Chapter 4: Take Care of Yourself and Remove the Mansion Plaque

When it was time to act, he was ruthless and cold; when not acting, he called him “uncle” at every turn. This left Qin Fang feeling quite unsettled.

What unsettled him even more was how formidable Qin Anyu’s combat abilities were, how bold he was, and how he continued to act recklessly, disregarding the soldiers from their household.

“Could it be that he was always pretending, playing the fool to hide his strength? Or did something happen to him that changed him completely?”

As various thoughts flashed through his mind, he heard Qin Anyu say he had something to ask him, so he composed himself and replied, “Release Datong first.”

Qin Anyu glanced at the person he was holding, then casually set him down on the ground. “Oh, I forgot I still have my cousin.”

He looked and sounded as simple and honest as ever.

Zhang Qili approached and said to Qin Anyu, “Anyu, your cousin’s injuries are severe; he needs immediate treatment.”

Qin Anyu said nothing and let her take Qin Datong away.

As the two of them left the five-zhang area, Qin Fang shouted fiercely, “Seize this traitor!”

Qin Anyu shook his head and sighed softly, “I knew it would come to this. Captain Wang Fuli, this is a family matter; I hope you won’t interfere. Besides, the city guard has no duty to meddle in internal disputes.”

Seeing Captain Wang hesitate, he continued, “My uncle doesn’t have the ability to serve as the head of the household.”

Qin Fang instantly flew into a rage, leaping at Qin Anyu with a punch. “Traitor! You’re cutting off the Qin family’s path to greatness!”

His body was fierce, his momentum urgent, and his speed fast… at least, that’s how Captain Wang Fuli saw it.

But to Qin Anyu, that attack was too slow, too unfocused, full of openings.

Seeing this attempt to reason with him, Qin Anyu thought, “I can do better,” and blocked the punch with his own.

In the next moment, Qin Fang was sent flying backward. He flipped in the air and crashed hard onto the ground, splashing water everywhere.

“Bang…”

The household soldiers who were ready to rush forward stopped mid-step. Captain Wang was stunned, and Qin Fang lay on the ground in a daze.

Qin Anyu walked calmly over to him, standing beside him in the pouring rain. When Qin Fang tilted his head slightly to one side, Qin Anyu crouched down and asked, “Uncle, can we talk reasonably now?”

Turning to Captain Wang, he said, “Captain Wang, since this is a family matter, we won’t trouble you to stay here.”

Qin Fang was trapped between advancing and retreating. Hearing this, he reluctantly said, “Yes, you should leave.”

He knew that after today’s commotion, there was no hope of becoming the head of the household. This self-proclaimed proxy wouldn’t last long either. It was better to go downhill gracefully and save face.

After the soldiers left, Qin Fang got up, his face dark with anger, yet forcing a smile that was as disgusting as it was forced.

Still, he held back his revulsion and stared into Qin Anyu’s eyes. “Uncle, I have a few questions for you. First, where are the letters from my parents?”

If he were truly an immortal emperor, why bother with such complications? Soul-searching would suffice.

Qin Fang quickly answered, “They were all burned to prevent trouble.”

The answer matched exactly with Zhang Qili’s—without hesitation, a reflexive response, likely truthful.

However, Qin Anyu did not fully believe him. Such situations could be rehearsed. So, with a hint of threat, he said, “Uncle, you’ve seen my combat power. If I find any inconsistencies, I will hold you accountable. My parents are missing, so I have no regard for anyone else.”

Looking into Qin Anyu’s seemingly simple eyes but hearing the underlying severity, Qin Fang felt an inexplicable chill and quickly nodded, “Truly, they were all burned. Not a single letter remains.”

Qin Anyu held his gaze unwavering. “Then tell me what was in those letters. Don’t tell me you never read them.”

Qin Fang hurriedly replied, “My aunt and I did read them, but each of us read different parts.”

He then called over Zhang Qili, who was attending to the injuries, to discuss the contents of the letters with her.

After listening to their account, Qin Anyu pondered for a moment and sent Zhang Qili away.

As she turned, a vicious gleam flashed in her eyes.

Qin Anyu didn’t see it, but the attentive Qin Youqin did, shivering from fear.

Qin Anyu then asked Qin Fang many questions, all while staring into his eyes, confident that his answers were truthful.

The questions were scattered and unpredictable, too many to have been rehearsed.

Finally, he asked, “Why are you so eager to erase all traces of our family?”

Qin Fang feigned remorse. “I have wronged my elder brother and sister-in-law, and I have wronged you three siblings.”

Qin Anyu shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Be honest.”

After a moment’s thought, Qin Fang self-mockingly said, “My elder brother has managed Tanzhou Prefecture impeccably, and I am widely recognized. Knowing my brother will never return, how could I not want to take his place?”

Qin Anyu immediately asked, “How do you know they can’t come back?”

“There was news that they were ambushed by over ten flying cultivators, at least Qi Refinement stage. How could they return? Don’t look at me like that—I’m only at Qi Refinement stage nine, can’t even beat you, so how could I save them?”

Qin Anyu didn’t ask why a Qi Refinement stage nine had such confidence to become prefect, but instead asked, “Where did the ambush happen?”

“Reportedly, the battle stretched for hundreds of miles, roughly around Liuguang County. When the news reached me, five days had already passed.”

“Do you know who organized the pursuit to kill my family?”

Qin Anyu’s question made Qin Fang fall silent.

After a while, Qin Anyu pressed on, “Did you participate, or did your aunt?”

Qin Fang shook his head immediately. “I did not participate, it’s impossible.”

Qin Anyu stood and headed for the gate. “I understand. Take care of yourself.”

At the gate, he said to Qin Youqin, “Want to roam the world with me?”

She immediately smiled, “As long as the young master does not mind, your servant will always serve by your side.”

Qin Anyu shook his head and entered the gatehouse, taking out a set of straw raincoat and bamboo hat. “Put these on.”

Qin Youqin pushed them back to him. “Young master, you wear them.”

Qin Anyu said coolly, “Following me means following my orders.”

She pouted but still put on the raincoat and bamboo hat.

Seeing how the hat shaded her eyebrows and the raincoat trailed on the ground, making her small face look even smaller, Qin Anyu smiled quietly to himself before picking up his suitcase and striding out the gate.

After a few steps, he turned to look at the plaque above the gate and muttered, “This was written by Qin Zhan. Qin Fang is unworthy.”

He turned back into the gatehouse, brought out a table and two benches, set them under the plaque, and took the plaque down.

The moment the plaque came off, he felt his mind clear significantly and couldn’t help but ask himself, “Am I really this disgusted with the Qin Fang family? Does taking down a plaque bring such relief?”

Receiving no answer, he shook his head.

Carrying the suitcase in his left hand, the plaque in his right, and the sword embryo on his back, he walked toward the alleyway. Qin Youqin followed behind, her raincoat dragging on the ground.

Qin Fang, still inside the courtyard, watched him take down the plaque with a dark expression but dared not come out to stop him.

He had already said “take care of yourself”; he knew exactly what Qin Anyu meant.

Zhang Qili stood in the front hall, staring fiercely at the plaque under Qin Anyu’s arm, filled with hatred.

Their home was basically destroyed, the mansion’s plaque taken down, and all their plans reset, even regressing.

Before they reached the alley’s exit, the heavy rain stopped abruptly, and sunlight poured down.

Qin Youqin looked up at the sky, then removed her bamboo hat, excitedly saying, “Young master, the rain has stopped.”

Qin Anyu also glanced upward and smiled, “After the rain, the sky feels more vast.”

From behind, Qin Youqin asked, “Young master, where shall we go next?”

Without turning his head, Qin Anyu answered, “First, we go kill.”