Son-in-law Heaven Emperor Xiao Yi

In the void.

Xiao Yi, with Fang Qingzhu by his side, walked on air, while Xiao Zhengde, like a dead dog being led, hung midair, swaying with the wind.

He let out a series of miserable screams, "Xiao Yi, my son... I was wrong, please spare me, I was wrong..."

His body spun continuously in the wind like a kite, and whenever he faced forward, the gales would rush into his open mouth, emitting a series of woeful sounds.

Fang Qingzhu stood shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Yi, not asking about the purpose of their journey.

She had even left Xiao Xue back at the Imperial Dragon Mountain.

Watching Xiao Yi's expressionless profile, Fang Qingzhu carefully grasped his hand tighter.

However...

At this moment, unbeknownst to Xiao Yi and Fang Qingzhu, who were speeding through the void, a figure quietly followed behind them.

......

This trip took them to a place within the former Great Qian Dynasty, to a town named Green Valley Town.

It was very secluded.

The mountains were scenic, and the waters clear.

The entire town nestled among the mountains, with birds singing and fragrant flowers, presenting a pleasant scenery. The town's population was not large, just two to three thousand residents. The townsfolk earned a living by gathering herbs from the mountains or hunting low-level beasts, selling the medicinal materials and pelts. They were not wealthy, but they lived a warm and peaceful life.

This was the hometown of Xiao Yi's mother.

His maternal grandparents lived here, and when he was young, Xiao Yi had also spent some time living here.

However...

When Xiao Yi returned to Green Valley Town, he found that it had long since been deserted, with no signs of life. The desolate town had dilapidated houses that looked as though they could collapse at any moment, and the grass and trees on both sides were completely withered and yellow.

Occasionally, one could see a few birds and rodents scurrying through the buildings.

"What has happened here?"

Xiao Yi was stunned, not expecting that after more than a decade, the place would have turned into this.

He suddenly noticed Xiao Zhengde's eyes avoiding his gaze.

Xiao Yi frowned and said, "Don't tell me this has something to do with you?"

"This..."

Xiao Zhengde's complexion changed slightly, and seeing the cold gaze of Xiao Yi upon him, he couldn't help but give a bitter smile and said, "Seven or eight years ago, after the people in the town heard I was appointed as a top-rank duke, they came to the capital to find me, hoping I could look out for them. But, but Tian'er didn't like to associate with these poor relatives, so I drove them all away, and it seems they have never returned to the town since; I don't know where they have gone..."

Xiao Yi: "..."

Fang Qingzhu: "..."

This town was where his mother was born and raised; most of the people here were somehow related to him.

Seeing Xiao Yi's displeased expression,

Xiao Zhengde hurriedly defended himself, "You can't blame us for this. Right when I had just established a foothold in the capital, they came knocking on our door. It is always said, 'aid in emergencies, not in poverty,' just how poor had they become? What good would it do me to help them?"

Huh!

Xiao Yi let out a long sigh of turbid breath.

It was difficult to say who was right or wrong in this matter.

They turned to Xiao Zhengde for help, and if he assisted, it was out of kindness; if he didn't, it was his prerogative.

Similarly...

They considered Xiao Zhengde family and hoped he would lend them a hand.

However...

All of that was in the past now.

Xiao Yi was too weary to bother about it and led the two to the back mountain, where the ancestral graves of Green Valley Town's forebears were located.

They quickly found the graves of his maternal grandparents.

Thud!

Xiao Yi, with Fang Qingzhu beside him, knelt down and kowtowed earnestly, "Maternal grandparents, this is your grandniece-in-law, her name is Fang Qingzhu, and I have brought her to see you..."

Fang Qingzhu performed the worship rites and kowtowed meticulously, softly saying, "Maternal grandparents, I am Qingzhu. I will take good care of Xiao Yi."

Subsequently...

Xiao Yi and Fang Qingzhu personally dug a new grave next to the elders' and carefully placed his mother's orphan, Xiao Xue, in it. After sealing the grave and erecting a tombstone, they once again bowed in respect to his mother's grave. Xiao Yi flicked his fingers and a series of Array stones protected the three graves within their formation.

With the protection of this Array,

even a powerhouse of the Nine Nirvana Rebirth Realm would not be able to break through the Array and disturb the ancestors in their graves.

Only then did Xiao Yi's gaze turn towards Xiao Zhengde.

Gulp!

Xiao Zhengde swallowed nervously, struggling to rise from the ground, and looked at Xiao Yi with trepidation, "Xiao Yi, you—you want me to apologize to your mother, right? I will kowtow to her right now, and after that, you'll forgive me, won't you?"

Xiao Yi laughed coldly and said, "Apologize to my mother with a kowtow? Do you deserve to?"

"Ah?"

Xiao Zhengde was startled.

Not letting him kowtow?

His complexion turned pale, his heart quivering, "You—you—you're going to kill me?"

"Kill you? I'm afraid of dirtying my hands!"

Xiao Yi's face was expressionless as he flicked his fingers, and numerous Array stones fell around, enveloping the entire burial mountain within their boundary.

From the Array stones, faint light beams radiated, forming an oval shield of light above the burial mountain. Xiao Yi said indifferently, "From now on, you won't be able to leave the vicinity of this burial mountain without my permission. But don't worry, I'll soon subdue a demon beast to bring you food regularly. However, from this day forward, you better not leave this place, and accompany my mother forever!"

Hiss!

Xiao Zhengde's face drastically changed.

As someone who had already enjoyed wealth and honor, the thought of being confined to a burial mountain for eternity, forever in the company of graves?

This was even more painful than death!

"No, you can't do this, I am your father, you can't treat me like this..." Xiao Zhengde, gazing at Xiao Yi holding Fang Qingzhu's hand as they slowly ascended, roared in desperation.

Xiao Yi sneered and shook his head, "Father? You don't qualify!"

Whoosh!

He, holding Fang Qingzhu's hand, left the burial mountain.

Leaving only Xiao Zhengde in the burial mountain, his wails of misery echoing, a picture of despair. He even thought about destroying the graves, but Xiao Yi's Array protected them, and he could not break through. He contemplated suicide, but a bad life seemed better to him than a good death; the thoughts of ending his life kept getting extinguished, over and over, until he finally collapsed, sitting in the burial mountain.

Looking up at the sky—so close yet so far away.

Looking at the grave of his wife beside him.

Xiao Zhengde experienced regret like never before, tears of remorse and despair falling from his eyes as he said, "Back then... if I had listened to some of your words, treated Xiao Yi a bit better... maybe, it wouldn't have come to this..."

This time, Xiao Zhengde truly regretted.

Unfortunately...

There is no medicine for regret in this world.

Of course.

These matters were no longer of concern to Xiao Yi; perhaps this was the best punishment for Xiao Zhengde.

Fang Qingzhu could sense that Xiao Yi's mood was somewhat heavy, and she obediently held his arm, quietly following by his side.

Xiao Yi gently patted Fang Qingzhu's hand, withdrew his arm from her embrace, and pulled her to his side. His face's smile gradually faded, transforming into a sharp cold glint as he looked ahead: "The little rat that hides its head while exposing its tail, aren't you ready to come out yet?"