Chapter 2623, Severed Sentiment Translator: Silavin & Ashish Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys “Perhaps Madame Dong found a new flame, so she wants to leave Patriarch Dong, but since he could not possibly agree, he brought his men to get her back?” “Brother, your hypothesis is very compelling…” Now, everyone was gazing sympathetically at Patriarch Dong as though he was already wearing a bright green hat. This made Patriarch Dong’s expression grow darker and he roared, “Foolish woman, look what you’ve done!” Madame Dong stood her ground, gazing miserably at Patriarch Dong, “Dong Hai!” She said in anguish, “Are you really not going to care about the feelings we had as husband and wife?” Dong Hai’s face twitched as a trace of struggle flitted across his eyes, “Tian He,” he sighed, “If you still care about any spousal feelings between us, then return to the Dong Family with me quietly. From now on, you will not leave Serenity City again, and we will live out our days as husband and wife.” Tears fell from Madame Dong’s eyes, and she shook her head, “Dong Hai, you know why I have to leave, and you know what I’m going to do. Please don’t make this any more difficult.” “You are forcing the Dong Family into desperation!” Dong Hai scolded harshly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Tears were pouring down Madame Dong’s face, which was full of guilt and regret. It was as though she really had done something unforgivable, and the onlookers were even more confused as they had absolutely no idea what was going on. “Come back with me and I’ll overlook what happened today, and so will the Dong Family. You will still be my wife!” Dong Hai reached a hand towards her, gesturing his intentions to Madame Dong. Madame Dong only shook her head though as her tears continued to fall. Any trace of tenderness in Dong Hai’s face gradually vanished and was slowly replaced by cold sternness. He finally lowered his hand and spoke calmly, “The foolish woman, Shi Tian He, since her marriage into the Dong Family, has not had any offspring in a hundred years. Her inability to produce an heir is a great enough crime on its own, but she is also vain and envious, a source of corruption to the Dong Family. Worse, she is guilty of the crime of theft, trying to take the Dong Family’s greatest treasure for herself. She has shown that she has no shame! On this day I, Dong Hai, as the Dong Family Patriarch, declare that Shi Tian He is banished from the Dong Family. From now on, all our spousal ties are severed, and we will have no further relations!” His words stunned every single person present. The local cultivators in Serenity City were especially shocked, and they all stared with their eyes wide in disbelief. Though most had never even spoken a word to Madame Dong before, according to the gossip in the city, she was a good person with a kind and charitable heart. She would often help the city’s poor and downtrodden, yet in the words of the Dong Family Patriarch, she was shameless, vain, and shallow. But gossip was only gossip, after all. If her own husband said such things about her, how could it be false? Not only that, she had even stolen the Dong Family’s greatest treasure! This could not merely be described as having a poor character, it was a complete corruption of morality. At that moment, everyone in the crowd was making their own judgments on the situation, wondering why the wife of the Dong Family Patriarch would throw away her good life to do such a thing. It was no wonder that the Dong Family would send all their Elders out to capture her. Any man in that situation would not be able to endure such a woman as his wife, right? *Pu…* A low sound was heard as blood suddenly sprayed from Shi Tian He’s mouth. Her face was flushed red, and fresh blood vividly stained her clothes at the chest. She staggered a little, clutching her chest, as though she was enduring unbearable pain in her heart. She gazed at Dong Hai with despair in her eyes, as she had never thought that Dong Hai would truly be so heartless. A single day together as husband and wife was supposed to mean endless devotion for the rest of your life, while she and Dong Hai had been married for a hundred years! Back then, she was willing to deeply offend her Honoured Master and be driven out of her Sect just so she could be together with Dong Hai. Though she had gotten what she wanted in the end, it had been a hundred years since she had last been to her Sect. As for all the Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters that she often thought of, she had never seen them again. She had spent all her time in the Dong Family, at Dong Hai’s side. She had once thought that she had found the perfect husband for her entire life, and never thought that he would wound her heart so deeply. This was the man she had viewed as her whole world and the only man for her entire life, and he had wounded her so cruelly. “Honoured Master, this seems like no simple matter!” Ji Yao suddenly said to Yang Kai in a low voice, after observing what was going on. Yang Kai remained indifferent though and simply commented, “It’s other people’s business, why pay so much attention?” Despite his words, he was also quite unsettled. The despair in Shi Tian He’s eyes was like a layer of dark clouds, completely blocking out every last speck of light. It was evident that she was entirely heartbroken. After a pause, Yang Kai asked, “Yao’er, do you want to help her?” “I will do as you say, Honoured Master,” Ji Yao answered. “En,” Yang Kai could not help but sigh. Though he was not very willing to intervene in this matter, it was evident that the people of Dong Family had gone a little too far, Dong Hai in particular. He and Shi Tian He had clearly lived together as husband and wife for a hundred years, so how could they not understand each other? Even if there were some little conflicts, it could be resolved peacefully through talking things through. Was it really necessary to cast her out of the Dong Family so publicly while completely tarnishing her name and honour? How would anyone respect her after this? [What an undependable man. Shi Tian He must’ve been blind to marry someone like him.] “Ha… ahaha… hahaha…” Standing there, Shi Tian He suddenly started laughing as if she had gone insane, fresh blood still dripping from the corners of her mouth, turning her into quite the ghastly sight. Her laughter was full of bitterness, and it was horrifying to the people who heard her. “Dong Hai!” Shi Tian He suddenly screamed, “You are willing to go so far for the Dong Family? You really are… A fitting Patriarch!” “There’s no need to say more!” Dong Hai said, unwilling to keep going on like this. With so many cultivators watching the scene, dragging it any longer would only cause himself and the Dong Family to lose even more dignity. He gave a light wave of his hand and ordered, “Elders, do it!” Hearing this, the Elders’ faces grew grim as they said, “Pardon our offence!” As they spoke, they each channelled their Source Qi and lunged at Shi Tian He. *Zheng…* The sound of a blade rang out as an icy longsword suddenly appeared in Shi Tian He’s hand. As the blade swung, the temperature around her plummeted, and an ice-cold domain suddenly spread outwards. As her blade flashed, large snowflakes suddenly descended from the sky and enveloped the Dong Family Elders within. Each snowflake was like a deadly dangerous weapon, and the Dong Family Elders all grew pale as they did not dare to act rashly. “It’s snowing?” “No, this is her Ice Attribute Secret Technique!” “To think Madame Dong is actually this strong!?” The crowd exclaimed in surprise. As Dong Hai saw Shi Tian He use her Secret Technique, his face grew grim and he hastily shouted, “Foolish woman, why are you still struggling?” Commander Yu frowned and said, “Patriarch Dong, your wife… Ah, this woman’s attack seems to be similar to the Secret Technique used by Ice Heart Valley?” Dong Hai forced a smile and pushed the matter aside hastily, “You must be joking, Commander Yu. This foolish woman had cultivated an Ice Attribute Secret Art since she was young, and she had learnt some fairly powerful Secret Techniques. She has nothing to do with Ice Heart Valley.” From his words, it seemed like having anything to do with Ice Heart Valley would mean certain doom. Commander Yu did not question him, only nodding lightly, “That would be for the best. You know how Ice Heart Valley is like right now. If she really was an Ice Heart Valley disciple, then your Dong Family would be finished.” Cold sweat seeped from Dong Hai’s brow as he gave a strained laugh, “She’s her own person, and no longer has any connection to the Dong Family.” “Clear Sky Snowfall!” Ji Yao suddenly cried out, her brow knitting tightly as she stared fixedly at Shi Tian He who was struggling now with all her might. As the Third Disciple of Bing Yun, Ji Yao was extremely familiar with all the Secret Techniques of Ice Heart Valley. Once Shi Tian He used her attack, Ji Yao recognized it as the Ice Heart Valley’s Clear Sky Snowfall, a Secret Technique that only Core Disciples of Ice Heart Valley could cultivate. Up in the sky, Shi Tian He forced back a few of the Dong Family Elders with one attack, but just as she was about to escape, others swooped in, sticking around, cutting off her path. She had no choice but to turn her sword and attack again. The weaving of her sword appeared like pear blossoms blooming in the sky, beautiful yet hiding an indescribable murderous intent. Shi Tian He darted between these blossoms, going in and out of visibility as she looked for a chance to escape. “Pear Flower Ice Snow Sword!” Ji Yao exclaimed once more. Even if she had not been entirely certain that Shi Tian He was an Ice Heart Valley disciple when she recognized the Clear Sky Snowfall Secret Technique earlier, she was now certain. If she was not an Ice Heart Valley disciple, how could it be possible for her to know these two Secret Techniques? She was greatly shocked, not expecting that she would meet a fellow disciple of Ice Heart Valley in Serenity City, when she had only just returned to Northern Territory and not yet reached her Sect. Just then, one of the Dong Family Elders fought hard and broke through Shi Tian He’s defences. He drew her attention while another Elder appeared behind her in a flash and struck towards her back with a palm. Though Shi Tian He was quite powerful, she could not fend off multiple attacks at once. She was already at her limit after just a few rounds of attacks, and even though she sensed the attack coming from behind, she could do nothing about it other than feeling helpless frustration. “Die!” At that moment, a voice suddenly echoed and the onlookers saw a blur of movement as an incomparably beautiful woman with an icy demeanour suddenly appeared behind Shi Tian He. With what seemed like a casual strike, she turned a Third-Order Dao Source Ream Elder of the Dong Family into a blood mist. Naturally, it was Ji Yao. As the Third Disciple of Bing Yun, Ji Yao held an extremely high rank within the Sect. Now that someone was not only bullying another Ice Heart Valley disciple right before her eyes, but also ganging up on her and embarrassing her, Ji Yao had no mercy at all and killed the Dong Family Elder in one blow. She reached out with her hand and pulled Shi Tian He behind her, protecting the woman as her delicate hand dealt with outgoing blows. *Hong Hong Hong…* With that, several clouds of bloody mist were seen in the sky as every single one of the Dong Family Elders surrounding Shi Tian He exploded into blood mist, their bodies disintegrating before they even realized what was happening. “An Emperor Realm Master!” Someone cried out as everyone gasped in shock. Shi Tian He’s situation had been desperate, and all the onlookers had thought that she would not be able to escape with her life today; but to everyone’s surprise, a beautiful and icy Emperor Realm Master suddenly intruded and completely flipped the tragic situation, instantly killing all of the Dong Family’s Elders.