fury, the old housekeeper’s heart was instantly filled with fear.

Liuu Wanwan was expelled from the Liu family genealogy, severed father-daughter ties before everyone with the Clan Leader, he could afford to show Liuu Wanwan no respect, even openly reprimand.

But Liu Shansheng was not the same.

Within the Liu family next generation, beyond the eldest son with a promising future, furthering studies at the Academy, Liu Shansheng was the most outstanding.

Not only one of the exceptional in the Martial Arts Garden, but also having joined the Inspection Office, holding a Standard Ninth Grade court official rank, and wielding real power, higher authority than officials of First-grade rank.

Within the Liu family, should Liu Shansheng choose to act against him, even considering his years of loyalty to the Liu family, though without merit, his suffering would earn him a decent end, but it would still not be favorable.

"Take your son down and receive twenty lashes, no cheating or deceit, you know the consequences!" Liu Shansheng cast a glance at the old housekeeper.

"Yes!" The silver-haired old housekeeper immediately knelt to express gratitude.

The young man, seeing this, rushed over to help the old housekeeper up.

"Father, I refuse!!"

"Pa——" The old housekeeper promptly slapped him across the face.

"No sense of hierarchy, did I teach you that way? We’re servants of the Liu family for a day, then servants for life, dare act out again, won’t wait for Third Young Master to speak, I’ll beat you to death myself!"

With that, he dragged his only son and headed toward the Liu Family Mansion.

"Brother-in-law!!" Liu Shansheng ran to Jiang Li: "Brother-in-law, are you alright?"

Jiang Li shook his head: "I’m fine!"

Yet his expression was somewhat desolate.

Once again, he felt his lack of strength.

Out in the world, a man without strength has no dignity.

Liu Shansheng said: "Brother-in-law, I’ve severely punished that servant, twenty lashes, his skin will be ripped, at least half a month of bed rest."

"Uncle!" Little Dumpling was instantly tearful.

"No worries, with Uncle here, no one in the Liu family will bully you!" Liu Shansheng patted Little Dumpling’s head.

"I miss my uncle!" Little Dumpling was tearful.

Upon hearing this, the image of Jiang Ning flashed in Liu Shansheng’s mind, a deep fear crossed his heart.

In Luoshui County for several months.

As captain, he knew of Jiang Ning’s feats and terror.

It could be said, nowadays, Jiang Ning was someone the Liu family absolutely couldn’t afford to offend in his eyes.

In Dongling City, the Liu family wasn’t a first-rate family, only considered top-second-rate, a significant distance from first-rate.

Compared with Luoshui County’s Cao family, only slightly stronger by half.

And he knew, in Luoshui County, whether the Cao family or the Liu family, under Jiang Ning’s hand, could be annihilated in a day.

Though the Liu family was in Dongling City, not Jiang Ning’s territory.

Yet Jiang Ning today was different from back then.

One man guards a city, one man shoots and kills Luoshui County Lord, Vice Sect Hierarch Li Hong.

With such strength, the Liu family held no real power before him.

In this world, strength is the greatest assurance a family has.

In an unregulated situation, only fists speak.