72 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Half Summer Novel Chapter 72 Yan Zhu Guang furrowed her brow and exchanged a glance with Yun Mi Xue. Unable to contain his frustration, Qiao Sheng Jiao crushed the communication jade arrow into powder. He looked up at Yun Mi Xue and Yan Zhu Guang, saying grimly, "The entire escort team tasked with returning the branch family to the main family has been annihilated." "What?" Yun Mi Xue hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you saying... the head of the branch family and their entourage have already..." Qiao Sheng Jiao nodded, throwing the powdered remains of the jade arrow to the ground with force. "Damn it! These demonic cultivators are truly out of control!" Yun Mi Xue had not anticipated the swift demise of Qiao Zhen Bang and the others. Earlier, they had speculated about Qiao Zhen Bang's intentions in sending Su Qian Er to Ling Qian Immortal Sect, only to find out that he was gone in the blink of an eye. "Senior Martial Sister," Yan Zhu Guang said, "do you think Qiao Zhen Bang might have suspected that the demonic cultivators wouldn't spare the remaining members of the Qiao family? Could it be that he sent Su Qian Er to the Immortal Sect in hopes of securing the sect's protection for her?" Yun Mi Xue nodded. That seemed to be the only plausible explanation now. In reality, without the complicating factor of Su Qian Er's identity as the former sect leader's daughter clouding their judgment, Qiao Zhen Bang's intentions would not have been difficult to deduce. However, the "entrustment" relationship between Ling Qian Immortal Sect and Su Qian Er was so complex that it naturally led to some misconceptions. "Fairy Lian Ji, Junior Martial Sister," Qiao Sheng Jiao said, "the main family has already surrounded that area completely. As long as those demonic cultivators haven't gone far, they're sure to be captured. At the very least, some clues will be found." "Now I must go to the place where they were attacked," Qiao Sheng Jiao looked at the two. "Would either of you like to come with me?" Hope was practically written all over Qiao Sheng Jiao's face, making it very clear he eagerly wished for the two to agree. Yun Mi Xue was about to speak but was stopped by Yan Zhu Guang. Collecting her demeanor, Yan Zhu Guang spoke up, "The area must be in chaos right now. My senior and I would only add to the disorder. Instead, we should return and report to the elders, leaving the decision-making to them. If the Qiao family needs our assistance, I'm sure the elders won't hesitate to help." Upon hearing this, Qiao Sheng Jiao sighed and, unable to persuade them further, nodded to the two women before unhooking the jade flute from his waist and tossing it into the air, leaping on it quickly before flying away. The smoothness of his actions... was indeed remarkable. "Senior Martial Sister," Yan Zhu Guang watched Qiao Sheng Jiao's receding figure and asked Yun Mi Xue, "Do you have any way to follow him without being detected?" Yun Mi Xue shook her head. "I'm not skilled in that." She could cloak her presence, but doing so discreetly in ever-changing situations posed a challenge. This required specialized training, something Yun Mi Xue naturally hadn’t pursued. Yan Zhu Guang nodded, having guessed that her senior wasn't skilled in this area. "Then let's forget about him and head back." On their way back, Yun Mi Xue was deep in thought about the Qiao family’s affairs. The first time annihilating the branch could be attributed to a lack of vigilance, but the second time, taking down both the Qiao main family's members was brazen indeed. Was the culprit behind these acts banking on the righteous path being unable to track them down? If provoked enough, leading the major sects to join forces, the demonic cultivators might not have an easy time. What did the Qiao branch do to make these demonic cultivators so daring as to attempt to eradicate them completely? "Senior Martial Sister," Yan Zhu Guang noticed her silence and couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking?" Yun Mi Xue said, "I'm pondering the Qiao family’s situation... Why are those demonic cultivators bent on wiping out the Qiao family?" Yan Zhu Guang replied, "The logic of demonic cultivators isn't hard to guess. If they don’t obliterate them, won’t they just wait for the survivors to rise again and seek vengeance?" "They’ve already attracted the Qiao main family's attention. Now coming back to eliminate them is arguably too late, isn’t it? Eliminating the remaining family members has no purpose; if they were serious about rooting them out, wouldn't they target the entire Qiao main family? Handling the main family isn’t as easy as the branch," Yan Zhu Guang said, "If it's not about extermination, then it's about silencing witnesses." "Perhaps, the Qiao branch members knew some secret and paid with their lives." Such as... the identity of Su Qian Er. Though from what Senior Martial Sister said, the demonic cultivators involved this time didn't seem to act like those from the Blood Drop Demon Realm, if they want to silence someone, they'd certainly be discrete, right? They aren't fools. Of course, there's also the possibility that the Qiao family provoked other demonic factions. These thoughts are mere speculations from Yan Zhu Guang, without any evidence to back them up. Yun Mi Xue sighed softly. Yan Zhu Guang shifted the topic and asked, "Senior Martial Sister, aren't you curious why I refused Qiao Sheng Jiao's invitation, not going to the site of the branch family head's demise?" Yun Mi Xue's gaze fell on Yan Zhu Guang, and her lips curved into a gentle smile. "If you want to tell me, you naturally will. If you don't wish to, there's no need for me to press." "Moreover, the Qiao branch is ultimately for the Qiao family to handle. We are merely outsiders; we shouldn't interfere too much." Their previous trip to the branch's remnants was only because the sect leader wanted them to investigate discreetly. With nowhere else to go, they thought of visiting the Qiao family. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gotten involved. As for the complete destruction of Qiao Zhen Bang's group, while unfortunate, since the Qiao main family has stepped in, it's ultimately not their place to intervene. Yan Zhu Guang nodded. Her senior was compassionate yet knew exactly where to draw the line in matters she should or shouldn't involve herself in, keeping her mind clear. But why would someone as discerning as her senior have been harmed? How did the perpetrator manage it? "That Qiao Sheng Jiao, did Senior Martial Sister also sense something off about him?" Yan Zhu Guang asked. Yun Mi Xue nodded, "It seemed like he... was quite eager for us to stay?" "Indeed... quite the opposite," Yan Zhu Guang shook her head. "I think he deliberately wanted us to leave, so much so that he staged his act, inciting our curiosity, thus making us want to depart quickly." "To drive us away?" "Yet why did he block us several times, inviting us after the communication jade arrow came, asking us to go together?" Yan Zhu Guang explained, "The more fervently he pleads, the more he insists we stay. Doesn’t that make us want to leave faster?" Indeed, upon Qiao Sheng Jiao's invitation, Yun Mi Xue's first instinct was rejection. "If you deduced his intention, why leave just like that?" With Yan Zhu Guang's temperament, wouldn't she typically insist on getting to the bottom of things if provoked? Yan Zhu Guang replied, "I originally wanted to secretly follow and see what he was up to, but since Senior Martial Sister isn’t practiced in tracking, it’s better to let it be." "If I had stealthily followed, you would naturally worry, right?" Yun Mi Xue said, "Not just worry, I'd be extremely concerned. I'm glad you knew your limits and didn't put yourself in danger." Yan Zhu Guang giggled, "After all, the Qiao family's matters are irrelevant to us. Whether we stay or leave, it costs us nothing. The cultivation world is quite chaotic lately; it's our safety we need to prioritize." Yun Mi Xue noted, "Nevertheless, we must report the Qiao family's situation to the sect leader and elders." "Indeed." Yan Zhu Guang said, "And for Su Qian Er..." With Qiao Zhen Bang gone, Su Qian Er is now effectively "on her own." Yun Mi Xue sighed softly, "She... we won't be able to keep this from her." "Since we can't hide it, we should just tell her directly," Yan Zhu Guang's eyes twinkled with a sly glint, "Senior Martial Sister, let's report to the sect leader and have them inform Su Shimei." He’s always sending Senior Martial Sister on errands, so naturally, the thankless work should fall to him. If Su Qian Er truly is who I suspect... it'll definitely be intriguing when the time comes. Yun Mi Xue didn't notice Yan Zhu Guang's "mischievous intent." With Su Qian Er at Fenghua Immortal Sect, the sect leader is their sole means of communication. "I'll send a message to the sect leader." "Wait," Yan Zhu Guang interjected, "With no one left in the Qiao branch but Su Qian Er, who knows if those demonic cultivators will target her as well." "Once Su Qian Er knows, nothing stops her from sneaking out to investigate her family's destruction. Alone, she's likely to fall prey to those demonic cultivators, and by then, it'll be too late to regret." "But Su Shimei hasn't even begun her cultivation; how could she leave the sect?" Fenghua Immortal Sect's inner disciples below the Foundation Establishment stage are prohibited from leaving unless accompanied by a disciple or elder of that stage or above. Although Su Qian Er has started cultivating, it’s unlikely she’d reach the Foundation Establishment stage in just a few days. "If Su Shimei is determined to leave, she’ll find a way by any means possible. We can't rely on mere regulations." Oversights often happen in moments of carelessness. If something were to go wrong, it would be too late. Yan Zhu Guang, always proactive, doesn't favor leaving things to chance. "After informing the sect leader, we must ensure they keep a close eye on her to prevent any reckless actions." "If that's the case, why not withhold the truth until absolutely necessary?" "You don’t understand, Senior Martial Sister," Yan Zhu Guang replied with a serious expression, "If it comes to a situation where we must tell, the circumstances will already be beyond our control." "Don't forget, Su Shimei's mother is Su You Mojun of the Blood Drop Demon Realm." "If she intends to use this to drive a wedge between Su Shimei and the Immortal Sect..." Yan Zhu Guang murmured quietly, "It's still uncertain which faction of the demonic cultivators struck the Qiao branch." Yun Mi Xue responded, "Alright, I will inform the sect leader." In truth, Yan Zhu Guang was not worried about Gu Chen. He was a clever person; what she could think of, Gu Chen likely had already considered. Her comments served as a way to indirectly remind Yun Mi Xue. By using her senior sister to convey the warning to Gu Chen, even if something were to eventually happen to Su Qian Er, it would absolve Yan Zhu Guang's senior sister of any responsibility or guilt. Yun Mi Xue and Yan Zhu Guang returned to their small courtyard in Tianyu City. They hadn't been gone long, and the courtyard was still empty. Yun Mi Xue documented their experiences and Yan Zhu Guang's emphasized points in a communication jade plaque and sent it to Gu Chen. This particular jade plaque had been given to Yun Mi Xue by Gu Chen before their departure. These plaques come in pairs, allowing messages recorded in one to be transmitted to the other, serving as a secure long-distance communication tool, far safer than using communication jade arrows. The only downside is that these plaques can only exchange messages between paired units and cannot send messages to others. Initially, Gu Chen intended to give the plaque to Yan Zhu Guang, but because the plaques required substantial spiritual energy—designed for high-level cultivators—Yan Zhu Guang, with her current level, could not utilize them. So, it remained with Yun Mi Xue. Since they were always together, who held the plaque made little difference. Gu Chen responded quickly with a short message: "Got it." After hearing this, Yan Zhu Guang couldn't help but smirk.