After a long while, under the repeated comfort of Richard Carter and Uncle George, the little girl Grace Carter finally accepted the fact that Edward Carter had returned home safely. Lying in Edward Carter’s arms, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

“This little girl is still as strong as ever.”

Edward Carter could only smile wryly. After all the fuss from this little girl, the sadness he felt at reuniting with his family was greatly eased.

Holding the sleeping little girl in his arms, images from the night his previous life’s Burning Town was destroyed surfaced in Edward Carter’s mind: that stunning woman, with a phoenix mark on her forehead, wielding a jade halberd, fighting fiercely in the void, drenched in blood.

The figure of that stunning woman overlapped with the little girl in his arms.

“If you hadn’t come back soon, I would have been driven crazy by this girl,” Richard Carter said with a stern face.

Afterwards, when talking about what had happened over the past three days, Edward Carter naturally couldn’t tell the whole truth. He only told his grandfather that he had been ambushed, and when he fell off the cliff, he was luckily cushioned by branches and vines, so he only suffered some minor injuries.

As for what happened afterwards, Richard Carter already knew, so Edward Carter didn’t say much more.

After hearing all this, Richard Carter’s expression remained as cold and hard as ever. However, those familiar with the Qin family patriarch could sense that Richard Carter was in a state of extreme anger.

In the end, Richard Carter waved his hand and said, “Mo’er, you’ve just had a breakthrough, so go back and rest first. In three days, it will be the Qin family’s once-in-a-decade memorial ceremony. Use these three days to stabilize your Warrior Stage One cultivation, then go to the family’s library to choose a suitable martial art, and do your best to improve your strength. Don’t worry about anything else.”

Edward Carter nodded, held the little girl, and turned to leave.

As he reached the courtyard gate, Edward Carter’s keen hearing picked up the faint conversation between his grandfather and Uncle George.

“Master, the Grand Elder and the others are too ruthless. Young Master Mo’s attack was clearly their scheme, targeting you…”

“That’s enough. What’s done is done, there’s no point in saying more. I know what I’m doing. Don’t let Mo’er know about this. He’s just had a breakthrough; his top priority is to train even harder and catch up with the other geniuses of his generation.”

Hearing this, Edward Carter’s eyes narrowed slightly. Without stopping, his figure gradually disappeared into the night.

……

At the same time, elsewhere in the Qin family residence.

Inside the residence of the Vice Patriarch, Stephen Carter.

At the head of the room sat an old man in black robes, his hair and beard completely white, savoring a cup of fragrant tea. Beside him stood a handsome young man, holding a teapot and occasionally pouring tea for the old man in black.

In the center of the room stood a middle-aged man in luxurious blue robes, with thick eyebrows and a broad mouth, exuding a cold and murderous aura. At this moment, his face was clouded with anger as he glared at Steward Franklin.

“Please forgive me, Patriarch. I didn’t expect that Samuel Price would be so greedy. After obtaining the precious Hundred Treasures Pouch, he still coveted Edward Carter’s jade pendant. That’s why the plan was exposed. It’s all my fault for not managing my subordinates strictly enough.” Steward Franklin bowed repeatedly, his usually kind face now full of fear.

This middle-aged man in luxurious blue robes was none other than the Qin family’s Vice Patriarch, Stephen Carter.

Chapter Six: Purple True Qi

After hearing what had happened, Stephen Carter’s expression softened and he waved his hand, saying, “Steward Franklin, this isn’t your fault. Samuel Price coveted the treasures on that brat Edward Carter and tried to assassinate him by pushing him off the cliff. If the plan was exposed, so be it—it has nothing to do with us.”

He paused, then said with a sinister smile, “On the contrary, you did well. Killing Samuel Price on the spot means no one can blame us for what happened afterward.”

“Originally, when I ordered you, Steward Franklin, to secretly send someone to get rid of that little bastard Edward Carter, I just wanted to throw that old dog Richard Carter into chaos. If he died of grief, it would save me a lot of trouble.”

“Hmph, hmph! What I didn’t expect was that little bastard Edward Carter to have such dumb luck—falling from the cliff of Mount Wanren, not only surviving unscathed, but even breaking through the long-stagnant ninth level of Martial Disciple.”

At this point, Stephen Carter’s face twitched, revealing a ferocious look. He gritted his teeth and said, “Twenty years ago, the position of Qin family patriarch should have been mine. Damn that old dog Richard Carter for being so selfish, wanting to skip a generation and pass the patriarch’s seat to that little bastard Edward Carter. Such actions are a cancer in our Qin family. I will definitely wipe out Richard Carter’s entire line.”

At this moment, the black-robed elder at the head of the table put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, “Stephen Hill, you are at least the Qin family’s Vice Patriarch, and soon you’ll be sitting in the patriarch’s seat. You need to restrain your temper. With such a disposition, it will be hard to be a good leader.”

“Father, as long as you’re here, you can always guide me,” Stephen Carter replied respectfully with a smile.

Beside him, Steward Franklin stood with his hands at his sides, even more respectful. This black-robed elder was the Qin family’s Grand Elder, father of Vice Patriarch Stephen Carter, and the leader of the elders’ faction.

The Grand Elder shook his head slightly and said, “Since that brat Edward Carter was lucky enough to survive and return, this incident will surely make Richard Carter more vigilant. Next, Stephen Hill, you must not act rashly. After so many years, I have made all the arrangements in secret. After the family memorial ceremony, you just wait to take the patriarch’s seat in peace.”