Knowing Ye Fan's thoughts, Old Master Shen sighed and asked Shen Tianyin and the others to leave first.
Some matters were better known by fewer people.
Ye Fan did not move; the old man's thoughts surprised him.
Soon, everyone had left, leaving only the two of them in the room.
"If you have anything to say, just say it. There's no one else here."
The old man got straight to the point, his directness making Ye Fan a little uncomfortable. He couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
He thought to himself, this old man was truly straightforward, befitting an experienced veteran.
"Old Master, how do you see today's events?"
Although Ye Fan was not as seasoned as Old Master Shen, having lived two lives and experienced countless unbelievable things, his mind was even more profound.
Frowning, Old Master Shen gazed at Ye Fan.
He seemed to be trying to see through Ye Fan, but unfortunately, Ye Fan was not flustered at all, meeting the old man's gaze directly.
As their eyes met, the atmosphere instantly became extremely serious.
Finally, Old Master Shen nodded slowly, "It seems you are not as simple as you appear on the surface. As for what you have experienced, I will not inquire, but remember, Tianyin is my granddaughter. If you wrong Tianyin, I will fight you even if it costs me this old life."
His words were filled with an imposing aura, sweeping towards Ye Fan like a storm.
Ye Fan was stunned. What did this have to do with Shen Tianyin?
However, seeing the old man's demeanor, he dared not speak carelessly.
Seeing Ye Fan's lack of objection, the old man felt satisfied.
"After all, I must thank you, young man, for today's matter. If it weren't for your immense influence in summoning Doctor Hao, this old body of mine would likely have given out. It's not that I fear death, but after I die, the Shen family will surely be handed over to Shen Shiyun, and Tianyin will be unjustly accused because of it."
Thinking of Shen Shiyun's schemes, a cold glint flashed in the depths of the old man's eyes.
Killing two birds with one stone, such a malicious plan revealed the wickedness in Shen Shiyun's heart.
"But she is still a member of the Shen family, and moreover, your granddaughter. Outsiders are not in a position to decide such matters."
If it were up to Ye Fan, he would have expelled Shen Shiyun from the family and let her fend for herself.
But he was not a member of the Shen family. Making such a decision rashly, if it displeased the old man, the old fellow might cause trouble for him.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Old Master Shen looked at him meaningfully, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
This was what he had hoped for. Shen Tianyin was too soft-hearted and lacked cunning, and Ye Fan could just compensate for this.
"You are right, she is still a member of the Shen family, and my granddaughter. If I were to kill her, it would make me seem too ruthless, wouldn't it?"
Raising his eyelids, the old man's gaze remained sharp as he looked at Ye Fan.
This time, Ye Fan was taken aback for a moment: "Old Master, this is your Shen family's internal affair. It's not for me to say."
Ye Fan gave a wry smile, not daring to meet the old man's gaze.
In this situation, any slip of the tongue could lead to unnecessary consequences that he would not be able to bear.
As a result, the old man burst into laughter: "You are quite astute, young man. However, even if you don't say it, I know what you are thinking."
The old man sighed, his expression gradually turning cold.
"Although she is part of the Shen family, keeping her will only harm the Shen family's interests. Great families never prioritize kinship. For the sake of the family, anyone can die, including myself."
As he spoke these words, a strong killing intent flickered in Old Master Shen's eyes.
At this moment, even Ye Fan couldn't help but tremble inwardly.
Having lived two lives, he had seen plenty of partings and deaths and had become numb to them.
But the betrayal of blood and the killing of relatives was something he still could not accept.
As if sensing his unspoken reluctance, the old man murmured, "I cannot leave this danger to my descendants."
...
No one knew how Shen Shiyun was dealt with, not even the members of the Shen family. Everything was handled by the old man himself.
Although Ye Fan knew some of the inside story, he did not inquire about the details.
"I knew Shen Shiyun would be punished, but I didn't expect her to die."
In the Tianyin Pavilion, Shen Tianyin's eyes were red as she murmured with her head down.
Although Shen Shiyun had tried to kill her several times, they were sisters after all, and Shen Tianyin did not wish for her death.
Ye Fan looked at her, intending to comfort her, but his arm stopped in mid-air, and he eventually retracted it.
"Some things do not unfold entirely according to your expectations. We are but specks of dust in this vast world. Besides ourselves, we cannot change anything. Shen Shiyun did so many wicked deeds, and this is her retribution. If she were not to die, perhaps more people would suffer because of her."
After all, Shen Shiyun had colluded with too many forces, not only within the Shen family but also with many people outside.
And after this incident, apart from those within the Shen family, the other forces were not implicated, which could be considered a minor matter that was resolved.
Earlier, when Zhou Youde suddenly attacked and Old Master Shen was in mortal danger, the core disciples of the Shen family chose to betray the family. Such people were naturally unworthy of remaining in the family.
It was already the utmost benevolence that the old man did not exterminate them.
"But after all..."
Shen Tianyin's words were cut short as she choked back a sob.
In the room, with only the two of them, Ye Fan watched Shen Tianyin's trembling shoulders and could only sigh inwardly. Facing such an event, a few words or a few days would not be enough to comprehend it. Shen Tianyin needed time.
This hurdle could only be overcome by herself for her to grow!
The day after the Shen family's affairs concluded, Ye Fan, Shen Tianyin, and Shen Bao returned to Thousand Buddha Mountain.
Having been delayed for two days, he wondered how Elder Lei and the others were resting.
Furthermore, would the villagers of Dong Village let the matter rest?
After all, Xu Sanhu held a very important position in their hearts, and they would never stand by and watch Xu Sanhu be taken away by him.
"Brother Shen Er, have the plans discussed last night been put in place?"
As they neared Thousand Buddha Mountain, Ye Fan asked in a deep voice.
Shen Bao quickly nodded, "I personally directed them. There will be no mistakes."
"That's good. This trip to Thousand Buddha Mountain is one where we have cast aside all thoughts of life and death. With every step we take, we will encounter immense crises. We cannot eliminate these dangers, so we can only rely on external forces to mitigate them. I just wonder if, in the end, doing so is worth it?"
Looking out the window, Ye Fan murmured softly.
This treasure hunt to Thousand Buddha Mountain was fraught with difficulties and perils.
But what exactly was inside the treasure? Even Ye Fan was unsure.
If it turned out to be worthless items, then their risking so much would be meaningless.