Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Ouyang Family

This situation was highly unfavorable for someone attempting to move in stealth. Clearly, the other side had already taken precautions.

Ordinarily, Jiang Xiaotian would have turned around and left, avoiding all this trouble, but he was never one to back away from a challenge. So instead of slipping away, he faced the surveillance camera and flipped it off, donned his hat, and boldly made his way inside.

If things went wrong, he could always run—especially since he now knew how to avoid those guys. He decided to head in the opposite direction, hoping to discover something new. Even if he found nothing, he could at least fill a bottle with the lake water and take it back for research.

Knowing it was unlikely he’d encounter anyone here, Jiang Xiaotian grew less cautious, striding openly along the path, focusing only on concealing his aura.

As expected, the lake water formed a ring, so the opposite end was accessible as well. However, just like before, the spiritual energy stopped at this point and no longer flowed, so Jiang Xiaotian found nothing remarkable.

He wandered for quite a while, and in the end simply crouched down, using an empty bottle he’d picked up to collect some lake water.

But just as he finished preparing everything and was about to leave, a rustling sound came from across the lake.

Startled, Jiang Xiaotian quickly darted back into the woods, staying utterly still like a turtle.

From the narrow path emerged the same fairy-like woman.

The situation felt strangely familiar—Jiang Xiaotian was stunned. He’d even taken the opposite route, yet still managed to run into her?

At the same time, he marveled at his luck; twice now, she had appeared directly across from him.

Yet unlike yesterday, this time the fairy did not shed her clothes; she simply stood by the lake, scanning her surroundings.

Damn it! What was he thinking? Jiang Xiaotian wished he could slap himself.

Rather than indulging in such lewd thoughts, he ought to be figuring out how to leave.

He dared not be careless now, especially with no one else visible nearby.

He closed his eyes and began sensing the area.

The abundance of spiritual energy here made it easy for him; his perception sharpened dramatically.

But what he discovered shocked him—even more than the woods behind the fairy, there were five people lurking not far from him!

Moreover, they were no weaklings: aside from two martial artists at the peak of External Strength, three others had already reached Internal Strength!

They were scattered around Jiang Xiaotian, forming an encirclement with him at the center.

He was dumbfounded, not daring to move.

What was happening? There had been no one when he arrived; they must have slipped in while he was hiding.

Had they already discovered him?

It was over.

He could even picture his own death. Yesterday, those two Internal Strength martial artists hadn’t held back; if he couldn’t withstand their attack, he’d be crippled if not killed.

Jiang Xiaotian didn’t believe for a moment that, if caught, he’d escape unscathed.

But if the enemy didn’t move, neither would he. Although there was no way out, as long as they didn’t act, Jiang Xiaotian had no reason to flee. He stayed perfectly still, suppressing his presence to its lowest possible level.

The fairy was not alone; there were others hidden behind her as well.

She appeared to be searching for something, but soon her gaze locked onto the spot where Jiang Xiaotian was hiding.

He tensed up. He’d been discovered.

Sure enough, the fairy sneered, “Since you’re here, why hide? Do you really think you can evade my eyes?”

Jiang Xiaotian sighed, considering whether he could reason with her.

After all, he hadn’t meant to intrude.

Well, maybe he had.

Just as he was about to step forward, someone beside him suddenly moved.

An old man emerged from the woods, hands clasped behind his back, clad in traditional Chinese garb, exuding a martial air.

Jiang Xiaotian quickly halted.

What was this? Had they not discovered him after all?

The fairy’s gaze also shifted to the old man.

He let out a hearty laugh, “Ha! The eldest daughter of the Ouyang family. I’ve long heard of your twin heirs—neither with martial talent, the elder studying abroad, the younger staying home. But tell me, is stepping into Internal Strength in your twenties really a lack of talent?”

Ouyang family?

Could it be the famed Ouyang family of Longcheng?

Jiang Xiaotian looked at the fairy in confusion, then noticed the mention of twins.

So the fairy he met during the day and the one before him now weren’t the same person? One was the elder sister, one the younger?

“Ouyang Zijing, your family has spun a grand web of lies, hiding you here and hoping we wouldn’t find out, trying to pull the wool over our eyes?” The old man’s tone was angry, his voice booming.

Yet Ouyang Zijing was undaunted, rolling her eyes, “I did study abroad—how could I not have graduated at twenty-three? Are you as dumb as you look?”

“You! Sharp-tongued! You returned and we received no news—if that’s not hiding, what is?” The old man, stung by her retort, grew even angrier.

Ouyang Zijing was just as loud: “Hide from your mother! You old dog, do I need to notify you when I come back? Did your brain get slammed in a door?”

Not only the old man, but even Jiang Xiaotian was dumbfounded.

Two people—these were definitely two different people!

And their personalities were worlds apart! This Ouyang Zijing was clearly hot-tempered and confrontational, while the fairy from before was gentle and kind—a complete contrast!

Yet, despite her anger, Ouyang Zijing was no pushover.

Rumors had always claimed the Ouyang family was in decline, but now it emerged that Ouyang Zijing had returned to the country and was no talentless heir as whispered; she was a martial genius, breaking through to Internal Strength in a short time!

This revelation was like a bomb to Longcheng’s other two great families.

Each family had secret reserves, rarely revealed unless absolutely necessary, so their only competition was among their heirs.

The Ouyang family previously had no outstanding youth, but now, suddenly, Ouyang Zijing had emerged as an Internal Strength practitioner—could the others not be alarmed, not be furious?

The Ouyang clan was entirely female, so the Li and Zhao families hadn’t taken them seriously—and now they’d been outplayed.

The old man snorted; he hadn’t come just to confirm the news, but to deliver a fatal blow to the Zhao family!

“You certainly have the boldness of someone who’s studied abroad, but do you realize I came today to cripple you?”

Ouyang Zijing laughed instantly, “Ha! You’re hilarious—just you?”

The old man grinned slyly, “Did I ever say I came alone?”