This tiger claw pendant was said to be a treasured relic of the Celestial Master’s Dao. Back then, its ownership had sparked disagreement among the elders of the various peaks of the sect.
After all, the tiger claw came from a golden-eyed tiger slain in the forbidden rear mountains of Longhu Mountain, and the complex talisman engraved on it had been personally carved by the talisman genius of the time, Elder Li Daozi.
After that, Elder Li Daozi stopped crafting talismans altogether.
From then on, everyone on Longhu Mountain assumed that the tiger claw would belong to the heir of the Celestial Master’s Dao.
But to everyone’s surprise, it didn’t.
Celestial Master Zhang gave it solely to Xiao Yunting.
When Han Ding looked at the tiger claw, his expression shifted slightly. Everyone knew the price Xiao Yunting had paid to obtain it.
At the time, Xiao Yunting had only been a child. To silence the doubters and pass the tests set by the elders, Celestial Master Zhang and Elder Li Daozi personally sent him into the forbidden rear mountains for a trial.
The rear mountains were home to all kinds of ferocious beasts.
And Xiao Yunting had only recently arrived at Longhu Mountain!
Fortunately, he had no official identity in the imperial court back then, otherwise, even Longhu Mountain wouldn’t have dared risk sending the Crown Prince’s son into such a place.
Luckily, he came out alive.
From that day on, he was undoubtedly accepted as Celestial Master Zhang’s final disciple, and the tiger claw became his.
Now, he had given it to Miss Qi.
Han Ding sighed inwardly.
Did Miss Qi even know what the tiger claw truly meant?
But Xiao Yunting’s thoughts were entirely different.
The moon tonight was bright and full. He wondered, once Qi Yuan finished her business, would she take Ah Huang the dog out to sit in the courtyard, watch the moon in the autumn breeze?
If so, though they were a thousand miles apart, they’d still be gazing at the same moon.
That… could be counted as watching the moon together.
—
Qi Yuan was, at this moment, watching the moon.
The wind howled atop Feilaifeng Peak, tossing her sleeves wildly. She stood at the summit, her expression unreadable as she gazed at the sky.
Meanwhile, Feng Yuzhang was trembling as he clambered up a nearby rock, exhausted and pale. He looked at her desperately: “Miss Qi, please, I swear I didn’t know anything about this. The rest of the Feng family didn’t know either…”
The wind nearly blew him over. He was shaking, and on the verge of collapse.
He had been too arrogant.
Whether it was toward Feng Caiwei or the Feng Madam, he had been far too confident.
His elder brother had been right. He was not fit to lead this family.
He whimpered. Thoughts of his elder brother and his father, who had died in Yunnan, overwhelmed him, and this grown man suddenly squatted down, covered his face, and wept like a child.
How humiliating. He had thought his return would bring glory and success.
But now, instead of rising, it seemed the whole family was on the verge of tumbling into hell.
Qi Yuan turned at the sound of his crying and frowned: “Who said I was going to kill you?”
Huh?
Feng Yuzhang thought he must have misheard. He stared at Qi Yuan in disbelief.
Hadn’t she just told Madam Feng that the entire Lan family should wash their necks and wait to be beheaded? From humans to dogs, not a single one would be spared!
Now she was saying she wouldn’t kill them?
“Lord Feng, I’m not some bloodthirsty demon. Why would I go around killing so many people?”
…
If the timing weren’t so terrible, Feng Yuzhang would’ve blurted out and asked if she had any self-awareness.
If she wasn’t a bloodthirsty demon, then what was a bloodthirsty demon?
But now that Miss Qi had said it, he wouldn’t question it.
He jumped at the opportunity, hurriedly bowing and thanking her over and over: “Thank you! Thank you, Miss Qi, for sparing us! Thank you for your mercy!”
But then he took a deep breath and cautiously added: “Miss Qi… about Xu Fengqiao…”
Qi Yuan raised a brow and glanced at him: “You’re lucky. Xu Fengqiao’s appearance reminded me of many things. I have more important matters to handle. As for the Feng family and Empress Feng, I gave you a warning. Whether you heed it or not is your business.”
Yes, yes, yes!
Feng Yuzhang nearly choked up. “Miss Qi, I swear, we’ll mend our ways. From now on, we’ll keep our heads down and live quietly!”
Qi Yuan wasn’t the type to take blind revenge.
Feng Yuzhang wasn’t an irredeemable villain.
Especially the Feng family’s third and fourth branches, those people were relatively harmless. They had suffered plenty in Yunnan. There was no reason for them to die just because of one Feng Caiwei.
Of course, if they did something stupid later, that’d be another matter.
But at least for now, even just for Feng Caiyin’s sake, Qi Yuan would leave them a path to live.
Just as Feng Yuzhang was endlessly thanking her, Baizhi came running up in a panic: “Miss Qi, Second Madam asks you to come down. Young Master Changting has woken up.”
Earlier, when Qi Changting had been trying to kill himself, Qi Yuan had knocked him out with a needle.
He should be waking up around now.
Qi Yuan gave a soft “mm” and swiftly leapt off the rock, heading straight to Changting’s meditation hall.
Inside, the wails had already begun: “Father, just let me die! Mother, please! I don’t want to be a cripple, I don’t want to be useless!”
The once bright, energetic youth was now a broken, crippled boy. No one could accept that.
Qi Yuan stepped forward, glancing at Second Master Qi.
He immediately backed off, rage evaporating, and made space for her.
Qi Yuan stood before Changting and said in a firm voice: “Changting! Look at me!”
Qi Changting raised his head dazedly and looked at his sister.
He remembered, he remembered her fighting that terrifying woman.
Qi Yuan was so strong.
If only he had that kind of strength…
Qi Yuan stared directly at him: “Changting, Jialang is more than ten years younger than you. But when he was buried alive in a coffin, he didn’t cry. You’re already a man. If we were a military household, and your father and grandfather had died in battle, then you would be the one going to war next!”
“A man going to war has no right to be weak!”
Changting mumbled, ashamed but also panicked: “But I’m crippled now… how could I go to war?”
“You can!” Qi Yuan said, tone absolute. “Because your leg can be healed.”
Second Master Qi and Second Madam both lit up with joy.
Second Madam had already heard this many times before and believed it. But Second Master Qi was still stunned: “How?! How can it be healed?”
“Divine Physician Xue,” Qi Yuan sneered, a killing light in her eyes. “Once I kill Qi Wang and snatch back Divine Physician Xue, Changting’s leg will be fine.”
…
Second Master Qi lost his footing and instinctively grabbed the nearby screen for support, only for it to collapse with him onto the floor.
But Qi Yuan didn’t even glance at him. She looked only at Changting and said: “Did you hear me, Changting? I’m going to Jiangxi, to bring Divine Physician Xue back for you. So during that time, you must eat well, rest well, focus on recovery, and wait for me to come back!”
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