TRWSB – Chapter 179 Once a member of the Jiang family

Qi Heng stood before the Black Spirit Gold, his finger touching its surface. Following the movement of his finger, the Black Spirit Gold slowly merged into his body. This process continued for three full hours before it finally stopped.

After merging with the Black Spirit Gold, Qi Heng clearly felt his strength increase significantly.

While Qi Heng was cultivating inside his room, in the main hall, Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao were entertaining an important guest.

“Young Master Zuo, Qi Heng is cultivating. He won’t be available for a while. Perhaps you’d like to come back another time?” Zhuang Hao suggested.

Zuo Yunfei glanced at Zhuang Hao and replied, “I have nothing else to do anyway. I don’t mind waiting here.”

Zhuang Hao forced a dry smile, speaking earnestly, “Young Master Zuo, you must understand that a true man should be broad-minded. I know Qi Heng did some awful things to you, but it’s been so long. Some things should be let go.”

Zuo Yunfei responded coldly, “If one day, Qi Shaorong turns you into a eunuch, I will also advise you to be broad-minded like a real man.”

Zhuang Hao’s eyes widened with sympathy as he looked at Zuo Yunfei. “Did Qi Heng…castrate you?”

“Of course not!”

“Then why did you say—”

“It was just a figure of speech.”

“Oh, just a figure of speech, huh?” Zhuang Hao nodded, but there was a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Seeing Zhuang Hao’s expression, Zuo Yunfei felt a creeping sense of discomfort, like ants crawling all over him.

“Since I won’t see him today, I’ll take my leave.” Zuo Yunfei stood up and walked out.

Watching his departing figure, Zhuang Hao murmured, “Qi Heng wouldn’t be cruel enough to castrate Zuo Yunfei, right?”

“Ah Heng has a kind heart. He wouldn’t go that far,” Qi Shaorong replied.

Zhuang Hao: “…” Is Shaorong being sarcastic?

Qi Heng stepped out of his room. “Zuo Yunfei was here?”

“Yes, he left not long ago. He said you castrated him, so he holds a grudge against you,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Qi Heng shot him an irritated look. “Young Master Zhuang, stop joking around. I did consider it, but by the time I thought of it, his strength had already recovered. I didn’t have the chance.”

“Why would you even think of castrating him?”

Qi Heng’s expression darkened instantly, anger flashing in his eyes.

Qi Shaorong suddenly realized, “Zhuang Hao, you idiot! Stop making wild guesses. It wasn’t Qi Heng who did something to Zuo Yunfei. It was the other way around. Zuo Yunfei, after recovering, must have turned on Qi Heng because of his grudge.”

“I think Zuo Yunfei is quite clingy,” Qi Shaorong remarked.

Qi Heng closed his eyes. “If he comes looking for me, just turn him away.”

“What exactly happened between you two? Is Zuo Yunfei a threat to you?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Qi Heng shook his head. “I don’t know. I only remember him saying that if he ever got lucky enough to recover, he would cut me into pieces.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

…

Qi Heng stepped out, and a servant of the Fourth Prince bowed to him. “Young Master Heng, someone is here to see you.”

“Is it Zuo Yunfei?” Qi Heng frowned.

The servant shook his head. “No, it’s some people from the Jiang family.”

“The Jiang family? They actually came. I’ll go see them.”

As Qi Heng entered the hall, Jiang He, who was waiting, immediately sensed a strong aura of metal attribute radiating from him.

“Young Master Heng, you merged with the Black Spirit Gold?” Jiang He asked.

Qi Heng nodded. “Yes.”

Jiang He forced a smile. Normally, the Pure Gold Body cannot be detected without special instruments. But since Qi Heng had just merged with the Black Spirit Gold, the metal attribute was leaking out, making it easy to determine his attribute. But how did Zuo Yunfei know? Were they acquaintances?

“For some reason, Young Master Heng, you look very much like one of our elders,” Jiang Qinxin commented.

“That’s not surprising. I used to be part of the Jiang family.”

“Used to be?” Jiang Qinxin was surprised.

Qi Heng nodded. “Yes. But I was expelled from the Jiang family when I was six, so the Jiang family has nothing to do with me anymore.”

Jiang Qinxin glanced at Qi Shaorong, her heart sinking. Qi Heng was once a member of the Jiang family? And they actually expelled a cultivator with a Pure Gold Body?

“Why were you expelled?”

“Why? Because I liked taking things from home to exchange for money. After doing it a few times, I was accused of stealing too much and got kicked out,” Qi Heng answered casually.

Jiang Qinxin twitched slightly at his frankness. This guy…

Qi Heng’s face grew stern. He picked up a nearby teacup and sipped from it.

After his father died, everything that should have been inherited by him and his younger brother was taken over by his uncle. Their grandfather favored the legitimate son. Even when his father was alive, everything was routinely handed to the uncle. After his father’s death, this favoritism only intensified.

To his grandfather, his uncle was the only son that mattered.

His father, as an illegitimate child, seemed to exist only to pave the way for his uncle.

When his younger brother fell ill, he had no choice but to sell his father’s belongings for money. But by then, those belongings had already been claimed by his uncle.

Jiang Lin looked at Qi Heng, puzzled. “Why would you resort to stealing?”

“Yeah, I don’t get it either. I just did what I felt like. Why question it?” Qi Heng sneered.

Jiang Lin: “…”

After leaving Qi Heng, the expressions of the Jiang family members were somewhat grim.

Watching their departing figures, Qi Heng’s heart surged with hatred.

“Brother, I’m so cold.”

“Brother, I’m so hungry.”

“Brother, when will Father come back?”

“Brother, our house has been taken away. Where will we live now?”

“Brother, the food from the kitchen has gone bad. Can we still eat it?”

…

His poor younger brother, so small and weak, had died silently in the Jiang family, just like their father—who had fought for the family his whole life—dying without a sound. To the vast Jiang family, his brother’s death was insignificant, barely causing a ripple.

But that was his brother—his own flesh and blood. A child who wasn’t particularly talented but worked hard. In the Jiang family, he learned to be observant, to hide his presence, to live humbly. Yet even so, the Jiang family never accepted him.

“Brother, am I going to die?”

“Brother, if I die, will I see Father again?”

“Brother, I hate the Jiang family. I wish Uncle would disappear. I wish the Jiang family would disappear. Am I being bad?”

…

Brother, it won’t be long now. I will make your wish come true.

Unconsciously, Qi Heng’s fingers gripped the pillar beside him, leaving five deep impressions in the solid wood.

Jiang Qinxin frowned. “I feel like Qi Heng might have some unresolved issues with our Jiang family.”

“We should investigate who the family expelled over a decade ago. This could become a serious problem,” Jiang He advised.

Jiang Lin glanced at Jiang He. “A serious problem? What kind of problem?”

“Mu Tingxuan was originally from the Mu family, but they betrayed him. Qi Shaorong stood up for him, even leveraging the Merchant Alliance. The Mu family was nearly wiped out because of it. Although Mu Tingxuan eventually showed mercy, the family was left devastated, almost unable to recover,” Jiang He explained worriedly.

“If he was expelled for stealing, then the family did the right thing,” Jiang Qinxin argued.

Jiang Lin shook his head. “I fear it may not be that simple.”

…

“Heading out?” Zuo Yunfei stood with his arms crossed by the door. When he saw Qi Heng stepping out, a hint of eagerness flashed in his eyes.

Qi Heng looked up at him. “Young Master Zuo, I’ve told you before, you’ve got the wrong person.”

“Yes, I must have remembered wrong. So sorry,” Zuo Yunfei replied without a trace of sincerity.

Qi Heng raised his head, staring at Zuo Yunfei. “If you’re really sorry, could you move aside? You’re blocking my way.”

Zuo Yunfei lifted a leg, barring Qi Heng’s path. “Master Physician, why the rush? Why not catch up for a bit?”

“I don’t think we have anything to catch up on,” Qi Heng said.

Zuo Yunfei chuckled. “Oh, right. I almost forgot — you don’t know me. Although you weren’t the one who stripped me and touched me all over, you look so much like him. Seeing you stirs something in me. I can’t help but want to talk.”

“Shut up,” Qi Heng snapped.

Zuo Yunfei leaned in. “What’s wrong?”

“Aren’t you here accompanying the Jin Kingdom’s prince for a marriage proposal? Shouldn’t you be busy gathering information about the Yun Kingdom’s princess?” Qi Heng retorted, clearly annoyed.

Zuo Yunfei smiled indifferently. “It’s the Third Prince who’s proposing, not me. It’s better for him to handle it personally — it shows sincerity. Besides…” Zuo Yunfei leaned close to Qi Heng’s ear, his breath warm. “I don’t even have a wife yet. Why should I care about others getting married?”

“With your qualifications, it shouldn’t be hard for you to find a wife,” Qi Heng remarked.

Zuo Yunfei grinned. “It’s not hard. I just…can’t get you out of my mind. I should’ve thought of it sooner. I kept investigating the Evil Doctor but forgot to look into those around him.”

“Enough,” Qi Heng’s patience was wearing thin. “Without me, you would’ve been dead long ago. So what if I messed with you a bit?”

“You finally admit it! Yes, without you, I would’ve died. But you tossed me into a vat full of venomous creatures, where they bit me all over. I almost lost my manhood. And I can’t even hold a grudge?” Zuo Yunfei’s eyes glowed with a fierce, fiery red.

“Use your head. What’s more important, your life or your manhood? Besides, those creatures didn’t bite that part off, did they?” Qi Heng replied indifferently.

Zuo Yunfei closed his eyes. “To you, what am I? Just a disposable test subject?”

“That’s right,” Qi Heng said without hesitation.

Zuo Yunfei gritted his teeth, staring at Qi Heng. “You’re ruthless.”

Zuo Yunfei closed his eyes. Even though Qi Heng saved him, that period of time felt like a living hell. Qi Heng was obsessed with testing various treatments on him, cutting into his body countless times just to study his anatomy.

He had even left him in the wilderness to be struck by lightning.

During that time, Zuo Yunfei couldn’t tell if Qi Heng was trying to cure him, torture him, or force a confession.

Suddenly, Zuo Yunfei grabbed Qi Heng’s hand, his grip tight. “You…”

Qi Heng looked at him calmly. “What do you want?”

Zuo Yunfei laughed bitterly. “What do I want? Well, I still remember how we shared a bed back then. I was so happy I felt like ascending to heaven. Did you enjoy it too?”

“Not really. Your skills were terrible,” Qi Heng replied bluntly.

Zuo Yunfei chuckled. “It’s been years. Want to see if I’ve improved?”

Qi Heng took a deep breath, glaring at him. “Get lost. Keep this up, and I won’t be polite.”

Zuo Yunfei sneered. “Polite? Since when were you ever polite to me, Qi Heng?”

Qi Heng: “…”