Chapter 403: Guessed the Answer

A shadow of gloom flickered in Su Yan's eyes.

Seeing her silence, Auntie Wang felt that a child like her should be able to prioritize the bigger picture.

"Even if the heavens fall, the people of the world will hold them up, but my mother's vengeance—I will definitely have it!" Every word Su Yan spoke hit the ground heavily.

She was no saint. Her mother had been killed by the Four Great Families, and she was expected to shoulder the mission of saving all living beings on their behalf?!

Auntie Wang's heart skipped a beat. "Girl, you must stay calm. Even if every grievance has its source and every debt its owner, Kong Lingfeng is already dead. Do you intend to slaughter every single member of the Kong family?"

This girl had been raised by Granny Li, and the fact that Granny Li had sent her here meant that Granny Li believed she could handle this matter.

Auntie Wang could only silently comfort herself with this thought and then try to persuade Su Yan.

Far from being happy to hear that Kong Lingfeng was dead, Su Yan's expression grew so grim it looked as if it could drip water.

"Dead?"

"Yes. After all, it happened over twenty years ago. In truth, the patriarchs of the Four Great Families bear the mission of repairing the seal; whether it be their bodies or their spiritual power, the consumption is severe. It is difficult for any of them to reach a natural end. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many memorial tablets here." Auntie Wang increased her volume so that Su Yan could hear her more clearly.

Su Yan suppressed the fury in her heart. It didn't matter if Kong Lingfeng was dead; there was still Kong Shan Kui. Even if she couldn't kill every member of the Kong family, she could still kill everyone involved in this matter.

"Auntie Wang, then do you know what happened when my mother took me back to the Kong family?"

Through their recent interactions, Auntie Wang had become very clear about Su Yan's obsession with revenge. Therefore, when Su Yan asked this question, she shook her head with extreme gravity and seriousness.

"I'm afraid not even I, nor Granny Li, would know. After all, if the Kong family truly did something to you and your mother back then, they certainly wouldn't have let many people know."

Although Su Yan did not get the answer she wanted, she had already made up her mind.

It was likely that everything the Evil Spirit King had said in the Zhou family ancestral grounds was true.

The entire ancestral hall was silent. Auntie Wang looked out the window.

"What should be said and what shouldn't be said, I have told you. Now, we should also leave this place. Do not come looking for this place again in the future."

It was both a command and a piece of advice.

This was not a place she should be.

"Auntie Wang, I have one last question."

At this moment, Su Yan showed no signs of being different from her usual self.

Auntie Wang watched her quietly.

"Why was the ancestral hall established here?" When Su Yan asked this question, time seemed to stand still.

Under the flickering candlelight, Auntie Wang's face glowed with an obscure, indistinct light.

"Girl, this is not a question you should concern yourself with."

Her voice held nothing but coldness.

But Su Yan had already guessed the answer. "Thank you, Auntie Wang. I indeed should go back."

Having said that, she turned around.

"Wait a moment." Auntie Wang called out to her, then handed over the lantern she had been carrying. "It's dark on the road; use this to light your way."

Su Yan took it. "Thank you."

Auntie Wang stood in place, watching Su Yan's figure completely disappear into the night as the doors of the ancestral hall closed once more.

She lifted her eyes again toward the memorial tablets, silently repeating that sentence in her heart.

"I hope Su Yan does not follow in Kong Xiangrou's footsteps."

***

The ghost shadow followed cautiously behind Su Yan, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Although it didn't know exactly what Su Yan and Auntie Wang had discussed inside, seeing Su Yan's current expression and aura, it understood that she must be extremely furious—perhaps she had already discovered the truth she sought.

As soon as the two left, everything returned to normal; No. 76 was still the Capital Publishing House.

It wasn't until Su Yan reached the hotel that the ghost shadow dared to speak tentatively.

"My Lord, are you alright?"

It was already the latter half of the night, but looking at Su Yan, it was clear she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

Su Yan gave an answer that surprised him. "I am fine."

However, the more she acted this way, the more uneasy the ghost shadow became.

"My Lord, did Auntie Wang tell you everything?"

"She did. There is no need to linger here any longer. I will go to the Zhou family tomorrow, and the day after, I will set off to return."

When Su Yan mentioned the Zhou family, her eyes became bottomless.

Even if Zhou Xiongfeng was not the primary culprit behind her mother's tragic death back then, he was still an accomplice. Now that he had proactively handed his son over to her, she would certainly accept this "great gift."

The ghost shadow had no particular preference for where to go; its only mission was to stay by Su Yan's side.

"My Lord, are we not going through that passage?"

It seemed to sense that a massive secret was hidden outside that passage.

"No need." Su Yan's attitude was quite firm.

In truth, even if Auntie Wang hadn't said it in the end, she could have guessed. After all, she had already entered that place once before.

Liu Yiyi's plan had failed completely there, and the formation had not been activated.

However, before tonight, she had underestimated that place. The site where the ancestral halls of successive patriarchs of the Four Great Families were located—what kind of existence could possibly be suppressed beneath it?

That Liu Yiyi was truly mad to the extreme.

Although the ghost shadow was incredibly curious, the moment Su Yan said they weren't going, it instantly abandoned all such thoughts.

***

The next day.

Su Yan met Zhou Li at the Zhou family, whose face was still pale.

His condition was clearly not fully recovered; even his speech was somewhat weak.

"Patriarch Zhou, I see that Young Master Zhou needs proper rest. Perhaps we should just forget about it?" Su Yan suggested with apparent concern.

Before Zhou Xiongfeng could speak, Zhou Li immediately expressed, "Senior Sister Su, actually, my body is no longer a major concern. Moreover, I truly cherish this opportunity to travel with you; I definitely won't hold you back."

Su Yan smiled slightly. "What is Young Master Zhou saying? It's not that I'm afraid of being held back, but rather that it would be best if nothing unexpected happened to someone of your noble status."

When she said the word "unexpected," her smile seemed particularly meaningful.

"Master Su, you can rest easy on that point. Although Xiao Li is the young master of the Zhou family, he has undergone rigorous training since childhood. He is not that fragile." Zhou Xiongfeng seemed to be in a good mood, with smiles in the corners of his eyes and brows, showing no sign of worry for Zhou Li.

Since things had been said to this point, if Su Yan continued to persuade him, it would instead seem pretentious.

"Very well. I have already booked tomorrow's tickets. If Young Master Zhou has no issues, then we shall depart together tomorrow."

Zhou Xiongfeng nodded readily in agreement, then extended a warm invitation.

"Master Su, do you have any other plans for today? If not, please stay and join us for a simple meal."

"Sure." This time, Su Yan agreed exceptionally readily.

(End of Chapter)