Chapter 22: The False Heiress

"Who is the head of the Shen family?" A voice, mysterious and immensely powerful, echoed from the void.

The members of the Shen family were already terrified, their souls nearly fleeing their bodies. Hearing the inquiry from this enigmatic, formidable presence, all eyes turned toward Shen Zhong.

Shen Zhong struggled to lift his head and spoke, "I am Shen Zhong, the head of the Shen family. My daughter, Shen Qianxue, is the Dao companion of the Grand Elder at the Nascent Soul stage in the Supreme Profound Dao Sect. Whoever you may be, I ask that you do not act rashly."

"Hmph." A cold snort resounded from the void.

"The Supreme Profound Dao Sect… is it really that impressive? I don't even regard them."

"Shen Zhong, answer me: eighteen years ago, did your Shen family take in a little girl with a qilin jade pendant around her neck?"

As if realizing something, Shen Zhong's face turned deathly pale. "Who are you?"

"Seeking death! Did I ask you that?" The voice in the void snorted again. In an instant, a tremendous pressure erupted, bearing down on Shen Zhong. His head, which he had managed to lift, was forced back down by this overwhelming force.

It was as if a mountain had descended upon him; Shen Zhong was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

"I did. There was a little girl; her name was Shen Qianxue. She is now the Dao companion of the Grand Elder at the Nascent Soul stage in the Supreme Profound Dao Sect."

The oppressive force vanished in a heartbeat.

The Shen family members felt a sudden lightness, as if a burden had been lifted.

A jade bottle dropped from the void.

The voice followed: "This is the Yuan-Enhancing Pill, a token of gratitude for your care of the young lady over these years."

Shen Zhong received the porcelain bottle.

Feeling the departure of the void-dwelling powerhouse, Shen Zhong let out a long breath, murmuring to himself, "It seems I've gambled right this time. The other party truly bears no malice. Could this mighty cultivator be kin to that little beggar? Judging by their background, they must hail from a powerful clan. The qilin jade pendant was originally on Qianxue; if Qianxue impersonates that little beggar and becomes the true daughter of this great family..."

"No, I must write to Qianxue and explain everything clearly."

...

Supreme Profound Dao Sect.

Lone Mountain.

Shen Qianxue, in the midst of cultivation, truly did receive a letter from her father, Shen Zhong.

Upon reading its contents, Shen Qianxue's brows furrowed.

She took out the qilin jade pendant she wore.

She only remembered that her father had gifted her this pendant on her fifth birthday—ordinary in appearance, with no discernible magical properties. Yet because it was a gift from her father, and the qilin carved upon it was so lifelike, she always carried it with her.

She never imagined that this pendant belonged to someone else.

The little beggar.

She recalled encountering her on the street, pitying her, and bringing her home. However, after only a month, the little beggar disappeared.

She paid it little mind, asking no questions.

Now, a powerful member of a great family was searching for that little beggar, and her father wanted her to impersonate the girl.

If it had been before she became Dao companions with Chu Feng, Shen Qianxue might have been willing to pose as a false heiress for the sake of her future and her cultivation.

But now, there was no need.

"Forget it, best not to offend these great families. I'll notify father."

With this thought, Shen Qianxue was about to reply.

The void trembled; a figure emerged from it.

An old man, sixty or so in appearance, looking not much different in age from Chu Feng. Of course, appearances meant nothing for cultivators. What mattered was that he had suddenly appeared here—within the Supreme Profound Dao Sect.

The old man appeared before Shen Qianxue, his eyes immediately falling upon the qilin jade pendant in her hand.

His gaze brightened.

With a wave of his hand, the pendant flew from Shen Qianxue's grasp into the old man's palm.

Looking at the pendant, the old man was overcome with emotion. "Black Jade Qilin—this is truly the Black Jade Qilin of the Jiang family. You must be..."

Shen Qianxue instantly understood.

This old man must be the powerful figure her father mentioned in his letter, searching for the lost little beggar—the true owner of the pendant.

She shook her head and said, "Senior, this jade pendant—"

But before she could finish, the old man's face twisted with rage, murderous intent radiating from him. He demanded loudly, "How did you come by the Black Jade Qilin pendant? What is your name?"

Shen Qianxue replied, "Junior is Shen Qianxue."

The old man's killing intent intensified, his voice cold and deadly: "You are Shen Qianxue. Shen Zhong dared to deceive me?"

"He wishes to pass you off as my family's young lady, to impersonate her? Preposterous! My young lady possesses the bloodline of the Jiang family; how could an outsider like you ever hope to impersonate her?"

"Shen Qianxue, tell me—where is my family's young lady, the true owner of the Black Jade Qilin?"

Shen Qianxue, only at the ninth stage of Qi Refining, was utterly crushed by the old man's power. Her face was ashen; shaking her head, she said, "Senior, this pendant was a gift from my father on my fifth birthday. I truly know nothing of its true owner."

The old man raged, "The Black Jade Qilin—my young lady always carried it. Unless she is dead! Now it appears in your hands. Did you kill her?"

"I will kill you now, to accompany my young lady in death, then wipe out the entire Shen family in Four Seasons City!"

A torrent of magical power swept towards Shen Qianxue, intent on slaying her.

"Am I to die here?"

"Husband, I had hoped to spend more time with you, but now I must leave before you."

In front of the old man, Shen Qianxue felt utterly powerless, as if she were an ant to be crushed at will.

Just as the old man was about to strike her down, Chu Feng appeared.

A sharp, formidable sword intent slashed toward the old man.

Having stepped into the Spirit Transformation realm, Chu Feng possessed the power of the primordial spirit; his spiritual sense had become divine sense. The old man's arrival might have fooled others, but not Chu Feng.

Early Spirit Transformation stage.

Such was the old man's cultivation. Unless the hidden elders of the Supreme Profound Dao Sect, dwelling deep within sub-realms, intervened, the old man could come and go freely here.

An early Spirit Transformation cultivator appearing on Lone Mountain immediately put Chu Feng on alert.

He discovered the old man was attacking his Dao companion, Shen Qianxue.

How could Chu Feng stand by?

The old man's expression changed instantly. He knew his strike would kill the woman before him—a would-be impostor of his young lady—but he would also suffer injury.

Most importantly, the sword intent told him the newcomer was at least as strong as, if not stronger than, himself.

Grinding his teeth, the old man retreated bitterly, abandoning his attack on Shen Qianxue.

Chu Feng, with one blow, drove the old man back, then appeared before Shen Qianxue, shielding her, and asked, "Qianxue, are you all right?"

Sweetness welled in Shen Qianxue's heart. She shook her head, "I'm fine, husband."

"It's just that this senior suddenly tried to kill me for reasons unknown."