"Skree!" A hawk's piercing cry resounded high above a sprawling manor, its sharp eyes surveying the massive manor below. The estate dominated Skycloud City's landscape, an architectural marvel of towering stone walls, carved with intricate runes that shimmered faintly in the light. The walls stretched far beyond what the eye could see, giving the manor a fortress-like quality, its every corner guarded by watchful sentries dressed in polished armor.
Below, winding stone pathways snaked through lush, vibrant gardens, their beauty rivaling that of the finest palaces. Pavilions with ornate roofs painted in the colors of the rising sun stood as oases of tranquility, surrounded by man-made ponds where lotus blossoms floated lazily across the water's surface. The air was fragrant with the sweet scent of jasmine and peony, blending with the faint earthy aroma of freshly trimmed bonsai trees, their twisted branches perfected by generations of master gardeners.
As the hawk circled higher, it observed the endless activity below. Servants in flowing robes hurried from building to building, their arms laden with trays of delicacies, bundles of silk, or scrolls of parchment. The manor thrummed with life. Cooks prepared extravagant feasts, their kitchens filled with the sounds of sizzling meat and bubbling broths, while gardeners pruned, raked, and tended to the endless expanse of greenery that seemed to bloom without end.
At the heart of the estate, the opulent buildings stood proudly. Each structure was a masterpiece of design—tall columns of white marble adorned with gold filigree, windows draped with luxurious silks that billowed in the soft breeze. The central hall, where the masters of the manor resided, rose above the rest like a royal palace, its gilded roof catching the light of the sun and casting shimmering reflections across the courtyard.
Inside, the lords and ladies of the manor lounged in decadent comfort, indulging in the finest wines and exotic fruits from distant lands. Their laughter filled the halls as they played games of strategy and chance, oblivious to the diligent work happening all around them. Fine silk robes inlaid with precious gems shimmered as they moved, and every piece of furniture around them—crafted from the finest woods and adorned with golden accents—whispered of wealth and status.
With a piercing cry, the hawk plummeted from the sky at breakneck speed. A few sharp-eyed guards noticed its descent but paid no attention—many young masters of the Qian Family kept hawks and other creatures as pets.
As the hawk neared the ground, it slowed and landed gracefully on a branch of a large camphor tree, its form concealed by the thick canopy of leaves.
Moments later, a small squirrel emerged from where the hawk had perched. It scurried down the trunk, pausing briefly on the damp earth beneath the tree. After a quick glance in both directions, it darted toward an ornate set of living quarters.
Climbing onto the rooftops, the squirrel moved swiftly, occasionally pausing to eavesdrop on the conversations of those below.
It finally halted upon overhearing something intriguing: two servants were engaged in gossip.
"Did you hear? Young Master Pang's fiancée is arriving tomorrow."
"His fiancée?"
"Yes, the girl from the Chen Family."
"Ah, right. They used to be so arrogant, always looking down on our family—until their patriarch passed. Now they’re practically begging to latch onto our family’s thighs."
Before the conversation could continue, a third servant rushed past them.
“Xiao Ji! Where are you going in such a hurry?” one of the gossiping servants called out.
Without slowing down, Xiao Ji shouted back, “No time to chat! I’m on an urgent errand for Young Master Pang!”
The squirrel darted after Xiao Ji from the rooftops, carefully noting the path they were taking, its tiny eyes scanning every detail of the surroundings.
The little squirrel darted across the rooftops, its tiny paws moving silently as it followed Xiao Ji from above. Occasionally, it paused to avoid being spotted by any passing servants or guards below. Its sharp eyes and nimble movements ensured it remained unnoticed.
Xiao Ji moved quickly, weaving through the courtyard and past various side buildings, his pace growing faster the closer he got to his destination. The squirrel, curious and alert, watched every step, noting the landmarks and layout of the estate. Finally, Xiao Ji arrived at a secluded part of the manor, one that seemed much quieter than the bustling areas they had passed earlier.
He approached a side door leading to a hidden courtyard, glancing around before slipping inside. The squirrel scurried down from the roof, darting across a branch of a nearby tree, before climbing down to a vantage point where it could peek through the open window.
Inside the room, Xiao Ji spoke in hushed tones to someone seated in the shadows. The squirrel twitched its ears, straining to listen to the conversation.
"Everything is prepared, Young Master. The Chen Family girl will arrive tomorrow, and as per your instructions, everything will be in place." Xiao Ji's voice carried a sense of urgency, and there was a moment of silence before the figure in the shadows responded.
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"Good," a calm voice replied. "Make sure nothing goes wrong. We must ensure she doesn’t leave this estate once she enters."
The squirrel's eyes widened slightly, as if understanding the gravity of the situation.
Making a dash forward the squirrel jumped from the tree branch.
A small house fly flew into the open window. Buzzing around the room it saw a plump young man seated at a table filled with various masterfully cooked dishes, the smells threatening to overwhelm the flys senses.
The fly perched on a wall, scrutinizing the fat young man as he gorged himself on the many dishes.
He wore lavish golden robes adorned with overly fancy designs that struggled to contain his rotund figure. His meaty hands, pudgy wrists and thick neck were weighed down by jewelry of varying colors that seemed ready to snap under the strain of his huge frame.
Overall he gave the impression of a disgusting, golden coated meatball.
image [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeHrsVHctDqzn5Butk-SjCcN1exMSaSMjDgNSZo_gzGtya7q6-3MHsnIcdabZ8WchZTWC37Q8Mf-jTFjR0w49mnb7gmhySqKWgftPH5zILbJc8l6Ta_Np9EfDGGIA3PDDMD1AdkX-zrb6wLJgDzkW9XrJ1_?key=v0-a45nPDHmoxw9KZqVNbw]
The obese man—Qian Pang, was Chen Li Li's fiancé and the eldest son of the renowned Qian family, a powerful merchant clan based in Skycloud City.
As the second-largest family in the city, the Qians had been ambitiously expanding their influence, aiming to overtake the leading family in Skycloud. To achieve this, they sought alliances with powerful cultivation families in the surrounding regions.
Years ago, they had proposed a marriage alliance with the Chen family, which, at the time, was one of the strongest families in the region, led by a patriarch at the Soul Severance Realm. The Chens rejected the proposal without hesitation.
However, after the patriarch’s death, the Chen family weakened considerably. Now, they had come crawling back, offering the late patriarch’s daughter in an attempt to secure their future by attaching themselves to the Qian family.
“Bring in Shun Hanpo.” Qian Pang ordered while continuing to indulge in cramming food in his mouth. A servant standing on the side bowed and swiftly left the room.
Moments later, the servant returned, followed by an elderly man cloaked in a dark robe that draped over his hunched figure, dragging against the ground. He leaned on a gnarled wooden cane, which tapped against the stone floor with every step he took.
“Shun Hanpo greets the Young Master.” The old man said to Qian Pang, bowing slightly.
“Hm.” Qian Pang barely acknowledged him with a grunt, still shoveling food into his mouth. After a moment, he paused to speak. “You’ll need to stay out of sight for a while. My fiancée arrives tomorrow, and she mustn’t see you. If she realizes you’re the one who injured her father, my plans will fall apart.”
The fly on the wall shifted, almost as if reacting to the conversation.
Shun Hanpo glanced at the fly, a sharp look in his eyes. But chose to ignore the insect, it wasn't his responsibility to clear out flies.
He was a respected soul cultivator. The only reason he tolerated this situation was the obscene sum the Qian family had paid him. Otherwise, he would never have lowered himself to stand before this gluttonous pig-like young master.
“What plans do you have?” Shun Hanpo asked casually, picking up a delicious looking pastry from the table and inspecting it before taking a bite. “Perhaps I could be of assistance.”
Qian Pang’s jaw tightened as he watched the old man help himself to one of his pastries. His fingers twitched with the urge to lash out, but he held back. He knew better than to anger a soul cultivator, especially one his father had gone to great lengths to keep in their favor. An outburst could easily cost him more than just a pastry—his father would likely skin him alive if he drove their rare guest away.
He took a deep breath, calming himself, before explaining his plans.
“The girl is meant to be my wife, after all,” Qian Pang said, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. “So I’ll play the part of the concerned fiancé—at first. Once she’s here, I’ll reveal what truly happened to her father, how her dear uncle had a hand in his death. That should break her spirit nicely.” He paused to savor the thought. “When she’s shattered, I’ll be her only salvation. I’ll offer her a way to avenge her father, and in her desperation, she’ll cling to me. Trust me entirely.”
He paused, slurping down a bowl of soup in one gulp. “What she won’t know,” Qian Pang continued, leaning back with a satisfied chuckle—his chair groaning in desperation under his elephantine weight, “is that it was our family’s design all along—her uncle merely tied up the loose ends. The fool. And when she’s too broken to resist, she’ll be nothing more than a pawn in my hands.”
Shun Hanpo’s lips curled into a sly grin. “I believe I can make your plan even more foolproof. If I were to appear before her, claiming it was never my intention to kill her father and that he could have easily recovered from his wounds, she would be more inclined to believe it was her uncle who finished the job.”
Qian Pang pondered Shun Hanpo's plan. “Hmm… that could work, however we will tell her that you've only recently come to work for our family. That way she won't suspect you.”
“An excellent plan, young master.” Shun Hanpo flattered the pig with insincere praise, bowing to him once more. “Now if you'd excuse me, I have some other business to attend to.”
Paying the old man no further attention, Qian Pang waved him off while going back to gorging himself.
The fly stayed for a while, it thought of following Shun Hanpo, however remembering the earlier sharp-eyed glare the elderly man gave it, the fly decided against that idea.
When the fly realized there was nothing to gain by staying any longer, it left through the open window it came in from.
Following the path that the little squirrel took, the fly arrived at the massive camphor tree, it flew up into the tree's heavy canopy, disappearing behind the leaves.
Not a second later a hawk flew out of the same tree.
The hawk soared skyward, reaching a point it deemed high enough it flapped its wings and headed in the direction of the inn where Liang Wu and company were staying.