Fortunately, Huangâer and Yan Qingsang were staying in Jiang Chenâs residence at the moment and werenât here to hear what Ziju Min had said. Otherwise, Huangâer might not have been able to come to terms with the development.
Thank heavens that her grandfather was safe.
But that didnât make Jiang Chen feel much better. For Huangâer, the family she cared about the most were her parents, who were still in the Boundless Prison.
Noting Jiang Chenâs silence, Ziju Min knew that the young man was affected by the news.
After a long pause, Jiang Chen took in a deep breath and asked, âDid the sacred land not realize at all when House Yan was destroyed?â
He might not like House Yan, but that was still Huangâerâs family. It was infuriating to have them destroyed right under the sacred landâs nose. It had happened while he was away to help the Martial Sacred Land. The Eternal Sacred Land was partially to blame for not paying enough attention.
Of course, this wasnât a good time to point fingers.
Ziju Min sighed. âIt all happened very suddenly. The forefather wasnât in the sacred land at that time. When news came that House Yan had been destroyed, the first prime personally led a team to investigate. They arrived to find House Yan already in ruins with no survivors.â
âAny bodies?â asked Jiang Chen.
Ziju Min sighed, his eyes pitying. âAlmost none that are intact.â
âThen how do you know the perpetrator is an escapee from the Boundless Prison?â Jiang Chen questioned.
âRumors and some of the findings from our own investigation.â Ziju Min couldnât give him a full answer.
Jiang Chen was on friendly terms with Ziju Min so didnât push the elder too hard. Besides, the perpetrator must have hidden his tracks well when he annihilated House Yan. It was only natural that the sacred land hadnât reacted in time.
Eternal Divine Nation had just been through a large scale rebellion. Restoration was in order. The sacred land had trouble taking care of its own business, let alone othersâ.
Jiang Chen asked a few more questions, but the elder didnât seem to know much about the details. Jiang Chen sat with him for a while before excusing himself.
As soon as he stepped into his residence, Huangâer and Yan Qingsang came up to him.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âBrother Chen, are we going back to House Yan now?â
Jiang Chenâs heart ached when he saw her eager expression. He struggled to find the right words.
Huangâer was clever enough to note his hesitant look. She paused. âHas something happened, Brother Chen?â
Jiang Chen took in a deep breath. âIâll take you to your grandfather and Elder Shun first, Huangâer.â
Elder Shun had settled down in a residence in the sacred land. Hua Ming, the disciple Jiang Chen had taken in back in Bluesmoke, was there as well.
His response cemented Huangâerâs suspicion. A hint of sadness tinted her expression. âBrother Chen, is there no news about my parents yet?â
Jiang Chen looked back at her grimly. âHuangâer, Qingsang, something terrible has happened to House Yan.â
âWhat is it?â asked a blank Yan Qingsang.
âIâm sorry. House Yan... House Yan has been exterminated.â Jiang Chen wasnât going to keep them in the dark. He couldnât even if he wanted to.
âWhat?â Yan Qingsang paled. Huangâer staggered backwards.
âDonât worry,â Jiang Chen hurried out. âElder Wanjun is safe. Elder Shun, too.â
âWhat about my father?â Yan Qingsang blurted out.
âYour father? He wasnât in the House Yan home base. He should be fine.â
Yan Qingsangâs father had long lost his place in House Yanâs headquarters due to his limited talent and cultivation. Heâd established his own branch of the family elsewhere. What happened to House Yan wouldnât have happened to the subsidiary branches.
There were too many of them to eliminate.
Yan Qingsang and Huangâer calmed down a little once they heard that their closest family was safe.
âWho did it? Any idea?â
Jiang Chen shook his head. âAccording to the sacred land, it was an expert who escaped from the Boundless Prison. However, this is an unusual situation and thereâs no concrete proof yet. We need to find Elder Wanjun first and hear him out.â
Neither Huangâer nor Yan Qingsang were that close to House Yan, but its fall still hit them hard. Fortunately, those they truly cared about were safe.
The massacre had a serious impact on Yan Wanjun. When Jiang Chen saw the elder, heâd aged visibly, and there was a heavy air around him.
Jiang Chen knew Yan Wanjun had a different relationship with House Yan. At his age, heâd been through a lot more with the family. Its destruction therefore hit him a lot harder and scarred deeper.
As for Elder Shun, he was simply one of Yan Wanjunâs aides. He wasnât as attached to House Yan as Yan Wanjun was.
Moreover, the cruelty House Yan had shown him had greatly diluted whatever love he had for the family. He was still affected by its destruction, but he seemed a lot better than Elder Wanjun.
Seeing his grandson and granddaughter put a slight smile on Yan Wanjunâs face.
âElder Wanjun, fate has mercifully left Huangâer and young master Qingsang alone,â Elder Shun said comfortingly. âYour bloodline remains intact. Thereâs a spark of hope. House Yan will rise again one day.â
Yan Wanjun sighed deeply. âIâve done so much and sacrificed so much for the family, but I ended up being exiled. Upon my return, I donât even have a family to go back to. Theyâre all dead. I donât know who I should take my anger out on. I blamed the patriarch for being petty and unreliable, but he died with the house. I can blame him no more. I simply want to know who the perpetrator is. I need to get to the bottom of this senseless tragedy. Who murdered my clan, and for what?â
âElder Wanjun, weâll get to the bottom of this,â Jiang Chen assured. âItâs rare for a family to be cruelly massacred for no reason even in the martial dao world.â
Jiang Chen had made many enemies since the start of his journey, but he hadnât exterminated a family clan before. One should only focus on those who had wronged him. It wasnât right to target an entire family.
âGrandfather, have you... heard anything about my parents?â Huangâer couldnât help but ask.
She cared more about her parents than House Yan. Since the murderer had something to do with the Boundless Prison, she couldnât stop herself from worrying.
âNothing yet. The family was trying to rescue your parents, but when I returned, they were already wiped out.â
Yan Wanjun was befuddled as well. How did House Yan anger an expert escaping from the Boundless Prison? Was it because of their plan to rescue Huangâerâs parents?