He just wants to find a replacement - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: My Husband Just Died
If you ask, who is the most favored person in this world?
It must be a widow, especially a widow with a child.
However, Bai Lianhua is not a widow, but to be precise, he is a widower—a widower with a child.
Looking at the group of fellow sect elders surrounding him, their faces full of flattery, Bai Lianhua sighed for the twentieth time, feeling deeply moved.
Today, he finally witnessed what fickle creatures humans truly are.
Four days ago, the news of his Dao Companion, the Immortal Venerable Guangcheng’s death, just returned to the sect. As soon as the Sect Leader finished relaying the Immortal Venerable’s last will, these “good” fellow disciples eagerly swarmed around him, all wearing joyful smiles.
It was as if Bai Lianhua was about to remarry, not that his husband had just died.
Heaven knows what kind of faces these people showed him before this.
Thinking of this, Bai Lianhua couldn’t help but sneer inwardly, and the look in his eyes towards this group became increasingly cold and distant.
He was a rogue cultivator of humble origin, a complete anomaly in the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, a place filled with disciples of famous families who valued lineage and talent.
But as soon as the Immortal Venerable’s inheritance was announced, these disciples who had previously looked down on him immediately smiled, fawned over him, and showed flattery, making Bai Lianhua want to laugh even more.
But Bai Lianhua ultimately didn’t laugh. Compared to these people, he knew his situation would only become more difficult.
His deceased husband was an extremely respectable man in life. His Dao name was Guangcheng, and he was known as Immortal Venerable Guangcheng. He was a transcendent figure at the peak of cultivation, reputation, and strength in the entire cultivation world, and it was no exaggeration to call him the greatest person of the current age.
It’s a pity that such a brilliant and talented person, right in the middle of a great undertaking, quietly perished.
Along with his immense fortune, it became ownerless property.
And who is to blame when Bai Lianhua, as the Immortal Venerable’s Dao Companion, has such low cultivation? It’s no surprise that this sky-high inheritance is viewed as fat meat right before their eyes.
This group of elders surrounding him is the best proof.
Although the Sect Leader relayed the Immortal Venerable’s last will, stating the entire inheritance belongs to his Dao Companion, such a nominal thing can still be monetized in other ways.
Furthermore, Immortal Venerable Guangcheng had not only a Dao Companion in this world but also his martial brothers and sisters from his lineage.
Thinking of this, Bai Lianhua felt a headache coming on. His originally half-closed, stern eyes were now tightly shut, and he couldn’t help but rub his temples with the heel of his palm.
Every single one of them is a big problem!
Just then, Elder Duan, in yellow robes, who had been waiting for an opportunity, proactively stepped forward, reaching out to place his hand on Bai Lianhua’s shoulder and warmly greeting him, but Bai Lianhua subtly avoided it.
Bai Lianhua looked up at the person, frowning slightly, showing two parts of disgust, but still forcing himself to greet him: “Ah, it’s Elder Duan. I am but a widower, it is better to be careful. You can speak from where you are.”
He recognized the man, the Elder of Dan Peak, who usually had nothing to do with him, and was no different from the group coveting the Immortal Venerable’s inheritance.
After being cold-shouldered by Bai Lianhua, Elder Duan suddenly froze in place. He could only retract his hand, clasp it in front of him, and laugh awkwardly, “This humble one saw Elder Bai’s abnormal complexion and originally wanted to show some concern. I didn’t realize I had offended Elder Bai, it is this humble one’s fault.”
“Does Elder Bai have any difficulties? As fellow sect members, this humble one should certainly share the burden. Please don’t be reserved.” He stroked the gray and white whiskers under his chin, then put on a flattering smile and continued to inquire.
Seeing the other party’s persistent demeanor, the corner of Bai Lianhua’s mouth twitched slightly. He was about to decline again but was interrupted by a commotion outside the main hall.
He looked towards that spot, his eyes darkening, and thought, “As expected, what had to come has arrived.”
Getting up and smoothing the hem of his linen robe, Bai Lianhua put on a solemn expression and walked straight towards the outside of the hall.
Outside the hall, a tall and beautiful woman was seen holding a long sword by her waist, leading a group of inner disciples, standing proudly and obliquely at the doorway.
Today was the fourth day of the Immortal Venerable’s funeral. All the people who could come from various sects had arrived at the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, filling the mourning hall to the brim.
Now, seeing a commotion outside the hall, everyone squeezed toward the outside, immediately blocking the entrance completely.
Bai Lianhua looked at the woman, his face showing displeasure, and he asked in a low voice, “Liu Suxin, what are you doing here?”
Liu Suxin heard this and let out a light laugh from under her chin, “Oh, is it wrong for this concubine, the Immortal Venerable’s direct martial sister, to come back and see her own senior brother?”
Looking at the other party’s unrestrained appearance, the corner of Bai Lianhua’s mouth dropped. After a moment of silence, he followed it up with a cold laugh: “Heh, it’s not wrong. I just didn’t know what kind of intentions this ‘good’ martial sister, who only remembered to come four days after her senior brother’s tóuqī [the seventh day after death], is harboring.”
“It couldn’t be that the Sect Leader notified everyone, but only forgot to include certain people, could it?” Bai Lianhua turned his face away, casting a playful look at Liu Suxin from the corner of his eye.
Seemingly angered by this look, Liu Suxin immediately glared and angrily shouted, “Surname Bai, you’re nothing more than a plaything Senior Brother brought back. What right do you have to put on airs in front of me?”
Bai Lianhua merely half-closed his eyes in response, indifferently retorting, “Just based on the fact that I am the Immortal Venerable’s Dao Companion, the martyr’s widower after the Immortal-Demon War, and the guardian of the coffin for Immortal Venerable Guangcheng. I cannot tolerate anyone who might ruin the Immortal Venerable’s funeral appearing here!”
“Oh, what a display of righteousness,” Liu Suxin covered her mouth and bowed, laughing loudly, “If I didn’t know about the shameful deeds you, you lowlife, did outside, this concubine would almost believe everything you said.”
“What nonsense are you spouting now?” Bai Lianhua said with a cold face, glaring at the other party.
This time, Liu Suxin didn’t talk to Bai Lianhua but cupped her hands towards the various immortal families present, offering a salute: “My fellow Daoists, please forgive me. This concubine did not intend to disturb you all. In fact, it was due to a reason that forced me to be absent from this funeral.”
“Today, I ask all of you to bear witness. I intend to publicly expose the hypocritical face of this person, Bai Lianhua.”
“Bai Lianhua, the guest elder of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, engaged in secret affairs with a rogue cultivator woman outside, secretly became pregnant, and brazenly brought the bastard child back to the sect to raise.”
“This is simply a disgrace to the sect and an even greater disgrace to the Immortal Venerable. He is completely unworthy of being the Immortal Venerable’s Dao Companion, let alone inheriting the Immortal Venerable’s inheritance!”
Listening to Liu Suxin’s convincing accusations, the immortal families present were all in an uproar.
Seeing this situation, Bai Lianhua’s face turned completely dark, and he immediately sternly rebuked: “Liu Suxin, you have no conscience left! You don’t even care about the reputation of the sect and the Immortal Venerable…”
Before Bai Lianhua could finish speaking, Elder Duan, who had been observing the situation behind him, jumped out first and hastily denied, “Elder Liu, you shouldn’t speak carelessly. If you want to slander Elder Bai for feigning childbirth and substituting a bastard child, you must provide evidence!”
Elder Duan’s sudden interruption immediately cut Bai Lianhua off and threw him completely into a passive position.
Seeing this, Bai Lianhua’s expression instantly darkened. He shot a glare at Elder Duan, his eyebrows tightly locked together, and with a repressed aura, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out a sentence: “Elder Duan, there’s no need to pretend so much. You know clearly what you’re thinking.”
He could have used Liu Suxin’s disruption of the mourning hall’s order and disregard for the sect’s rules to accuse her of disloyalty and continue to shirk responsibility. Once the patience of the surrounding people wore out, he could have handled the matter discreetly.
But by Elder Duan bringing it up like this, it was tantamount to admitting the existence of the matter. Bai Lianhua would then have to transform from the highly esteemed Immortal Venerable’s widower to a dissolute husband with moral flaws. No matter how he tried to prove his innocence, he would always be inferior in the eyes of others.
He looked at the embarrassed Elder Duan, helplessly withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and lowered his head, “I advise you one thing: what the Immortal Venerable left behind is not something you can covet.”
After being spoken to by Bai Lianhua, Elder Duan’s face turned black and then red. He froze in place but finally stopped speaking.
Completely ignoring Elder Duan, Bai Lianhua opened his eyes again, looked at Liu Suxin’s triumphant smile, and let out a cold snort: “Speak, how do you want to prove it?”
Now that things had reached this point, no matter how much he argued, it would be futile. He could only prove his innocence to silence the public’s chatter.
Hearing this, the corner of Liu Suxin’s lip curved up. She clapped her hands, “Bring the person up, so our Elder Bai can weep upon seeing the evidence!”
As her words ended, two inner disciples led a disheveled female cultivator forward.
The woman’s hair was messy, appearing to have suffered a lot. Her fingers were calloused, her joints large, and her cultivation was even worse than the lowest-ranked Bai Lianhua. One look and you could tell she was a low-level rogue cultivator who had endured hardships.
Just by her appearance, it was obvious that the woman had been tormented by Liu Suxin before being brought up.
The so-called witness was likely forced to confess through torture.
Bai Lianhua looked at the timid woman, a trace of pity flashing in his heart.
Everyone struggles to make a living outside. No one in this world has it easy; they are all unfortunate souls trampled by the ways of the world.
As soon as the female cultivator was pushed in front of everyone, she anxiously looked around, wanting to retreat into a corner, but was forced forward again by a sword.
She hesitated for a long time. The moment she saw Bai Lianhua, her eyes lit up. Without a word, she rushed to Bai Lianhua, clutching his clothes, and cried out, “Husband, save me, Husband, save me!”
Bai Lianhua silently watched this scene, with no ripple in his eyes, as if he were an observer. Even the slightest hint of compassion he had felt earlier vanished completely.
Seeing that Bai Lianhua was unmoved, a hint of anxiety flashed in the female cultivator’s eyes. She instinctively searched her surroundings.
When she saw the six-year-old child hidden behind Bai Lianhua, her face lit up with joy, and she feigned sorrow, wailing: “My son—”
Just as the woman’s hand was about to touch the child, Bai Lianhua could no longer suppress the killing intent in his heart and suddenly struck.
He watched the woman spit bl00d and fly backward, his eyes growing colder and colder.
What a group of good fellow sect members. His Dao Companion had just died, and they were already so eager to force his son and him to their deaths.
Did they really think Bai Lianhua was made of clay!