Mei Hengkong once again shook his head: “No. There’s no benefit for Hongyi if the city was at war with outsiders. I have another person in mind, but I rather not say it!”

Monitoring every movement and emotion of his master, Feng Luotian threw out the last stone to the stirred pond: “Is it First Elder’s doing, Master?”

Mei Hengkong jolted in shock: “How did you know whom I’m thinking of?!”

Feng Luotian calmly answered: “The only people Master does not wish to blame would be Master’s relatives. Amongst them, there were Uncle Mei, Aunt Mei, Yue’er, and First Elder who is Master’s younger brother. As Master said, there must be someone with a very high status providing them a passage to the Nefarious Valley. That rules out Yue’er. I think she doesn’t even know the existence of that room. As a city lord, why would Uncle Mei harm his own city? The same goes for Aunt Mei. That’s only left First Elder within the suspects.”

Feng Luotian’s guess was exactly right, the person Mei Hengkong conjectured to have the highest possibility in planning something like this was his own little brother: Mei Changkong.

Mei Hengkong was surprised by Feng Luotian’s sharpness and fell silent in contemplation afterward.

Feng Luotian understood how his master would feel. He too did not expect someone like First Elder to assort to something like this, so he could not help but ask: “What happened, Master? Why would someone like First Elder do this?”

Mei Hengkong became depressed and sighed: “Luotian, I don’t want to say this out loud, but … a lot of things changed after your father, the God, declared his imperial decree to the world and bring peace to this very city thirty years ago.”

Feng Luotian could not help but inwardly exclaimed: “I knew it!!”

The only thing that could change the course of history and made the familiar city into a strange one would only be the consequence of the butterfly effect. And what his father did was not just some small butterfly, it was humungous. Probably, the history of this whole continent or this whole planet was changed due to that single declaration.

After toughening his mind, Mei Hengkong told a story about his younger brother: Mei Changkong.

“Prior to the God’s era, Changkong’s talent in cultivation was not quite outstanding. Compared to other geniuses, he could be considered to be one of the trashes. Each cultivation level took him so long to advance, but he could care less with that because his goal was not on cultivation ever since he was a child.”

“The moment I saw the shimmer in his mesmerizing eyes when someone from the Ming Clan came to perform their forging at the city hall that day, I know that he had already thrown away all the thoughts of cultivating for strength, and focused only on forging.”

“As the time passed, when everyone in the same generation as him became Talon Warrior and transferred to do more dazzling jobs, having themselves a fine family to take care of, Changkong was only at a mid-stage Fang Fighter and working as a forger’s apprentice. But even so, he was one of the happiest men on earth, who dedicated his everyday life to forging. Even I, who had already reached Wing Realm at that time, could not help but envy him of his determination.”

“It took him more than thirty years to reach One Talon and finally became a full-fledge forger. Not to mention the fact that he chose to only learn forging skills, rather than combat skills. He could hardly fight anyone at the same age. However, the long experience he got while working as a forger’s apprentice immediately made him a chief forger of the Mei Clan right after he stepped into the Talon Realm. How could there be anyone who was capable of making a Titanium armament the moment he became a Talon Warrior?”

“That day, I didn’t just astonish by his performance. I’m very happy for him. The mesmerizing shimmer in his eyes eventually became the successful and accomplishing light. I couldn’t be happier and more congratulated for him.”

“Day by day, he worked his life off to create amazing and fantastic armaments for everyone who requested them from him. The price he asked for would only be some delicious food and wine instead of monster cores like usual. After he finished the item, he would celebrate with his customers. Together with his wife and son, that’s his life as the happiest man on earth.”

Mei Hengkong reminisced the scene as he closed his eyes, but when he reopened them only sadness contained within: “Unfortunately …”

At this point, Feng Luotian could already imagine where the story went. He could not help but feel an urge to pluck some teeth out of his father’s mouth.

Not noticing Feng Luotian’s expression, Mei Hengkong continued telling his brother’s tale: “After the God’s declaration, no more war, not even conflict, occurred within a wide radius around the Divine Bird City for a very long time. Yes, it’s a good thing to say the least. But it’s not so good for Changkong.”

“Why would they need armaments if there’s no need to fight? Why would they bother to come to Changkong for his new innovation? Years passed by, fewer and fewer customers came to visit him until there was no one paying attention to him anymore.”

“Of course, Changkong was not so unreasonable to blame God for his speech. He himself tried in his own way to convince people to be prepared as the peace would not last forever, which I totally agree with him. However, the sloth in people took shape and made them stay home not bothering to get stronger. Not only cultivators in this city stopped paying attention to armaments, but they also stopped cultivating altogether. As they think that there was no harm in doing that. They all turned down his proposal and chased him away from their houses. He was completely heartbroken.”

Mei Hengkong let out a huge sigh: “That fateful day five years ago, bringing a couple of bottles of wine, I visited him to cheer him up. But what I saw when I stepped into his house was a wrecked smithy and Changkong reforming his own soul core. You know what I mean, right?”

Feng Luotian and Xiu Yao were shocked by First Elder’s action. Knowing what Mei Hengkong implied, they both nodded in unison.

Xiu Yao mumbled in a low tone, voicing his own thought out loud: “Reforming one’s soul core meant that they decided to abandon all of their cultivation to start a new. Every skill would be erased from their body. But why would First Elder take the trouble by doing that? Unwanted skills could be left just like that and learned a new one. Why did he decide to throw away his cultivation as well?”

Mei Hengkong stayed silent and deep in thought.

Feng Luotian guessed: “He must be so devastated that he came to hate his own forging skills.”

Mei Hengkong confirmed with an ‘Mhm’.

Listening to the whole story, Xiu Yao could not help but feel pity for First Elder, making his blindfold a little moist. But upon one realization, Xiu Yao abruptly stood up: “Master, you said he reformed his soul core five years ago. Then that means he raised his cultivation from the start and became a Three Wings Master in five years!!? Didn’t you say his talent isn’t that good?”

Mei Hengkong nodded: “Yes, Yao’er. His talent isn’t that good. But his obsession for revenge drove him far enough and made him what he is today. Every time he came out of his house, I was shocked by how fast he raised his own cultivation.”

Feng Luotian frowned: “Obsession for revenge? He wouldn’t possibly want to exact revenge on my father, would he?” Even though he said that Feng Luotian did not worry about his father at all. Actually, at this moment, he was worried about First Elder even more than his own father.

Mei Hengkong shook his head: “No, Luotian. He did not blame you or even your father for doing what he did. I think what he hates to his core was something else.”

Feng Luotian asked: “What is it, Master?”

Mei Hengkong: “The very peace and wellbeing of this city!”

“!!” Feng Luotian’s complexion turned a little ugly. He now knew why First Elder would join hands with the Yin Clan.