Bai Han’s eyes deepened, as if about to reveal a shocking secret.
“I want to tell you that the summer resort you acquired was where the Heavenly God sealed the spiritual veins back then. After Father built the summer resort there, he unexpectedly met a master. Father learned from this master that by building a grand hall for heavenly sacrifices there, they could open a passage to the sealed spiritual veins, benefiting the entire Han family!”
Han Mo frowned, “So, Father believed his groundless nonsense? And built a grand hall for heavenly sacrifices beneath the summer resort?”
Bai Han nodded, “Yes.”
Han Mo said lightly, “Father never believed in gods or buddhas.”
Though he was willing to listen to Bai Han’s words, he didn’t fully believe them. While he felt Bai Han had no reason to lie, he still had questions and voiced his doubts.
Bai Han raised an eyebrow, “For a selfish person on his deathbed, as long as they could live, why would they care about the lives of others?”
Initially, Father had his doubts. But later, when Father was diagnosed by the divine doctor as having only a short time to live and no medicine could help, his thoughts gradually changed, even to the point of desperation.
Han Mo was somewhat surprised by this statement, “Father was dying at that time?”
Bai Han nodded, “Yes. Only the divine doctor and I knew about this. No one else did, not even my mother.”
From now on, Father must have already planned to open the grand hall for heavenly sacrifices at that time.
As long as the grand hall for heavenly sacrifices was opened and cultivation became possible, his lifespan would gradually increase, even to immortality.
And he, he was merely a pawn in Father’s game.
Han Mo frowned slightly, gradually piecing his thoughts together, “Since it is a heavenly sacrifice, it must require sacrifices. And in your eyes, Xi’er was that sacrifice?”
Bai Han nodded, “Yes.”
In an instant, Han Mo’s eyes turned as cold as frost, “So, you schemed to have Xi’er marry you, all for the purpose of sacrificing her. But Xi’er is the most beloved daughter of the Bai family. If Xi’er died without a clear explanation, the Bai family would surely confront the Han family, at all costs. Fearing this, you took advantage of the Bai family’s unguarded state on the wedding day, ambushed them directly, and dealt a fatal blow, massacring the Bai family.”
Bai Han said lightly, “You are mostly correct.”
Upon hearing those understated words, the fire in Han Mo’s heart surged again. Unable to restrain himself, he stepped forward and punched him again, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt, in addition to the coldness.
“Han Luo, you were raised in the Bai family since childhood. Uncle Bai treated you like his own son, teaching you the Bai family’s unique internal martial arts. That’s how you were able to reach adulthood. Why did you do this? And what exactly is that grand hall for?”
This time, Bai Han did not dodge or show any intention of fighting back. He simply endured the punch, then reached up to gently wipe his mouth, his eyes filled with endless self-mockery. “Han Mo, do you know? Actually, since childhood, I’ve always hated you. Because you were chosen by Father to be his successor, and I was merely a tool to assist you, a stepping stone to achieve your goals.”
Han Mo didn’t understand why Bai Han was saying these things, and merely looked at him with a slight frown. “I can give you everything in the Han family, because that’s not what I wanted at all. I had already left the capital then, yet you still attacked the Bai family!”
Bai Han burst into laughter, “That’s because at that time, I had no other choice!”
Han Mo’s brows tightened, “As long as one is alive, they have choices!”
Bai Han’s laughter gradually subsided, his gaze turning fierce, a deep, indelible hatred churning within it. “Fine, since we’ve gotten this far, I’ll tell you exactly what happened back then.”
Han Mo watched the person before him, listening quietly.
“I did indeed scheme to make Xi’er misunderstand you, because I love her. We knew each other since childhood, and I’ve always protected her as she grew, treating her as the sun that ignited my life. Yet, after she met you, she gradually began to be mindful of the boundaries between men and women. When I proposed to the Bai family, she even told me… that the person she loved was you!”
Han Mo looked at the person before him, his eyes chillingly cold, “……”
Bai Han continued, “So, I designed two scenarios. One, to make her misunderstand that you actually liked the City Lord’s daughter. The other, to make you misunderstand that she liked me. As expected, you are both proud. Though you had feelings for each other, you were unwilling to be the third party in each other’s relationship, and even without hearing it from their own mouths, your pride prevented you from turning back.”
Han Mo’s eyes turned red, and he clenched his fists, “Since you loved her, why did you hurt her so much in the end!”
Yes, if he hadn’t been so proud then, if he had stepped forward, Bai Han’s petty tricks would have been exposed. How could their previous lives together have been wasted, and how could the Bai family have fallen because of it?
Bai Han’s gaze held a hint of sadness and desolation, and he finally said faintly, “As I said, I had no choice. I only learned everything when all the Bai family members had fallen before me.”
He revealed a self-mocking expression and continued, “On that wedding day, I was filled with joy, and I had thought of protecting Xi’er for a lifetime. However, after I toasted the guests, the Bai family members slowly collapsed. When I tried to step forward to understand what was happening, Han Xiao had already severed the head of Little Xi’s father and impaled it on his long sword! In an instant, the wedding banquet turned into a slaughterhouse. The Bai family members were poisoned, yet they fought back with all their might, ultimately falling in battle with their heads severed…”
To this day, he remembered the resentful and angry eyes of Bai Xi’s brother looking at him, the fearful eyes of Little Xi’s wet nurse, and the eyes filled with hatred of Bai Xi, who was nailed in the prison by his father using the Eight Locks formation after being poisoned.
Those eyes had tormented him, which was also why his memory had remained stuck at the age of eight after he recovered it.
Han Mo frowned.
Han Xiao was Father’s personal guard, not weak, and had always obeyed Father’s orders.
Therefore, the one who truly took action against the Bai family was Father, who had declared he was no longer managing the Han family at that time?
Han Mo felt a tightness in his throat, “When the Han family attacked the Bai family with deadly force, you did not resist, did you? You didn’t even think of taking Xi’er and escaping.”
The mockery on Bai Han’s lips intensified, “Brother, do you really think Father had handed over power to me? No, I was merely his puppet. Brother, have you never wondered why Father, who always relied on you so much, directly agreed when you proposed to leave the capital and guard the border, without any hesitation or objection? Have you never wondered why?”
Han Mo frowned and said nothing.
At that time, if he had been determined to leave, that person absolutely could not have kept him.
However, he indeed hadn’t considered that it would be so easy to leave.