The Aristocratic Family

Translator: CinderTL

Marrying into the family was out of the question—never in this lifetime.

Even without the Cui family, he could still embark on the path to immortality.

Yang Qizhu noticed Xu Sanyan's resistance but didn't press the matter. It would be best if he married into the family, but it wasn't a necessity.

"If Young Master Xu is interested, you can come to the Cui family to find me after meeting my father. I shall take my leave now."

Xu Sanyan raised his hand to stop her. "Wait a moment. May I ask if the Cui family has any precious medicine?"

Yang Qizhu paused briefly, then nodded. "Of course, we do."

"Could you spare some for me?"

Yang Qizhu asked curiously, "What does Young Master Xu need the precious medicine for?"

She immediately realized she had overstepped. "How much do you need? I'll give it to you."

Xu Sanyan shook his head. "I need a significant amount. It's better if I purchase it. Consider it a favor I owe you."

For those who valued reputation, favors were of great importance. But for Xu Sanyan, they were as insignificant as a fart.

If necessary, he could owe ten thousand favors. After all, it was just a matter of words, and he could always refuse to honor them later.

His character was well-known. In Dafeng Town, he had betrayed his sworn brother to steal a cultivation method. He had deceived a young boy to obtain mystical arts. In Taian City, he had slept with his adoptive mother and conspired with outsiders to kill his own gang leader in exchange for precious medicine.

To obtain a mystical object, he had brutally murdered a young girl in the wilderness. In Shannan Village, he had slaughtered innocents without hesitation. To cover his tracks, he had killed all his subordinates who had accompanied him. To enhance his physique, he had paid for the lives of prisoners in jail. He had committed every imaginable evil deed.

For someone like him, moral boundaries were extremely flexible.

But Yang Qizhu was unaware of this. To her, a favor from a Celestial Realm Martial Expert was still valuable, so she readily agreed.

In the end, the two negotiated a price of ten thousand taels of silver per plant, with Xu Sanyan purchasing twenty plants.

The production of precious medicine was scarce, and even a powerful family like the Cui family didn't have much in stock.

Xu Sanyan didn't have much silver left either, only about eight hundred thousand taels, most of which Zhu Yong had confiscated from Magistrate Lu's home.

The two agreed to meet at the Cui residence the day after tomorrow to complete the transaction.

After seeing Yang Qizhu off, Xu Sanyan stood by the window, gazing at the deepening night, contemplating the strengths and weaknesses of the three factions.

In his heart, he leaned more toward Yang Qizhu—or rather, he coveted the cultivation resources she possessed.

"Cui Yousheng..."

...

The next morning, frost clung to the branches, and stray dogs huddled together with their tails tucked, seemingly feeling the cold.

At the city gate, two figures walked side by side, leading their horses. They were Xu Sanyan and Bai Wuxia.

"The weather is turning cold..."

Xu Sanyan looked up at the sky and murmured softly.

"Yes, another year is almost over," Bai Wuxia replied.

Xu Sanyan shook his head. He wasn't lamenting the passage of time but rather missing his homeland. In the blink of an eye, he had been in this world for nearly a year.

"Let's go."

The two mounted their horses and headed toward Xiang City.

As the sun gradually rose, it dispelled the chill in the air. Although their cultivation made them unafraid of the cold, warmth was still more comfortable.

Meanwhile, in the center of Xiang City.

In a luxurious courtyard, the Eldest Son, Yang Xinyi, sat in a stone pavilion, carefully reading a book.

Outside the pavilion, a young man covered in dust knelt on the ground, his head pressed to the floor, not daring to lift it for a long time. Upon closer inspection, the young man's body trembled slightly, as if he was desperately suppressing his fear.

After a while, Yang Xinyi put down the book and gently massaged his temples. "So, you're saying you messed up, and Wang Chengming is dead, is that correct?"

The young man slowly raised his head. It was Yang Xinyu, the fifth son of Prince Rui. Gone was the arrogance he once displayed; now, his face was filled with fear as he pleaded in a frantic tone,

"Eldest Brother... it's all Wang Chengming's fault. He insisted on probing Xu Sanyan's background..."

Yang Xinyi shot him a cold glance. "You couldn't even handle such a simple task. What use are you to me!?"

"If it weren't for your mother's sake, I would have killed you!" Yang Xinyi's tone was icy, sending chills down one's spine.

Yang Xinyu kowtowed frantically on the ground. "I was wrong, Eldest Brother. I'll never act on my own again. Please spare me this once."

In Yang Xinyu's heart, he was terrified of this half-brother of his. He knew all too well how kind and gentle his brother appeared on the surface, but how twisted and dark he truly was inside.

He was inhuman. There was nothing he wouldn't do.

In the Eldest Son's residence, there was a dungeon. Yang Xinyu had "had the privilege" of visiting it once. Just one glance was enough to leave a deep scar on his young mind.

It was a scene straight out of hell. Every time he thought about it, he couldn't help but tremble.

In the dungeon, a skinned girl let out hoarse and piercing screams.

A man who had been turned into a human pig hung on the wall, his tongue cut out, his ear canals filled with mercury. Only his eyes revealed endless despair, and every day, someone would bring him food, ensuring he couldn't die.

A naked woman, treated like a dog, lay on the ground, driven insane by the cruel torture. Her eye sockets were empty, her eyeballs long gone.

Deeper in the dungeon, there were hundreds of cells, each holding a prisoner who had been tortured beyond recognition. Before they ended up here, they had held various identities—some were family members of generals, others were local officials.

But once they arrived here, without exception, they all wished for death.

The more Yang Xinyu thought about it, the more panicked he became. He was terrified that one day he might end up in that dungeon.

Fortunately, his mother, Consort Huan, was exceptionally beautiful and had served both generations of the Yang family to their satisfaction. This was why the Eldest Son had shown him some leniency.

As for the illicit relationship between Yang Xinli and Consort Huan, how could he, as her son, not know? But he dared not expose it. If this matter were to leak out, regardless of what happened to others, he would undoubtedly die.

Outsiders only saw him as the youngest son of Prince Rui, showered with affection. Little did they know that he lived in constant torment every day.

Every time he saw his mother forcing a smile and flattering that pair of perverse and cruel father and son, his heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife. He wished he could sacrifice his own life to take them down with him.

But he didn't dare. He knew that with his current level of cultivation, such an act would be like throwing an egg against a rock. Not only would he lose his life, but his mother would also be implicated.

So he could only train desperately, hoping that one day he could kill his eldest brother and father!

If he had a choice, he would never have been born into an aristocratic family.

Yang Xinyi had no idea what his younger brother was thinking. He spoke in a calm tone, "I heard Wang Chengming has a daughter who's quite pretty. Bring her to me."

"Yes."

Yang Xinyu quickly agreed. He had seen Wang Chengming's daughter before. She was a young girl about his age, not yet of marriageable age. It seemed she would never get the chance to reach that age...

"What about the rest of the Wang family..." Yang Xinyu tentatively asked.

Yang Xinyi glanced at him, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "Do I need to teach you?"

"I'll take care of it right away." Yang Xinyu lowered his head and quietly retreated.

After he left, the Eldest Son opened the book in his hand. On it were written a few large characters:

"Heart Devouring Yin Art"

(End of the Chapter)

---

📖Read (HB) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c100. [+4]

🔑Early Access at $5.

✍Translated (6) Series, (3K+) Chapters, (4.2M+) Words.

💥Flat 30% Discount on All Tiers Available Till 26th July, Use Code 3KCHAPTERS to Avail.