「Fragrant Island. Zheng Family Mansion.」
Zheng Hongsheng had returned from abroad after negotiating a major business deal. After a day of rest, he suddenly rembered having casually ntioned retrieving a precious sword from Jiangbei. He had heard the sword was a rusty antique, which shouldn't possess such power under normal circumstances. It felt quite mysterious and seed to have great research value.
Of course, it might just be an exaggeration and not as formidable as the rumors suggest. But it doesn't matter. After all, it's just a matter of giving an order.
"Where is Ah He? Tell him to bring my sword over," Zheng Hongsheng ordered nonchalantly, never imagining Yue Songhe would return empty-handed.
And then...
"You used my na and still failed? He actually dared to refuse you?" Zheng Hongsheng was completely taken aback.
How many years has it been… since I've t a young man who dared to disrespect like this?
"This young man nad Lin Tang… is quite interesting!" Zheng Hongsheng said with a sudden laugh.
Yue Songhe, who had been trembling in anticipation of his master's fury, saw him laugh instead. He cautiously asked, "Master, you're not angry?"
"I'm getting old. I'm focused on cultivating my mind and body. If I get angry over every little thing, how can I expect to live a long life?" Zheng Hongsheng's smile didn't fade; he truly didn't seem bothered. He picked up his teacup. "Tell everything that happened."
"Yes!" Yue Songhe then recounted everything: his initial visit to the Shen Family, his trip to the True Martial Association branch, and finally, his encounter with Lin Tang at the Li Family. Of course, he conveniently omitted the part where he swore an oath that his master was worse than a pig or a dog. He only said that Lin Tang had set aside their past grievances to cure his poison. After that, he couldn't bring himself to force the issue, not to ntion he was no match for Lin Tang anyway. And so, he had returned empty-handed.
Zheng Hongsheng, who had been sipping his tea, was so surprised by the story that he nearly choked. He imdiately asked about the insects' appearance. Yue Songhe took out a glass bottle containing the remains of a few of the insects.
"Hiss… They really are Corpse-eating Worms!" Zheng Hongsheng sucked in a sharp breath, nearly knocking over his teacup. He recalled his youth, when he had tead up with so master tomb raiders. They had once encountered these sa insects and suffered heavy casualties. He was lucky to have escaped in one piece; otherwise, he would have kicked the bucket long ago.
"Are they really that terrifying? Under Lin Tang's sword, they seed so fragile," Yue Songhe said, astonished.
After regaining his composure, Zheng Hongsheng declared, "It seems the power of this divine sword is even greater than I anticipated. I must obtain this sword, no matter the cost!"
He went on to explain that the worms in the bottle were only in their initial state. If they evolved into their mature form, they could not only withstand bullets, but their venom would also be terrifyingly potent—capable of scorching the earth bare in a radius of dozens of ters. The most bizarre part, he added, was that they were said to be able to devour and assimilate a person's soul, possessing their mories and becoming just as intelligent as a human.
"Wouldn't that make them actual monsters from legend?" Yue Songhe asked, aghast. It's a good thing Lin Tang exterminated them. Otherwise, wouldn't those things have beco a plague upon the world? And that damned old woman, what was her background? Were there other accomplices breeding Corpse-eating Worms elsewhere?
Now fully determined to obtain the sword, Zheng Hongsheng imdiately set off for Jiangbei himself.
Upon arriving, he looked calmly at Lu Liangfei. "Oh? Lin Tang skipped town a few days ago? Are you sure?"
Lu Liangfei's scalp tingled with fear. He knew this man was a bona fide grandmaster-level expert who could snuff out his life with a single finger. "How could I dare to deceive you, sir! Many people know about this... I'm willing to send my n to find his whereabouts, but I can't guarantee we'll be successful..."
"Hm." Zheng Hongsheng tapped the armrest, his response noncommittal. Without another word to Lu Liangfei, he left, taking Yue Songhe and a group of his n with him.
When they reached the Li Family's villa, Zheng Hongsheng narrowed his eyes. "Hm, the feng shui here has been altered quite masterfully, turning decay into sothing miraculous. For soone as young as Lin Tang to have such skill... who could his master be?"
He beca even more shocked and uncertain after investigating the area around Li Weihai's father's grave on the mountain behind the villa.
If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't have been able to spot anything wrong with the feng shui. Nor could I have predicted that the corpse in the tomb was infested with Corpse-eating Worms. Could it be that his mastery of feng shui surpasses my own? Impossible!
After a long silence, a dark, oppressive aura began to radiate from him, pressing down on Yue Songhe until he could hardly breathe.
"M-Master?" Yue Songhe stamred.
"Find him," Zheng Hongsheng said impassively. "I want to know Lin Tang's whereabouts, at any cost."
"Yes, sir!" Yue Songhe and the n beside him quickly acknowledged the order.
They started their investigation with the people closest to Lin Tang. Their first target was none other than the Shen Family.
「The Shen Family's Company」
Shen Xin and Dong Mingfeng were in the CEO's office, so busy they could barely tell day from night. Yet, they were constantly excited, animated, and bursting with energy. Even when they felt on the verge of collapse, a dose of the new dicine—one type to invigorate the body, another to sharpen the mind—would have them back on their feet, full of vigor. The effects were so remarkable that Shen Xin had started supplying it to all his employees. Since the two new dicines had a very low production cost, he didn't need to be concerned about the expense.
Just as the company was operating at full steam, Yue Songhe and a group of his n burst in like a pack of bandits.
An employee tried to stop them. "Hey, hey, hey! Which investnt company are you with? Such bad manners! We already have enough partners, we don't need—"
"Get lost!" Yue Songhe roared, sending the man flying with a single slap before barging straight into the CEO's office.
Dong Mingfeng was on the phone. Seeing them, she looked up and started to yell, "Who the hell barges in without knocking— Oh! It's you, sir!"
Her attitude did a complete one-eighty. She scrambled to her feet to greet him respectfully. Shen Xin also began bowing and scraping, asking the purpose of their visit. When asked about Lin Tang, they were baffled. "Lin Tang? But he cut ties with us long ago! How would we know where he went?"
"Hah! Cut ties?" Yue Songhe sneered. "If he'd really cut ties, would he have been so willing to part with the formula for that new dicine, letting you two rake in a fortune?" He casually opened a packet of the new dicine. Just a whiff of it was enough to invigorate his senses, like inhaling potent nthol. He sneered, "I'm giving you half a day. If you can't give an answer by then, this company of yours will cease to exist."
"Ah? We've been wronged...!" Dong Mingfeng and Shen Xin wailed in unison.
All their lives, they had achieved nothing, just living off Shen Qiushi's legacy. Now, in their middle age, they finally had a chance to rise up and bring the Shen Family to unprecedented heights. Was it all going to be snuffed out just like that? Damn you, Lin Tang! You're the one who ran off, so why is your ghost still haunting us and dragging us down?!
Of course, Yue Songhe wasn't about to wait there for half a day. As soon as his n found out where Shen Youling worked, he imdiately led his team over, planning to take her into custody.
Tianxiang Doukou? The owner behind it is soone from the Zhu Family, isn't it?
On Fragrant Island, the Zhu Family was low-key, their apparent strength not comparable to that of the Zheng Family. Therefore, he didn't give this branch office a second thought. The mont he entered the building, he had it forcibly locked down. Then, he stord into the chairman's office.
"You're Lin Tang's wife, Shen Youling? Why are you so ugly?!" Yue Songhe exclaid, shocked.
Mo Pinglan was left speechless.
When he learned that the woman next to her was the real Shen Youling, Yue Songhe scrutinized her for a mont before shaking his head in disappointnt again. "Your features are actually quite good, but that black birthmark is a real pity. How could Lin Tang possibly be interested in you?"
Shen Youling remained silent.
Yue Songhe gave her the sa ultimatum: provide Lin Tang's whereabouts in half a day, or he would arrogantly destroy the entire branch office. He said to Mo Pinglan with an indifferent air, "Don't bla . If you want to bla soone, bla yourself for being ugly and blind. You hired Lin Tang's wife, so you deserve to be dragged into this."
Mo Pinglan fell silent. She'd been abandoned by Zhu Yingning, and Lin Tang happened to be away from Jiangbei. How could she possibly resist the Zheng Family of Fragrant Island on her own? Even if Lin Tang were here, standing against the Zheng Family would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"A person should answer for their own actions!" Shen Youling suddenly declared, her voice ringing with conviction. "Whatever grudge my husband has with you, I, as his wife, am willing to bear the burden with him! You can kill or torture ; I will accept my fate! But please, do not involve this company. They are innocent!"
A look of determination appeared on her usually gentle face.
"Oh?" Yue Songhe raised an eyebrow, sowhat impressed. But his expression was still mostly one of mockery. Rembering the humiliation Lin Tang had dealt him, a vicious glint flashed in Yue Songhe's eyes. He lunged forward, grabbed her hair, and said coldly, "Who the hell do you think you are, trying to bargain with ?"
If it weren't for the unsettling black mark on her face, combined with his lingering psychological trauma from Lin Tang's brutal thods, he would have taken her right then and there to vent his fury.
"n!" Yue Songhe ordered. "Wreck this office, throw out all the employees, and seal off this entire building!"
Then he forcefully dragged Shen Youling away. Mo Pinglan didn't dare to resist, allowing his subordinates to rampage through the office. She hesitated for a mont before following after them. Just as she was about to send a ssage to Lin Tang, they reached the roadside, and a middle-aged man suddenly rushed toward them.
Mo Pinglan's eyes widened and her face paled. "Tang Dingwu!"
This man was Tang Dingbo's cousin, the Vice Sect Leader of the Tang Sect, and an early-stage Grandmaster. He was especially skilled with hidden weapons and was said to never miss. The blood of countless victims was on his hands! He was also the father of Tang Shaojie and Tang Ruqing.
Tang Dingwu had been hurrying, originally heading straight for the Tianxiang Doukou building, when his eyes fell upon the black mark on Shen Youling's face. It was the signature mark of a poison his daughter, Tang Ruqing, favored.
"You're Lin Tang and Shen Youling?!" he roared. "You dare to harm my children? I'll have your lives for this!"
His palms turned pitch-black, radiating a poisonous aura as he launched a furious attack toward Yue Songhe and Shen Youling.
Yue Songhe's face twisted in panic. HOLY HELL! Are you fucking blind? I'm this old! Do I look anything like Lin Tang?!
Shen Youling's expression was vacant, too stunned to even feel fear. A single thought echoed in her mind: I'm going to die... Lin Tang is far away in Xishu. Who could possibly save now? I'm truly dood.
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