Chapter 106: The Ambush

“Then who exactly killed my father? And the rest of my Zhuge clan?” Zhang Zhiheng ground his teeth and demanded fiercely.

At that moment, An Peiqing chuckled softly, casually weaving an illusion. As the scene before them shifted and changed, he spoke, “Alongside the Zhuge clan, the Maoshan sect is equally renowned.”

“The Maoshan sect is famed for exorcising demons, capturing ghosts, and warding off evil spirits. Though their geomantic arts are not as formidable as those of the Zhuge clan, their strength is not to be underestimated.”

“When the Maoshan patriarch learned of the Zhuge clan’s actions to forcibly transform the True Dragon’s territory, he personally confronted King Zhuge. As expected, the proud King Zhuge suspected Maoshan of coveting the position of the Eastern Lord, and the meeting quickly ended in bitter discord.”

“The Zhuge clan’s continued interference could not be left unchecked by Maoshan, and ultimately, war broke out between the two factions.”

“In the end, the one who killed your father, King Zhuge, was none other than Fang Zheng, the then patriarch of Maoshan.”

“After the Zhuge clan was wiped out, when you arrived at Maoshan, Fang Zheng already knew you were a descendant of the Zhuge bloodline, but he never exposed you. After all, the Zhuge clan was annihilated, and it was deemed better to leave a surviving heir.”

“So, it was Maoshan who destroyed your clan, Maoshan who raised you, Maoshan who killed your father, and Maoshan who eradicated your entire lineage.”

“To them, you were merely a pitiable orphan. The Maoshan patriarchs kept you alive out of pity and because you were the last of the Zhuge line.”

“And do you know? Fang You, the third junior disciple and son of Fang Zheng—the very man who killed your father—was raised in Maoshan alongside you.”

“Fang Zheng concealed his identity as patriarch from his own son, letting Fang You train alone in Maoshan.”

“In other words, you grew up in the very territory of your enemies, practicing Maoshan arts alongside the son of your father’s killer. When you finally left Maoshan, you even felt gratitude towards those who had slain your clan. Tell me, doesn’t that make you look like a clown? Deceived by Maoshan, or perhaps just pitiful…” An Peiqing’s voice softened with feigned sympathy.

“That’s enough—stop talking!” Zhang Zhiheng’s disbelief was profound. To realize that those who slaughtered his clan were Maoshan, and that he had grown up in enemy territory—it was almost too much to bear.

He had even trained alongside Fang You, the son of his father’s murderer, calling him brother.

He recalled how he had poisoned Fang You in a desperate bid to seize the secrets of the Qimen Dunjia, an act that still gnawed at his conscience. Now, he wished he had watched Fang You die before him.

“Since you know all this, why not leave Maoshan now and join our Yin-Yang Sect? I am the sect leader and will make you deputy leader. Together, we can use the Celestial God Town to expand our influence,” An Peiqing tempted him.

But in the next moment, Zhang Zhiheng laughed heartily.

“What’s so funny?” An Peiqing sensed something was amiss.

“I appreciate your effort in uncovering my father’s killer. Thank you for that. But all this was merely a ploy to get me to join the Yin-Yang Sect and hand over Celestial God Town on a silver platter,” Zhang Zhiheng said, taking a step back. “Though I thirst for revenge, I will never bow to you.”

“I am the last descendant of the Zhuge clan. But since you’ve helped me find my enemies, you may leave. From now on, the Yin-Yang Sect can consider the Morgan Sect friends. If trouble comes, find me at Morgan Sect. But I will never bow to anyone, nor will I surrender the Celestial God Town I have built with my own hands. Now go.”

Saying this, Zhang Zhiheng prepared to mount his black bird demon and depart.

Suddenly, An Peiqing smiled slyly. “Then don’t blame me.”

From the shadows, seven or eight figures emerged.

“An ambush here!” Zhang Zhiheng understood immediately. First, they tried to recruit him; now, they would not let him return to Celestial God Town.

He glanced coolly at the dozen or so people and feigned indifference. “The Yin-Yang Sect has twelve members, correct? Why do I only see seven or eight here?”

“Our sect is well staffed, but others have urgent matters. Though we don’t know whether the Celestial God you harbor is deity or demon, killing the sect leader would throw the Morgan Sect into chaos, allowing us to seize the opportunity. Since you refuse to join us, don’t blame us for our actions,” a voice replied.

Suddenly, the demon spirit ‘Moon Chaser’ beside An Peiqing activated an illusion, plunging the surroundings into utter darkness.

“Moon Chaser blocks sight, hearing, smell, and sensing—don’t bother struggling!” Zhang Zhiheng heard An Peiqing’s mocking whispers in the dark.

Then, several Thai ghosts snarled as they crept up behind him. A flying sword descended from the sky. A handful of manipulated