Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Five Aggregates and Five Poisonous Creatures, What Sacred Being
"The Fu Family is facing a catastrophe. It’s not just about the vast fortune Fu Guosheng and his brother spent half their lives building..."
Xu Shirong sighed, his expression complex. "I’m afraid they won’t even make it out alive."
After speaking, Xu Shirong turned to the stone-faced Xu Leyi, his tone softening slightly. "With how smart you are, I’m sure you think your father has acted too late?"
"You have your reasons, Father."
Xu Leyi shook her head slightly, her brow furrowing. "The key is, even if we draw a clear line with the Fu Family now, will Song Lin really be willing to let the Xu Family off the hook?
Don’t forget, Father, everyone in Luan River knows that our Xu Family was the closest to the Fu Family.
We can’t just declare our innocence and expect people to believe us..."
"Don’t worry about that."
Xu Shirong said coolly, "We weren’t the only family in Luan River close to the Fu Family. This dinner tonight... it’s supposedly for us to discuss countermeasures, but in reality, it’s a victory celebration.
County Magistrate Hu has already reached an agreement with Young Master Song. He’ll name a price, and our families will pool our resources to pay it.
We’ll suffer heavy losses, that’s unavoidable. But as long as our foundation remains, we can recover in a few years."
"Right now, all the prominent families in the city are lining up to send their women to Song Lin’s residence..."
Xu Leyi said, her face devoid of expression, "I thought that was why you brought me here today, Father."
"I, Xu Shirong, have not yet fallen so low as to sell my daughter for survival."
Xu Shirong snorted. After a pause, he added, "If it truly came to that... it’s something Xinyi should do."
Xu Leyi’s head snapped up. She stared at Xu Shirong in disbelief, as if she were seeing him for the very first time.
Xu Shirong seemed to deliberately avoid her gaze. He took a couple of steps forward and changed the subject. "I know it’s been hard on you, being cooped up at home all this time.
Starting tomorrow, you can go back to managing the southern shops.
And that marriage arrangement with the Fu Family you always hated? I’ll have someone send back the contract..."
Xu Shirong continued speaking as he walked, but after a few steps, he realized Xu Leyi wasn’t following him.
He turned and saw her still standing in the same spot, her head bowed in thought.
"What are you thinking about?"
Xu Shirong walked back to her.
"I was just thinking... this might be an excellent opportunity."
Xu Leyi looked up, a sharp, calculating glint in her eyes.
"Opportunity?"
Xu Shirong was taken aback for a moment. "Tell me."
Xu Leyi’s eyes shone with growing intensity as she spoke rapidly. "Right now, with the Song scourge plaguing Luan River, everyone is living in fear. They’re all trying to protect themselves, all pulling back. No one dares to take a single step forward...
But what if we step up now and snap up everything that Song Lin can’t swallow?
Once Song Lin leaves, and with the Fu Family out of the picture, won’t our Xu Family be the sole power in Luan River?"
"You want to capitalize on this and buy them out at rock bottom?"
Xu Shirong frowned. "It’s a good idea, but have you thought about where the silver coins for the buy-out would come from?
And even if we acquire all those goods, where would we sell them?
This is the entire inventory of Luan River. No single family can handle that volume..."
"You don’t need to worry about the money, Father. My two years in Shenghai weren’t for nothing. I made several like-minded friends.
Many of them come from wealthy families. I can email them for loans. As long as I offer an interest rate higher than the banks, I’m sure some of them will agree.
As for the issue of offloading the goods..."
Xu Leyi smiled faintly, full of confidence. "Father, have you forgotten Sir Lawrence from Viliduo Country? The one the Fu Family snubbed?
He still hasn’t found a ship for his cargo.
If we can establish a connection with him, his resources and network will be more than enough to move all this merchandise."
Xu Shirong listened to Xu Leyi’s explanation, his face pensive.
After a moment, he finally nodded. "Then do as you say. Just remember, don’t get greedy or reckless. Know when to quit while you’re ahead."
"I understand."
With their discussion more or less concluded, Xu Shirong motioned for them to head back.
Xu Leyi followed behind her father, but her gaze drifted involuntarily toward the County Yamen—a place whose very name now made the people of Luan River County turn pale.
She couldn’t help but think of the young ladies who had been forcibly sent to Song Lin’s residence, and of her own sister, Xu Xinyi.
’In this world, a woman without talent or ability is doomed to be a pawn in the hands of others.’
She shook her head inwardly, her gaze growing firmer as she walked on.
...
"After using up those three Centennial Mire Lotus Seeds, I naturally reached my current state."
At the entrance of the abandoned ancestral hall, Fu Juemin spoke to Li Tong, his expression unchanged.
He wasn’t lying, but how others chose to interpret his words was not his concern.
Li Tong listened, then fell silent for a long time.
Finally, he looked up with a complex expression and sighed. "To grasp the Buddhist Teachings and cultivate the *Pharmacist Buddha’s Glazed Body* to the Small Success Realm in less than two months.
Young Master, you are truly an out-and-out prodigy of the Martial Dao.
If the Celestial Blessing Temple hadn’t been destroyed in the last dynasty, you might have even become a Buddhist Holy Son..."
"You’re joking, Uncle Tong."
Fu Juemin shook his head, not daring to dwell on the topic. He quickly changed the subject. "What are you doing here tonight, Uncle Tong?"
Li Tong’s expression grew calm as he countered, "And what about you, Young Master? Why do you come out at this hour every night?"
"You’ve been following me, Uncle Tong?!"
Fu Juemin was startled. A moment later, realization dawned, and his expression shifted to one of utter disbelief.
"Uncle Tong... surely you’re not planning to..."
Li Tong’s tone was level. "Your father saved my life. And the Fu Family has treated me well all these years."
"But even if you manage to kill Song Lin, so what, Uncle Tong?"
Fu Juemin couldn’t understand. "Song Zhenyuan is behind him! Sooner or later, he’ll take his anger out on the Fu Family..."
"If I were to do it, I would naturally tie up all the loose ends.
The Fu Family wouldn’t be implicated in the slightest..."
Looking at Li Tong’s impassive expression, Fu Juemin suddenly recalled—
Li Tong might look old, but he was actually only in his early forties...
Although Li Tong didn’t say exactly what he would do, Fu Juemin had a gut feeling that once he made his move, the repercussions would be earth-shattering.
And when that happened, he probably wouldn’t be killing just Song Lin....
Forcing down the chaotic storm of speculation in his mind, Fu Juemin took a deep breath and said with utmost seriousness, "Actually, I have a plan. We don’t have to resort to such drastic measures.
If it’s successful, it would be a happy outcome for all."
Li Tong’s eyes narrowed slightly. "What plan do you have in mind, Young Master?"
"The Water Demon at the Luan River Pier."
Li Tong thought for a moment and immediately understood. "You want to lure the Water Demon ashore, or trick Song Lin into the water, Young Master.
To kill with a borrowed knife?"
"Yes."
Fu Juemin nodded.
"Too difficult."
Li Tong shook his head.
"We have to at least try."
Fu Juemin said, "I actually have a preliminary plan, but it’s difficult to execute. If you help me, Uncle Tong, the odds of success will be much higher..."
"And if it still fails?"
Li Tong asked.
"If it still fails..."
Fu Juemin met Li Tong’s gaze and said slowly, "Then... we’ll do it your way, Uncle Tong."
Li Tong smiled but didn’t commit one way or the other.
Suddenly, he changed the subject. "I recall you asking me a while ago, Young Master, how someone who isn’t a Tongxuan Master could deal with a Tongxuan Martial Artist?"
Fu Juemin was taken aback, unsure why Li Tong had suddenly brought this up.
"...Actually, there is another way. One I didn’t tell you about, Young Master."
Li Tong looked at Fu Juemin and said calmly, "To put it bluntly, the strength of a Tongxuan Martial Artist lies in the Qi Membrane covering their body. Once that Qi Membrane is broken, their physical Defense is not much different from that of a Blood Refining Martial Artist.
I have a Cultivation Technique called Five Aggregates and Five Poisonous Creatures. Once you master it, you can pierce a Tongxuan Qi Membrane with ease."
"Five Aggregates and Five Poisonous Creatures?"
Fu Juemin was stunned.
Li Tong nodded. "It’s actually an Evil Technique. Any ordinary person who practices it is almost certain to die.
But for you, Young Master, in your current state, it couldn’t be more suitable."
Li Tong continued in a low, somber tone, "A Pharmacist is a Master of Five Beasts and has Immunity to Five Poisonous Creatures.
There’s an old saying from the Martial Arts world of the last dynasty. Once a Martial Artist practicing the *Pharmacist Buddha’s Glazed Body* also masters the Five Beasts and Five Poisonous Creatures, they become unrivaled within their realm. Even if practitioners of the other three great Iron Body Strange Skills teamed up, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to win...."
Fu Juemin listened to Li Tong’s words, his mind reeling.
Right then, only a single thought consumed him—
’Elder Ji, just who in the world are you?!’
.....
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