Song Changsheng gave her a curious look. Was she afraid he might say something inappropriate? Could there be some hidden story behind all this?
Now that he thought about it, it was indeed rather strange. Members of Luoxia City's lineage seemed to react very oddly to his surname. For example, when Niu Dazhuang first learned his last name was Song, his attitude immediately took a sharp turn, even going so far as to threaten him with violence.
When he first met Zhuang Yuechan, her reaction was similar. Though she didn't show the same open hostility as Niu Dazhuang, her demeanor became noticeably colder. It wasn't until they later fought side by side that her attitude began to change.
Because of this, Song Changsheng had once suspected that his clan had some deep grudge with Luoxia City. But whenever he brought it up, both Wang Wanzhou and his mother grew evasive, treating the matter as something too sensitive to discuss. Even his grandfather, Song Xianming, had remained tight-lipped.
At one point, he was convinced there was a serious feud between the two sides.
But that belief was shattered the moment he received the invitation from Luoxia City.
Once he arrived, the city's Chief Steward, Qian Duoyu, had been nothing but warm to him and even treated his Twelfth Uncle with the utmost respect. He'd readily agreed to reopen the family's trade routes without any signs of resistance.
Back then, Song Changsheng didn't fully understand the significance of that invitation, but through his conversations with Qian Duoyu, he learned that his invitation was unique. It allowed him to ascend the mountain a full month earlier than other Foundation Establishment cultivators, though still later than Purple Mansion cultivators.
After arriving, he was even given private lodging. Having visited the accommodations of others, he could tell that his were among the best, on par with those of Purple Mansion cultivators.
That completely overturned his previous assumptions. If there had been a grudge between his clan and Luoxia City, how could they have possibly extended him such treatment?
He'd be lucky not to be humiliated, let alone treated like a VIP.
Later, after meeting Xiao Qingwan, he wondered if perhaps some past affair between her and his grandfather had been the root of it all. But judging by her attitude toward him, that explanation didn't seem to add up either.
There had to be a deeper reason, perhaps a misunderstanding of some kind, and it was clear that both Zhuang Yuechan and Niu Dazhuang knew the truth.
But given Niu Dazhuang's hostility toward him, Song Changsheng had no hopes of hearing anything from him. That only left one possible source of answers.
Having made up his mind, he stood and offered Zhuang Yuechan a formal salute.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, if you do know the truth behind all this, I implore you to tell me. I would be endlessly grateful."
Zhuang Yuechan quickly stepped aside to avoid his bow and smiled bitterly.
"Fellow Daoist Song, there's no need for this. So many years have passed, what good would knowing the truth do now?"
"But the truth shouldn't be buried," Song Changsheng said with determination.
Zhuang Yuechan's tone turned more serious than he'd ever heard it.
"Fellow Daoist Song, you once saved my life. In both gratitude and duty, I should not refuse you. But please believe me, revealing this so-called truth would do no good for anyone involved."
Song Changsheng fell silent. At this point, he understood Zhuang Yuechan had no intention of telling him. He had no choice but to settle for something else.
"That Senior Xiao, she's from Luoxia City, isn't she?"
Zhuang Yuechan nodded. That much was obvious, and there was no longer any point in denying it.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang," Song Changsheng continued, "I still remember the first time we met. When you found out my surname was Song, your attitude turned very cold. I want to know why."
He stared directly into her eyes, his tone unyielding. The intensity of his gaze made Zhuang Yuechan a little flustered.
They stared at each other for a while before she finally sighed in resignation.
"I'll tell you a story."
Song Changsheng sat quietly, watching her intently, waiting for what she had to say next.
"Once upon a time, there was a young girl, innocent and bright, clever and full of life. She was the treasured darling of her elders and was protected dearly by her siblings. With exceptional talent, her cultivation progressed rapidly.
By the time she was in her early twenties, she had already broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Only then did her elders finally allow her to venture out and gain real-world experience.
She was like a flower carefully nurtured in a greenhouse, never exposed to wind or rain. So, at first, she suffered quite a bit, but thanks to her formidable strength, she managed to make it through without disaster.
Then, one day, she fell into the trap of a demonic cultivator, caught within a malicious formation. She knew nothing of formations and could only rely on treasures given to her by her elders to hold out.
It was at that moment that she met the person who would change her life forever.
He was a young man, just over twenty, dignified and heroic. It was his first time out in the world as well. Upon discovering her plight, he stepped in without hesitation, slaying the demonic cultivator and breaking the formation to rescue her.
Once it was over, the young man departed as swiftly as he came, not even leaving his name. But his voice and face were forever etched into the girl's heart.
That was their first meeting.
Their second encounter came decades later. By then, he had become a renowned formation master, and she had risen to be one of the most sought-after alchemists.
They hit it off instantly, spending dozens of days discussing Dao together.
From then on, the two would often go out adventuring side by side. After facing life-and-death trials together, their bond deepened. Eventually, the girl realized she had fallen deeply in love, and so had the young man. Naturally, they became a couple. Not long after, talks of marriage began.
Her elders were open-minded and respected her decision. But her sect, though powerful, maintained strict neutrality and never meddled in the affairs of other powers.
As the sect's chosen successor, she too had to remain politically neutral. Therefore, for the man to marry her, he would first have to sever ties with his own family. His clan was then embroiled in controversy and at the center of many disputes. If she were to marry him while he remained tied to them, it would be tantamount to publicly declaring an alliance.
Her elders couldn't accept that. So they made a condition: if he wanted to marry her, he must first leave his clan. In return, they promised that after the marriage, they would be equals; their children would carry his surname, and he would even hold real power in the sect in the future.
It was a generous offer.
But the man didn't agree. Only after the woman pleaded with him repeatedly did he reluctantly give in.
Yet fate had other plans.
Just days before the wedding, after invitations had already been sent, tragedy struck the man's family. He left and never returned.
The woman thought he must've had his reasons, so she went to find him herself. But the outcome was bitter; she left heartbroken and went into seclusion, never leaving her chambers again.
Thirty years passed.
The man's cultivation had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. He went from place to place, challenging every cultivator of his generation and defeating them all. He became invincible.
When the woman heard of this, she stepped out of her seclusion for the first time in three decades to challenge him.
But he was too strong. She was narrowly defeated.
After that battle, he became the patriarch of his clan. Soon, under the arrangement of his elders, he married someone else.
When the woman heard of this, her personality changed completely. She was no longer the same person.
Her cultivation stagnated from that point on. She not only lost her qualification to inherit leadership of her sect, but the world of alchemy also lost what could have been a future grandmaster..."
Zhuang Yuechan paused as she looked at Song Changsheng and said, "I was rescued by my master from a mortal village slaughtered by demonic cultivators. I was only a few months old at the time. Since my master had never married and had no children, he didn't know how to raise one. So he entrusted me to a senior of his, who raised me, taught me to read and write. Aside from my master, she's the person who treated me the best in this world."
By this point, Song Changsheng had already pieced everything together.
The young man in the story was his grandfather, Song Xianming. And the young woman, Elder Xiao Qingwan, was the same senior who had raised Zhuang Yuechan.
As the saying goes, "love those connected to whom you love; hate those connected to whom you hate."
Just look at what his grandfather had done, fleeing right before the wedding, leaving the woman heartbroken and forever changed. The fact that Luoxia City didn't declare war on their clan was already an act of restraint.
For someone like Zhuang Yuechan, who was both disciple and daughter-figure to Xiao Qingwan, it was no wonder she harbored ill feelings toward the Song family.
If the roles had been reversed, Song Changsheng admitted to himself that he probably would've pulled his sword by now, so her cold attitude was completely understandable.
But now he was puzzled about one other thing: what was the deal with Niu Dazhuang? Surely he hadn't been raised by Xiao Qingwan, too?
When he asked the question, Zhuang Yuechan gave him a complicated look and said, "Senior Brother Niu is the direct disciple of Master Zhan… and Master Zhan is the one pursuing my martial aunt, so…"
Ah. So that was his grandfather's love rival's disciple. No wonder the guy hated every Song on sight. Now Song Changsheng understood everything.
"Grandfather… just how many glorious past achievements have you hidden from me?" he sighed inwardly. "Not only did you have a former lover like Senior Xiao, you even had a rival like the mighty City Lord Zhan."
"Good thing Luoxia City insists on remaining neutral. Otherwise, they would've stormed our ancestral land years ago."
He felt a wave of mixed emotions. That was Zhan Tianxia, the second lord of Luoxia City, infamous for his temper. No wonder Grandpa didn't dare attend the birthday banquet. If Zhan Tianxia found out the truth, he might very well rip him apart on the spot.
Maybe back in the day, his grandfather could've stood a chance in a fight, but now? One's a renowned Purple Palace cultivator. The other's a Foundation Establishment cultivator nearing the end of his life. That's not even a contest; it's like comparing a man and a dog.
"I never imagined my grandfather and Senior Xiao had such a past," Song Changsheng murmured, deeply moved. But then a thought struck him, and he frowned. "If they cut all ties back then, then why did my parents come to her for help?"
Think about it: the wife of the man who stole your beloved, bringing her child to you, her rival's grandson, to ask for medicine? That's… surreal.
To snatch away one's beloved is an unforgivable crime. Even if she did offer the medicine, who would dare to take it?
When he voiced this question, Zhuang Yuechan replied, "At that time, my martial aunt and your grandfather hadn't yet cut all ties. They simply didn't see each other anymore. I heard that when your father was born, she even came to Luoxia to offer her congratulations."
"What drove them apart came later."
"What was it?" Song Changsheng asked quickly.
"I'm sorry, Song Daoist," Zhuang Yuechan said firmly, shaking her head. "I've told you more than I should have today. This… I cannot and will not tell you. Please don't ask again."
That must be the real "truth" she alluded to earlier, but it was clear she wouldn't reveal anything more.
Even so, Song Changsheng was deeply grateful. If not for her, he would've remained completely in the dark. He bowed once more and said, "Thank you for today, Zhuang Daoist. I owe you a great debt."
"There's no need for such courtesy." She gave a light shake of her head, returning his gesture, and turned to leave.
Just as she was about to walk out of the bamboo pavilion, Song Changsheng suddenly called out, "Then tell me this, why is the Grand City Lord treating me so well?"
He was referring to the special invitation and the premium accommodations. Given the relationship between the Song Clan and Luoxia City, he shouldn't have received such privileges.
Originally, he had assumed it was thanks to his grandfather's influence. But now he realized what influence? His grandfather's reputation was in tatters. The fact that he hadn't been beaten to death yet was, frankly, a miracle.
Zhuang Yuechan paused for a moment before replying, "You earned it."
"I earned it?" Song Changsheng was completely confused. But Zhuang Yuechan quickly walked off, clearly afraid he'd press further.
Sigh… I really must be possessed. I originally invited Daoist Zhuang over to catch up, but things ended up like this instead.
Looking at the still-steaming tea on the table, Song Changsheng shook his head and smiled bitterly. He had been too fixated.
Sitting back down, he couldn't help but continue thinking about why his grandfather had chosen to run away from the wedding in the first place.
He had been willing to sever ties with his clan just to be with her; it proved how deeply he must have loved her. Otherwise, someone with Song Xianming's pride would never have done something so drastic.
But then… how could such a profound bond end in a way that caused the greatest harm to her?
"Family turmoil…" Song Changsheng muttered those words under his breath, repeating them over and over, and began running the timeline through his head. Suddenly, a light bulb went off.
Wasn't that the exact period when Ancestor Song Yungui was gravely injured, and Ancestor Song Yunhan succeeded the position of clan leader?
"Could it be…" A bold theory began forming in his mind, but it wasn't an answer he wanted. Still, he resolved to get to the bottom of it when he returned home.
...
Two days later, Zhuang Yuechan visited again. This time, Song Changsheng was tactful enough not to bring up any of the previous topics. Zhuang Yuechan felt noticeably relieved. Had he continued to dig, she might've had no choice but to go into seclusion.
"Song Daoist, today at the Dao Discourse Hall, elders from the Golden Crow Sect and the Heavenly Vein Sect will be holding a discussion. Would you be interested in attending?" Zhuang Yuechan asked with a smile.
"An opportunity like that? Of course, I wouldn't miss it. Let's head out right away." Song Changsheng readily agreed. The last time he attended a Purple Mansion cultivator's discourse, he was left with lingering awe. And now there were two elders from the Golden Core sects speaking, how could he miss that?
And so, the two set off for the Dao Discourse Hall together.
However, Song Changsheng underestimated Zhuang Yuechan's charm. The moment she appeared, she drew attention like a blooming flower, attracting a swarm of eager admirers.
These were no ordinary admirers; they all came from prestigious backgrounds, with Purple Mansion cultivators behind them. Zhuang Yuechan couldn't afford to offend them, so she chose to ignore them altogether.
Being ignored, they had no choice but to swallow their frustration. After all, a beautiful woman is entitled to certain privileges.
But the man standing beside her, Song Changsheng, instantly became the target of all their hostility…
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