Entangled in a web of mutual interests and unspoken threats, Hongi and the three mbers of the Wang Clan found themselves in a tense and delicate equilibrium.
If Hongi made a move, the three of them would instantly flee, and he would be utterly ruined.
If he stayed his hand but the three reported everything to Wang Xianmao, he would still be halfway to ruin.
Ultimately, it ca down to his own inadequate cultivation base. Tempted by the prospect of Foundation Establishnt, he had taken a reckless gamble, and it had completely blown up in his face.
Most importantly, Yulou was incredibly sharp. The very instant Hongi had leaked a trace of killing intent, Yulou had noticed it imdiately.
Hongi's decisiveness had allowed him to successfully plunder the Golden Light Pavilion, but his subsequent hesitation and constant second-guessing had ruined everything.
What he had least expected was that all three mbers of the Wang Clan possessed a Hundred-Mile Wanderer Escape Talisman.
After weighing his options, Hongi decided he needed to repair their relationship. After all, he was absolutely guaranteed to face Wang Xianmao sooner or later.
Even if he successfully reached the Foundation Establishnt realm, he would still have to give a proper account of this matter. He could not fool Yulou, he could not fool Wang Xianmao, and he certainly dared not face the Immortal Alliance Foundation Establishnt cultivator backing the Golden Light Pavilion!
With these thoughts in mind, Hongi spoke up, though it pained his heart to part with his treasures.
"Yulou, co here. These two artifacts are your rewards. You two perford exceptionally well today!
"Remaining calm in the face of danger and keeping your wits about you during a major crisis—you both are truly fine children."
He drew two high-grade flying swords from his storage bag—one a beautiful agate jade sword, the other a silver sword forged from cold iron—and offered them to the two brothers.
Looking at the high-grade flying swords their master was holding out, Yulou shook his head slightly and said, "We didn't offer any help today, Master. We shouldn't accept such a generous reward."
This old fox Hongi had harbored genuine killing intent toward them just monts ago.
Yulou knew it would be foolish to let the matter drop just for the sake of two flying swords.
When your enemy begins to compromise, you must press your advantage relentlessly.
Of course, Hongi was not Yulou's enemy; he was his master.
Yet at this very mont, both sides were effectively locked in a strategic ga of leverage.
Hongi had not actually struck, and the Wang Clan had no definitive reason to kill him.
However, Hongi's current stance ant that his plundering of the Golden Light Pavilion had beco a bargaining chip for the Wang Clan to keep him in check.
Just how valuable this chip would be was not for Yulou to decide. He was, after all, just a low-level cultivator with little personal weight.
When it ca to squeezing every ounce of potential out of a situation, Wang Xianmao—who had been a cultivator for at least a century—was bound to be far more proficient.
If they accepted the flying swords Hongi was offering to win them over, the practical value of this bargaining chip would plumt.
This was sothing Yulou absolutely could not allow!
The Wang Clan had treated him well, so he could not look out only for himself. If they wanted to live a better life in the Wunan region, everyone had to stick together!
"Yulou, tell exactly what happened today in detail!"
Wang Rongsheng called out from a short distance away. Though he had already guessed most of the truth, he needed further confirmation now.
"Master killed the shopkeeper of the Golden Light Pavilion, as well as the clerks, and then took their storage bags and artifacts.
"After that, Master plundered the storeroom of the Golden Light Pavilion, took everything of value, and set a fire to burn the corpses along with the entire building.
"Master is truly formidable. Wouldn't you agree, Clan Uncle?"
Yulou's calm and collected response caused cold sweat to pour down Hongi's back.
The figure behind the Golden Light Pavilion was a Foundation Establishnt cultivator serving in the Immortal Alliance. Wang Yulou had calculated every variable perfectly, knowing that Hongi would eventually crack under the pressure!
In just a few sentences, he had implicitly used the Golden Light Pavilion as a threat, and the underlying warning was unmistakable.
In the past, Yulou had never acted like this; he had always been completely filial to Hongi.
To think things would develop to this point—the affairs of the world were truly unpredictable.
Yulou's final phrase, 'Master is truly formidable,' echoed in Hongi's mind like a curse.
Once again, killing intent flared within him. The Wang Clan was planning to squeeze him until he bled!
No, to be precise, this boy wanted to squeeze him to death!
Sensing Yulou's calm expression, Hongi forced a smile and said, "Yes, I managed to secure quite a few artifacts, spirit stones, and spiritual materials. Once we return to the Clear Stream Market, we can exchange them for spirit stones.
"I will reward you two boys with two thousand spirit stones each for your hard work!
"Though Fellow Daoist Rongsheng arrived a step late, I know you intended to help as well. I will certainly..."
Wang Rongsheng did not take the bait. Instead, he said, "We have rested long enough. Fellow Daoist Hongi, let us resu our journey."
A sugar-coated bullet?
Completely useless!
It was better to escort him back to the Clear Stream Market first!
The only issue was that the distance from here to Wang Family Mountain was too great for a transmission talisman to reach; otherwise, Wang Rongsheng would have sent one long ago.
Once our clan patriarch arrives, he will beat you to a pulp.
What an absolute daredevil!
Among the four of them, Hongi clearly possessed the highest cultivation base, and he was even driving the flying carriage with Yulou and his brother inside.
Yet, this return trip to the Clear Stream Market had essentially turned into a prisoner escort mission.
Naturally, the one being escorted was Hongi.
At this mont, Yulou experienced the benefits of having the Immortal Alliance regulate the world for the first ti.
With the Immortal Alliance watching from above, the Wunan region remained relatively stable, and these cultivators still maintained a shred of reverence.
If there were no powerful organization to restrain them, what kind of outrageous atrocities would cultivators commit once they possessed imnse individual power?
At that point, fear itself would govern the world.
"Yu'an, do you happen to like your senior martial sister?"
Hongi drove the carriage, his heart filled with growing panic, yet he still tried to find a graceful way out of this predicant.
Holding his younger brother back, Yulou answered on his behalf, "Yes, Yu'an likes Ningyao Shijie."
Hongi still possessed so resilience under pressure, and he began to negotiate with Yulou.
"You two are both my fine disciples. As the very first group under my tutelage, I even gave each of you two artifacts.
"Of course, that is rely what a master ought to do. On this trip, I also taught you the secret techniques of the artificing path. It is all within my duties."
'I am a good master, and you two must acknowledge that,' Hongi thought. 'Right, Yulou?'
"Yes, Master also taught us how to burn down the Golden Light Pavilion. We thank Master for his hands-on guidance."
He acknowledged it, but perhaps a bit too thoroughly.
Hongi's brow furrowed as he continued, "Yulou, there might be so slight misunderstandings between us, but there is sothing I must make clear.
"All this ti, I have been grooming Yu'an—Yu'an, listen closely—I have been grooming you to be my son-in-law.
"Ningyao is old enough now, and you are sixteen. She is currently at the seventh layer of Qi Induction, while you are at the fifth layer.
"I will make the decision here: as soon as you break through your current layer, I will betroth Ningyao to you. Yu'an, what do you think?"
Hongi knew that Yulou was an incredibly difficult nut to crack.
However, Yu'an was different from his brother; he was an entirely simple-minded boy.
Was this not the perfect breakthrough point?
A fortress is always easiest to breach from within, and Yu'an's biological father, Wang Rongwen, was a core pillar of the Wang Clan!
While Yulou guarded the value of their bargaining chip, Hongi was actively seeking a way to undermine it.
"I will listen to my brother!"
Yu'an's heart was in utter turmoil; he was genuinely tempted.
Since none of them had attained immortality yet, it was perfectly normal for Hongi to be greedy and for Yu'an to act like a lovestruck fool.
However, dangling his legs off the side of the flying carriage, Yu'an still possessed a shred of intelligence. He understood that he had to defer to his older brother.
"Yulou, what do you think? Yu'an is your flesh and blood, after all."
Hongi turned his gaze toward Yulou. To secure his Foundation Establishnt in peace, he was willing to give away his daughter to his second disciple.
Going to such lengths was already his absolute limit.
He only prayed that the Wang Clan would not make life difficult for him!
Yulou understood the situation perfectly. He could not afford to offend Yu'an.
When it ca to matters of the heart, brotherly affection and romantic love could not be easily weighed against each other. Especially given Yu'an's lack of maturity, things could easily go awry.
What if a rift ford between the brothers over a matter like this?
One could never say it was impossible; anything could happen.
Therefore, it was not Yulou's place to deflect this offer directly.
Since this old dog Hongi had tossed the problem to him, he simply refused to catch it.
"Master, you are still our dear master.
"We are a loving family, after all.
"How about this: Yu'an's marriage should be decided by the Patriarch himself.
"Yu'an said he will listen to , so I say, I will listen to the Patriarch!" Yulou replied, his voice ringing with absolute certainty.
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