Chapter 149: Chapter 146: Perspective
Night.
Wu Family Collection.
A figure, unnoticed by all, slipped silently into the heavily guarded Wu Family Mansion.
"Who’s there?!"
Wu Yuanzhi, who had been resting with his eyes closed while standing guard in the main hall, suddenly snapped his eyes open.
A blinding light flared in his eyes, nearly illuminating the entire room!
"Second Uncle, it’s me!"
The newcomer removed his conical hat and veil, revealing a young face.
"Hao’Er, it’s you! You’re back?!"
Seeing the visitor, Wu Yuanzhi shot to his feet. His face was filled with delight as he hurried forward to greet him.
This person,
was none other than the prodigy of the Wu Family, Wu Tianhao—the very person who had visited Dawan Village a month ago and had a brief encounter with Shen Changchuan!
"When did you get back?"
"I set out the moment I received the Communication Talisman you sent, Second Uncle."
Wu Tianhao sat down,
and took a sip of tea to quench his thirst.
"Actually, I returned two months ago. But I sensed something was off, so I’ve been investigating the surrounding area ever since."
"What’s going on? Is the problem serious?"
Seeing Wu Tianhao’s expression,
Wu Yuanzhi, as the Patriarch of the Wu Family, instantly realized something was wrong.
’Our original plan, the one we senior members agreed on, was to just seal the family gates for a year or two. We figured those people would eventually disperse when they couldn’t find us. Besides, with our prodigy Hao’Er having joined the Yuqing Sect, no major power would dare to move against us. All we had to do was hold out.’
But now, it seemed,
’things aren’t as simple as we imagined?’
"It’s very troublesome!"
"Lately, I’ve discovered traces of Demonic Cultivators from Nanyue in the vicinity!"
"What?! The Demon Dao?!"
Even Wu Yuanzhi, a man who could remain composed even if Tai Mountain were to collapse before him, couldn’t help but pale at this news!
He couldn’t be blamed for his reaction.
It was because Demonic Cultivators were notorious pariahs, hated and hunted by all.
Never mind their methods of using humans for Alchemy and Artifact Refining.
The most important thing was that those fiends never cared about a person’s background or connections.
As long as there was profit to be made, as long as they were stronger,
they would strike without a moment’s hesitation!
Without a doubt,
if Demonic Cultivators were here,
they would absolutely not be deterred from attacking just because the Wu Family’s genius had joined the Yuqing Sect!
’This is bad!’
Wu Yuanzhi’s heart sank.
"The Nanyue Kingdom is thousands of miles away. Why would they appear here? Could the Cyan Essence Water Grass truly be so alluring that it would draw in Demonic Cultivators from so far away to get involved?!"
Wu Yuanzhi’s expression grew ever more solemn.
He felt as if the sky above was growing darker and more ominous.
"Second Uncle, you don’t have to worry too much. I’ve searched the area for two months and only found some people who practice Demon Dao Techniques from Nanyue, not the true demonic bastards themselves."
Seeing Wu Yuanzhi looking as if he were facing a great enemy, Wu Tianhao quickly added an explanation.
"I’ve roamed this area for two months. And while I’ve found some traces, I haven’t actually caught a single true demonic beast."
"It’s possible some demonic practitioner from Nanyue came to this area secretly, died in some accident, and their legacy was scattered."
Hearing this, Wu Yuanzhi
breathed a sigh of relief.
But just as he was about to speak, a thought struck him. His expression tightened once more. He glanced at Wu Tianhao and shook his head.
"The situation probably isn’t that simple, is it?"
"If that were truly the case, Hao’Er, I doubt you would have needed to bring it up with me specifically."
"AHEM, well, I just didn’t want to worry you."
"But rest assured, this matter isn’t for us to handle. We just need to make sure we strengthen our family’s defenses."
Wu Yuanzhi’s brow furrowed deeply.
"Tianhao, can’t you just speak plainly?"
"This... Second Uncle, it’s not that I want to hide it from you. It’s just that this involves some sect matters, and I can’t disclose them."
As he spoke,
a wry smile appeared on Wu Tianhao’s face.
"The reason I was able to return so quickly is because I was also tasked with a mission. It concerns the plans of a certain senior expert within my sect... Six months. The Wu Family just needs to hold out for six months, and we basically won’t have to worry about anything anymore..."
"Speaking of which, after returning this time, I might not have to leave again in the future..."
As he said this, a hint of bleakness colored Wu Tianhao’s expression, suggesting there was more to the story.
Seeing him being so vague,
and learning that the matter involved a major figure from the Yuqing Immortal Sect, Wu Yuanzhi knew this was beyond his purview.
So he didn’t press further and fell silent.
"By the way, Second Uncle, on my way back, I went to see that illegitimate son of the Tian Nan Shen Clan Leader you mentioned."
Noticing the quiet atmosphere, Wu Tianhao spoke up to change the subject.
"Oh? What about that boy?"
"A very interesting fellow. If there are no surprises, he might even become my fellow disciple."
Wu Tianhao said, a hint of mystery in his voice.
"What? That’s impossible, isn’t it?!"
His words were shocking.
Wu Yuanzhi was stunned for a moment.
"I remember meeting him not long ago. According to the person who was rescued, his strength is indeed impressive, but not to that extent, surely?"
"If someone has that kind of background, with the Tian Nan Shen Clan’s resources, it shouldn’t be difficult to raise a Cultivator who can easily slay Peers also at the Qi Introduction Sixth Layer."
"Where did that boy get the ability to earn such high regard from you?"
Wu Yuanzhi’s memory of Shen Changchuan was still from several months ago.
At the time, Shen Changchuan had been on his way to the market at Wu Family Collection when he killed some of the Wu Family’s own traitors and rescued an important figure.
Wu Yuanzhi’s impression of him
was also still stuck on that one battle.
According to the elder who had been escorting the rescued person, he had cleanly and effortlessly slain the traitors who were hunting them.
’But those traitors weren’t very strong. Coming from a great family like the Tian Nan Shen Clan, with access to more resources and more powerful techniques, it’s not difficult to have a crushing advantage over Cultivators of the same Realm from the outside world. It’s like our Wu Family. If an ordinary Qi Introduction Realm Cultivator takes a Cyan Essence Purifying Spirit Pill, strengthening their Dantian Meridians and tempering their Divine Sense, then dealing with ordinary Peers of the same Realm is not difficult either. That boy’s performance would make him an average genius in a small place, but on a grander stage, especially before an unimaginable titan like the Yuqing Immortal Sect, he probably amounts to nothing, right? Besides, without a recommendation, how on earth could that boy possibly enter the Yuqing Immortal Sect?’
"Then you are sorely mistaken, Second Uncle! That boy is not simple in the slightest!"
