.
Shuǐ ChangSheng quickly spoke before any of the rest could react. "Then please, tell us what you know, Elder Zhao..."
Hu ShangKuo rushed forward with two servants, to quickly prepare the table for Zhao ChaoYun and the two cultivators who had accompanied him.
When Zhao ChaoYun was settled in, he took a deep breath.
"Might I request that everyone except the Clan Leaders should leave? The things shared here should remain only among the leaders themselves."
He didn't like the idea of telling these people anything about LanFen, but if he didn't open his mouth, he wouldn't be able to save her.
At the very least, he wasn't going to say anything to anyone but the Clan Leaders.
There was an uncomfortable muttering, but eventually, they all began to send their sons, daughters, aides, siblings, disciples and the rest, out of the hall.
Even the Shining four were sent out as well.
Shuǐ ChénLín, Lu FengHo and Shuǐ YiShan glanced at each other, each of them equally unwilling to leave. But they had no say here, so they exited the Enlightenment hall together.
Shuǐ ChangSheng collected a ball of bright blue aura in his right hand, then flicked it upwards at the ceiling. It spread in silvery blue shimmers, till it had engulfed the entire hall.
Everyone present recognized it as a 'no eavesdropping' seal, and Zhao ChaoYun began to speak, after it was done.
"Nineteen years ago, you all know the Zhao Family of the Eastern Dragon Clan was rising in popularity...
"My nephew, Zhao ZhuYong was a powerful cultivator. Though he was just twenty-eight, he was already at the Peak of the Black Realm, and was expected to break into the Light realm at any time."
Most of the clan leaders muttered amongst themselves, as they recalled the man that had once been nicknamed the 'immortal incarnate'.
It was a big thing if one could step into the black realm before thirty. It was an even longer journey to the white realm, and it took years and years of cultivation.
Even an old man like Kong JuLong, had not stepped into the White Realm till he was fifty, and he was still stuck at the sixth stage.
But Zhao ZhuYong had been about to enter the white realm before thirty!
He had been considered even more of a genius than Shuǐ ChénLín, because though it was spectacular that Shuǐ ChénLín was at the peak of the purple realm by twenty five, Zhao ZhuYong had already crossed into the black realm at twenty four.
In his time, Zhao ZhuYong was that child everyone envied, who was naturally gifted at everything he touched, and even had masters journey from far and wide, hoping they could train him!
Even Zhao ZhuYong's wife, Wang ShanMei (LanFen's mother), had stepped into the Black realm at twenty six, so they had been considered a match made in the heavens...
Two geniuses who created a frightful match indeed.
Now that the Clan Leaders remembered how powerful Zhao ZhuYong and Wang ShanMei had been, it was no surprise that their child, Zhao LanFeng, had become so powerful, at nineteen!
But it still didn't explain how Zhao LanFeng had even begun cultivating in the first place...
Zhao ChaoYun cleared his throat and continued speaking.
"My nephew and his wife were just about to have their first child, but then..."
He sighed.
"But then, trouble struck one night, nineteen years ago... Lady Wang ShanMei had gone into labour, and then coincidentally, or otherwise, the Shadow clan chose such an hour to attack."
Kong JuLong was getting impatient. "The Shadow clan attack, nineteen years ago? We already know all about this!"
"They say picking a cultivation partner is a life and death affair... Wasn't Lady Wang ShanMei behind the attack, in a bid to usurp her own husband?" Another Clan leader.
"I am merely telling you what I know." Zhao ChaoYun.
Shuǐ ChangSheng quickly jumped in to encourage him. "Then please, continue, Elder Zhao..."
.
.
Nineteen years earlier...
A long line of swinging lanterns lit the way, amidst a dense copse of trees.
Holding these lanterns and running through the trees, were the Zhao Clan disciples, dressed in their usual white robes, and six of the top cultivators, dressed in their varying flame red and yellow robes.
Behind them, the screams from both humans and monsters could be heard, so they hurried along, trying to put as much distance between themselves and their chasers.
The Shadow Clan had attacked the manor so suddenly, and they had brought an immense army of monsters with them.
The top cultivators were having trouble pushing them back, as for some reason, they felt weaker than usual, almost as if they had been poisoned.
But when and how?
To make matters worse, the Shadow Clan members seemed to read the Zhao techniques easily, which madeit difficult to fight them, and still worse, the abilities of the Shadow Clan members themselves, seemed enhanced for some reason.
Black characters covered their skin, and their eyes glowed a strange, bright yellow. A mere purple realmer had managed to kill several of their black realm cultivators, and one had even managed to stab the Head of the entire Zhao Clan defense Yun SuKong, who was also in the black realm...
"Why did the Shadow clan, who have been silent, choose to attack now, of all times?!" One disciple.
"Less talking. More running!" The Head disciple.
"This way! Quickly!" The Zhao Head defense, Yun SuKong, had come to the opening of the Zhao Mountain Caves.
"Go in! We will hold them off here!" He clutched his side, which was bleeding profusely from a deathly looking stab wound.
The six cultivators with them stood by him, their clear determination on their face. "Yes! We won't let them pass!"
The people bringing up the rare, were Zhao ZhuYong, the great Eastern Dragon and current Clan Leader of the Eastern Dragon Clan.
He and his uncle, a nineteen year younger Zhao ChaoYun (Elder Zhao), were supporting his wife, Lady Wang ShanMei, between the two of them. She was breathing hard from labour.
Zhao ZhuYong placed his free hand on Yun SuKong's shoulder. Yun SuKong seniored him with almost seven years, but they had been close since birth, so the thought of leaving his friend behind, was like cutting his own skin.
Especially since Yun SuKong was nearing the peak of the Black Realm, and yet he had already been stabbed so easily, by someone in the purple realm.
It was becoming apparent that they had been betrayed...
The Shadow Clan certainly had a helper within the Zhao clan, who had given them information, and had even poisoned the top Zhao cultivators, including himself, making it easy for the enemy to defeat them.
In fact, in the first few minutes of the attack, the Shadow Clan had deliberately targeted and killed all the Zhao Elders, who were above the black realm, including their Ace, his grand uncle, who had been at the peak of the Light realm.
And to make the situation even worse, the attack had coincided with the hour when his wife was in labor, so they were forced to run with her, instead of staying back to fight.
"Elder brother *Xin... Make sure you return unharmed!" Zhao ZhuYong looked hesitant to leave, but Wang ShanMei was getting weaker and weaker.
*Xin - Yun SuKong's birth name
Yun SuKong smiled at his friend reassuringly.
"Sure thing, Younger brother *Feng! Don't forget I'm the child's uncle... I have to buy *him lots of toys. I'll buy the first wooden sword!" He held out his hand and his sword appeared. It was a huge monstrosity that couldn't even be lifted by most people.
*Feng - Zhao ZhuYong's birth name.
* Him - the word used could mean both 'him or her'.
Yun SuKong, "Go down as many tunnels as possible, and block your tracks!"
The two men bowed to each other, then parted. Zhao ChaoYun had turned to look back at him, but at the time, he didn't know it would be the last time he would see Yun SuKong or any of the other cultivators...
.