Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 80: Seizing the Roots

It was midday and Ye Fan returned to the small store. He loved the atmosphere of eating together with old uncle Jiang and little Ting Ting.

After the meal, little Ting Ting was very obedient and went to do the dishes. Noticing this, Ye Fan felt himself blush with shame, it seemed that he had not helped them with any of the chores before.

“Let me do it, you’re still young. There’s no need to do this. Go take an afternoon nap, it will help you grow up.”

“There’s no need for big brother to do this, I know how to wash the dishes, I am able to make them very clean.” The little girl forcefully pushed Ye Fan to the side.

Old uncle Jiang’s face was full of smiles as he kept the dishes by the side, looking towards his grand daughter with a gaze filled with doting love.

An abrupt voice suddenly broke this warm atmosphere and said: “We haven’t seen each other for two years and this little girl has already grown up so much, so understanding already.”

A young male of twenty five to twenty six years of age walked in, his face had a faint smile on it as he swept his gaze disdainfully at old uncle Jiang and Ye Fan before finally staring at little Ting Ting.

“Uncle, who are you? Do you recognise me?” Little Ting Ting’s mouth was very sweet and although she recognised that he did not have good intentions, she still obediently called him uncle.

“Of course I do, when your parents were alive I already knew you.” The young man’s skin was fair and his lips were thin, exuding a treacherous aura. He did not avoid the taboo and immediately spoke of little Ting Ting’s parents deaths.

The large eyes of the little girl immediately reddened, she still vaguely remembered the looks of her parents, back then she had spent many nights crying to sleep, finally by supporting and being supported by old uncle Jiang, she was able to stop crying in her sleep with the passage of time.

At this moment, having her parents mentioned again, her tears rolled down as she turned her small body and began to slowly wash the dishes, her shoulders continually shuddering.

Seeing that Ting Ting was hurt, the expression on old uncle Jiang’s face changed as he asked: “The seventh young master of the Li family, what business do you have here?”

The young man pulled a chair as he sat down and said: “Nothing much, I’m a person who likes to reminisce the old days so I came over to take a look at how the two of you grandfather and granddaughter were faring.

Old uncle Jiang seemed indifferent as he replied: “Thanks to the good fortune from seventh young master, we are able to barely make ends meet each day.”

Ye Fan stood by the side without speaking, he had already recognised this person, it was the young man who had ridden on the Dragon Scaled Horse.

“Why do I feel a sense of resentment, old Jiang do you hate me out of jealousy?” The young man spoke from his high horse with a faint smile.

This person had entered the Yan Xia immortal sanctuary together with Ting Ting’s father and due to his limited aptitude, he had been left far behind by Ting Ting’s father. There was an occasion where he had committed some atrocities and was viciously taught a lesson by Ting Ting’s father. As a result, he harboured a jealous hatred within his heart. When Ting Ting’s parents passed away, he had been the one to instigate the people of the Li family to take away old uncle Jiang’s restaurant and inn, forcing the two young and old to almost have no other alternatives.

“I would never dare to bear resentment for seventh young master, there’s no problem here.”

The young man’s lips were very thin and gave one a stern feeling as he said: There are some things that you do not have to keep buried deep down in your heart. If you feel jealous hatred, just spit it out, otherwise, you’ll harm yourself. You’re already in your seventies and don’t have many years left in you.”

Old uncle Jiang’s body shuddered for a while before he finally calmed down and said: “Seventh young master, I only want to ask you one thing, otherwise, I would die with regrets.”

“Go ahead.” The young man unfurled a folding fan with a ‘Pa!” as he gently fanned, seemingly calm and unperturbed.

“I only want to know, were the deaths of Ting Ting’s parents really accidents?” The old man seemed to have lost control of his emotions as he tightly clenched his fists till the whites were showing as his body gently trembled.

Ye Fan swiftly moved forward to support him. By the side, Ting Ting was silently sobbing spasmodically, her small frame had her back towards them as her shoulders continued to shudder, her small hands slowly washing a plate.

“Old Jiang, it seems you harbour an earth shattering resentment deep within your heart. But what can you do? You’re already so old, could it be that you wish to fight with your life on the line? If you die, this beautiful granddaughter of yours would really have no place to go.”

“How did Ting Ting’s parents die?” Old uncle Jiang’s breathing was heavy and his chest heaved, his face was filled with grief.

“Go ahead and guess all you want.” The young man snapped his folding fan shut with a ‘Pa!’ as he looked toward Ye Fan: “I heard you led people to beat up supervisor Liu causing him to become a cripple?”

Ye Fan did not reply but rather supported old uncle Jiang to stand by the side. The young man swept his gaze at him but did not continue talking as he stood up and walked towards Ting Ting.

“What do you want to do?!” Old uncle Jiang had fear in his eyes and like a mother hen he stretched his hands out, blocking the young man’s way as he hid Ting Ting behind him.

“Old Jiang, why are you so nervous, could it be that you think I’d take action against a little girl?” The young man carefully measured Ting Ting as he nodded his head and muttered: “Alike, simply too alike. It’s such a waste for the fairy of Yan Xia to die such a wasteful death. Two years have gone by and your daughter already looks so much like you.”

Ting Ting bit her lips as she continued to sob spasmodically but did not bawl out loudly, it seemed that she did not want to be seen crying in front of the Li family seventh young master.

The young man held the folding fan in his right hand as he gently tapped it in his left and said: “Alright old Jiang, in future you won’t have to suffer anymore. I’ll look after this little girl and you can rest well at night within this little town.”

“What do you mean?!” Old uncle Jiang began to pant as he hid Ting Ting behind him, staring squarely at the Li family young master.

“This little girl seems capable and clever, I’m prepared to bring her to the Yan Xia immortal sanctuary. She will be by my side aiding me with some matters, it’ll certainly be better than staying with you.”

“No way, unless I’m dead, you can’t bully others like this seventh young master!” Old uncle Jiang was angry and anxious, he seemed to have difficulty breathing and his eyes were red as he trembled.

Ye Fan continued to support him firmly.

“Grandpa, are you alright, don’t scare Ting Ting…..” Little Ting Ting hugged the old man’s legs, her countenance filled with fear and concern as her tears rolled down.

The young man said sarcastically: “Old Jiang, do you have to get so angry? You must understand that once she leaves, she’ll be living a different kind of life. Who knows? Maybe she will have a bright and fulfilling life in the Yan Xia immortal sanctuary.”

Old uncle Jiang continued to pant heavily and it took a while before he calmed himself down and pleaded: “Seventh young master, please let us go.”

“What are you talking about!” The young man’s face became gloomy and seemed sinister and cold as he said: “I’m doing you a favour by easing your burden and allowing you to have a good night’s rest, you really don’t know what’s good for you.”

“I’ll stay together with grandpa forever!” Ting Ting’s eyes were red and swollen as she hugged old uncle Jiang’s leg.

“I’ve still got some important matters to attend to, tomorrow I’ll be heading back to the Yan Xia immortal sanctuary. After a few days, I’ll personally come to take her away.” The seventh young master of the Li family said this before turning while glancing at Ye Fan: “When you hit a dog, you have to know who it’s master is, although those dogs were kicked out, we still won’t allow outsiders to bully them.” Having said this, he lightly patted Ye Fan twice on his shoulder: “Reckless people won’t live very long.”

“Bang!”

Ye Fan was planted on the ground, streaks of blood could be seen from his mouth and the chair which was behind him had even fallen apart.

The young man coldly glanced over before laughing and cockily walking away.

“Kid, are you okay?!” Old uncle Jiang was frantic and anxious as he helped Ye Fan up.

“Big brother……” Ting Ting’s face had fear on it as she used her small hands to wipe the blood smearing Ye Fan’s mouth.

Ye Fan saw that the Li family seventh young master had gone and quickly stood up as he said: “I’m okay.”

“You’re really okay?” The old man was only half convinced.

Ting Ting’s face was filled with anxiety as she asked: “Big brother are you really alright? You’re bleeding from your mouth.”

“Matters almost got out of hand.”

“Then are you alright?” Old uncle Jiang once again had a concerned expression on his face.

“You’ve misunderstood me, I meant that I almost couldn’t bear it any longer and acted. Personally I’m fine. However, that person is really vicious, if it were a normal person, after taking those two blows, they would be dead within half a month.”

“It’s the two of us who have implicated you, if you were alone, you wouldn’t need to bear with this.” Old uncle Jiang blamed himself.

“Uncle, don’t say those words. I forced myself to spit out that blood that I spat earlier.” Ye Fan smiled as he said: “Now that you mention it, I should feel grateful to the seventh young master, he’s given me a big opportunity. Coming here and telling me when he’s leaving.”

“You…..” There was a puzzled expression on old uncle Jiang’s face.

“This world does not need a vicious person like him, he actually wants to take Ting Ting away, even in his next life I won’t allow it!”

This night, Ye Fan continued to monitor the movements of the Li family and only late into the night did he leave the small town, holding a position about twenty miles away at a mountain road, this was a path that one needed to traverse if they wished to travel out of Qing Feng town.

The moonlight was hazy as a cloud floated by, the forest became much darker and several roars from unknown beasts could be heard. The dark night made the forest seem all the more sinister and frightening.

In the later half of the night, the mountain road rumbled as the sound of horse hooves could be heard, under the dim moonlight, a Dragon Scaled Horse whose entire body was flashing with green light could be seen galloping over.

Ye Fan silently waited, only when the Dragon Scaled Horse was right before him did a blazing golden light suddenly rush from his body, especially dazzling in the darkness like a bright sun as it streaked through the air.

“Chi!”

A bloody light burst forth and the miserable cry of the Dragon Scaled Horse could be heard however the person atop it did not dismount.

Ye Fan was shocked as he speedily made the golden book reverse, sending it chopping towards them again. “Chi!” The Dragon Scaled Horse was split in two and its corpse fell heavily to the ground, the person atop if flew over twenty metres through the air before landing on the group.

“Chi!”

A silver light flashed as a half Chi long silver spear was sent flying towards Ye Fan, like a silver bolt of lightning.

“Clink!”

A golden light flashed as the golden book chopped the silver spear, the half Chi long spear was immediately rent in two as it fell to the ground.

Not far away, the person who had fallen from the Dragon Scaled Horse swiftly began to run in the direction of the forest.

At this moment, Ye Fan once again made it difficult for the person as the golden book became a streak of lightning which shot through the darkness and neared within the blink of an eye, its might was like a galloping horse with nothing that it could not overcome as it severed the person’s left leg with a ‘Chi!’.

“Aaahhh!”

The person finally let out a miserable cry as he tumbled to the ground.

It was only now that Ye Fan finally let out a sigh of relief as he prepared to go forward. This was the first time he was ambushing to kill an enemy and he could not help but feel some nervousness as he missed a couple of good opportunities.

“The Li family seventh young master, we meet again.”

The young man who was continually rolling on the ground as fresh blood flowed and stained the ground managed to clearly see Ye Fan as an expression of disbelief appeared on his face while he exclaimed: “How could it be you?”

“What’s the matter? Is something wrong?” Ye Fan’s expression was flat and gazed at him from a distance.

“I can’t believe that it’s you little bastard, I’ve really misjudged you!” The seventh young master of the Li family had a fierce look on his face, filled with pain and anger as he seemed exceptionally frightening.

“Thank you seventh young master for giving me such a big opportunity.” Ye Fan stood in the distance as he had a faint cold smile plastered on his face.

“You…… you……” The body of the seventh young master suddenly began to tremble, in this moment he felt mad and hopeless, extremely enraged by these turn of events.

“How did Ting Ting’s parents die?” Having said this, Ye Fan’s tone grew colder as a golden light flashed and the golden book speedily shot forth.

“Chi! Chi!”

Two light noises could be heard as both arms of the seventh young master were severed. Ye Fan was still not at ease and he once again sent forth the golden rainbow, gently striking at his sea of bitterness.

“Aaahhhh! Little bastard, even if I become a ghost I won’t let you go!”

“Why do men always say such useless words.” Ye Fan walked before him as he said: “You bastard, doing all manner of bad things without any conscience, this is the retribution you deserve and I will slowly wait upon you.”

“Pa!”

Ye Fan’s slap landed as it sent him flying four to five metres away.

“You!” The eyes of the seventh young master seemed to be spewing fire.

Ye Fan walked over as his leg stepped onto his face which could still be considered smooth: “Heaven is watching the deeds of every person, having done all manner of evil deeds, did you really think you could live a carefree life forever?”