“To say nothing of a mere external retainer holding a temporary placement...”
Shen Xiuhan lowered his eyelids slightly, his long fingers holding the tea lid pausing on the rim of the cup for half a breath.
The implication in Wang Xuanyang's words was far too obvious.
Someone was going after the Ji family!
And their identity was none other than one of the three great Huajin Rank families of Changyun!
A sharp glint flashed in Shen Xiuhan's eyes, and two words immediately sprang to mind:
The Luo family!
The long-standing feud between the Ji and Luo families had long been a tangled, unsolvable mess in Changyun County.
To say nothing of the distant past, one need only look at the placement meet at the Mei Courtyard, where the Luo family manager had publicly made things difficult for Ji Zhong with harsh, biting words and absolutely no regard for his dignity.
Furthermore, on the eve of the Longxiang Martial Feast, Ji Zhong had paid a late-night visit, explicitly and implicitly hinting that Shen Xiuhan should teach the Luo family members a lesson if he faced them in the arena.
From this, it was clear that the overt and covert struggles between the two families had already reached a boiling point, like fire and water.
Now...
Wang Xuanyang had suddenly summoned him, offering heavy rewards and a handsome salary to recruit him as a guest retainer for the Wang family. His words were thick with implications, almost laying them bare.
Every sign indicated that... the Luo family was about to make a serious move!
Judging by Wang Xuanyang's confident display, the Luo family's trump card had to be powerful enough to completely uproot the Ji family.
Therefore, in the eyes of the Wang family, the Ji family's ship had already been holed beneath the waterline; whoever stayed aboard would drown.
When the time came, the Ji family wouldn't even be able to save themselves. If Shen Xiuhan stubbornly clung to them, he would only go down with them.
Now, as long as he nodded his head and signed his freedom away.
The Wang family would step in to mediate and ensure his safety.
Ding...
Shen Xiuhan released his fingers, and the white porcelain tea lid settled back onto the cup, letting out a crisp ring.
He looked up, his gaze calmly resting on the man sitting across from him.
Wang Xuanyang wore a confident, reserved smile, looking as if everything was entirely within his grasp.
Yet, seeing this, Shen Xiuhan felt not a single ripple of emotion in his heart; in fact, he found it somewhat laughable.
First dangling immense wealth, then threatening with an impending catastrophe, and finally pointing out a safe harbor... This man has truly mastered the art of manipulation used by the great clans to control their subordinates.
If it were anyone with a weak will, they would probably have lost their footing by now, eager to switch allegiances and kowtow to thank the Wang family for saving their life.
Unfortunately, as clever as your calculations are, you've misjudged your man.
Shen Xiuhan had risen from the dirt and mud to where he was today, and it certainly wasn't by shifting with the wind or begging for scraps.
The Ji family had never treated him poorly when it came to resources and protection.
Moreover, his master, Mei Shuangfeng, shared a... very close relationship with Ji Shuying.
Abandoning ship the moment trouble brewed was something he would not and could not do.
Even in the worst-case scenario, if it truly came down to a clash of blades...
Who would capsize whose ship was still very much up in the air!
Without further hesitation, Shen Xiuhan left the untouched tea on the table, stood up, and cupped his fists.
“Thank you for the advice, Young Master Wang. I am unworthy of such high regard. However, this matter concerns my very life. Please allow me to return and consider it for a few days before giving you an answer.”
Consider it for a few days...
Wasn't that just a polite rejection?
The easy smile on Wang Xuanyang's face instantly stiffened, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.
How... how could he refuse?
He was utterly baffled, but the reality was right before him.
Wang Xuanyang's warmth cooled visibly. He picked up his teacup to mask his emotions, his voice devoid of any readable feeling as he said,
“Brother Shen's commitment to his promises is truly admirable, but...”
“The weather in Changyun is unpredictable, Brother Shen. Do not wait until the torrential rain pours down to look for a roof to shelter under. By then, it will be too late.”
With that, he lowered his eyes and gestured to dismiss him.
“A-Jiu, show Brother Shen out.”
“No need to trouble you. Thank you for the hospitality, Brother Wang. Farewell!”
Shen Xiuhan politely declined the young man outside the door, cupped his fists, and strode down the wooden stairs, his departing figure showing not a shred of hesitation.
Sitting quietly in the private booth, Wang Xuanyang listened to the fading footsteps downstairs, a dark, sinister look completely taking over his eyes.
Clang!
He drained his teacup in one gulp and slammed the empty cup heavily onto the table, cold-snorting,
“Ungrateful fool!”
“Good words cannot save a ghost bent on dying. Since you insist on seeking death alongside the Ji family, then so be it.”
Even after cursing, Wang Xuanyang's anger lingered, a dark cloud hanging over his brow. He was clearly infuriated by Shen Xiuhan's refusal!
At this moment, the middle-aged woman standing in the corner finally slowly opened her eyes.
Her appearance was completely unremarkable, her features very ordinary. But the moment she opened her eyes, something seemed to flash across her pupils.
It was an indescribable feeling, as though she wasn't looking with her physical eyes but probing through some more profound sense.
A thoughtful look flashed in the middle-aged woman's eyes as she said in a low voice,
“Third Young Master, this youth... is not as simple as he appears on the surface.”
Wang Xuanyang raised his eyes slightly, his brow furrowing as he inquired, “What do you mean, Auntie Zhen?”
The middle-aged woman addressed as Auntie Zhen walked slowly to the window, watching Shen Xiuhan's departing figure.
“As you know, Third Young Master, the 『Dongxuan Pupil』 I cultivate is best suited for reading qi and observing meridians. It allows me to sense the flow of blood qi and the opening and closing of acupoints in others.”
“Just now, I subtly sensed him and discovered that the acupoints within his body are hazy and blurred, as if intentionally concealed by some method. I couldn't see them clearly.”
“Oh? A qi-concealing technique?”
Wang Xuanyang's eyes flickered as he sneered,
“A mud-legged peasant from the Outer City actually has some decent luck. Auntie Zhen, did you manage to find out his exact cultivation?”
Auntie Zhen sighed and shook her head, answering honestly,
“The 『Dongxuan Pupil』 is obscure and difficult to master. Even after over a decade of bitter cultivation, I have barely reached Minor Accomplishment. If I wanted to completely see through his secrets, it would be somewhat beyond my ability. However...”
She paused, shifting her gaze to Wang Xuanyang's face as she continued,
“As you mentioned earlier, Third Young Master, this youth had only just entered the Anjin Rank when he emerged from the 『Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool』. It has only been a short while since then. Even if his skeletal structure is extraordinary and he consumes Precious Herbs day and night to cultivate bitterly, at most he would have opened one more acupoint. He cannot stir up any major waves.”
“Two acupoints...”
Hearing this, the caution in Wang Xuanyang's heart faded, and a trace of disdain reappeared on his lips.
“Two acupoints in the Anjin Rank can be considered top-tier among the younger generation in Changyun County, but looking at the prefecture capital, it is nothing more than ordinary... Since he is a dying man who doesn't know what's good for him, there's no need to waste any more thought on him.”
Wang Xuanyang turned around, his tone dropping. “Right now, our urgent priority is still Xiao Wu!”
“The last time he held that grand banquet to recruit geniuses from all over, he deliberately avoided me. He likely still has some reservations about our Wang family.”
“However... he did send a secret letter yesterday, inviting me for a chat tomorrow. If Eldest Uncle's deduction is correct, Xiao Wu definitely intends to pull me into the game to discuss the matter of the Bai family this time.”
Having said that, Wang Xuanyang walked to the carved wooden window with his hands behind his back. Looking down at the bustling crowd below, an uncontrollable fanaticism surfaced on his face.
“The stage of the Bai family has been set for over ten years!”
“Now that everything is ready, we are only waiting for the Child of Destiny to take the stage and perform a grand show of displaying divine might and slaying demons, all to ripen and elevate his destiny!”
At this point, Wang Xuanyang stretched out his right hand and clenched it tightly, his eyes filled with greed.
“Only when his destiny is at its peak and his fortune is in mid-heaven... can I ride the wind to transform into a dragon and obtain a fortune that reaches the heavens!”
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