Chapter 447 - 453: Huo Jinchuan Suffers

The Yun Family Patriarch had a smile on his face, but his words were dripping with sarcasm.

A vein throbbed on the Huo Clan Leader’s forehead, but he forced himself to remain composed, staring at the Yun Family Patriarch with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"It was all an accident. The elder from my Huo Family who met his end was already injured. Otherwise, how could a mere two outsiders possibly have killed him?"

At this point, all he could do was try to save face.

At the very least, he had to stop the rumors from getting too ugly.

The higher one’s status, the more one cared about appearances.

The Yun Family Patriarch didn’t expose his lie and returned to the matter of compensation.

In the end, after a war of words, the two finally agreed on a reasonable range.

The Yun Family Patriarch left, satisfied with the compensation.

"Those two Pill Masters from the Outer Realm seem to be talented. We need to find a way to locate them and bring them into the Yun Family."

The moment the Yun Family Patriarch walked out the main gate, he gave an order to the elder beside him.

The elder was confused. "Clan Leader, are those two Pill Masters truly that remarkable?"

The Yun Family Patriarch’s lips curved into a smile.

"Nothing special. I just want to make trouble for the Huo Family."

The elder: "..."

After the Yun Family left, the Huo Clan Leader, his face grim, summoned someone to give a few orders. Then, he prepared to head to the forbidden grounds again.

But just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered the map Song Wanning had tossed him.

He took out the map. On it, a red dot was moving, labeled with a name: Huo Jinchuan.

The red dot was currently moving north, in the opposite direction of the Huo Clan Territory.

’What is that damned girl up to?’

The Huo Clan Leader narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t figure out Song Wanning’s intentions, nor could he tell if the map was a trick.

’What if I’m being played again?’

’It would make me look like a fool.’

But...

But whenever the Huo Clan Leader thought of how Huo Jinchuan had completely destroyed any hope of reviving Meng’er, the vicious anger in his heart refused to dissipate.

’Fine. Those two haven’t come out yet anyway. I’ll go take a look for now and see what that damned girl is really up to.’

After a moment of contemplation, he decided to follow the map and see for himself.

And so, he hurried toward the location marked on the map.

At that moment, Huo Jinchuan was completely unaware of the approaching danger. He had managed to heal most of his injuries, but a hidden ailment remained, which would take a long time to recover from.

Worried that the Huo Clan Leader would hunt him down, he had started searching for a hiding place the moment he recovered even slightly.

Finally, after several days on the run, he found an extremely well-hidden secret passage.

The passage was located beneath a swamp, shielded by multiple layers, making it almost impossible for outsiders to find.

He had discovered this perfect hiding spot by chance many years ago while out training, and it was just what he needed now.

Huo Jinchuan sat in the secret passage, his eyes dark.

After several centuries in this world, he was no longer the carefree person he had been in his past life. The long-term suppression of his true nature had caused some problems with his mental state.

This was also the reason he had been unable to ascend.

When one’s disposition can’t keep up with one’s talent, it is bound to hold them back.

That was why he had always wanted to kill the Huo Clan Leader. The Clan Leader was the biggest reason for his unstable disposition.

Huo Jinchuan let out a long, turbid breath, suppressed the viciousness in his heart, and closed his eyes to begin cultivating.

’I have to work hard and increase my strength.’

’Strength is the only thing I can truly rely on.’

However, less than an hour into his cultivation, a heart-pounding sense of dread washed over him. He snapped his eyes open, and in the next instant, a powerful gust from a palm strike shot toward his face.

Huo Jinchuan was horrified. He quickly took out a Magical Treasure to counter, but the palm strike still sent him flying. He slammed hard against the wall, the impact making him see stars, and it took him a long moment to recover.

"Hmph. So you were hiding here after all!"

The Huo Clan Leader’s figure emerged from the shadows into the light, his face a mask of cold frost.

His dark eyes were filled with a chilling killing intent that would make anyone’s heart tremble.

Huo Jinchuan tumbled down from the wall, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood, a trace of panic flashing across his face.

’This place is so well-hidden. How on earth did that old bastard find me?’

"What, did you really think you could escape?"

A mocking smile touched the Huo Clan Leader’s lips. With a wave of his hand, an Array Plate landed on the ground, and an Array instantly materialized, enveloping them both.

Huo Jinchuan’s heart sank. The situation felt more dangerous than ever.

"What do you want?"

He secretly clenched his fists, a storm brewing in his eyes.

At the same time, he was filled with self-loathing.

’If only I were stronger, I would have taken that old bastard down long ago.’

’I wouldn’t have been forced into a corner like this.’

"Huo Jinchuan, you caused Meng’er’s death, and now you’ve conspired with those two to destroy any hope of her revival. Do you think I’m going to let you live?"

There wasn’t a trace of fatherly love in the Huo Clan Leader’s eyes, only endless killing intent and disgust.

"If you didn’t have Meng’er’s blood flowing in your veins, I would have strangled you the moment you were born!"

He truly hated Huo Jinchuan.

If it weren’t for Huo Jinchuan, Meng’er never would have died. She would still be by his side.

Nothing could make up for these hundreds of years of pain.

But to Huo Jinchuan’s ears, these words were nothing but a joke.

He propped himself up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and decided to just lay all his cards on the table.

"Do you really not know why Mother died?"

"You were the one who failed to protect her, the one who let her get poisoned, yet you insist on blaming me, a newborn baby. You’re a real expert at shifting the blame."

Huo Jinchuan had wanted to say these words for a long time.

"Pushing the responsibility onto me just to soothe your own conscience... You’ve got some nerve!"

BANG—

In the next instant, another slap sent Huo Jinchuan flying, crashing so hard the wall shook violently. He then tumbled down in a wretched state.

The impact shifted his internal organs, and the sound of bones snapping echoed—CRACK. One of his arms was completely fractured, the bone piercing through the skin in a gruesome sight.

Blood streamed down continuously. Huo Jinchuan’s brows furrowed in pain as he quickly took out an Elixir Pill and swallowed it. Still not satisfied, he continued to curse:

"Even if you beat me to death, you can’t hide the fact that you’re incompetent!"

"You couldn’t even protect the woman you loved. What kind of man are you?"

"And you pushed the blame onto the child born from the woman you loved! If I were Mother, I would only regret ever meeting you in this lifetime!!!!"

By the end, he was practically roaring.

Centuries! He had put up with this damn old man for centuries!!!

Who could possibly understand his pain?

"You—you say that again?"

Killing intent swirled around the Huo Clan Leader. Not a trace of human reason remained in his eyes.

He glared at Huo Jinchuan, grinding his teeth, and raised his hand to strike him again.

PFFT—

Huo Jinchuan was sent flying again. He lay on the ground, unable to even get up, coughing up mouthful after mouthful of blood. A crazed look had also crept into his eyes.