The Supreme Lord Donghuang

by Stayrr

Zhou Donghuang, a man from the Earth, is able to destroy any planet in the universe without lifting a finger. His supreme will can sweep across the vast cosmos in the blink of an eye. And his immortal spirit can depart from his body and wander around the universe! In Kunlun Mountains lies a circular slate, which brought him back to one thousand years ago…

3. 65

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Chapter 65: Yun Lu

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Hmm?"

As soon as he arrived at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, Zhou Donghuang saw three large horses standing before the stairs of the main entrance, hesitating as if they could not decide whether to proceed.

On the lead horse sat a small girl, and judging from her physique, she was about eight or nine years old. Her delicate and attractive side profile was enough to make an observer fall in love with her.

On the two horses behind her sat two youths who looked about twelve or thirteen years old, one with his long hair tied behind him and the other with neat, short hair.

"Boss, are you sure you're not mistaken, and that the name on the plaque really is the 'Magnolia Guild' that Sir Freezing Wind spoke of?"

The short-haired youth questioned the little girl, and his question indicated that he could not read.

A twelve or thirteen-year-old youth addressing an eight or nine-year-old girl as "boss" seemed strange whichever way one looked at it, but the short-haired youth did not seem to mind in the least.

"Just because you can't read doesn't mean I can't."

The little girl turned with her arms akimbo and gave the short-haired youth an annoyed look; then she leaped off the horse nimbly. "Let's go! We'll go in and look for our benefactor and Uncle Freezing Wind."

"Yes, boss," the two youths replied obediently and leaped off their horses. Although their technique was good, the little girl was better, and their performance was slightly inferior compared to the little girl's.

It was then that Zhou Donghuang deduced their identities.

These were the three orphans that Freezing Wind had carefully selected on his orders for their perseverance and resilience.

The three of them watched Zhou Donghuang as he approached and walked up the stairs at the main entrance of the Magnolia guild.

"Benefactor!"

Just as Zhou Donghuang reached the balcony and was about to enter, he heard the delicate, moving voice of the little girl, followed by the thud of someone kneeling down.

"Benefactor?"

Seeing the girl kneeling down before Zhou Donghuang, the two youths exchanged a glance and promptly followed by kneeling down behind the girl.

"Why call me benefactor?"

When he heard the girl's voice, Zhou Donghuang knew that she had recognized him, and he could not help smiling casually as he turned around.

"What a clever girl."

Zhou Donghuang looked at the delicate and pretty little girl and sighed in his heart. It was difficult to imagine how such a girl could endure the pain of the Nerve-Easing, Marrow-Cleansing Needle.

"Benefactor, Uncle Freezing Wind said… if you had not ordered him to find us, we would not have what we have today. Therefore, you are our benefactor."

The little girl was not casual towards Zhou Donghuang like how she had been casual with the two youths, and her severe expression made her look like a miniature adult.

"How did you know who I am?"

Zhou Donghuang smiled casually.

"From the time Uncle Freezing Wind mentioned you, benefactor, I was especially eager to meet you, and Uncle Freezing Wind drew a portrait of you especially for me… although the portrait did not do your good looks justice, the posture when you clasped your hands looks exactly like you."

The girl took out a folded piece of paper as she spoke and carefully unfolded it. The image of a youth could be seen, and the image was of Zhou Donghuang.

However, the outline of the image of Zhou Donghuang's face was slightly smudged and was indeed not as good-looking as in reality, but the posture of him clasping his hands behind his back was exactly the same as in reality.

"I never knew Freezing Wind could do this."

Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows and said to the girl and the youths, "Get up and follow me in."

"Yes, Benefactor."

The three of them stood up and followed Zhou Donghuang into the Magnolia Guild.

"What is your name?" Zhou Donghuang asked with a slight smile as he walked beside the little girl. He gave the girl a tender look as he reached out and patted her head.

"Benefactor, I am Yun Lu."

Even as the girl was introducing herself, she did not forget to introduce the two youths behind her. "As for them… the short-haired one is Zhou Han. The long-haired one is called Zhou Feng."

"Zhou Han? Zhou Feng?"

Zhou Donghuang gave a start.

"Benefactor, they did not have proper names at first… Elder Freezing Wind gave them names consisting of your surname, and first names taken from his own name," Yun Lu said.

"No wonder it sounds so familiar."

Zhou Donghuang nodded and proceeded to bring the three of them to see Granny Lian so that she could arrange accommodation for them.

The three of them had been carefully selected by Freezing Wind from among a group of orphans, and not only had they endured the pain of the Nerve-easing, Marrow-Cleansing Needle, but they had also passed Freezing Wind's test of loyalty and would surely remain loyal.

The great majority of orphans would be grateful and loyal to the benefactors who had changed their lives and never betray them.

After handing the three of them over to Granny Lian, Zhou Donghuang returned to his room to continue practicing. He was only waiting for Fu to be ready before leaving Yunfeng prefecture and heading for the Chu royal city.

Fu would need at least two or three days to completely absorb the effect of the potion made from the thousand-year red fruit.

In the following days, what surprised Zhou Donghuang the most was that his mother had taken a great liking to Yun Lu and came to tell him that she wanted to take Yun Lu as an adopted daughter.

Zhou Donghuang knew well that his mother had always wanted a daughter. She had Chen Dandan at first, but after Chen Dandan's betrayal, the place in his mother's heart previously occupied by her daughter was once again hollow.

"Xiao Lu, from now on you don't have to call me benefactor, just call me Big Brother."

Since Lin Lan wanted to take Yun Lu as her adopted daughter, Zhou Donghuang was happy to oblige, and after interacting with her over these few days, he took a great liking to Yun Lu as well.

Although she was only nine years old, Yun Lu was extremely mature, and the details of her daily life displayed Yun Lu's kind heart.

"Big Brother."

However strong Yun Lu seemed to be, she was, after all, still a girl, and the time spent with the family over these few days also made her fall in love with the warmth of the family. Hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, she could not help the tears streaming freely down her face.

"What's there to cry about? Silly girl."

Zhou Donghuang reached his hand out and wiped Yun Lu's tears and stroked her head, giving her an indulgent smile.

"Xiao Lu, Mother will bring you shopping to buy some nice outfits."

Lin Lan arrived, and seeing that Zhou Donghuang was there as well, she asked promptly with a smile, "Donghuang, would you like to come shopping with us both?"

"Mother, please go ahead."

Zhou Donghuang gave her a smile. "I still have some matters to assign Freezing Wind."

He planned to leave Yunfeng prefecture the next day for the Chu royal city. Of course, he had not yet told Lin Lan this.

"Bye, Big Brother."

Yun Lu said goodbye to Zhou Donghuang and left with Lin Lan.

After the two of them left, Zhou Donghuang instructed Fu to summon Freezing Wind.

"Xiao Lu has already acknowledged my mother as her adopted mother, from now on, let her follow my mother… when you leave to carry out duties, just bring Zhou Han and Zhou Feng with you," Zhou Donghuang said casually.

He had instructed Freezing Wind to find orphans and select the cream of the crop so that Freezing Wind would have the opportunity to create his own source of strength. This source of strength was not to help him in any way, but was so that his family could be better protected and they could travel onwards without worrying about matters at home!

"Yes, Young Master," Freezing Wind replied respectfully. Now, after his experience with the thousand-year red fruit, he revered this youth before him as a god.

To be able to use a one-thousand-year red fruit to get the effect of ten thousand-year red fruits, never mind in the country of Yunyang, but who on the whole planet of Ziyun could do this?

Freezing Wind had now smoothly attained level-four of Qi-gathering after consuming the potion made from the thousand-year red fruit, and he became a level-four adept of Qi-gathering with the strength of four bulls.

The Freezing Wind of the past could never have imagined in his wildest dreams that he could achieve this in such a short period of time.

If I was still at Green Wolf Bastion… I would only have just attained level-two of Qi-gathering, Freezing Wind thought to himself.

"Take these two bottles of potion… based on your evaluation, if you are more certain that Zhou Han and Zhou Feng have the potential, give these to them," Zhou Donghuang instructed Freezing Wind, casually tossing the two bottles made from the thousand-year red fruit to him.

After this, only two bottles of potion remained in Zhou Donghuang's possession.

He planned to give one of them to Yun Lu before he left the next day.

…

April 1, 1228 of the Ziyun Era.

Lin Lan and Yun Lu stood at side by side at the main entrance of the Magnolia Guild, staring at the carriage drawn by the three ferghana horses as it vanished into the distance.

"This child… he only told me last night that he would be leaving this morning."

Lin Lan shook her head with a sigh and a bitter smile.

"Mother, Big Brother was worried that if you knew too early, you would not be able to bear it."

Yun Lu consoled her gently. "Mother, even though Big Brother is gone, you still have Xiao Lu to keep you company, so don't feel too sad."

"Silly girl, Mother isn't sad… your big brother has a bright future, and I am happy for him."

Lin Lan smiled as she stroked Yun Lu's little head, and despite what she said, she could not fully conceal the longing in her eyes.

…

Elsewhere.

In the cabin of the carriage, Wu Nanxun looked at Zhou Donghuang incredulously. "You… you are really going to send me home?"

"Why else would I have let you live?"

Zhou Donghuang swept an indifferent gaze over Wu Nanxun. "For the remainder of the journey, you'd better not disrupt my practice… if you annoy me, I will not hesitate to leave you halfway permanently."

Hearing Zhou Donghuang, Wu Nanxun promptly shut his mouth but kept thinking over what he could do to Zhou Donghuang once he reached home.

He has destroyed my meridians and made me a martial invalid, and my life is ruined… when I get home, I'll have to personally cut up his corpse into ten thousand pieces to sate my thirst for vengeance!

While Zhou Donghuang shut his eyes and practiced, Wu Nanxun's eyes burned with hatred as he stared at Zhou Donghuang, rage rising in his heart and threatening to spill out.

On this journey, Fu did not take on the role as Zhou Donghuang's driver, but sat beside Zhou Donghuang, leaning on the door as he practiced.

Now, the carriage was being driven by the two drivers who had driven Wu Nanxun, both side relatives of the governing Wu family of Guangling prefecture.

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Chapter 66: Governor's Household of Guangling prefecture

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the western ridge of the Chu King, the Chu royal city was the center, surrounded by the large and small prefectures dotted around it, like the stars surrounding the moon. Closest to the Chu royal city was the superior prefectures, followed by the intermediate prefectures, while the inferior prefectures were furthest away. Within the western ridge of the Chu King, the inferior prefectures numbered the most at twenty-six, followed by the intermediate prefectures at twelve, while there were only five superior prefectures.

As an inferior prefecture, Yunfeng prefecture was located at the borders of the western ridge of the Chu King. From Yunfeng prefecture to the Chu royal city, one had to pass through an intermediate prefecture and a superior prefecture… the intermediate prefecture was none other than Guangling prefecture.

Guangling prefecture, being an intermediate prefecture, occupied much more land than Yunfeng prefecture. From the border of Guangling prefecture to the capital city of Guangling would take seven days and nights even riding a ferghana horse overnight. From Yunfeng capital city, to leave the prefecture, a ferghana house would not need to rush overnight and would only need three days and nights. Hence, from the capital city of Yunfeng prefecture to the capital city of Guangling prefecture, even if one rode a ferghana horse overnight, it would take ten days and ten nights.

Even then, even though the ferghana horse was supreme among the horses, it would still get tired and would definitely require some rest. Hence, even if one rode a ferghana horse, including the rest time, to reach the Guangling capital city from the Yunfeng capital city would require at least half a month's time. Using a horse-drawn carriage would require about one and a half months, though it would be faster if there were more ferghana horses drawing the carriage.

"Young Master, we have reached the capital," a voice rang from outside the carriage. Wu Nanxun's eyes lit up, and his face was undeniably emotional. A carriage drawn by three ferghana horses took a whole month to reach Guangling capital city from Yunfeng capital city.

"We're here?" At that time, Zhou Donghuang was awoken from his practice. He pulled open the curtain to take a look and saw busier streets and heavier traffic than in Yunfeng capital city.

"No wonder it is the capital city of an intermediate prefecture; the capital city of the inferior Yunfeng prefecture can hardly compare." Zhou Donghuang felt as if he were entering the city after being in the suburbs for a long while.

"I had thought that it would take three months to reach level-six of the gathered qi… who knew that practicing without distractions on this journey that the Way of the Four Supremes would give me such a huge surprise." Zhou Donghuang was extremely pleased with his progress since leaving the capital city of Yunfeng prefecture. "Unless something happens, I will achieve level-six of the gathered qi in about a month's time!"

The original plan of three months had been shortened by almost a third. This was all due to the surprise from the Way of the Four Supremes. The more time spent practicing without any distractions, the quicker the progress. In the past, Zhou Donghuang would always be disturbed every few days while practicing in Qingshan town or the capital city and was unable to achieve absolutely no distractions.

On this journey, because their horse-drawn carriage bore the logo of the Wu family, the governor's household of Guangling prefecture, no thieves dared to rob them, and the occasional animal was driven away by the two Wu disciples who were the coachmen.

Hence, he was able to practice without any distractions throughout and achieved so much progress.

…

The Wu family of the governor's household of Guangling prefecture was not only a grand family but also the premier family in Guangling prefecture.

As the saying went, "Without a lion in the mountains, the monkey calls himself king," the governor's household of Guangling prefecture, which was also the Wu family house, was decorated as if it was a small palace and was extremely luxurious. Being inside it gave one a sense of being in a palace courtyard.

…

In the brilliant hall of the Wu family household.

Zhou Donghuang sat at the head seat, slowly sipping tea from a cup that lay on the table beside him. Fu stood behind him, holding a three-meter long spear shining in black and red. This was none other than the heavy black iron spear that Zhou Donghuang had bought from the Hall of Gods in Yunfeng prefecture.

The first young master of the Wu family, Wu Nanxun, and the two Wu disciples who acted as the coachmen stood there, not daring to breathe. Because of Wu Nanxun's presence, the party had been able to enter the Wu family house to this hall without any obstacles.

"Now, I'm sure you can't wait to call your father over to seek revenge for you, am I right?" Zhou Donghuang put his teacup down and stared at Wu Nanxun.

Wu Nanxun swallowed but did not respond.

"Go ahead," said Zhou Donghuang calmly. "Call your father over… hm, ask him to bring along all the level-six adepts in the Wu family as well. It's no challenge if it's just him alone." Zhou Donghuang shook his head and smiled, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth. The confidence in his smile seemed contagious to all present.

Initially, Wu Nanxun had found it unbelievable that Zhou Donghuang had been so daring to return with him to the Wu family, even thinking that Zhou Donghuang had a death wish. But now, looking at his confidence, he could not help but question himself.

This Zhou Donghuang… could he possibly be confident in destroying all the level-six adepts in the Wu family? However, just as the thought crossed his mind, the vengeful Wu Nanxun pushed it away. No… impossible! Simply impossible! I will look for my father now and have Father capture him. I want to crush him with my bare hands!

His vengeful anger totally overpowered his rationality at this point.

Wu Nanxun left the hall, and the two disciples followed hurriedly as if they could finally heave a sigh of relief. That young man had given them extreme pressure.

Leaving the hall, Wu Nanxun went directly to find his father, the governor of the capital city of Guangling prefecture and the Wu family chief, Wu Wentao.

"Xun'er, you're back?" Wu Wentao was a man in a loose green robe with a medium build and a ferocious face with a mustache. Although half his hair had turned grey, his eyes were alert and sharp.

However, upon seeing Wu Nanxun, his sharp eyes immediately softened. Wu Nanxun was his only son, and so he not only doted fondly on him but also placed high expectations on him. He even planned to let him inherit his position as governor of Guangling prefecture.

"Father!" Seeing Wu Wentao, Wu Nanxun's eyes lit up. His tense face crumbled and he rushed to him, dropped to the ground, and cried while hugging Wu Wentao's thighs.

"Xun'er… what's wrong?!" Wu Wentao's expression changed. He knew his son well, and unless something disastrous happened, he would not have had such a reaction.

"Father, all my meridians have been destroyed. I won't be able to fulfill your hopes and take over your position in the future," Wu Nanxun's voice trembled as he said with a pained face.

"What?!" Wu Wentao's expression changed. He immediately bent down and confirmed that his son had indeed had all his meridians destroyed. His eyes narrowed, and his expression turned stone cold. In that moment, the temperature in the courtyard seemed to drop by a few degrees.

"Xun'er, what… what happened? How did your meridians get destroyed?" Wu Wentao asked. After all, he was the governor and the chief of the grand Wu family. Wu Wentao quickly controlled his anger that threatened to override his rationality.

"Father, it was Zhou Donghuang from Yunfeng prefecture!" Faced with his father's questioning, Wu Nanxun broke into tears as he explained exactly what had happened. As he finished, Wu Wentao's expression darkened. A seventeen-year-old teenager killed two level-five adepts of the Wu family, crippled the son of Wu Wentao and still dared to come to his doorstep?

"Xun'er, he really said… to ask me to call all the level-six adepts in our family over?" Wu Wentao was different from Wu Nanxun, the latter had allowed his anger to override his rational thinking, but although Wu Wentao was furious, he could still think rationally.

That Zhou Donghuang dared to make such bold words; he either had a death wish… or he was really disrespecting the Wu family! From what his son had told him, Zhou Donghuang was clearly not the former.

"Father, he is definitely boasting!" Wu Nanxun said angrily. "But since he wants to have a taste of the level-six adepts in our Wu family, let us show him… I just wish that by then he'll wet his pants in fear!"

"Xun'er, be calm… we will definitely test out Zhou Donghuang. But before confirming that he is just boasting, we cannot offend him further." Wu Wentao was much calmer than Wu Nanxun.

Soon, Wu Wentao sent someone to gather all level-six adepts in the Wu family. Including him, there were a total of four of them together. In the Wu family, there were five level-six adepts, but one had been out recently, so only four were left in the house. But the one who was absent was the least powerful among the five level-six adepts in the family and would have been of little significance.

"Uncle Fan, Second Brother, Head Elder…" After they all had arrived, Wu Wentao told them all that had happened. All three of them were shocked.

"A seventeen-year-old teenager killed both Wu Yunfeng and Wu Hailang with just a single strike?" Wu Yunfeng and Wu Hailang were considered powerful among the level-five adepts in the Wu family. That was why they had been sent to protect their first young master, Wu Nanxun.

Now, upon finding out that the two had been killed instantly by a seventeen-year-old, the three level-six adepts gasped in unison.

"Big Brother, let us head over… I want to see who this demonic young man is," said the second master, a skinny man who looked similar to Wu Wentao but with sharp eyes.

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Chapter 67: Let's Attack Together

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the hall of the Wu family household.

Zhou Donghuang sat at the chief seat and looked at the five people who walked into the hall with an air of calm. "If I remember correctly… there are five level-six adepts in the Wu family? Why are there only four here? Unless… you think that the four of you are enough to defeat me?" As he spoke, his lips rose into a playful smile.

Among the five who had just walked into the hall, one was Wu Nanxun, but the rest were unfamiliar faces to Zhou Donghuang. Two of them looked similar to Wu Nanxun.

"Sir, I am the governor of Guangling prefecture and head of the Wu family, Wu Wentao." Wu Wentao introduced himself as he stepped forward and clasped his hands together. He looked at Zhou Donghuang with a heavy gaze.

Before he had met this youngster, he had not thought anything about it. But upon seeing him for himself, he then understood the meaning of "confidence." It was as if the young man before him would not be bothered even if the sky fell. People with such confidence either had real power or were putting on a front. Wu Wentao had seen countless people in his life and believed that this youngster was more of the latter rather than the former.

"Second Master of the Wu family, Wu Jingtao, level-six adept." After Wu Wentao had finished his introduction, the second master also stepped forward. His skinny body was as straight as a spear, but his gaze was stone-cold as he stared at Zhou Donghuang.

"The Wu family pays its respects. Liu Yifan, level-six adept." After the second master, an old man in a green robe stepped forward. The old man had a huge figure, strong like a bull and although his face was aged and his hair white, but his body looked more like that of a young man.

Once Liu Yifan had stepped forward, Wu Nanxun's eyes flashed with anger as he stared at Zhou Donghuang. He said with a cold smile, "Zhou Donghuang, my grandpa, Liu is the strongest man in Guangling prefecture, and he even trained in the third-grade defensive technique 'Cold Iron Jacket.' No one in Guangling prefecture can break through his defense!"

"Third-grade technique?" Hearing Wu Nanxun's words, Zhou Donghuang looked at the old man with surprise. As far as he knew, in Yunyang country, only two other tycoon families had third-grade techniques apart from the Imperial Court and the king's households. Those two tycoon families were each gifted a third-grade technique because they had done some great work for the Imperial Court. "As far as I know, the third-grade defensive technique 'Cold Iron Jacket' was gifted to the tycoon Liu family by the Imperial Court… are you from the Liu family, governor's household of the Tianwu prefecture?" asked Zhou Donghuang flatly.

"Not bad," said the old man as he raised his head as if he were proud of his identity as a member of the tycoon Liu family.

But what Zhou Donghuang said next caused him to freeze. "Not staying in the tycoon Liu family, but in this small grand family… seems like you could no longer stay in the Liu family?"

Zhou Donghuang's words went straight to the old man's heart because this was something that had dearly upset him. Tycoon families were higher in status than grand families. For a family to become a tycoon family, they required at least a level-eight adept. For the Liu family, besides being the governor's household of the superior Tianwu prefecture, they were also a premier tycoon family with many level-nine adepts.

In the Liu family, a level-six adept who could no longer advance had no status, although he was not cast aside to watch the door or run errands. Liu Yifan was one such person.

"This rascal…" Just as Liu Yifan had been dearly offended by Zhou Donghuang and looked ready to kill him, another old man standing at the side stepped forward and introduced himself. "Head elder of the Wu family, Wu Chong, level-six adept."

"Call the last one over as well," Zhou Donghuang said calmly.

"Hmph!" Liu Yifan snorted as he said, "What an audacious young man! The four of us are more than enough to defeat you!"

"Sir, if you manage to leave in one piece today, your feud with the Wu family will be nulled!" Wu Wentao stared at Zhou Donghuang as he said. If this young man before him could escape unharmed from all four level-six adepts in the Wu family, he was not one that the Wu family could afford to offend. Even if his only son had been injured by him, he could only swallow this bitter pill.

"Escape unharmed?" Zhou Donghuang responded as he laughed dismissively. "You think too highly of yourselves." As he spoke, Zhou Donghuang picked up the 600kg heavy iron spear from Fu's hands. Weighing the spear in his hands, he looked calmly at Wu Wentao and the rest.

"The four of you may come at me together," Zhou Donghuang said calmly as he crossed his legs on the chief seat.

"You… You plan to sit there and fight against us?" Hearing his words and seeing as Zhou Donghuang had no intention of leaving his seat, Wu Jingtao's face darkened. This young man who looked just sixteen or seventeen was too cocky. Was he really looking down on them like that?

"The few of you don't deserve for me to stand up." Zhou Donghuang glanced at Wu Jingtao as he spoke. The disdain in his eyes made Wu Jingtao furious. In a flash, he flew out as he withdrew the three-foot narrow knife from the sheath at his waist.

Whoosh! The narrow knife that looked like a sword flew out, shining brightly. It seemed to come alive in Wu Jingtao's hands, heading straight for Zhou Donghuang as it flew out like a snake. Wu Jingtao had not only displayed the Wu family's lesser-grade swiftness technique, but also the lesser-grade knife technique.

Swoosh! Zhou Donghuang's spear-holding hand shook, and the heavy black iron spear flew like a black bolt of lightning as it struck the knife just four feet away from Zhou Donghuang's eyes.

Clang!

"Ah—!"

As the sound of the weapons striking each other rang out in the air, Wu Jingtao shrieked. As he let go of the narrow knife, the purlicue of his hand was ripped and bleeding profusely.

Smash! The narrow knife that had flown out was stuck in a pillar in the corner of the hall. The blade of the knife was fully stuck within, and the power in which it had flown out was clear. This was the result of just a casual flick of Zhou Donghuang's spear.

"Come together." Zhou Donghuang glanced at Wu Wentao, Liu Yifan and Wu Chong, his voice as calm as before. His expression was also calm and unflinching.

As the three of them watched Zhou Donghuang injure Wu Jingtao with just a stroke of his hand, even making Wu Jingtao's knife fly away, their expressions immediately darkened. Now, hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, they looked at each other and all moved together.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Their three figures flew out together towards Zhou Donghuang.

At the same time, Wu Jingtao rushed to the pillar and used his uninjured left hand to pull the knife out of the pillar, as he prepared to join the attacking army.

Ping! Ping! Ping! However, just as Wu Jingtao pulled his knife out and prepared to join Wu Wentao and the rest, he heard three loud sounds ring beside his ear, accompanied by two painful cries and a loud thud.

As he turned around, the sight before him caused his legs to turn into lead, making him unable to move an inch.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Wu Wentao and Wu Chong flew backward towards a wall in the hall like arrows leaving a bow after being hit by Zhou Donghuang's spear. With a loud crashing sound, the wall which their bodies hit began to crack, lines appearing like a spider's web. Now, even the proclaimed strongest man in Guangling prefecture, Liu Yifan, was also pushed backward many steps by Zhou Donghuang's spear. His eyes widened, and his face was red as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"Truly a third-grade defense technique 'Cold Iron Jacket.' You were only slightly injured by my spear." Zhou Donghuang stood up and walked towards Liu Yifan. He reminded, "Just now, I don't think you were fully defending yourself, but now, let me give you the chance to put on your complete defense… let's see if your 'Cold Iron Jacket' can take another one of my blows!" As he spoke, Zhou Donghuang smiled, revealing a shining set of teeth.

Seeing Zhou Donghuang raise his hand and come towards him with his spear, Liu Yifan knew a clash was unavoidable. His face darkened as he released all the inner qi in his body, displaying the third-grade defense technique 'Cold Iron Jacket' of the Liu family. After he had displayed the Cold Iron Jacket, Liu Yifan looked again at Zhou Donghuang with renewed confidence.

"Qi-stacking!" Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed, and the qi in his body stacked one upon the other. Grasping the spear, he flew like a meteor and landing heavily on the strong chest of Liu Yifan.

The strongest point of defense of the 'Cold Iron Jacket' was on the chest.

Ping! The heavy black iron spear landed heavily as Liu Yifan stepped backward in shock. Seeing this, Wu Wentao and the rest lit up as they believed that Liu Yifan had managed to withstand this blow.

Then in the next moment, they froze.

Whoosh! Liu Yifan's body flew backward in the same moment as he stepped back as if gravity did not exist. The speed at which he flew backward was many times faster than that of Wu Wentao and Wu Chong just now.

Hong! Liu Yifan's body flew through the wall and out of the hall as if it was a bullet, not stopping along the way. It was as if the thick wall was not enough to slow him down at all.

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Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!

…

After the wall had been penetrated, the broken bricks fell to the floor, and the loud crashing sounds shocking the stunned Wu Wentao and the rest.

"Uncle Fan!" The expression of Wu Wentao, governor of Guangling prefecture and Wu family chief, changed entirely. He would never have expected that the youngster could cause Liu Yifan to fly away even after he had displayed the third-grade defense technique, Cold Iron Jacket. Even a level-seven adept could not have such ability.

Wu Second Elder Wu Jingtao, Head Elder Wu Chong and First Young Master Wu Nanxun were all in disbelief as well.

Soon, the four of them walked through the collapsed wall and found the collapsed Liu Yifan more than ten meters away. The robe on his chest was entirely torn, revealing a huge eye-catching bruise. After confirming that Liu Yifan had just been severely injured and not killed, the four others breathed a sigh of relief.

"Head Elder, please bring Uncle Fan downstairs to recuperate," Wu Wentao instructed Wu Chong. He turned to Wu Nanxun and said sadly, "Xun'er, you saw for yourself… the Wu family is not able to avenge you."

"Father, it is me who has implicated all of you," responded Wu Nanxun with a bitter smile. When he witnessed Zhou Donghuang cause Liu Yifan to fly with just a stroke of his weapon, he had realized that the Wu family could not avenge him.

There was simply no one who was Zhou Donghuang's match. Furthermore, after all that he had seen, he realized that he was incredibly lucky to have survived at Zhou Donghuang's hands.

"Now, I just hope that he will forgive our disrespect… with his strength, he can easily decimate our whole Wu family," sighed Wu Wentao.

When the three of them returned to the hall and found that Zhou Donghuang had already left, they all heaved a sigh of relief. This showed that Zhou Donghuang had no intention to continue the dispute with the Wu family.

…

To Zhou Donghuang, he had only one aim in going to the Wu family, which was to scare them and not allow them to have any thoughts of revenge. He was not afraid of their revenge, but he had to consider his mother.

"Fu, find a restaurant, we'll begin our journey after having our meal." After leaving the Wu household and boarding the horse-drawn carriage, Zhou Donghuang instructed Fu. He did not plan to stay long in Guangling prefecture; he planned to go straight to the Chu royal city. There, he could increase his level of gathered qi more quickly… to him, that was the priority. The resources in even the superior prefecture capitals could not compare to those in the royal cities.

"Yes, Young Master," responded Fu. He directed the horse carriage to a decent restaurant nearby. As the governor's household, the Wu family household was in the city center of the capital of Guangling prefecture. Fu found a nearby restaurant in the most prosperous city center of Guangling prefecture capital. It was furnished lavishly and had a huge crowd.

Liuxiang Restaurant was the largest restaurant in the whole of Guangling prefecture and one of the businesses owned by the Wu family. Even Zhou Donghuang's Yunxuan Restaurant was far inferior to this Liuxiang Restaurant.

The restaurant had a dedicated space for leaving carriages. After Fu stopped the carriage there, he called to Zhou Donghuang, "Young Master, we're here."

"Mm." Zhou Donghuang led Fu into the restaurant and asked if there were any private rooms available. The waiter replied, "Sir, the people's dining booth, and the earthly dining booths are all not available… though there is one heavenly dining booth remaining, would you like that?"

Right after, he added, "Sir, the heavenly dining booth here at Liuxiang Restaurant come at a minimum of a thousand liang."

"A thousand liang?" Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed. Even in his Yunxuan Restaurant in Qingshan Town of Yunfeng prefecture, the best heavenly dining booth cost only a hundred liang. But to him now, there was no difference between a hundred and a thousand liang.

"Lead the way," said Zhou Donghuang flatly.

"This way please, sir." The waiter led Zhou Donghuang and Fu to the last available heavenly dining booth in Liuxiang Restaurant. As the heavenly dining booth of Liuxiang Restaurant, the furniture and decor were all extremely particular. Not only were they elaborate, but they gave one a rare sense of the warmth of home.

"Sir, this is our menu, please take a look." The waiter had just prepared to hand the menu to Zhou Donghuang, but he already shook his head and said, "No need for that… just bring us the best dishes you have at this restaurant. Make it quick, we still have a long way to go after eating."

"Yes, sir," replied the waiter as he left.

"Fu, take a seat. In the past month, so much has happened, but we have not yet had a good meal… we'll have a good meal here before we make our way to the Chu royal city."

"Yes, Young Master." Having served Zhou Donghuang for a while, Fu knew Zhou Donghuang would not take 'no' for an answer. When Zhou Donghuang asked him to take a seat, he did not dare to decline at all and sat down immediately. He knew that if he declined, his young master would be even more unhappy. His young master was unlike others: he never treated him as a slave but as a member of his family.

Just as Zhou Donghuang and Fu were seated in the heavenly dining booth and waiting for the food to be served, two figures walked in through the front door of Liuxiang Restaurant. It looked like a 19-year-old teenager with a fifteen or sixteen-year-old young girl.

The teenager wore a long grey robe, with a decently handsome, but arrogant, face. The young girl wore a yellow shirt, looking prim and proper with pretty features and beautifully defined brows. Although there was a childish air about her, it was clear that she was a beauty.

"Cousin, you haven't been to Guangling prefecture capital in five years?" asked the teenager as he smiled.

"Mhm," replied the girl as she nodded. "Almost six years."

"You'll be leaving early tomorrow morning… today afternoon's lunch, take it as my farewell to you." The teenager smiled.

"Thank you, Cousin," said the girl.

"Shop Manager Huang!" Walking into Liuxiang Restaurant, the teenager brought the girl to the counter and said to the man who was accounting behind the counter, "Give us a heavenly dining booth."

"There are no more heavenly dining booths." The man was the shop manager of Liuxiang Restaurant. He replied to the teenager while keeping his head buried in his accounting books.

Seeing this, the teenager impatiently said in a low voice, "Huang Xiong, take a look at who I am."

The man, who was the shop manager of the restaurant, Huang Xiong, raised his head and took a look at the teenager. His expression changed slightly and said awkwardly, "Young Master Ping, it's you… sorry, I was too focused on my bookkeeping just now."

"Are you paying attention now?" The teenager glanced coldly at Huang Xiong and said, "Quickly arrange a heavenly dining booth for me. This afternoon, I want to treat my cousin to a good meal."

"Young Master Ping," said Huang Xiong. "There really are no more heavenly dining booths available… just now, the last one was just taken by two guests. They only just entered a while ago. You also know how good the business is here… even the heavenly dining booths are always fully occupied."

"Just a while ago?" The teenager's brows raised and said flippantly, "That means their first dish has not even been served yet? Alright, ask them to leave and just tell them that I, Lian Ping, want it."

Huang Xiong's expression slipped. "Young Master Ping, this… that wouldn't be too nice, would it?"

"What's wrong? Do I have to ask them to scram myself?" Lian Ping's expression darkened. "Tell them, it is me who wants them to leave, Lian Ping, the first young master of the grand Lian family."

The Lian family was a grand family in Guangling prefecture. Of course, despite also being a grand family, the power of the Lian family was far from the governor's Wu family. The Wu family had many level-six adepts, while the Lian family had just one, who had just achieved that level a few years ago. The Lian family only became a grand family a few years ago.

Seeing as Huang Xiong was hesitant, Lian Ping's eyes flashed coldly and said, "Huang Xiong, if you still do not go… trust me, I'll tell my uncle to make you leave!"

"Young Master Ping, I'll go right away." Huang Xiong's expression changed. He then remembered that the teenager before him was not only the first young master of the Lian family, but also the nephew of his boss.

With that, Huang Xiong left the counter hurriedly and rushed towards the heavenly dining booth.

After Huang Xiong had left, the girl beside him shook her head gently. "Cousin, actually there is no need for so much trouble. It's fine if there are no more dining booths, we can eat in the common hall… I'm not that precious."

"Cousin, don't bother about it, just leave it to me," Lian Ping said with a laugh. "Just wait a moment, we'll go to the heavenly dining booth right away."

To Lian Ping, few people dared to offend him in Guangling prefecture capital. But after a while, Huang Xiong returned with a bitter smile. Immediately, Lian Ping's expression darkened again. "What's wrong? They refused to leave?"

Huang Xiong said with a forced smile. "Young Master Ping, they said they would leave once they were done eating and asked you to wait."

"Did you not tell them I'm the one who wants that booth?" Lian Ping asked coldly.

"I did… but they still asked you to wait." Huang Xiong forced out a smile, feeling that he had been put in a tight spot.

"Did you not tell them that… the owner of this restaurant, the second master of the Wu governor's household, Wu Jingtao, is my uncle?" asked Lian Ping again.

"I did… he said, let Second Master tell him himself," Huang Xiong replied as he shook his head in resignation.

"What arrogance!" Lian Ping's eyes flashed coldly. "Bring me there, I want to see for myself who this man is!"

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Chapter 69: Back Again

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lian Ping was the first young master of the grand Lian family of Guangling prefecture capital. His aunt was married to the second master of the governor Wu family, Wu Jingtao. As Wu Jingtao and his wife had no children, they doted fondly on their nephew. Whenever Lian Ping got into any trouble that the Lian family could not solve, they were always the ones who cleaned up the mess. Soon, to Lian Ping, there were few people whom he could not offend in Guangling prefecture. And even if there were, he knew all of them, and the shop manager of Liuxiang Restaurant, Huang Xiong, would definitely recognize them as well.

"Cousin, since they came first and do not wish to give up their booth, we do not have to force them to as well. Let's just eat in the common hall," persuaded the girl, seeing Lian Ping ask Huang Xiong to bring him to the heavenly dining booth.

"Cousin," Lian Ping said with a serious face. "Now, this is not about the booth… I want to see who dares to disrespect me in Guangling prefecture capital!"

…

Knock! Knock!

Inside the heavenly dining booth, Zhou Donghuang heard a knock and thought it was the food being served. But when the door opened, he saw the shopkeeper who had left just a while ago, Huang Xiong. Beside him stood two other people, a teenager and a young girl.

"Your Liuxiang Restaurant does business like this?" Zhou Donghuang looked calm, but his voice was stone-cold. Without a doubt, he knew that the person who had requested for him to give up the heavenly dining booth was the two people standing before him.

"So it is the two of you who dare to disrespect me, Lian Ping, and refuse to give up the heavenly dining booth?" As he walked in, Lian Ping glanced at Zhou Donghuang and Fu with fury in his eyes.

"You are the nephew of Wu Jingtao?" asked Zhou Donghuang as he glanced at Lian Ping. Wu Jingtao? Second master of the governor's household, the Wu family? The skinny man whom he had severely injured with a flick of his weapon in the hall of the governor's household just now?

"That's right!" Lian Ping raised his head proudly. "Wu Jingtao, second master of the Wu family, governor's household of Guangling prefecture, is my uncle. He is also the owner of this Liuxiang Restaurant." With that, he looked at Zhou Donghuang with disdain. "Now, I'm sure you understand the situation here? Today, you must give up this heavenly dining booth regardless of your choice… because you simply don't have a choice!" His gaze was condescending and arrogant.

"Hmph!" Fu stood up and stared furiously at Lian Ping. "Even if your uncle, Wu Jingtao was here, he would not dare to treat my young master so disrespectfully! Who are you?"

"Hahaha…" Hearing Fu's words, Lian Ping was first taken aback, then could not help but break into laughter. With tears flying out of his eyes, he said, "You think that just based on that, I'll believe you and leave quietly? Ridiculous!" Lian Ping did not believe Fu at all, thinking that he was just putting on a front. In Guangling prefecture, there was nobody his uncle feared.

"Fu, throw him out." At Zhou Donghuang's command, Fu immediately stretched out with his pincer-like hands. As his hands landed on Lian Ping, he could hardly struggle and was thrown out easily.

Hong! Before he could react, Lian Ping was already thrown out of the booth by Fu. Initially, after having used the potion concocted from the thousand-year red fruit, Fu had achieved level-three of the gathered qi. Additionally, he was trained in the premier Fiery Thunder Training Regimen, and upon entering level-three of the gathered qi, his internal strength was fully realized, not needing the Nerve-Easing, Marrow-Cleansing Needle like Freezing Wind to stimulate all the strength within him.

Now, Fu's qi was stronger than most level-three adepts. Furthermore, with his internal strength and the techniques that Zhou Donghuang had taught him, he could easily defeat any adepts below level-five of the gathered qi.

Although Lian Ping was the first young master of the grand Lian family and had talent, at his young age of 20 years, he had not even achieved level-three of the gathered qi. Needless to say, he was hardly Fu's rival.

"Tss…" the scene before him made Huang Xiong draw a sharp gasp of air. As the shop manager of Liuxiang Restaurant, he was also a level-four adept, but he knew that even though he had the power to throw Lian Ping out of the booth, he could definitely not do it as easily as the honest young man in front of him.

"So powerful!" The young girl's expression turned serious. The honest young man who looked harmless looked even younger than her cousin but was undeniably stronger than him. Although she was just from the side family of a tycoon family with a low level of qi, her insight was no less than Huang Xiong's.

"Sir, allow me to apologise on behalf of my cousin," said the young girl as she bowed to Zhou Donghuang. "My cousin just wanted to give me a farewell treat in this heavenly dining booth, so he had asked you to leave."

Zhou Donghuang only glanced at the young girl and turned to look at Huang Xiong and said flatly, "If I do not receive my food soon… you'll bear the consequences!" As he said this, a murderous glint flashed across his eyes. He never thought that they would encounter such a thing on the rare chance they had a meal outside.

"Yes, yes, yes… sir, I will arrange for it immediately," Huang Xiong responded as he left. Now, as slow as he was, he could also tell that this young man in white was no simple figure and definitely not one he could afford to offend. What a joke! Even a servant who was just eighteen or nineteen years old had as much power as him, how strong could this young man be? Furthermore, since the start, although he knew of Lian Ping's identity, the young man had no intention of giving in. This was enough to explain many things.

After Huang Xiong left, the young girl looked again at Zhou Donghuang and bowed slightly. "Sir, Liu Li takes her leave." With that, the young girl left and closed the dining booth door.

"Cousin, let's go," said Liu Li softly to Lian Ping, who was standing outside sheepishly. "I don't want to have this meal anymore."

"Cousin, just hold on… I'll call my uncle here to make him scram!" After being embarrassed so many times in front of his cousin, Lian Ping's face contorted into an evil expression.

"Cousin, what you did was wrong anyway. For someone to give up the dining booth for you would be a favor, not an obligation, there was no need to force it… Furthermore, as a teenager even younger than you but with such power, I don't think you should worsen the conflict between the two of you," sighed the young girl as she shook her head in disappointment t Lian Ping. Without a pause, she turned and walked out of the restaurant. "Cousin, I'll go back first." After the whole fiasco, she had no appetite left.

Until the young girl's figure had disappeared, Lian Ping recovered and stared coldly at the heavenly dining booth before him. He muttered, "Today, no matter how powerful you are, I will make you bow before me!"

With a deep breath, Lian Ping left Liuxiang Restaurant and went straight to the Wu family in the nearby governor's household.

"Young Master Ping." The disciples of the Wu family who were watching the door recognized him and allowed him in without question.

Lian Ping went straight to the courtyard where his uncle, Wu Jingtao stayed. But he did not find Wu Jingtao there, only his aunt, Lian Feng. Lian Feng was a beautiful lady dressed elegantly, who was not just the wife of the second master of the Wu family and governor's household of Guangling prefecture, but also the sister of the chief of the grand Lian family.

"Aunt, where is Uncle?" asked Lian Ping hurriedly.

"Your uncle was called over by his elder brother just now and is not back yet. He should be out for some important matters… Ping'er, why is your face injured?" Not long after the incident in the Wu family hall, Lian Feng still did not know about her husband being injured by the young man. Seeing Lian Ping's injured face, she was worried about him.

"Aunt, you must stand up for me!" Lian Ping told her the full story without hiding anything.

"A teen even younger than you is stronger than you?" Hearing Lian Ping's story, Lian Feng's eyes narrowed. "Furthermore, he said that even our second master does not dare to disrespect his young master? I want to see who on earth this young master is… if he is really someone of status, then there's nothing we can do about it. But if not, and he dares to disrespect our second master and tarnish his name and even injured you… he won't be stepping out of Liuxiang Restaurant today!"

With that, a murderous glint flashed across Lian Feng's eyes.

…

In the heavenly dining booth of Liuxiang Restaurant, a whole table's worth of dishes had been served, and Zhou Donghuang and Fu had already begun to dig ravenously into the food, as if a tornado swept across the table. After a month on the road, they had not had a proper meal. This meal was the first proper meal they had had since leaving Yunfeng prefecture capital.

Knock! Knock! Knocks on the door rang across the room. Fu raised his brows slightly, "Aren't all the dishes here?" Although confused, Fu called out, "Come in."

The dining booth door swung open. Huang Xiong stood courteously to the side as a beautiful lady walked slowly into the room, accompanied by a maid, a man and a teenager.

"It's you again!" Seeing the teenager behind the lady, Fu's eyes flashed. The man was none other than Lian Ping, whom he had just thrown out of the booth a while ago.

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Chapter 70: Call Second Master Here

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Aunt, this is the one who threw me out just now," Lian Ping told the well-dressed, elegant lady beside him as he stared coldly at Fu.

The lady glanced past Fu and stared at Zhou Donghuang, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. "I am the lady boss of Liuxiang Restaurant, Lian Feng. How may I address you?"

At first, knowing that this young man's servant who was not even twenty years old could defeat her nephew, she had guessed that this was no simple young man. Now, as she saw him in the flesh, the young man seemed to display some extraordinary aura that made her feel that this man must have some prestigious background. Hence, she was very cautious and courteous with her words.

"Zhou Donghuang." Zhou Donghuang rose slowly, threw a glance at Lian Feng, then looked back down at the dishes on the table. The whole time, he looked extremely calm, as if there was not a tinge of surprise.

"So it is Young Master Donghuang." Lian Feng's smile widened as she said, "But Young Master Donghuang, where do you come from?"

At the same time, Lian Feng was racking her brains to think of any Zhou families in the country of Yunyang, but after thinking for a while, she could not recall any families named Zhou… from the imperial court to the preeminent families, none of them were named Zhou.

"Yunfeng prefecture," responded Zhou Donghuang, without even raising his head.

With that, he called Fu, "Fu, quickly finish your food, we'll leave once we're done."

"Yes, Young Master," replied Fu as he ducked back into the food.

Zhou Donghuang and Fu, master and servant, ate the food ravenously as if there was nobody else, completely ignoring Lian Feng, Lian Ping and the rest.

"Yunfeng prefecture?" Lian Feng frowned. Wasn't that an inferior prefecture? Her eldest nephew, which was the first young master of the Wu governor's household, Wu Nanxun, had married a lady from a preeminent family in Yunfeng prefecture as a concubine. To her, Yunfeng prefecture was an insignificant place where even birds would not lay an egg. Even the governor of Yunfeng prefecture had to be respectful to her.

"Young Master Donghuang, you must have passed by Yunfeng prefecture on your way to Guangling prefecture. Someone like you does not look like you grew up in that inferior prefecture," Lian Feng probed as she smiled. She was a patient person.

"What? Are you looking down on us from Yunfeng prefecture?" Zhou Donghuang was finally full. He put his chopsticks down, raised his head and looked playfully at Lian Feng.

"You really are from Yunfeng?" asked Lian Feng. She froze as she stared unblinkingly at Zhou Donghuang. Up till now, she did not dare to believe that this young man could have come from a small place like Yunfeng prefecture.

"No doubt about it," replied Zhou Donghuang.

"Aunt, you're being too careful… someone from an inferior prefecture, even if there is a strong servant beside him, what kind of background could he possibly have?" Hearing that Zhou Donghuang was from Yunfeng prefecture, Lian Ping's gaze turned icy cold. Now, hearing his response to Lian Feng, Lian Ping could not help but stand up and tell her, "Aunt, just now, he allowed his evil servant to throw me out of this booth… You must stand up for me!!" He cried angrily as he stared at Lian Feng with fiery eyes.

At the same time, Lian Feng's face also turned stone cold. "This guest, you ate at my Liuxiang Restaurant, but insulted my nephew… don't you owe me an explanation?" After getting Zhou Donghuang's confirmation twice and verified that he was indeed from Yunfeng prefecture, Lian Feng also did not think that he could possibly have any surprising background… Just as her nephew had said, what kind of background could someone from an inferior prefecture have? Hence, she had nothing to fear. In fact, she even felt that being so respectful to someone from an inferior prefecture was simply beneath her status. The more she thought of how she had just acted, the more disgusted and furious she was at herself. Thus, upon hearing Lian Ping's words, Lian Feng's expression changed completely.

"Owe you an explanation?" Zhou Donghuang looked at Lian Feng with a curious look on his face and laughed. "Why don't you ask me why I asked Fu to throw your nephew out?"

Lian Feng laughed coldly. "I, Lian Feng, am the lady boss of this restaurant. Of course, my nephew has priority to use the heavenly dining booth… since the dishes were not served yet, you should have given up the booth when he asked you to. In fact… with just a call from me, I can blacklist you and bar you from ever coming back to Liuxiang Restaurant!" said Lian Feng in a low voice.

"Your husband is Wu Jingtao?" asked Zhou Donghuang suddenly.

"That's right!" answered Lian Feng as she nodded. "My husband is not only the owner of this restaurant, but also the second master of the Wu governor's family, and a level-six adept… Today, if he was here, you wouldn't be walking out alive!" As she spoke, a menacing glint flashed across her eyes as she looked at Zhou Donghuang.

"Really?" responded Zhou Donghuang with a smile. "That Wu Jingtao is so bold? I couldn't tell."

"You know my husband?" Lian Feng frowned.

"I wouldn't say 'know', but we've met," replied Zhou Donghuang calmly.

"Aunt." Just then, Lian Ping spoke up, "Don't forget I told you just now… his evil servant boasted to me that even if Uncle was here, he would not dare to misbehave in front of his young master."

"I forgot about that." Lian Feng then remembered what Lian Ping had told her. Immediately, a layer of ice seemed to freeze over her face. "You hurt my nephew in my restaurant and even disrespected my family's second master and the boss of this restaurant. Today, if you and your servant don't leave something behind, don't even think of leaving!" Lian Feng's eyes flashed with fury.

"Oh?" Zhou Donghuang's eyes shone. "So what… would you like us to leave?"

Before Lian Feng could answer, Lian Ping jumped in and said coldly, "Leave a leg behind!"

"Is that what you mean too?" Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed sharply, his tone turning cold as he looked calmly at Lian Feng.

Lian Feng's eyes flashed. "That is exactly what I meant!" With that, Lian Feng ordered, "Wu Gan, break off one of their legs and then throw them out of the restaurant!"

"Yes, ma'am." The man behind Lian Feng was none other than Wu Gan, the disciple whom Wu Jingtao had sent to protect her. Wu Gan then turned and looked sharply at Zhou Donghuang and Fu. He walked forward towards them quickly.

"Fu." Before Wu Gan did anything, Zhou Donghuang could tell that he was of decent power, but had not entered level-five of the gathered qi. Such an opponent would be good training for Fu. Although Fu was powerful, he lacked real fighting experience and needed more sparring practice. This Wu Gan would be a good test for him.

Ho! Instantly, Fu rose to his feet and advanced towards Wu Gan using Star-Stepping Footwork. Although his movements seemed more unfamiliar than what Zhou Donghuang exhibited, his speed was not slower than that of his opponent's lesser-grade swiftness technique.

In a moment, the two reached each other and began their battle. At the beginning, Fu was being overpowered by Wu Gan, but soon, Fu turned the tables and completely subdued his opponent.

This sight alarmed Lian Feng and the rest. Wu Gan was not just any level-four adept but was the supreme level-four adept in the Wu family. That was why he had been sent to protect Lian Feng.

Bang!! In another few moments, Fu, who had become very well-versed in the Star-Stepping Footwork and the Weighted Sand Palm, drifted in a flash and landed his palm on Wu Gan's chest, pushing him backward and defeating him.

"Ma'am, I can't fight him," Wu Gan told Lian Feng with a bitter smile as fresh blood spilled from his mouth.

"I can see that." Lian Feng's expression was extremely dark as she turned to the maid and said, "You, go back to the household and call Second Master here!"

After the maid had left, Lian Feng looked at Zhou Donghuang and Fu coldly. "The two of you don't even think of escaping now… Even if you leave Liuxiang Restaurant or even Guangling prefecture, you won't be able to escape from the clutches of our Wu family. Our Wu family is the governor of Guangling prefecture!"

"Young Master," Fu ignored Lian Feng and asked Zhou Donghuang politely. "Now that we're done eating… should we leave now or later?"

"Let's leave later," replied Zhou Donghuang. Now, he was in no hurry to leave. He wanted to see what Lian Feng's husband, the second master of the Wu governor's household, Wu Jingtao, had to say about this. Furthermore, seeing Fu defeat Wu Gan made him think of a task that he could get Wu Jingtao to do.

"At least you know your place!" Seeing that Zhou Donghuang had no intention of leaving, Lian Ping said with an evil laugh. "If you don't escape, you'll only leave a leg behind… But if you do, once this matter blows up and the governor sends his troops after you, you will both be dead!"

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The governor's household of Guangling prefecture.

The governor's mansion.

"Big brother, in that case, I'm going back first."

After Wu Jingtao wrapped his wound between his thumb and index finger in bandages at the residence of his big brother, Wu Wentao, he stayed to discuss some matters with him for about half an hour more before bidding him farewell.

The subject of their discussion was centered on the display of godly might by that youth in white in the receiving chamber of the Wu family.

A youth of only seventeen years old had an ability that surpassed an ordinary level-seven adept of Qi-gathering, and they had never before been so shocked.

Because of this, they had come to an understanding: even if they could not be friends with this youth, they must not become enemies!

"Second Master."

On the way back to his residence, Wu Jingtao met his wife Lian Feng's handmaid, looking harried and flustered as though she had just met with an emergency.

"What is it? How is my wife?"

Wu Jingtao looked with a slight frown at the handmaid who was hurrying towards him.

As he recalled, this handmaid was almost always beside his wife, following her like a shadow, but now she had left his wife. Seeing how flustered she was, it was obvious something had happened.

"Second Master, my lady is still at Liuxiang Restaurant," the handmaid said hurriedly. "It was she who instructed me to call you over… there's a commotion at Liuxiang Restaurant, Brother Wu Gan has been defeated, so my lady told me to call you over."

"Someone's making a scene?"

"Wu Gan has been defeated?"

As soon as the handmaid finished speaking, Wu Jingtao's expression changed completely, and with a flash, his body became light as cotton, and he vanished from the handmaid's sight.

What gall, daring to make a scene in the Wu family's Liuxiang Restaurant?

Wu Jingtao rushed at top speed towards Liuxiang Restaurant, cold light shining from his eyes as the anger grew in his heart.

No matter who it is, they better not think of leaving in one piece!

Half an hour before, although Wu Jingtao had been completely cowed by that youth, he still harbored a great deal of resentment.

Now that he had been told that someone was making a scene, the resentment in his heart surged forth and could not be held back!

Wu Jingtao was furious, and someone had to bear the brunt of his anger.

…

Liuxiang Restaurant

The heavenly dining booth.

Zhou Donghuang was sitting up straight at the table with his legs up, one hand on the table, tapping without rhythm as he waited calmly and patiently.

Fu stood respectfully behind Zhou Donghuang, giving the three people standing at the door occasional cold, mocking looks.

Out of the four people who had come together with Lian Feng, other than Lian Ping and Wu Gan, the servant girls had been instructed by Lian Feng to leave, and the chief steward of Liuxiang Restaurant, Huang Xiong had also been sent to attend to other matters in Liuxiang Restaurant.

The three remaining people waited at the door of the heavenly dining booth.

He should be here soon.

Lian Feng told herself, doing a quick calculation.

Not ten breaths after Lian Feng's thought, she heard a thunderous, angry voice from outside the heavenly dining booth.

"Who dares to make a scene in the Wu family's Liuxiang Restaurant?"

Although the door was shut, the people inside could clearly make out the newcomer's rage.

Pong!!

The doors of the booth were thrown open with a crash, and the silhouette of a straight-backed and pencil-thin man appeared before those present.

Zhou Donghuang and Fu saw at first glance that the newcomer was none other than Wu Jingtao, the second master of the governing Wu family whom they had seen just half an hour ago.

"Second Master."

Lian Feng was the first to meet the newcomer as Wu Gan bowed in respect to him.

"Uncle."

Lian Ping also stepped forward, looking excitedly at the newcomer with newfound self-confidence, as though he had been reborn because of Wu Jingtao's presence.

"Second Master, how did you hurt your hand?"

Lian Feng looked at her husband's bandaged hand, her expression changing.

"It's nothing, just a small wound."

Seeing Lian Feng, Wu Jingtao's originally furious expression became much calmer, and he dutifully forced out a smile. He seemed to remember something, and his expression changed as he demanded coldly in a deep voice, "Who is creating a scene in the Wu family's Liuxiang Restaurant?"

Wu Jingtao's gaze had already swept over Wu Gan and Lian Ping who were behind Lian Feng and had fallen on the youth and the young man standing behind him in the booth.

As soon as he had seen them, Wu Jingtao's eyes widened, and his foul expression froze on his face.

"Uncle!"

Just as Wu Jingtao was staring at Zhou Donghuang and Fu, Lian Ping stepped forward and looked back at them, and said angrily with a savage expression, "They are the ones!"

"They not only threw me out of the booth but also showed no respect to Aunty and injured Wu Gan, Uncle you…"

Just as Lian Ping was about to make Wu Jingtao angrier, a loud slap rang out in the booth.

Piak!

It was Wu Jingtao who looked flustered. He gave Lian Ping a slap without any warning and interrupted him halfway.

"Uncle…. Uncle?"

The side of Lian Ping's face began to swell, and his eyes were full of shock, and he wore a puzzled expression. He had no idea why his uncle had suddenly hit him.

Swish!!

Earlier, Lian Feng noticed the way her husband had looked at Zhou Donghuang and Fu, and now that her husband had given Lian Ping a slap, her expression changed in an instant as she came to a realization.

The youth in white really did know her husband.

And her husband really did seem to be extremely fearful of the youth.

"He… he was lying to us just now, right?"

Just then, Lian Feng assumed that the youth in white was deliberately lying to them saying that he was from the inferior-level Yunfeng prefecture, and she did not think that her husband would be afraid of someone from a tiny inferior-level prefecture.

"Dong… Young Master Donghuang!"

After giving Lian Ping a slap, Wu Jingtao's rage seemed to have been extinguished without a trace, and he looked at Zhou Donghuang nervously with a bitter smile as he clasped his hands in greeting and bowed to Zhou Donghuang.

"I… I did not know it was you."

Immediately, Lian Ping's expression changed.

Although he was pampered, he was not stupid, and he could easily tell that his uncle was fearful of Zhou Donghuang.

Zhou Donghuang merely looked at Wu Jingtao with an indifferent expression, seeming to smile and not smile at the same time.

Behind Zhou Donghuang, Fu laughed cooly.

"Second Master Wu, magnificent!"

"This nephew of yours, as well as your wife, were boasting that he would break both mine and my young master's leg before throwing us out of Liuxiang Restaurant."

At Fu's words, Wu Jingtao immediately felt a darkness descend over his eyes, and he almost fainted from fright.

His nephew Lian Ping and his wife Lian Feng actually threatened to maim Zhou Donghuang's leg?

Now, even his elder brother, the governor of Guangling prefecture, the patriarch of the grand Wu family, Wu Wentao, dared not raise such an outcry before Zhou Donghuang.

"Scoundrel!"

Without any hesitation, Wu Jingtao looked back at Lian Feng with a flash of regret and determination and lashed out immediately by a kick that broke Lian Feng's leg with a snap which, followed by her groan of pain.

Lian Feng's delicate features were scrunched up, her whole body trembling violently, and she collapsed to the ground.

Obviously, she was trying to resist the intense pain from her broken leg.

Seeing this, even Zhou Donghuang could not help raising his eyebrows in surprise at this woman's endurance.

"Uncle, don't!"

As Lian Ping saw Wu Jingtao stride quickly towards him, realization seemed to dawn on him, and his expression changed as he took a step back in fear.

Ka-chak!!

"Ahhhh—!"

As he suffered the same fate as Lian Feng, he fell to the ground with a shrill wail like a pig being slaughtered, and only when Wu Jingtao spoke up in a cold voice did he make an effort to stop.

"Keep on wailing and I'll kill you, little brat!"

This one sentence from Wu Jingtao scared him into silence, and his whole body trembled with pain as he broke out in a cold sweat from head to toe.

"Young Master Donghuang, does this punishment… are you satisfied?"

After he broke both Lian Feng's and Lian Ping's leg without warning, Wu Jingtao bowed to Zhou Donghuang once again, his voice full of anxiety and unease.

The display of godly might just half an hour ago from this youth was still fresh in his memory.

After that, he and his elder brother Wu Wentao had arrived at a conclusion while he was bandaging his wound: this youth was at least a level-seven adept of Qi-gathering. Moreover, he was not just any ordinary level-seven adept, but an outstanding one.

This was not someone the Wu family could take on.

Therefore, he had punished his beloved wife and his dear nephew without hesitation as soon as he knew that they had offended Zhou Donghuang in order to placate him and avoid his wrath.

Under the anxious gaze of Wu Jingtao, Zhou Donghuang stood up and left the heavenly dining booth with Fu.

Seeing this, Wu Jingtao heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that the youth did not intend to pursue the matter.

Just then, they heard Zhou Donghuang's indifferent voice from outside the booth. "I'll give you fifteen minutes to get things in order, then you'll be our driver and take us to the Chu royal city."

Zhou Donghuang was evidently speaking to Wu Jingtao.

Hearing this, both Lian Feng and Lian Ping momentarily forgot their pain and subconsciously looked at Wu Jingtao.

The esteemed second master of the governing Wu family as a driver?

Was this not humiliating him?

However, Wu Jingtao merely replied in a pained voice, "Yes, Young Master Donghuang."

Immediately, Lian Feng's and Lian Ping's eyes widened in surprise, disbelief on their faces.

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Chapter 72: Arrival at the Chu Royal City

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lian Feng and Lian Ping felt that Wu Jingtao would never agree to the immense shame of being Zhou Donghuang 's driver.

However, Wu Jingtao's reply had stunned them completely.

"Second Master, you… you…"

Lian Feng looked at Wu Jingtao in disbelief. As the wife of Wu Jingtao, she understood him better than anyone.

With the self-respect that Wu Jingtao had, he would rather die than suffer such humiliation.

"Feng'er, I'm sorry."

Wu Jingtao looked tenderly at Lian Feng's leg that he had broken himself. She was his first wife, and he was always tender and loving towards her and would not have taken such action unless it was absolutely necessary.

"When I struck you and Ping'er, it was all calculated and with good care and rehabilitation, both your legs should recover fully in about half a year," Wu Jingtao said as he helped Lian Feng and Lian Ping mend their broken bones. He was an intermediate-level medicine master, and treating such injuries was child's play for him.

Hearing Wu Jingtao's words, Lian Ping's eyes lit up, and he managed to resist the terrible pain from his thigh as he asked, "Uncle, what on earth is that Zhou Donghuang's background? Why are you even afraid of him?"

At Lian Ping's question, Lian Feng looked at Wu Jingtao as well with similar suspicion in her eyes.

"He does not have any background."

Thinking of what his nephew, Wu Nanxun had told him about Zhou Donghuang's background, Wu Jingtao shook his head with a bitter smile.

"He has no background?"

Lian Ping and Lian Feng were stunned.

"He is an ordinary person born and bred in Yunfeng prefecture, what kind of background can he have? Even the governor of Yunfeng prefecture would not dare remain standing if I asked him to kneel!" Wu Jingtao said with a sigh.

"Is he really from Yunfeng prefecture?"

Lian Feng was stupefied, and Lian Ping was also looking blankly at Wu Jingtao, disbelief in his eyes and on his face.

Lian Ping recovered shortly and asked with incomprehension, "Uncle, if he has no background, why are you afraid of him?"

"He has no family background…"

Wu Jingtao's eyes gleamed, and he said in a low voice, "But he himself is a level-seven adept of Qi-gathering, and not just an ordinary level-seven adept at that!

"Do you think such a person would need any kind of background in front of me?"

Wu Jingtao threw Lian Ping's question back at him.

"What?!"

This time, not only were Lian Ping and Lian Feng dumbfounded, but Wu Gan, who was standing to the side, was also dumbfounded.

That youth who looked sixteen or seventeen years old at most was actually a level-seven adept of Qi-gathering?

"Impossible!"

Lian Ping shook his head. "How old is he, how could he be a level-seven adept… Uncle, are you mistaken?"

"Me, mistaken?"

Wu Jingtao lifted his right hand and looked at his bandaged hand. "This injury on my hand was inflicted by him just half an hour ago."

As the three of them sat in stunned silence, Wu Jingtao looked at Lian Feng and continued, "Half an hour ago, in the receiving chamber of our Wu family mansion, I was the first to be injured by him… then, my elder brother, Uncle Fan, and Head Elder took him on together. He sent my elder brother and Head Elder flying in one exchange with his spear and put them out of the fight.

"All that time, he was sitting in the wooden armchair in the receiving chamber as he fought us.

"Although Uncle Fan withstood his first attack with his spear, he was injured… then he got up and sent Uncle Fan flying through the wall with a single thrust of his spear, and he landed unconscious more than ten meters away."

"Now, the wall of the receiving chamber has still not been repaired yet."

Lian Feng and the others trembled more and more violently with every word that Wu Jingtao said, and they had not regained their wits even by the time Wu Jingtao had finished speaking.

Although what Wu Jingtao said seemed incredible, they knew that he had no need to lie.

"Uncle Fan is acknowledged as the strongest man in Guangling prefecture, and with his mastery of the third-grade technique, Cold Iron Jacket, no one in Guangling prefecture can break his defense… even he was no match?"

Lian Feng was so frightened that she turned white as a sheet, and thinking back on her earlier display of arrogance before Zhou Donghuang, she was simply grateful that she had escaped with her life.

"Why else would I say that he is not an ordinary level-seven adept?"

Wu Jingtao gave a bitter smile.

"Uncle, why would he go to the governor's house, and moreover raise his hand against you?"

Lian Ping thought of this key question.

"He came back with Xun'er."

Wu Jingtao's eyes flashed, and he related the details of what had happened to Wu Nanxun in the capital of Yunfeng prefecture. "He probably only raised his hand against us to establish his superiority, so that we would not dare seek revenge on his family."

"But we never imagined that after establishing his superiority, he would go for a meal at Liu Xiang Restaurant and come into conflict with you all."

As he finished, Wu Jingtao could not help sighing.

Lian Feng, Lian Ping and Wu Gan were still thinking about Wu Nanxun's misfortune, and they did not recover their senses for a long time.

Wu Nanxun, the young governor of Guangling prefecture and the cream of Guangling prefecture, had his meridians maimed by the youth they had just encountered?

Right then, Lian Ping realized how fortunate he had been and broke out in a cold sweat.

Compared to Wu Nanxun, his leg would recover completely, and the injury could be considered insignificant.

"If I were alone, and he asked me to be his carriage driver, I would never cooperate given my temperament… but I have the Wu family to think about, and I dare not refuse him."

It was because he was afraid that the youth would take his wrath out on the governing Wu family of Guangling prefecture that Wu Jingtao had no choice but to comply with Zhou Donghuang's request.

"Second Master, you have been wronged for the sake of the family."

Lian Feng sighed.

"Uncle, he… he won't take revenge on me, will he?" Lian Ping asked anxiously.

"If he wanted to, he wouldn't have left… I think that what I did to you both has placated his anger."

Wu Jingtao shook his head and instructed Lian Feng on some matters before leaving Liu Xiang restaurant to look for that youth.

Of course, before he left, Wu Jingtao emphasized to Lian Feng and Lian Ping that they were not to even think about going to Yunfeng prefecture and taking revenge against that youth's family, or they would only end up bringing disaster to the Wu and Lian families.

Once Lian Feng and Lian Ping had known how Wu Nanxun had been maimed by that youth and how the governing Wu family of Guangling prefecture could only accept it, they were completely cowed and did not even entertain any thoughts of revenge against that youth.

…

Earlier at Liuxiang Restaurant, Zhou Donghuang was planning to get Wu Jingtao to send two Wu family juniors of reasonable ability to drive his carriage and take him to the Chu royal city when he arrived.

Although Fu could also drive the carriage, it would affect his practice.

Therefore, he intended to get someone else to drive the carriage.

When Wu Jingtao arrived, he felt that other than another level-six adept, no one else in the Wu family was more suitable to be his driver.

With Wu Jingtao's ability, the journey to the Chu royal city would be much less tedious.

Because of this, he could focus even more intensely on practicing The Lord of the Four Supremes.

Under those conditions, his level of practice would progress at great speed, and perhaps he would be able to smoothly attain level-eight of Qi-gathering before he reached the Chu royal city.

On the road here from Yunfeng prefecture, the rate of practice kept increasing when I was able to practice The Lord of the Four Supremes without distraction… and it kept increasing even when we reached the capital of Guangling prefecture.

In other words, the rate of practice is not yet at a maximum.

From Guangling prefecture to the Chu royal city, even with three ferghana horses pulling the carriage at top speed, it would take at least four months… if my rate of practice can keep increasing during this period of time, never mind level-seven, I'll even be able to attain level-eight of Qi-gathering by the time we reach the Chu royal city!

Level-seven of Qi-gathering is just the conservative estimate for practicing uninterrupted for two months with the maximum rate of practice.

At this thought, Zhou Donghuang's eyes were filled with longing.

"Uninterrupted" did not mean that there could be no breaks while practicing, but that while taking breaks from practicing, there could not be too many distractions that divided one's attention. Just eating and resting would not affect the state of mind required for uninterrupted practice.

For example, during his second last trip to the capital of Guangling prefecture, that uninterrupted state of practice had been forcibly disrupted.

Now, to enter a similar state of practice, he would need to start all over again.

The Lord of the Four Supremes was only a technique that could be practiced until the level of divine essence… However, just the portion comprising the stage of Qi-gathering is enough to defeat any of the techniques that I know of in ten thousand civilizations in the universe!

Sitting in the cabin of the carriage, Zhou Donghuang's eyes gleamed and he thought to himself, If The Lord of the Four Supremes can only be practiced until the stage of fundamental essence… just the uniqueness of the portion of the stage of Qi-gathering in addition to the strength of the stage of contained primal essence, it can surpass any technique in the universe.

It was exactly as Zhou Donghuang thought.

With Wu Jingtao personally driving the carriage at top speed, the journey was extremely peaceful.

About twenty days later, the carriage left Guangling prefecture and entered the superior-level prefecture between Guangling prefecture and the Chu royal city. It then spent the next two months traveling through that superior-level prefecture before it arrived at the outskirts of the Chu royal city.

This was as fast as the carriage could travel.

Using three ferghana horses to draw the carriage had the same efficiency as using more than three horses to draw the carriage.

If not, Wu Nanxun, who was the young governor of Guangling prefecture, would not have used a carriage drawn by three horses to travel to Yunfeng prefecture.

A person of his status could easily have a carriage drawn by ten ferghana horses.

Because of this, Zhou Donghuang had not asked Wu Jingtao for additional ferghana horses to draw the carriage as it would have been meaningless.

"Young Master Donghuang, the Chu royal city is up ahead."

On September 9, 1228 of the Ziyun Era, the carriage drawn by three ferghana horses and driven by Wu Jingtao finally arrived at the city gates of the Chu royal city.

They had set off from the capital of Guangling prefecture on March 3, 1228 of the Ziyun Era.

In other words, they had taken four months and six days to make the journey from the capital of Guangling prefecture to the Chu royal city.

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Chapter 73: Level-Seven of Qi-gathering

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

This was the second time in Wu Jingtao's life that he had been to the Chu royal city. On his first visit, he had felt a sense of curiosity and yearning.

But this time, he felt a sense of release.

"Young Master Donghuang, we've reached the Chu royal city… I, am I allowed to return to Guangling prefecture?" Wu Jingtao asked uneasily, stopping the carriage outside the gates of the Chu royal city and looking back over his shoulder at the cabin.

In the cabin, Fu glanced at the youth in white who was completely absorbed in practicing, and seeing no response, he pulled aside the curtain and walked out. "My Young Master is still practicing, if you want to go, then go. From now on, just leave the carriage to me."

Fu sat beside Wu Jingtao, taking the reins from his hand as he spoke casually to him.

Wu Jingtao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Fu's reply. He got out of the carriage immediately and leaped onto the ferghana horse following the carriage, turning it around and galloping off without a backward glance.

Just as though he were fleeing.

Wu Jingtao had brought along the ferghana horse that he was riding, intending all along to use it for the return journey.

After Wu Jingtao left, Fu drove the carriage leisurely to the gates of the Chu royal city.

The Chu royal city was the largest city in the Western Ridge of the Chu King, sprawling across the vast land like a giant beast, giving one a sense of majesty and vastness.

And this was also something special that other cities in the Western Ridge of the Chu King did not have.

Young Master has not yet awoken from his practice, I'll enter the Chu royal city first and find an inn to rest… When Young Master has awoken, we'll see his plans are.

Fu was now no longer the ignorant young man from a small town that he had been in the past, and after following Zhou Donghuang for such a long time, he had matured and became much steadier under his influence.

A carriage drawn by the three ferghana horses was not an uncommon sight even in the capital of an intermediate-level prefecture. Naturally, it did not attract any attention in the Chu royal city.

Within an hour, Fu saw many carriages similarly drawn by three ferghana horses in the unceasing flow of traffic in the Chu royal city.

…

Night was falling by the time Zhou Donghuang, who had been sitting cross-legged in the cabin of the carriage, woke from his practice.

The carriage had stopped in the parking area of an inn, and although Fu had already readied the guest room, he nevertheless stood guard outside the carriage, deeply afraid that someone would inadvertently disturb his young master's practice.

"Fu, where's Wu Jingtao?"

Zhou Donghuang saw only Fu when he stopped practicing and walked out of the carriage. There was no trace of Wu Jingtao.

"Young Master, when we were outside the Chu royal city, that Wu Jingtao stopped the carriage and asked you if he was allowed to return to Guangling prefecture… You were practicing at that moment, so I took over the carriage and let him go back," Fu said.

"What's the hurry to go back?"

Zhou Donghuang squinted as the corners of his mouth curled up in a mocking smile. "I originally planned to give him a third-grade sword technique for the four months he spent as our driver before I let him go back… looks like I won't have to anymore."

Fu was momentarily stunned and could not help shaking his head with a smile. "If that Wu Jingtao knew Young Master's intentions, he would turn green with regret!"

"Young Master, I've already prepared your guest room, let me show you in," Fu said to Zhou Donghuang as he led the way in, showing Zhou Donghuang to the guest room he had already prepared.

"Fu, rest early tonight, we'll be going out tomorrow morning," Zhou Donghuang told Fu as he stood outside the door.

"Yes, Young Master," Fu replied respectfully.

He waited until his young master had shut the door before returning to the adjacent room.

After shutting the door, Zhou Donghuang did not continue practicing. Instead, he lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts.

As I guessed, even practicing The Lord of the Four Supremes without distraction, the rate of practice cannot be increased without limit.

Continuously practicing The Lord of the Four Supremes without distraction for two months has increased the rate of practice almost to its limit.

However, over the last two months, on account of the maximum rate of practice that I achieved… my level of practice has increased, and I have smoothly attained level-seven of Qi-gathering, just as I had guessed.

Seven days earlier, Zhou Donghuang had smoothly attained level-seven of Qi-gathering and became a level-seven adept with the strength of seven bulls.

Four months earlier when he was in the capital of Guangling prefecture, he had still been a level-five adept.

In four short months, he had two consecutive breakthroughs and become a level-seven adept.

After attaining level-seven of Qi-gathering, I can freely demonstrate second-grade techniques, and with some difficulty, I might even manage to demonstrate some of the powerful first-grade techniques.

To Zhou Donghuang, advancing to level-seven of Qi-gathering was not simply about increasing his qi.

He could only demonstrate even more powerful martial art techniques if he had enough qi.

In the thousand years of memories from his previous life, there were countless martial art techniques demonstrated by adepts at the stage of Qi-gathering. Therefore, he had no lack of techniques.

What he now lacked was only the ability to demonstrate these martial arts.

…

Early the next morning, Zhou Donghuang left the inn with Fu and joined the traffic thronging the streets of the Chu royal city.

Whenever they spotted a medicine shop, Zhou Donghuang would enter it with Fu.

In one morning, they had already visited more than ten medicine shops, and Fu was carrying bags of all sizes filled with herbs that Zhou Donghuang urgently needed.

These herbs were all to be used to increase the quality of the qi-gathering elixir.

This is really worthy of being the most prosperous city in the Western Ridge of the Chu King. After visiting ten medicine shops, I have already managed to gather the herbs I need to formulate a qi-gathering elixir that increases the sensitivity to qi by 90 percent.

Walking along the main street of the Chu royal city, Zhou Donghuang said to himself, "Now, I only lack two more kinds of herbs, and I will be able to formulate a qi-gathering elixir that increases the sensitivity to qi by 100 percent!"

A qi-gathering elixir that increased the sensitivity to qi by 100 percent was the maximum effectiveness of a qi-gathering elixir.

Of course, such qi-gathering elixir was not the best medicine for helping the practice of an adept at the stage of Qi-gathering, and if Zhou Donghuang was at the stage of Primal Core and above, he could use the Samadhi fires condensed from his essential core to forge a qi-gathering elixir that was even more effective than a qi-gathering elixir.

Even a poor quality qi-gathering elixir would be able to increase the sensitivity to qi by 20 percent and a good one by 30 percent!

Now, Zhou Donghuang's level of practice was limited, and the best he could do was to produce a qi-gathering elixir of maximum efficiency to aid his practice.

"Of the two million liang of silver in notes that we brought along, we have already spent close to half."

The herbs that Zhou Donghuang had bought earlier were all extremely rare and valuable, and because of this, they were extremely expensive.

As they continued walking the streets and alleys of the Chu royal city, Zhou Donghuang kept looking around.

The wide streets and the close press of people in the alleys all gave Zhou Donghuang a sense of how busy this city was, and it could not be compared to the prefecture capitals.

Even a superior-level prefecture could not compete with the Chu royal city.

Of course, Zhou Donghuang also felt that the Chu royal city was more prosperous that the prefecture capitals, and this was no surprise to him.

In his previous life, he had traveled across the universe, visiting countless planets, and had seen cities that were a thousand or even ten thousand times bigger than the Chu royal city.

Compared to those cities, which could be considered big even when comparing cities across the whole universe, a city like the Chu royal city could only be considered a tiny city.

"A hundred-year sea lotus flowers!"

After visiting several more medicine shops, Zhou Donghuang finally found one of the two remaining ingredients he needed to formulate a qi-gathering elixir that increased the sensitivity to qi by 100 percent.

"Sir, do you need this?"

Seeing Zhou Donghuang staring at the hundred-year sea lotus flowers, the manager of the shop standing behind the counter directed the question to him with a smile.

The manager of the shop was a thin middle-aged man with a forked beard, and his eyes sparkled with intelligence.

"Yes."

Zhou Donghuang nodded without hesitation, getting Fu to make the payment right away.

A hundred-year sea lotus flowers cost two hundred thousand liang of silver.

However, just this much hundred-year sea lotus flowers were enough to formulate a hundred bottles of qi-gathering elixir, if used sparingly.

"Sir, do you still require anything else?"

The manager became very enthusiastic upon seeing Zhou Donghuang so relaxed, dearly wishing that Zhou Donghuang would buy up his whole stock.

"Nothing else for the moment."

Zhou Donghuang was shopping for herbs with focus, and the only thing he needed from this shop were the hundred-year sea lotus flowers.

Although the manager of the medicine shop was somewhat disappointed at this, his enthusiasm did not lessen.

"Sir, if there is anything you need, you can always let me know… if I don't have it in stock, I will find a way to obtain it from elsewhere."

"Oh?"

Zhou Donghuang's eyes gleamed, and he went straight to the point. "There is actually one other kind of herb that I want, but I didn't see it in your shop."

"Sir, may I ask what herb that is?" the manager asked.

"Ten-year survival weed," Zhou Donghuang replied.

Ten-year survival weed was even more expensive than hundred-year sea lotus flowers, even though it was only aged for ten years. This was because it was even rarer than the hundred-year sea lotus flowers.

"Ten-year survival weed?"

The manager frowned and gave a bitter smile. "Sir, I received a bunch of ten-year survival weed yesterday, but I did not display it because it had already been reserved by someone else. Not just here, but all the ten-year survival weeds in the Chu royal city have been reserved since half a year ago.

"Unless any shop is willing to take the risk of being closed down permanently and sell it to you… Otherwise, you will not be able to buy ten-year survival weeds in the Chu royal city.

The manager shook his head as he finished.

"Who has reserved the ten-year survival weeds?" Zhou Donghuang asked.

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"The grand Yang family."

The manager of the medicine shop did not evade Zhou Donghuang's question and gave a direct answer.

"Why do they want so much ten-year survival weeds?" Zhou Donghuang asked curiously.

He was extremely familiar with the medicinal uses of ten-year survival weed, and there was no need to use much of it for any of the elixirs or potions for which it was an ingredient of.

And that grand Yang family had reserved all the ten-year survival weed in all the shops in the Chu royal city from half a year ago…

Why would the Yang family need so many ten-year survival weeds?

"They are to extend the life of the patriarch of the Yang family."

The medicine shop manager shook his head and continued, "The patriarch of the Yang family returned from the imperial city half a year ago and had mysteriously contracted some unusual form of poisoning.

"That kind of poison continually drains the life force… Apparently, although the patriarch of the Yang family is only forty-something years old, he looks like he is sixty or seventy years old, covered in wrinkles and white-haired, and it has broken his spirit.

"In the past half a year, he would have died from old age long ago, as his life force was drained, if not for the ten-year survival weed which allowed him to extend his life."

"However, buying the ten-year survival weed over the past half a year has consumed most of the Yang family's wealth… Now, the Yang family has already sold off many of their side businesses for the money to buy ten-year survival weeds to extend the life of the Yang family patriarch," the medicine shop manager said slowly.

A bunch of ten-year survival weeds cost three hundred thousand liang of silver, and when purchased in such large quantities, it was a strain even on the grand Yang family. Evidently, the patriarch of the Yang family is very important to them."

Zhou Donghuang could easily see how important the patriarch of the Yang family was to his family, given that most of the family's wealth was spent on him. However, Zhou Donghuang felt that the Yang family's actions were a waste of resources.

Ten-year survival weeds could indeed be used in this way, but to him, it was simply too wasteful. Just like directly consuming a thousand-year red fruit.

Previously, after he had processed the thousand-year red fruit obtained by Freezing Wind, it could be used as ten thousand-year red fruits, making the most of the thousand-year red fruit.

He could do the same for ten-year survival weeds.

"That's only natural."

The medicine shop manager nodded his head at Zhou Donghuang's statement. "Although the Yang family is a grand family, they are at the bottom of the pile among the grand families. The Yang family has only one level-six adept of Qi-gathering, and that is their patriarch. Once the patriarch of the Yang family dies, they will be downgraded to a preeminent family without a level-six adept.

"And the Chu royal family does not allow families of lesser status than a grand family to do business in the Chu royal city… Therefore, if the Yang family becomes a preeminent family, the Yang family's businesses in the Chu royal city will be confiscated by the Chu royal family.

"Although the Yang family could sell off their businesses before their patriarch dies… If given a choice, who would kill the chicken for its eggs?"

The medicine shop manager's explanation helped Zhou Donghuang understand the difficult situation that the grand Yang family was currently facing.

Almost as soon as the medicine shop manager had finished, a melodious voice could be heard coming from the entrance of the medicine shop.

"Manager Hu, it seems that you understand the situation of the Yang family very well."

The speaker was a young lady who had just entered the medicine shop, followed by a middle-aged lady.

The young lady was about fifteen or sixteen years old, her long hair falling like a waterfall, and she was wearing a thin, rose-red cardigan over a yellow long-sleeved dress. A purplish-red belt perfectly accentuated her slender waist.

Of course, the most attractive thing about the young lady was not her dressing or her lovely figure, but her youthful-looking, beautiful face.

This young lady was the most beautiful woman that Zhou Donghuang had seen in this life. In terms of looks, not considering temperament, she could compare to the great beauties of the great civilizations in the universe that he had seen in his previous life.

Even if those great beauties of the great civilizations in the universe had fathers who were ordinary-looking, their mothers were peerless beauties over whom wars could be fought. As long as their looks were passed on to their daughters, they would be beautiful enough.

"Zi… Lady Zixi."

The medicine shop manager smiled a bitter smile at the sound of her voice and looked at her, not realizing that a member of the Yang family had arrived to collect the ten-year survival weed just as he was talking about the Yang family.

"I'll bring the ten-year survival weed over for you now."

The medicine shop manager exchanged greetings with the young lady, then turned and walked into the medicine shop without waiting for her reply.

Zhou Donghuang could easily guess that the young lady was a member of the Yang family and that she was here to collect the ten-year survival weed that he wanted as well.

As Zhou Donghuang was evaluating the young lady, she was likewise evaluating him. With his white gown and the extraordinary air around him, even the junior direct relations of the tycoon families whom she had seen could not match up to him.

She felt that even the direct, junior relatives of the Chu royal family might not be able to match up to the youth before her.

Just as the young lady took her gaze off him, Zhou Donghuang asked, "Young lady, would it be convenient for me to have an audience with the patriarch of the Yang family?"

"Hmm?"

The young lady was momentarily stunned at Zhou Donghuang's question, but she looked at Zhou Donghuang and knitted her brows slightly and asked, "Why do you want an audience with my uncle?"

Her reply revealed her position in the Yang family to Zhou Donghuang.

The patriarch of the Yang family was the young lady's uncle. Which also meant that the young lady before him was a direct relative of the Yang family.

However, thinking about it, to be able to collect the ten-year survival weed that was worth three hundred thousand liang of silver on behalf of the Yang family meant that her status in the Yang family was more than just ordinary.

"I am well-versed in medical treatments, and I know many methods of neutralizing poisons… I would like to see what poison the patriarch of the Yang family is suffering from and whether I am able to help," Zhou Donghuang said in the most straightforward manner.

From his memories of his previous life, there were countless kinds of poisons that could result in the situation that the patriarch of the Yang family was in. As to exactly what kind of poison the patriarch of the Yang family was suffering from, he would only know if he could see it with his own eyes.

Of course, he was so enthusiastic mainly because he wanted the ten-year survival weed.

"You?"

The young lady looked Zhou Donghuang over from head to toe, her expression and gaze full of suspicion. She obviously did not believe a youth who looked barely older than she could have the ability to treat her uncle.

"Young man, your strategy for striking up a conversation is not too bad."

The middle-aged woman behind the young lady spoke up as well, "However, have you considered… just how old you are? No one will believe you could have the ability to treat the patriarch of our Yang family.

"Moreover, we have engaged nine of the ten great medicine masters in the Chu royal city to diagnose the poison that the patriarch of our Yang family is suffering from, but they were all helpless. Could a youth such as yourself compare to them? Are you taking my young lady for a fool?"

The middle-aged woman put on an air that declared that she could see through Zhou Donghuang and read his thoughts.

There were no superior-level medicine masters in the Western Ridge of the Chu King. Although the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city were all only intermediate-level medicine masters, they were all outstanding intermediate-level medicine masters, and if any one of them agreed to serve in the Chu royal family, they would be treated extremely well.

In any case, nine of these ten medicine masters of the Chu royal city were helpless against the poison that the patriarch of the Yang family was suffering from.

"Striking up a conversation?"

Zhou Donghuang could not help laughing. "You think… I was trying to pick up your young lady?"

"Were you not?"

The middle-aged lady gave him a look of understanding.

"It has to be said that your young lady really is quite beautiful and will definitely be a matchless beauty in the Western Ridge of the Chu King in several years' time."

The middle-aged woman's expression relaxed when Zhou Donghuang said this, and the corner of the young lady's mouth curled upwards in an expression of disdain.

But their expressions turned serious as soon as they heard what Zhou Donghuang said next.

"However, even if that's the case, it isn't enough for me, Zhou Donghuang, to take the first step to pick her up," Zhou Donghuang said indifferently.

"You…"

Just as the middle-aged woman was getting exasperated, Zhou Donghuang gazed calmly at her and said flatly, "Your accumulated labor has resulted in illness, and you suffer a persistent pain in your back lasting no less than half a day with intervals of three days at most between each episode."

The middle-aged woman's eyes widened at Zhou Donghuang's words, shock written on her face.

How could this youth know this?

There were only three people, including herself, who knew of this, and even her young lady did not know about this.

"And you."

Zhou Donghuang's calm gaze moved quickly from the middle-aged woman to the young lady.

However, he did not say anything in front of Fu and the middle-aged lady but stepped forward to the young lady's side. He said in a voice that only she was able to hear, "The past half a year, your period probably has not been regular… and recently it has not come for at least two months, am I right?

"As a virgin, it is normal to have your period once a month. If I'm not wrong, it is because of the mental stress caused by your uncle's poisoning that is causing your cycle to stop."

Once he finished, Zhou Donghuang retreated.

Immediately, the young lady blushed, and her cheeks turned red. There was a look of surprise in her eyes… because this youth before her had been spot on.

The young lady and the middle-aged woman exchanged glances in a moment and saw a look of disbelief in each other's eyes.

"Lady Zixi, this is the ten-year survival weed, please inspect it."

At this moment, the owner of the medicine shop walked out from the inner room of the shop and passed a brocaded box to the young lady.

She opened the box and nodded when she saw the weeds inside. "Correct, this is ten-year survival weed."

The weeds in the box were fresh and green as though they had always been this way, even though they were uprooted from the soil.

This weed had ten leaves in total, each leaf representing one year, and it was evidently ten-year survival weed.

Seeing the ten-year survival weed, Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up, and he looked at the young lady and asked, "Would Young Miss consider letting me take a look at the poisoning that your patriarch of the Yang family is suffering from?"

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Chapter 75: Fanning the Flames

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Earlier, Yang Zixi's attention had been focused on the ten-year survival weed that the owner of the medicine shop had brought out.

Now, hearing the youth's words and bearing in mind what the youth had told her, the blush on her cheeks that had not yet subsided was already spreading even more furiously.

A youth about the same age as her telling her about her personal matters was extremely embarrassing for her. However, what the youth had told her was her secret, and no one apart from her knew of it.

"Aunty Mei, was what he said about your condition accurate as well?" Yang Zixi asked the woman behind her, and she nodded, indicating that he was someone with ability. She looked afresh at the youth and said, "We are returning to the Yang family now, you may come with us."

Yang Zixi's gaze lingered momentarily on the youth before she consciously looked away, because that youth had been completely correct about her secret, and she felt like there was nowhere left to hide.

"I have one condition," Zhou Donghuang said.

Just as the middle-aged woman frowned and was about to get angry, Yang Zixi asked, "What is the condition?"

Zhou Donghuang said directly, "If I can cure Patriarch Yang's poisoning, I want the ten-year survival weeds that you are holding… Of course, if you cannot make that decision, I can follow you back to the Yang family and let someone who has the power to make the decision decide."

"I can make this decision."

A hopeful look surfaced in Yang Zixi's eyes. "If you can cure my uncle's poisoning, the ten-year survival weed is nothing… the Yang family will definitely not be stingy."

"I only want the ten-year survival weed," Zhou Donghuang said.

Soon, Zhou Donghuang and Fu were following Yang Zixi and her servant as they left the medicine shop and returned to the Yang family.

Although the Yang family was a grand family, the Yang family mansion was significantly smaller than the mansion of the grand Wu family that Zhou Donghuang had been to previously.

Of course, he could understand this.

This was, after all, the royal city of the Western Ridge of the Chu King and not just a prefecture capital.

The mansion of the grand Wu family could occupy such a large plot of land not only because it was in the prefecture capital, but mainly because the Wu family was the governing family of Guangling prefecture.

As the foremost family of Guangling prefecture as well as being the governing family of Guangling prefecture, no less could be expected of the Wu family's mansion.

"Lady Zixi."

After entering the Yang family mansion, everyone they met, from the servants to the side relatives of the Yang family, all bowed respectfully to Yang Zixi.

"My uncle's residence is just up ahead."

Very soon, Yang Zixi and her servant led Zhou Donghuang and Fu to the Yang family patriarch's residence, into a small but spacious courtyard.

There were three people standing in the courtyard.

A middle-aged man, a young man and an old man standing respectfully behind the young man.

The middle-aged man wore loose a grey gown with gold trimmings, and he was pacing back and forth outside the door to one of the rooms. His grave expression made it obvious that he was unsettled.

The young man was a little over twenty years old, and he wore a brocaded mandarin gown with a cool expression on his handsome face. He had an aristocratic look about him, making it easy to tell that he was of high birth.

As for the old man behind the young man, he was an old servant, his hair all white, and his face thin, but his eyes twinkled with life.

"Third Uncle."

Yang Zixi led the way into the yard and bowed to the middle-aged man pacing outside the room.

"Zixi."

The middle-aged man looked at Yang Zixi when he heard her voice, breaking into an affable smile. "Have you brought back the ten-year survival weed?"

"Mhm."

Yang Zixi nodded.

"Sister Zixi."

Just then, the youth in the mandarin gown gazed at Yang Zixi, the cool look on his handsome face gone without a trace and replaced by an enthusiastic smile.

However, faced with the youth's enthusiasm, Yang Zixi merely replied in an indifferent tone, "Young Master Shi."

From the distaste in Yang Zixi's gaze, it was obvious that she not only disliked this youth but was even repulsed by him.

However, the youth seemed accustomed to this and did not seem to mind. The smile remained on his face until he noticed Zhou Donghuang, who had arrived with Yang Zixi.

Zhou Donghuang's gown was whiter than snow, and his handsomeness put the youth to shame. The aura of coolness that he suddenly seemed to exude gave off a mysterious and dreamy feeling.

Both in terms of appearance and disposition, the youth in the mandarin gown was completely outclassed by Zhou Donghuang!

"Sister Zixi, this is…?"

The youth in the mandarin gown gave Zhou Donghuang a chilly look.

This was the first time he had seen a man walking so closely with Yang Zixi.

Yang Zixi was the woman he had fallen for, and it had been extremely difficult for him to even walk with Yang Zixi. Therefore, the look from his cold, glittering eyes also carried threatening undertones.

In any case, he was ignored by Zhou Donghuang.

"Third Uncle."

Just then, Yang Zixi glanced at Zhou Donghuang and said by way of introduction, "This is Medicine Master Zhou, here to examine Uncle."

She proceeded to introduce the middle-aged man to Zhou Donghuang. "Medicine Master Zhou, this is my third uncle, the third master of the Yang family, Yang Yuncong."

"Medicine Master Zhou?"

Yang Yuncong looked over Zhou Donghuang from head to toe with a look of surprise, because it was obvious to him that this youth before him was sixteen or seventeen years old at most, not much older than his niece, Yang Zixi.

The thing was, even with extensive study of medicine, the most he could be at this age was an inferior-level medicine master.

However, he understood that his niece was not an impetuous person.

The fact that she had brought him back was enough evidence that he could potentially be of help, and therefore, he greeted him with a slight smile. "Medicine Master Zhou."

"Hmm."

Zhou Donghuang nodded casually in return.

"Tch!"

A derisive sound came suddenly from nowhere.

The youth in the mandarin gown standing to the side was looking at Zhou Donghuang with a mocking smile. "Little fellow, at your age, you are at most an inferior-level medicine master, right?"

"You as an inferior-level medicine master would dare claim to be able to examine Patriarch Yang? You should know that Patriarch Yang's illness is not just any trivial illness, but a deadly case of poisoning!"

The youth in the mandarin gown commanded arrogantly, "I have already invited Medicine Master Su, who is the most learned in poisons among the ten great medicine masters in the Chu royal city to treat Patriarch Yang… There is no place for you here, you may leave now."

"Medicine Master Su?"

Yang Zixi could not help exhaling softly and looked at Yang Yuncong. "Third Uncle, is Medicine Master Su inside examining Uncle?"

"Mhm." Yang Yuncong nodded with a slight smile. "Medicine Master Su has been away for more than a year and has just returned today. He has been invited over by Young Master Shi. Although Medicine Master Su is not the best medicine master among the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city, he has the best understanding of poisons… Even the superior-level medicine master of the imperial court might not be able to match him when it comes to treating cases of poisoning.

"With him around, there is hope that an antidote can be found for the poison that Big Brother is suffering from."

Yang Yuncong paused and hesitated, then continued with a bitter smile, "If even he is unable to help, I'm afraid there is nothing we will be able to do about the poison."

Yang Zixi's expression grew solemn at Yang Yuncong's last sentence, and she began muttering to herself continuously, "There will be a way… Medicine Master Su will find a way."

"Hear that, little fellow?"

At that moment, the youth in the mandarin gown looked at Zhou Donghuang with a mocking gaze and said with a cold smile, "If even Medicine Master Su is unable to find an antidote for that poison, an inferior-level medicine master like you could not possibly succeed."

In any case, Zhou Donghuang had not bothered to even glance at the youth in the mandarin gown since he arrived and had completely ignored the repeated insults from the youth.

"You… you dare disrespect me, Shi Yu?" Seeing that Zhou Donghuang was ignoring him, Shi Yu's expression turned foul.

Shi Yu was the first young master of the tycoon family, the Shi family and also the designated successor of the patriarch of the Shi family. Even the patriarch of the grand Yang family greeted him as "Young Master Shi" whenever they crossed paths.

Just as Shi Yu's anger began to rise, the door to the room opened with a creak, and an elderly figure slowly walked out.

This was an old man dressed in a grey gown, of average build, and although his hair and even his eyebrows were completely white, his face looked only forty or fifty years old.

"Medicine Master Su."

Seeing the old man walk out, Yang Yuncong hurried forward to meet him and asked with a grave expression, "Are you able to treat the poison my big brother is suffering from?"

Yang Zixi, who had stepped forward with Yang Yuncong, looked at the old man with her fists tightly clenched and a hopeful look in her eyes.

Shi Yu swept a cold gaze over Zhou Donghuang and walked towards the old man as well.

"Third Master Yang, I am unable to identify the poison that Patriarch Yang is suffering from, but its effects are fearsome, and it has already spread throughout his entire body… Without the ten-year survival weed, Patriarch Yang would have succumbed to the poison four months ago."

The old man shook his head. "Moreover, the long-term use of ten-year survival weed has caused Patriarch Yang to develop a strong resistance to its medicinal effects. After using one or two more bundles of ten-year survival weed, it will no longer be of any help to Patriarch Yang. One month… Patriarch Yang can only hold on for one more month.

"Prepare his affairs well."

The old man sighed.

"What?!"

Yang Yuncong's expression changed completely. He could not believe this was really happening.

Yang Zixi's expression had turned pale as though all the blood had drained from her face in an instant. She wobbled and would have collapsed to the ground if the woman behind her had not managed to rush forward and support her in time.

At that moment, Zhou Donghuang began to move, walking around them and into the room that the old man had just exited.

"Huh?"

The old man was momentarily stunned and looked suspiciously at Yang Yuncong.

"Third Master Yang, who was that?"

Before Yang Yuncong could reply, Shi Yu fanned the flames as he replied, "Medicine Master Su, that little fellow is merely an inferior-level medicine master who said that he was here to examine Patriarch Yang… Now, even though you said that Patriarch Yang is beyond help, he still rushed in. Obviously, he is questioning your diagnosis."

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Chapter 76: Russell's Viper

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Basic-level medicine master?" Hearing Shi Yu's words, Medicine Master Xiao's expression changed as he glared at Yang Yunchong sternly and asked, "Third Master Yang, was the young man who just went in really going to treat Chief Yang?"

"Medicine Master Xiao…" Yang Yunchong started awkwardly. After all, putting himself in his shoes, if he were Medicine Master Xiao, he would have been upset too. Finally, he nodded his head.

That young man had been brought here by Yang Zixi to treat his big brother; how could he possibly go in and ask him to leave? Although he did not believe that the young man understood his big brother's poison, but since the old man in front of him had no solution, perhaps there was no harm in letting the young man try.

"Medicine Master Xiao, Medicine Master Zhou who just went in is actually quite capable." Just then, the lady behind the young girl spoke up.

"Oh?" Medicine Master Xiao broke into laughter and looked at the lady curiously. He asked, "I do want to know… what kind of skills could that sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy possibly have?"

"Medicine Master Xiao, you are an intermediate-level medicine master… so if I ask you to identify what illness I have with just a look, would you be able to tell?" asked the lady.

Just now, in the pharmacy, that young man in the white shirt had been able to tell that she had a hidden illness at just a glance, and he was even able to fully explain her condition. Even the ten best medicine masters in the Chu royal city could not do that.

"Identify what illness you have with just a look?" asked Medicine Master Xiao calmly. "Unless it is an obvious disease… but if it is a hidden illness, even the superior-level medicine master of the imperial court would not be able to tell just by looking. Are you trying to tell me that… the boy who just went in could identify your hidden illness with just a look?" As he spoke, his face was filled with disdain.

"That's right," answered the lady as she nodded seriously. "He could tell what hidden illness I had with just a look."

"Ridiculous!" Medicine Master Xiao did not believe her words at all. Looking at the lady as if she were an idiot, he turned to Yang Yunchong and said, "Third Master Yang, from today onwards, I, Xiao Chen will not step into the Yang household nor have any connections with the Yang family… even if a Yang family member dies in front of me, I will not help at all." With that, Xiao Chen snorted and left.

"This…" Yang Yunchong smiled bitterly.

Yang Zixi could barely conceal the anger flashing in her eyes as she glared at Shi Yu and asked furiously, "Shi Yu, is this what you wanted? Are you satisfied now?" If Shi Yu had not added fuel to the fire, Medicine Master Xiao would not have been so antagonized and even swear to never work with the Yang family or treat a Yang family member ever again.

"Sister Zixi, how could you blame it on me? All I said was the truth. If you had not brought that lad to our home, Medicine Master Xiao would not have bumped into him," responded Shi Yu as he shook his head.

"Young Master Shi, you can't blame it on Zixi either," said Yang Yunchong with a sigh. "After all, she had not known that Medicine Master Xiao was here."

He then turned to Yang Zixi and said, "Zixi, please don't take it to heart either… Medicine Master Su has never worked with the Yang family before anyway, and even if he was looking for a family to work with, he would not find us. As for him no longer wanting to treat us, there are so many medicine masters around the Chu royal city that it makes no difference."

"Third Uncle, don't try to comfort me, this is indeed my fault." Yang Zixi sighed, though her eyes were hopeful. Just now, Medicine Master Xiao, who was one of the ten top medicine masters in Chu royal city, had said that even the superior-level medicine master of the imperial court could not possibly tell one's hidden illness from just a look. Didn't that mean that the superior-level medicine master of the imperial court also could not possibly tell her small illnesses from just a look?

"That Medicine Master Zhou should be quite capable… who knows if he will be able to heal Uncle." Although this was what she felt, Yang Zixi did not have much hope. Just now, Medicine Master Xiao had said that the poison had already entered her uncle's vital organs.

As she thought of this, Yang Zixi's face was depressed, her eyes revealing tormented pain. From young, she had lost her parents, so her uncle had brought her up single-handedly. In her eyes, her uncle was like her father, just a difference in the title. Hence, since her uncle had been poisoned half a year ago, she had been unable to sleep at night, and the little sickness that the young man had identified had also manifested in her.

"Let's see if he is able to do anything." Just as Yang Zixi brought the lady behind her together into the room, Shi Yu and Yang Yunchong were also about to enter.

Suddenly, two hurried voices from outside the courtyard caused them to stop in their steps.

"Third Master, I heard that Young Master Shi had brought Medicine Master Xiao over, what's the situation now?"

"Third Master, Medicine Master Xiao is one of the top ten medicine masters in Chu royal city and is superb at dealing with poisons, does he have a treatment?"

Along with the two voices were two old men, one plump and the other skinny, but with identical features.

"Head Elder, Second Elder." Seeing the two old men enter the courtyard, Yang Yunchong rushed forward to greet them. The two men were the head elders of the Yang family, Yang Ping and the second elder, Yang An. The two of them were identical twins and also level-five adepts whose power was second only to the Yang family chief.

"Greetings to the two elders." Just as Yang Ping and Yang An were looking at Yang Yunchong expectantly, Shi Yu greeted the two of them. "Medicine Master Xiao could do nothing about Yang family chief's poisoning."

It was only then that Yang Ping and Yang An noticed Shi Yu, but before they had a chance to greet Shi Yu, their expression changed. Even Medicine Master Xiao, whose detoxifying capabilities was comparable to the superior-level medicine master of the imperial court, had no way to detoxify their chief? Didn't that mean that there was no way to detoxify the poison in their Yang family chief?

Then Yang Yunchong spoke, "Head Elder, Second Elder… Medicine Master Xiao said that Big Brother has used too many ten-year survival weeds, and so it's caused him to have a resistance to it. After one or two more stalks of the weed, the ten-year survival weed will no longer have any effect on him."

Hearing this, the faces of Yang Ping and Yang An darkened even more.

"Does God really want to make the Yang family a preeminent family once again?" after Yang Ping recovered, he asked sadly.

"Elders," continued Shi Yu. "Medicine Master Xiao not only said that there was no way to detoxify the chief, but before he left, he even said that he would not work with the Yang family again and that he would not treat anyone from the family. Even if one of us dies in front of him, he won't lift a finger."

Yang Yunchong frowned slightly. He did not expect Shi Yu to make matters worse at this point. Of course, Shi Yu was the first young master of the tycoon Shi family, so even though he was unhappy, he could not say anything for fear of offending him.

"What?!"

"What is going on?!"

Hearing Shi Yu's words, both Yang Ping and Yang An were shocked. After finding out what had happened from Shi Yu, their faces darkened even further. "Ridiculous! How could a sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenager, a basic-level medicine master at best, have the ability to treat the chief? I used to think that Lady Zixi was reliable… but how could she have been so foolish this time?"

With that, Yang Ping and Yang An walked into the room where the Yang family chief was in. Yang Yunchong, Shi Yu and the old servant behind Shi Yu also followed into the room.

…

Lying on the bed in the room was an old man who looked sixty or seventy years old. He was none other than the chief of the Yang family, Yang Yunji. The old man looked haggard with wrinkles all over his face. It was impossible to tell that he was just over forty years of age… Yang Yunji was only 47 this year.

Zhou Donghuang stood before him and stared at him calmly. After his diagnosis, he had gotten a better understanding of the poison in Yang Yunji's body… the Yang family chief had been infected with snake poison, and it was the poison of a very rare snake.

"Chief Yang, you have been infected with poison from the Russell's viper," Zhou Donghuang told Yang Yunji.

"Rubbish!" Just as the words left Zhou Donghuang's mouth, an old voice resounded around the room. Soon, a plump old man entered the room, followed by a skinny old man. It was the plump old man who had spoken.

"Head Elder, Second Elder." Seeing the two men, Yang Zixi greeted the two respectfully.

"Lady Zixi, how could you bring this young boy here to treat the chief? Now, you've offended Medicine Master Xiao," Yang An, who had followed behind Yang Ping, asked Yang Zixi as he frowned. "Although we can always find other medicine masters if any of us falls sick. But what is someone is poisoned? Medicine Master Xiao is an expert at treating poison… his skills at treating poison are unparalleled in the whole Yunyang country. Now that we've offended him today, we've landed ourselves in trouble." As he spoke, his tone got harsher.

"Psh!" Before Yang Zixi could respond, Fu, who had been standing behind Zhou Donghuang, could not help but laugh sarcastically. "That Medicine Master Xiao you speak of cannot even treat your chief's poison, how dare he claim to be an expert! What a joke!"

Just as Yang An glared at Fu, Yang Ping stared at Zhou Donghuang angrily. "Lad, after our chief was poisoned, there was no wound… what makes you think he was poisoned by a snake? Also… I've never heard of the Russell's viper; are you making that up?"

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Chapter 77: Sense of Security

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"If you've never heard of it, that can only mean that you're ignorant." Zhou Donghuang had not planned to bother about the Yang head elder, Yang Ping, but seeing as he had no intention of stopping once he began questioning him, he replied coldly as he glanced condescendingly at him.

The Russell's viper was a rare venomous snake. Its head was strikingly similar to the mandala flower, hence giving it the common name the "mandala snake". The viper did not bite to poison but used its nose to release its venom, poisoning whoever breathed in the toxins.

As Yang Ping's expression changed, Zhou Donghuang turned to look at the Yang family chief, Yang Yunji, lying on the bed. He said flatly, "I can treat the snake poison in the chief." With that, the whole room turned quiet.

Even the Yang head elder, Yang Ping, who had been prepared to argue with Zhou Donghuang, kept his mouth closed. He stared at Zhou Donghuang incredulously, eyes filled with suspicion. This young man said that he could treat the poison of their Yang family chief?

"Medicine Master Zhou… are you serious?" The third master, Yang Yunchong, who had just entered the room, happened to hear Zhou Donghuang's words. After his initial shock, he was the first to respond as he asked Zhou Donghuang seriously.

"If my young master says he can, he definitely can treat it," Fu, who had been standing behind Zhou Donghuang, said impatiently, seeing that they disbelieved his young master's words. To him, his young master was almost god-like and could achieve anything. For someone to doubt his young master was simply blasphemous and unacceptable to him.

"Medicine Master Zhou, please help treat my uncle." After Yang Zixi had recovered from her shock, she looked at Zhou Donghuang agitatedly. Although they had just met, she could tell that Zhou Donghuang was a man of his word.

"Medicine Master Zhou, you… really can treat this poison?" Yang Yunji struggled to open his eyes as he lay on the bed. In his muted gaze, there was a glimmer of hope.

"I do not wish to repeat what I've already said." Zhou Donghuang looked at Yang Yunji, then at Yang Zixi. "I need thirty-six, two-inch-long gold needles, the finer, the better, and they must be totally straight. If you prepare it within three days, I'll be able to completely cleanse his body of the snake poison in ten days," he said.

Before Yang Zixi could speak, Yang Yunchong had already turned to Yang An and said, "Second Elder, you are in charge of the gold treasury here… please help to prepare the needles that Medicine Master Zhou has requested."

"Alright," Yang An responded and left. Although he did not really believe that the young man could detoxify his chief, but if even Medicine Master Xiao could do nothing about it, then they could only cling on to this last hope.

"Fu, pen and paper." After Fu had passed a pen and paper to him, Zhou Donghuang wrote some herbs and quantities on it and passed it to Yang Zixi.

"Prepare these herbs within three days. After I detoxify your chief, you will have to brew these herbs for him to drink… with this medicinal soup, he will be able to completely recover his strength once the poison has been purged from his body," said Zhou Donghuang.

"I will do it." Yang Ping took the prescription from Yang Zixi and left without looking back. Their Yang family chief's health had everything to do with the success of their family, and even though he doubted this young man, he was prepared to try what he had offered. If it worked, it would be a cause for celebration. And if not, it would not be too late to make the young man answer for it.

"Hmph! I want to see how he treats the Yang family chief in three days!" Shi Yu, who had come into the room with Yang Yunchong, muttered to himself as he saw that all the Yang family members had believed the young man's words. He turned and left the household with his servant.

"Medicine Master Zhou, do you live far from our house? If not, do you want to stay here for the next three days?" Yang Yunchong asked Zhou Donghuang. Quietly, he was also worried that this young man would disappear after making such a bold claim. If he was prepared to stay, he would be more trusting of his words just now.

"I just arrived in Chu royal city and am staying temporarily at an inn," answered Zhou Donghuang. "That inn is indeed quite a distance from here."

Yang Yunchong's eyes lit up as he suggested, "Medicine Master Zhou, why don't you get your servant to return the room? Our guest room here is definitely much better than the inn's," Yang Yunchong said as he looked at Zhou Donghuang.

"Alright," said Zhou Donghuang with a nod.

Seeing Zhou Donghuang agree, Yang Yunchong could not help but feel a flutter within him, because this meant that this young man was probably someone with real ability. If not, he would not have agreed to stay.

"Zixi, go ahead with Aunt Mei to prepare the guest room for Medicine Master Zhou," Yang Yunchong instructed Yang Zixi.

Yang Zixi had already viewed Zhou Donghuang as her uncle's saving grace. She excitedly brought Zhou Donghuang to the guest room and prepared the best room for him.

"Medicine Master Zhou, you said that you just arrived in Chu royal city? You are not a local?" Yang Zixi asked curiously.

Zhou Donghuang shook his head. "No."

"Medicine Master Zhou, you look just one or two years older than me… can I call you 'Brother Zhou'? You don't have to address me as Lady Yang either, just 'Zixi' will do," said Yang Zixi with a smile.

"Sure," said Zhou Donghuang with a nod. To him, it didn't matter.

"Brother Zhou, my… how can I treat it?" As she remembered the hidden illness that the young man had mentioned earlier, Yang Zixi was embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed red.

"Yours is just a small illness… once the golden needles are ready, I'll do some acupuncture on you, and you'll be fine," Zhou Donghuang said dismissively. "But you must make sure to rest and monitor your emotions to prevent it from coming back."

"As for you…" Zhou Donghuang looked at the lady behind the young girl. "Tomorrow morning, come and collect your prescription from me… if you take the medicine for three days, your pain will subside. After a month, your hidden illness will be treated," he said.

"Thank you, Medicine Master Zhou," the lady thanked him profusely, her face full of joy.

"Aunt Mei, you get back to work first… I'll stay here and talk to Brother Zhou," the young girl said to the lady.

"Yes, Ma'am," the lady said as she left.

After the lady had left, the young girl was about to kneel before Zhou Donghuang but was stopped by him. He asked with a frown, "What are you doing?"

"Brother Zhou, I want to thank you for treating my uncle," said the girl.

"You don't have to thank me." Zhou Donghuang shook his head. "I helped to detoxify your chief only because of your Yang family's ten-year survival weed."

"Brother Zhou, not just one stalk of the weed, even ten stalks of the ten-year survival weed would not be enough to repay your help," said the girl seriously. "Saving my uncle is akin to saving our whole Yang family!"

If her uncle died from this poison, the whole Yang family would go from a grand family to just a preeminent family and lose all of their current glory. Of course, she did not care whether the family was a grand or preeminent family. As long as her uncle was fine, even if the Yang family became a lesser family, she could accept it. All she cared about was her uncle's health.

"And I kneel not on behalf of the family, but as myself." Finally, the girl insisted on kneeling down and kowtowing to Zhou Donghuang. "Since my parents passed away when I was young, my uncle raised me. To me, he's my father."

Seeing the stubbornness on the girl's face, even Zhou Donghuang was moved. Chen Dandan could hardly compare to this young girl.

"Don't worry. As long as your second elder prepares the needles within three days, your uncle will be fine." Zhou Donghuang helped the young girl up. This time, his tone was gentler than before. In some ways, the young girl had earned his recognition.

"Thank you, Brother Zhou." In Yang Zixi's memory, this was the first time that she had been in such close contact with a man. Instantly, she blushed even redder. Usually, she disliked those rich playboys and steered clear of them, but she felt no animosity towards this young man in front of her.

In fact, after he had helped her up and let go of her, she had felt a strong sense of disappointment. When he had helped her up, although she did not understand why, she felt a strong sense of security as if she did have to fear anything as long as she had the young man by her side. Once the young man had stepped away, this sense of security had dissipated, and in that moment, she felt as if she was just a lone boat in the middle of the vast ocean, with nobody to depend on.

"Brother Zhou, where are you from?" Furthermore, the young man's abilities had filled her with admiration. She was curious about where someone like him had come from.

"Yunfeng prefecture," said Zhou Donghuang.

"Yunfeng prefecture?" Yang Zixi was shocked because she had never heard of such a prefecture. Within Yunyang country, she knew all the superior and intermediate prefectures, but she was not as familiar with the inferior prefectures. "Brother Zhou, are you not from Yunyang country?"

Yang Zixi had not imagined that Zhou Donghuang had come from an inferior prefecture, because she believed that an inferior prefecture could not possibly have produced a man of such caliber. She thought that Zhou Donghuang had come from another country.

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Chapter 78: The Higher You Rise, the Harder You Fall

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Yunfeng prefecture is just an inferior prefecture, it's normal that you have never heard of it," Zhou Donghuang said with a slight smile. Seeing the girl's reaction, he could see that she had never heard of Yunfeng prefecture.

"Inferior prefecture?" Hearing the young man's words, Yang Zixi was stunned, though her stunned expression was extremely adorable. Zhou Donghuang could not help but sneak another look at her.

"Yes," replied Zhou Donghuang as he nodded. "I left Yunfeng prefecture and only reached the Chu royal city after more than five months on the road."

He had left Yunfeng prefecture capital on April 1, 1229 of the Ziyun era. Now, it was already September 10, 1228 of the Ziyun era.

After five months… who knows how Mother and Xiao Lu are doing? As he thought of Lin Lan and Yun Lu, a gentle expression formed on Zhou Donghuang's face. As she watched on, Yang Zixi could not help but feel a tinge of jealousy. The young man before her had always been cold and aloof since she had met him, and he did not talk much. But now, such a tender expression had appeared on his usually emotionless face as he thought of whoever that was.

"Brother Zhou, are you thinking of… your wife?" Yang Zixi probed. But once the words left her mouth, she regretted it and even found it strange that she had asked such a question. Suddenly, she felt strangely awkward and looked down, unable to continue looking at the young man.

"Wife?" Zhou Donghuang was shocked at first, then shook his head. "Just now, I was thinking of my mother and my sister."

"Are they both in Yunfeng prefecture now?" Yang Zixi's eyes lit up as she realized that she had misunderstood him. But even she did not understand why she had felt jealous just now. Was it simply because the young man had not fawned over her like other men his age?

"Yea," Zhou Donghuang said with a nod. After chatting with Zhou Donghuang for a while, the young girl only left reluctantly when Fu returned. "Brother Zhou, I shouldn't disturb you. I'll take my leave."

Yang Zixi rarely spoke so much to people. Even she did not know why she had grown so affectionate of this young man after just a day… The young man seemed to have some natural charisma. What she did not know was that although Zhou Donghuang had the body of a young man, his memory stretched across millennia. In times like this, the charisma that he exuberated was simply nothing like those of his age. Zhou Donghuang's charisma and the typical aloofness that he displayed was extremely attractive to a young girl who had just begun her forays into the world of love.

"Sure," said Zhou Donghuang with a nod. As he watched the girl leave, he only looked away when her figure disappeared in the distance.

"Young Master." After the girl had left, Fu looked at Zhou Donghuang with a smile. "You… have fallen for Lady Zixi?"

"Nonsense!" Zhou Donghuang glared at Fu and asked, "Have you brought everything over from the inn?"

"Everything's here. Except for the carriage drawn by the three ferghana horses and the heavy black iron spear, there was nothing else to bring over." Fu nodded.

He continued with a smile, "Young Master, I think Lady Zixi is not bad… just now, the disciple who had brought me to the inn told me much about her. She is a good lady who knows to repay debts of gratitude. In some ways, she is even more worthy than the biological daughter of the Yang family chief. In this aspect, Chen Dandan, who betrayed Madam, can hardly compare." Although he had not personally experienced it, Fu knew of Chen Dandan. He knew that she had completely disregarded his Madam who had brought her up, and she had betrayed her cruelly.

"Chen Dandan?" As he was reminded of her, Zhou Donghuang's expression darkened, and his eyes glinted coldly. "She is not worthy of comparison to Zixi."

"Young Master, I still don't understand… when we went to Yunfeng prefecture capital, we could have gone to the Hong family and embarrassed her or even killed her! But you did not." Fu asked a question that had been bugging him for long.

"Embarrassing her, even killing her, would have been easy… but I do not intend to treat her like that in the Hong family or in Yunfeng prefecture." Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed coldly again. "The higher you rise, the harder you fall! Now, I will let her rise higher… when she can no longer climb higher, I will make her fall! Then, it will feel more painful." As he spoke, Zhou Donghuang laughed evilly. Even Fu could not help but feel his hairs rise as he heard his laughter.

In his previous life, Zhou Donghuang had left Earth and returned to Ziyun planet to look for Chen Dandan… In the end, he had found out that Chen Dandan had not died of old age in Yunfeng prefecture capital of Yunyang country, but had died in the small sect called the "Valley of the Medicine Masters" that ruled over Yunyang country.

After some research, he then realized that Chen Dandan's biological father was the second elder of the Valley of Medicine Masters, Chen Tianhe. Chen Dandan was the illegitimate daughter of Chen Tianhe and had been sent to the inferior Yunfeng prefecture of the lower Yunyang country, where she was adopted by his mother, Lin Lan. Eventually, it was the preeminent Hong family of Yunfeng prefecture who sent her to the Valley of Medicine Masters and reunited her with her father.

"Settling it with her in the Valley of Medicine Masters would be better than doing it in Yunfeng prefecture." It was precisely because of this that Zhou Donghuang had not tried to find Chen Dandan in the Hong family when he had gone to Yunfeng prefecture capital. He planned to seek his revenge with Chen Dandan in the Valley of Medicine Masters.

"When Chen Dandan finally receives her status of daughter of the second elder of the Valley of Medicine Masters, she will be at her happiest. At that point, when I destroy everything she has and send her to the depths of despair, then I'll kill her… only then will my hatred be sated!"

That was Zhou Donghuang's plan. Otherwise, he would have gone directly to the Hong family when he went to Yunfeng prefecture capital, embarrass and then kill Chen Dandan.

"Chen Dandan, you should be thankful you have a biological father as the second elder of the Valley of Medicine Masters… if not, you would have been dead in Yunfeng prefecture capital!" Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed with an evil glint as he laughed to himself.

…

The dawn of September 12, 1228 of the Ziyun era.

"Brother Zhou." Two days later, Yang Zixi came looking for Zhou Donghuang. "Second Elder has already prepared the needles you requested, and Head Elder has also gotten all the herbs. Can you begin treating my uncle today?" she asked, looking expectantly at Zhou Donghuang.

"Your two elders are quite efficient," said Zhou Donghuang with a laugh. "Let's go over together."

The previous day, Yang Zixi had also come to chat with him, and she even brought him on a tour of the Yang family household… In these two days, he had grown a fondness for this young girl who was both direct and had a sense of gratitude.

Soon, Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi arrived at the residence of the Yang family chief, Yang Yunji. In the small courtyard where Yang Yunji stayed, the Yang third master, Yang Yunchong, Head Elder Yang Ping and Second Elder Yang An had all gathered.

Shi Yu was there too.

In his chats with Yang Zixi over the last two days, she had mentioned Shi Yu, so Zhou Donghuang knew who he was. Shi Yu was the first young master of the tycoon Shi family of the Chu royal family. Although the Shi family was only considered the bottom of the tycoon families, they had a level-eight adept, which was incomparable with the Yang family. That was considered among the lowest grand families.

The reason why Shi Yu kept coming to the Yang family so faithfully was simply because of Yang Zixi. He wanted to marry her. In fact, he had asked for her hand from the Yang family chief a long time ago. Yang Yunji had been moved, but Yang Zixi had rejected him firmly, even threatening to commit suicide. Seeing this, Yang Yunji did not dare to press further and let things take their turn naturally.

From Yang Zixi, Zhou Donghuang had also learned that Shi Yu was a rich playboy. In the Chu royal city, many attractive-looking girls had been destroyed by his hands. More than a hundred young girls had chosen to kill themselves after he had toyed with their feelings.

On the planet of Ziyun, people were conservative, and a lady whose chastity had been violated would typically not be able to find a suitor unless she had a strong family backing. Hence, Yang Zixi had always hated Shi Yu but feared offending him in order not to implicate her family.

"Sister Zixi." Seeing Zhou Donghuang walk in together with Yang Zixi, Shi Yu glared coldly at Zhou Donghuang, but when he looked at Yang Zixi, he greeted her with a wide smile.

But Yang Zixi only glanced at him and ignored him. Shi Yu was already used to her indifference and did not take it to heart. But when his eyes turned to Zhou Donghuang again, he could not help but laugh as he gloated, "Lad, didn't expect you to really come back. I want to see for myself how you will treat a poison that even the medicine master poison expert couldn't treat!"

But, from the moment he entered, Zhou Donghuang did not even look at Shi Yu. Zhou Donghuang walked straight into the courtyard and asked Yang Yunchong and the rest, "Where are the needles?"

"Here." Yang An handed a box to Zhou Donghuang. As he opened it, Zhou Donghuang saw thirty-six two-inch golden needles neatly arranged inside. The needles were extremely thin, hardly thicker than a thread.

"Medicine Master Zhou, are these okay?" Yang Yunchong asked Zhou Donghuang worriedly. He only heaved a sigh of relief when Zhou Donghuang nodded.

"Besides Zixi, the rest please wait outside." As Zhou Donghuang carried the box into the room, Yang Yunchong and the rest were about to head in together, but Zhou Donghuang's voice rang from inside the room.

Immediately, Yang Yunchong, Yang Ping and Yang An stopped in their tracks.

"Lad, stop acting mysterious! I want to see for myself how you detoxify Chief Yang…" laughed Shi Yu, who had planned to go into the room with them.

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Chapter 79: Celestial Dipper Detox Needle

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Behind the tightly closed doors of the room, Yang Zixi was dazzled as she watched the young man administer the needles to her uncle.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

…

The thin two-inch long golden needles seemed to come alive in his hands as they passed through the clothing and pierced into her uncle's body. The whole process was as fluid as flowing water.

Now, Zhou Donghuang was using acupuncture that he had learned in his previous life on Earth on the Yang family chief, Yang Yunji. In the past, the Nerve-Easing, Marrow-Cleansing Needle which he had performed on Freezing Wind was another form of acupuncture. Of course, he was not using the same technique on Yang Yunji, but another acupuncture technique called Celestial Dipper Detox Needle.

Celestial Dipper Detox Needle could be used to detoxify poison and was a technique not inferior to the Nerve-Easing, Marrow-Cleansing Needle which he had picked up by chance in his previous life on Earth. Furthermore, the technique had extremely strict standards regarding the needles used: they had to be fine, two-inch-long, pure gold needles, and it required exactly thirty-six needles for each of the thirty-six celestial dippers.

To Yang Zixi's eyes, the young man's hands were lightning fast; she could not see how he administered the needles. When she saw him slow down and even stop administering the needles, an hour had passed. All thirty-six golden needles were in Yang Yunji's body.

"Next, I will hit your meridian points. Together with the thirty-six acupuncture points, this will help to detoxify the poison in your body," said Zhou Donghuang as he looked at Yang Yunji. "This process will be a little painful… as long as you manage to withstand the pain, I'll be able to complete the first day of treatment. Prepare yourself. I will begin after ten breaths."

After he had spoken, Zhou Donghuang turned to the dazed young girl beside him and said with a smile, "Zixi, go out and tell the rest… later, no matter what they hear from this room, don't come in and disturb the process. If not, not only will they waste all our efforts, they may even endanger his life." As he spoke, his tone turned serious.

"Ah?" The young girl was first surprised, but once she recovered from her shock, she nodded hurriedly and walked out of the door. After instructing Yang Yunchong and the rest, she then returned to the room.

In that time, ten breaths had passed since Yang Zixi closed the door. As she looked on, the young man at the bedside began his rapid hand movements. The lightning-fast movements left her spellbound. But this time, the young man did not have needles in his hands. His hands were sometimes clenched into a fist and sometimes with palm outspread, landing on her uncle's body.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

…

As Zhou Donghuang struck with his lightning-fast hands, both fist and palm landing on Yang Yunji's body, dull thuds echoed in the room. In the beginning, Yang Yunji felt intense pain all over his body, but he clenched his teeth and winced through the pain. But towards the end, the pain became unbearable as he could not help but scream. His hair-raising screams would have made Yang Yunchong and the rest outside rush into the room if Yang Zixi had not instructed them otherwise previously.

"Third Master Yang, elders… aren't you afraid that the young man will make a mistake and harm Chief even before the poison kills him?" Hearing the screams from within the room, Shi Yu looked at Yang Yunchong, Yang Ping and Yang An, and asked seriously.

"Young Master Shi, rather than wait for the poison to act up, I'd rather let Medicine Master Zhou try," Yang Yunchong said emotionlessly, ignoring Shi Yu's attempt at fanning the flames.

"Third Master Yang, from what you say… are you really placing your hopes on this young lad who came from nowhere?" Shi Yu laughed condescendingly. "That lad, even if he really is a basic-level medicine master, could he possibly be as capable as Medicine Master Xiao in terms of treating poison? There is no way that he can detoxify a poison that even Medicine Master Xiao could not treat."

"Young Master Shi, he has already claimed that he can help to detoxify chief's poison… today, if he fails to do it, we will definitely not let him go so easily," said Yang Ping. "For now, let him do what he wants."

"That's right," agreed Yang An with a nod.

After an hour, the screams from inside the room finally quietened down, and the room regained its peace.

Inside, Yang Zixi was shocked. Zhou Donghuang was removing the thirty-six needles which he had stuck into Yang Yunji's body, and with each needle removed, black poisoned blood seeped out from Yang Yunji's body, staining his clothes black. And as the poisoned blood left his body, Yang Yunji's condition seemed to improve.

After all the needles had been removed, half of Yang Yunji's head of white hair had turned black. At the same time, the wrinkles on his face had reduced. Although he still looked old, he still looked much younger than before. If he had looked sixty or seventy years old previously, now he looked just slightly over sixty years old.

"This… is incredible." If she had not seen it with her own eyes, Yang Zixi would not have believed that someone could reverse aging in just two hours.

Incredible! Simply incredible! That was all Yang Zixi could think of in that moment.

"You have recovered much better than I had imagined… from tomorrow onwards, I will perform acupuncture on you every day. After four days, you won't need it anymore." As Zhou Donghuang put the needles back into the box, he told Yang Yunji, "As long as you drink the medicine that I prescribed every day, you will recover all your strength within five or six days."

At the same time, Yang Yunji recovered from his state of shock. He dropped to his knees and thanked Zhou Donghuang profusely, "Yang Yunji is grateful to Medicine Master Zhou for his benevolence!"

Only he could experience the miraculous transformation of his body. Previously, he could feel the life seeping out of his body with each moment, as if he were aging constantly… that feeling had caused him to despair. But now, he found that he was no longer losing his vitality, and his body felt much younger. Although his condition was far from his original self, he felt strangely energetic.

In that moment, Yang Yunji felt as if he had been released from hell and ascended to heaven. Finally, there was hope for him.

Hence, he was immeasurably grateful to Zhou Donghuang who had given him this hope, and he knelt in gratitude. He seemed to forget that he was the chief of the grand Yang family and that the man before him was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old young man… All he knew was that the young man had saved his life.

"Remember what I said." Zhou Donghuang looked at Yang Yunji, then smiled at Yang Zixi and left the room.

"Medicine Master Zhou, how is it?" Seeing Zhou Donghuang leave, Yang Yunchong, Yang Ping and Yang An rushed to him.

"Go in and see for yourself," said Zhou Donghuang flatly.

Just as he said this, hearty laughter erupted from within the room, "Hahahaha… Hahahahahaha…" Hearing this, the eyes of Yang Yunchong and the rest lit up as they rushed into the room.

"No… no way!" Hearing the energetic laughter from within the room, Shi Yu looked at Zhou Donghuang in disbelief and entered the room behind the rest.

At the same time, Zhou Donghuang went straight to his room in the Yang family household.

As Yang Yunchong and the rest entered the room, seeing Yang Yunji's current condition, they did not even have to ask to understand the situation.

"Medicine Master Zhou is really superb," Yang An exclaimed wholeheartedly.

"I never would I have thought that a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy could detoxify a poison that the famed Medicine Master Xiao, a poison expert among the top medicine masters in the Chu royal city, could not treat," Yang Ping could not help but remark.

"Brother, look at you now… you must be recovering well, right?" Yang Yunchong asked Yang Yunji excitedly.

"Medicine Master Zhou said, from tomorrow, he will perform acupuncture four times over the next four days and will purge my body of all the snake poison." Yang Yunji's face was still filled with excitement. "As long as I persevere and drink his medicine every day, I will fully recover within five to six days!"

"Congratulations, Uncle." A wide smile spread over the beautiful face of the young girl at his side. She had not smiled this easily in a long while.

"Zixi, I owe it to you for inviting Medicine Master Zhou here." Yang Yunchong looked at the young girl lovingly.

"That's right! Lady Zixi deserves the credit for treating Chief's poison!" Yang Ping and Yang An also looked at the young girl happily.

"How is this possible?!" When Shi Yu saw the black hair on Yang Yunji's head and the youth in his face, he was in disbelief. "That lad is only a basic-level medicine master at best, how could he possibly detoxify a poison that even Medicine Master Xiao could not treat?!"

Once he had recovered from his shock, Shi Yu turned and left the Yang family household without a word.

"Hmph!" After leaving the Yang family household, Shi Yu's eyes flashed coldly. "Kid, do you think you did a good thing by helping treat the Yang family chief?"

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Chapter 80: Conspiracy

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After leaving the Yang family household, Shi Yu first returned to the Shi household before going straight to Xiao Chen, one of the top ten medicine masters in the Chu royal city.

Xiao Chen was an intermediate-level medicine master who had not joined any family, and he had opened his own pharmacy in the city. As the poison expert among the top ten medicine masters in the Chu royal city, Xiao Chen had a monopoly over the whole market for poison detoxification in the city.

Xiao Chen hadn't joined a family not because none of them wanted him, but because he wanted the freedom of not being tied down by a family. If he wanted to, he could even join the household of the Chu king and become a royal physician there.

Of course, if he joined the royal household, his position would not be as high as those who had joined a tycoon family, because the Chu royal household already had many intermediate-level medicine masters. If he joined the household of the Chu king, it would simply be the icing on the cake for the royal household. And if he joined a tycoon family, his position would not be as high as if he had joined a grand family. Whereas if he joined a grand family, it would be akin to providing much-needed help in a time of need.

"Medicine Master Xiao." Although Shi Yu was spoiled, he was extremely courteous and respectful before Xiao Chen.

"Young Master Shi, why have you come to find me? If you are asking for help to treat someone's poison, then please leave." Because of the incident two days ago at the grand Yang family, Xiao Chen was also unhappy at Shi Yu, who had invited him to the Yang family. Upon seeing him, Xiao Chen had been prepared to send him away immediately.

After he had told the Yang family that he could not treat the poison in their chief, they had gotten a basic-level medicine master to take a look at their chief. Clearly, they were doubting his abilities and were mocking him.

"Medicine Master Xiao, allow me to apologise for what happened two days ago," said Shi Yu with a sincere smile. "Today I've come to you not to ask for help, but to help you."

"Help me?" Xiao Chen found this laughable. He questioned incredulously, "Why would I, Xiao Chen, need help from Young Master Shi?"

"Medicine Master Xiao, I believe you haven't heard… two days ago, that sixteen or seventeen-year-old basic-level medicine master whom the Yang family found managed to detoxify some of the poison in Yang Yunji," Shi Yu said as his eyes narrowed.

"Impossible!" interrupted Xiao Chen. "Even I was unable to treat Yang Yunji's poison. How could a basic-level medicine master possibly do anything?" Clearly, Xiao Chen did not believe Shi Yu's words.

"Medicine Master Xiao, if I had not seen it for myself, I would not have believed it either," said Shi Yu as he shook his head. "Today, after he detoxified the poison in Yang Yunji, I took a look for myself. Half of Yang Yunji's head full of white hair turned black again… Furthermore, he originally looked at least seventy years old, but now, his wrinkles have lessened and he looks sixty at most."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed as he stared at Shi Yu and asked in a low voice, "Are you serious?"

Shi Yu shook his head and said, "Medicine Master Xiao, if you don't believe me, you can take a look for yourself… I have no reason to lie to you. Yang Yunji also said… that kid will continue treating him for a few days, and he will not only be purged of the poison in five to six days, but will even recover all his original strength!"

Shi Yu looked at Xiao Chen seriously and said, "Medicine Master Xiao, if that kid really manages to heal Yang Yunji, your reputation will be tarnished. By then, news will spread around the Chu royal city that you, as the poison expert among the top ten medicine masters in the Chu royal city, are not even as capable as a teenager! Your pharmacy business will definitely be affected seriously."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen's expression flashed.

Xiao Chen was not only concerned about his pharmacy business, but more importantly, his reputation was at stake.

"I will head to the Yang household right now!" Xiao Chen declared.

"I'll accompany you," said Shi Yu with a smile.

On the way, Shi Yu remarked, "Medicine Master Xiao, actually, even if the deed is already done, it is not the end for you."

"How so?" Xiao Chen asked curiously as he looked at Shi Yu.

"Medicine Master Xiao, think about it… even if that kid manages to treat Yang Yunji's poison, as long as the Yang family tells everyone that you were the one who did the detoxification, and not him, then everyone will applaud your capability," Shi Yu said with a smile. "If the rest of the top ten medicine masters in the city were all unable to treat the poison, but you managed to do it… then, your reputation will be elevated!"

Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed sharply, "You mean, once the kid treats Yang Yunji, I jump in and claim the credit?"

"That's right," responded Shi Yu with a nod.

"Why would that young man or the Yang family do that?" Xiao Chen asked seriously.

"Don't bother about that kid… as for the Yang family, as long as my Shi family gives them some benefits or threaten them a little, they will easily betray that young man," Shi Yu answered with confidence.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen seemed to realize something and stared intently at Shi Yu. "Young Master Shi, you're digging my grave… are you trying to make me join the Shi family?"

"That's right," agreed Shi Yu.

"Hmph!" Xiao Chen snorted. "Even if I wanted to win the Yang family over, I can do it myself, without your help." As an intermediate-level medicine master, he too could bribe the Yang family without the help of the Shi family. As long as the Shi family got involved, he would definitely be trapped by them. That was not what he wanted at all.

"Medicine Master Xiao, the problem is… you may be able to bribe the Yang family, but can you buy me over?" Shi Yu laughed, his threat hardly concealed within his words.

"You?" Xiao Chen's eyes flashed murderously.

Noticing this, Shi Yu said nonchalantly, "Don't you think that I would have discussed this with my family before looking you up? After all, this concerns an intermediate-level medicine master joining our Shi family, and not just any intermediate-level medicine master, but one of the top ten in the Chu royal city." Unless Xiao Chen was willing to give up his whole career in this city, he would definitely not dare to kill him.

"Hmph!" Xiao Chen's eyes flashed as he said with a low voice, "Let's talk about joining the Shi family after the kid actually treats Yang Yunji!"

"Medicine Master Xiao, once you take a look at Yang Yunji, you won't have to wait any longer to confirm that the kid will probably be able to treat him," replied Shi Yu with a laugh.

Till now, he could still remember his shock upon seeing Yang Yunji in the room; his drastic change was almost like the reversing of aging in the legends.

Soon, Shi Yu and Xiao Chen reached the Yang family household. The two Yang family disciples guarding the front door recognized Shi Yu and naturally did not dare to stop him. Shi Yu and Xiao Chen entered the household.

"This… How is this possible?!" When Xiao Chen saw Yang Yunji again, it was like seeing a ghost. His face was filled with fear, his eyes widened in disbelief. Unless he had seen it for himself, he would not have believed that a person could undergo such a huge change in just two short days.

Now, he was certain that Shi Yu had not been exaggerating. Everything was exactly as he had described.

"Yang family chief, let me test the poison in your body." Breathing deeply and suppressing his agitation, Xiao Chen used his own method to test the level of poison in Yang Yunji's body. To his surprise, the amount of poison had decreased by almost thirty percent, was well controlled and was no longer spreading.

"Yang family chief, that young man… did he tell you what poison you had been infected with?" asked Xiao Chen.

Although Xiao Chen could not help to treat his poison, he was still one of the top ten medicine masters in the city. Yang Yunji did not dare to offend him, and he answered truthfully, "Medicine Master Zhou said it was a snake poison."

"Snake poison?" Xiao Chen said firmly, "Impossible!"

Two days ago, when he had tested the poison in Yang Yunji, he had not noticed any bite marks anywhere on his body. Furthermore, if he had been bitten by a snake, Yang Yunji would have definitely felt it and told him.

"At first, I did not think it was possible either," said Yang Yunji with a sigh. "After all, I had not been bitten by a snake, and there were no bite marks anywhere on my body. But Medicine Master Zhou said that it was a snake which spit its venom and made its victim breathe the poison in, not through a bite. He also said… I had been infected by the Russell's viper," finished Yang Yunji.

"The Russell's viper?" Xiao Chen frowned. He was sure that he had never heard of such a snake before.

Looks like he happened to know what poison it was and treated it accordingly, to detoxify Yang Yunji of the poison, thought Xiao Chen to himself, feeling relieved. This did not mean that the kid was more capable than him, just that he was lucky and happened to know how to treat this particular poison.

"Yang family chief, farewell." After bidding farewell to Yang Yunji, Xiao Chen left the household with Shi Yu.

As they walked out, Shi Yu asked with a laugh, "Medicine Master Xiao, do you now believe that that kid can treat Yang Yunji?"

"I'll return to the Shi family with you," responded Xiao Chen seriously.

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Chapter 81: Changing Attitudes Like Flipping Pages

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Zhou Donghuang did not practice after returning from his visit to Yang Yunji. Instead, he sat at the stone table in the courtyard, sipping tea and enjoying the sunshine.

"Big Brother Zhou."

A gentle voice, followed by a beautiful, slender and elegant young lady, slipped into Zhou Donghuang's field of vision.

It was Yang Zixi.

"Have a seat."

Zhou Donghuang smiled gently as he beckoned Yang Zixi over to have a seat. Perhaps it was the whole episode with Chen Dandan that gave him a sense of goodwill towards this young lady who knew the meaning of gratitude.

Of course, it was only goodwill and not mixed with other feelings.

"Big Brother Zhou, First Uncle and Third Uncle asked me to give this to you."

She placed the brocaded box she was holding on the stone table and pushed before Zhou Donghuang, making sure to display it before Zhou Donghuang before opening it.

Inside the box was the ten-year survival weed.

"I have not yet finished purging the poison from Patriarch Yang's body, and you are already giving me the ten-year survival weed? Aren't they afraid that I will not be able to complete the job?"

Zhou Donghuang shook his head with a smile.

"Big Brother Zhou must be kidding."

The young lady laughed breezily. Just from the skill that this youth had shown that day, she was fully confident that he would be able to completely purge the poison from her uncle's body.

"Big Brother Zhou, how did you come to have such skills? Where did you learn such a skill?" the young lady asked curiously.

The technique and skill that the youth had displayed in acupuncture had left her starry-eyed and in awe. In her opinion, such skill was impossible to master without at least eight to ten years of hard work.

"I learned it from an ancient record, through trial and error."

Zhou Donghuang's reply was the truth. He had indeed found an ancient record on acupuncture on Earth by accident, and he had eventually mastered it after a period of trial and error.

However, the young lady did not believe Zhou Donghuang but assumed that he was unwilling to reveal the truth, and so she did not pursue it further.

"Big Brother Zhou, Shi Yu of the Shi family left and returned with Medicine Master Xiao… Medicine Master Xiao is acknowledged as the foremost expert on poisons in the Chu royal city. He was stunned speechless when he saw the state First Uncle was in after you treated him."

The young lady changed the subject, smiling as she shared this with Zhou Donghuang. "Or perhaps, he never imagined in his wildest dreams that youth could purge even a poison even he was helpless against."

"The Russell's Viper is extremely rare, and perhaps not even ten of them could be found in the whole of Yunyang country… perhaps he does not even know of Russell's Viper, so how could he treat its poison?"

Zhou Donghuang graciously made light of it.

Of course, there was something that he did not say.

Even if the source of an ordinary poison was unknown, an intermediate-level medicine master would be able to purge it… however, usually only an earth-level medicine master and above would be able to purge the poison from a Russell's Viper.

"Big Brother Zhou, are you really an inferior-level medicine master?" the young Lady asked curiously.

"An inferior-level medicine master?"

Zhou Donghuang was momentarily stunned, but recovered with a casual laugh and countered, "Zixi, do you think an inferior-level medicine master would be able to detoxify your uncle?"

"No."

The young lady shook her head. She knew what level an inferior-level medicine master would have. Even an intermediate-level medicine master might not have such ability.

For example, the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city, who were all outstanding intermediate-level medicine masters, had been helpless against the poison that her uncle was suffering from.

"Big Brother Zhou, then are you be an intermediate-level medicine master?"

The young lady stared wide-eyed, her beautiful face full of surprise.

"I'm not."

Zhou Donghuang shook his head.

"How about a superior-level medicine master?" the young lady asked again.

Zhou Donghuang shook his head once more.

"Big Brother Zhou, are you telling me… that you are an earth-level medicine master?" the young lady asked with a smile.

"Also, no."

Zhou Donghuang continued shaking his head.

"Big Brother Zhou, could you possibly mean that… you are a heaven-level medicine master?" the young lady asked with a bitter smile.

There had never been a heaven-level medicine master in the history of the country of Yunyang. The best medicine master in the history of the country of Yunyang had only been an earth-level medicine master.

"A heaven-level medicine master? Perhaps I could be considered as one," Zhou Donghuang murmured, nodding his head solemnly.

Adepts below the stage of Primal Core could not use their essential core to forge the Samadhi fire, and without the Samadhi fire, they could not practice alchemy.

No matter how skilled a person might be at alchemy and how knowledgeable he was about medicine, he could only be considered a heaven-level medicine master at most if he had not advanced to the stage of Primal Core.

This was the situation that Zhou Donghuang was in now.

In his previous life, not only had he been at the pinnacle of the universe in terms of martial power, but also in terms of practicing alchemy, no one could match him.

However, even though he had a brain full of unsurpassed knowledge about alchemy and medicine, his level of practice had not yet advanced to the stage of Primal Core. He could also only be considered a medicine master and not an alchemist.

A heaven-level medicine master? Could he be considered as such?

The young lady naturally did not believe Zhou Donghuang and assumed that he was joking with her. "Big Brother Zhou, you are truly… interesting."

Though he saw that the young lady did not believe him, Zhou Donghuang chose not to say more. He had no control over whether people believed him or not.

Moreover, he could not be bothered about it.

After chatting with Zhou Donghuang for a while more, the young lady bade him farewell. "Big Brother Zhou, I'll come over tomorrow morning, and we'll go over to my uncle together."

"Mhm."

After acknowledging the young lady, Zhou Donghuang returned to his room to begin formulating the new qi-gathering elixir.

Although he could have formulated a qi-gathering elixir that increased sensitivity to qi by 900% percent earlier, he was in no hurry to do so.

He had been waiting for the ten-year survival weed from the Yang family.

Now that he had the ten-year survival weed, he could immediately formulate a qi-gathering elixir that increased sensitivity to qi by a thousand percent!

With this maximum strength qi-gathering elixir, my rate of practice can be increased even further.

Several hours later, Zhou Donghuang was looking at bottle after bottle of maximum strength qi-gathering elixir, his eyes glittering.

With this maximum strength qi-gathering elixir, when I enter that state of complete concentration needed for the Lord of the Four Supremes, my rate of practice will be even greater!

At this thought, Zhou Donghuang's eyes began to glitter even more brightly.

Of course, he knew that he would not be able to enter that state of practice for the next few days… because he needed to help the patriarch of the Yang family purge the poison from his body every day for the next four days.

Of course, although he would not be able to enter that particular state of practice for the next few days, Zhou Donghuang was nevertheless impatient to consume the maximum strength qi-gathering elixir and begin practicing.

Now, in the process of practicing the Lord of the Four Supremes, he could distinctly feel his rate of practice increasing… The increase in his rate of practice was so great compared to before that it could not even be mentioned in the same breath!

Zhou Donghuang practiced till late at night before collapsing onto his bed and falling asleep. The next morning, he continued practicing as soon as he awoke.

At Zhou Donghuang's current level of practice, he still could not enter a state of practice that was as good as sleep.

In the boundless universe, only adepts who had achieved the stage of Primal Core could enter a state of practice that was as good as sleep. At the stage of Primal Core, the body could enter a state of sleep while using the core condensed inside the body to absorb qi to practice, and this process would not affect the practice.

"Big Brother Zhou."

After practicing for several hours, Zhou Donghuang heard the voice of a young lady. He stopped practicing immediately and left the room. He went with Yang Zixi to the accommodation of Patriarch Yang Yunji of the Yang family.

Similar to the previous day, Zhou Donghuang allowed only the young lady to remain in the room as he purged the poison from Yang Yunji.

Less than half a day later, after Zhou Donghuang had put the thirty-six gold needles back in the brocaded box, and the robe that Yang Yunji was wearing was once again stained with black poisoned blood.

Besides that, almost half of Yang Yunji's hair had turned black.

There were significantly fewer wrinkles on Yang Yunji's face. After purging the poison the previous day, he had looked just over sixty years old, but now, he looked less than sixty years old.

"First Uncle, rest well."

The young lady wished Yang Yunji before leaving with Zhou Donghuang, not lingering as she had the previous day.

As they were leaving, the third master of the Yang family, Yang Yunchong, entered the room, smiling at Yang Yunji who was sitting cross-legged on the bed. He said, "Big Brother, that girl Zixi seems to have feelings for that Medicine Master Zhou… I've never seen her so close to any young man of similar age as her."

"It's a pity he is from an inferior-level prefecture, if not, we could seriously consider matching Zixi with him."

Yang Yunji was very enthusiastic in front of Zhou Donghuang, but now, at the mention of Zhou Donghuang, a look of distaste crept into his eyes.

He changed his demeanor like flipping the pages of a book.

He had just found out yesterday from Yang Zixi herself that Zhou Donghuang was from Yunfeng prefecture, an inferior-level prefecture.

"Big Brother, although he is from an inferior-level prefecture, there is something about him… to be able to treat even the poison you are suffering from, if he and Zixi end up together, and he stays with our Yang family, it would be a great asset to our Yang family," Yang Yunchong said.

"He can purge the poison from me only because he happens to recognize this particular kind of snake poison, and therefore knows how to purge this kind of snake poison," Yang Yunji said indifferently. "At his age, he can only be an inferior-level medicine master at best. Our Yang family does not lack a mere inferior-level medicine master."

Although Zhou Donghuang had demonstrated an extremely skillful method of acupuncture before Yang Yunji, in Yang Yunji's view, that could only have been familiarity that resulted from practice and did not prove anything.

Even if a youth of sixteen or seventeen years of age could master such a dazzling technique, he could still not possibly be an intermediate-level medicine master.

To become an intermediate-level medicine master, a person's mastery of medicine must meet a certain standard. How high a standard could a youth reach?

"Patriarch, the patriarch of the Shi family is here."

Just as Yang Yunji finished speaking, he heard the voice of a Yang family junior coming from outside the room. "With him are Young Master Shi Yu and Medicine Master Xiao."

"The patriarch of the Shi family?"

Yang Yunji squinted at the Yang family junior's words. "What is he here for?"

The Shi family was a tycoon family, and although it was at the bottom of the pile among the tycoon families, the Yang family was likewise at the bottom of the pile among the grand families and could not compare to them.

"Shi Yu and Xiao Chen are with him… why do I feel for some reason that the patriarch of the Shi family is here concerning the matter of Medicine Master Zhou treating your poison?"

Yang Yunchong guessed with a frown.

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In the receiving chamber of the Yang family mansion.

There were three people already waiting in the receiving chamber when Patriarch Yang Yunji and Third Master Yang Yunchong arrived.

One of them was seated at the place of honor in the receiving chamber and was an imposing middle-aged man wearing a dark gold mandarin gown. He had a solid, muscular build, curly sideburns, and a dignified forehead.

He sat there as though he were superior to everyone else.

Although it was presumptuous for a visitor to seat himself at the place of honor, Yang Yunji and Yang Yunchong did not dare show any hint of displeasure.

Not only that, they even bowed to the visitors in greeting when they entered.

"Yang Yunji acknowledges Patriarch Shi."

"Yang Yunchong acknowledges Patriarch Shi."

The person seated at the place of honor in the receiving chamber of the Yang family mansion was the patriarch of the tycoon Shi family of the Chu royal city, Shi Hao.

Besides being the patriarch of the tycoon Shi family, Shi Hao was also a powerful level-seven adept of the Qi-gathering. In the Shi family, his ability was second only to the level-eight adept of the Shi family.

There were two people standing behind Shi Hao. One of them was his eldest son Shi Yu, and the other was one of the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city, Xiao Chen.

The sight of Yang Yunji and his previously white head of hair that was now almost half black left a shocked expression on Xiao Chen's face, and his eyes showed a sense of disbelief and surprise.

When he had seen Yang Yunji the previous day, he had been in a different state entirely. Yang Yunji now seemed to be a totally different person today. Not only Xiao Chen, but Shi Yu too had a similar reaction when he saw Yang Yunji.

Of course, not only Xiao Chen but also Shi Yu were immediately able to tell that the amount of poison in Yang Yunji's body was significantly less.

"Patriarch Yang, from the current situation… the poison in your body should be completely purged three days from now," Xiao Chen declared, looking at Yang Yunji.

"Correct."

Yang Yunji could barely conceal the excitement on his face when Xiao Chen brought this topic up. "In two more days, the poison in my body will be completely purged."

"This is all thanks to Medicine Master Zhou's efforts."

Although he looked down on that youth in private, he did not dare voice out his true thoughts. Otherwise, it would be a point of ridicule that the patriarch of the Yang family and the entire Yang family by extension repaid grace with spite. This was not something he wished to see.

"Medicine Master Zhou's efforts?"

Shi Yu laughed as he looked at Yang Yunji. "Patriarch Yang, regarding what you said… I fear you are mistaken?"

"It is obviously Medicine Master Xiao Chen's effort; how could you give credit to others? Such ungratefulness will definitely become a topic of conversation."

As he finished, Shi Yu gave Yang Yunji a meaningful look.

"Young Master Shi, what do you mean by that?"

Yang Yunji frowned subconsciously, and a suspicious expression spread across the face of Yang Yunchong who was standing beside him. He was unsure what Shi Yu really meant.

It was a matter of fact that his big brother's poison was treated by that youth named Zhou, so why say it was the effort of Medicine Master Xiao Chen?

"I mean exactly what I say."

Just as the brothers Yang Yunji and Yang Yunchong were beginning to get confused, Shi Hao, the patriarch of the tycoon Shi family spoke up in a booming voice with a tone that brooked no argument.

"Oh?"

Yang Yunji and Yang Yunchong instinctively looked at Shi Hao.

Shi Hao looked back at Yang Yunji and casually said, "After the poison in your body has been purged in several days' time, and only if the Yang family announces to the public that it was Medicine Master Xiao Chen who helped you purge the poison… the Shi family will give the Yang family a medicine shop located near the center of the Chu royal city."

Almost as soon as Shi Hao had spoken, Yang Yunji's eyes lit up, and his breathing quickened in an instant.

A medicine shop located near the center of the Chu royal city?

Although the Yang family also had medicine shops in the Chu royal city as well, they were all located in more remote areas in the Chu royal city, and the business from those shops was sparse compared to medicine shops located near the center of the Chu royal city.

The value of a medicine shop near the center of the Chu royal city was even greater than the value of all the other medicine shops that the Yang family owned.

"Patriarch Shi, are you serious about this?"

Yang Yunji looked at Shi Hao with glittering eyes, seeking further confirmation.

"What? Are you doubting what I, Shi Hao, says?"

Shi Hao smiled coldly. "Does the patriarch of a tycoon family like me need to cheat the patriarch of a grand family like you? Laughable!"

"Patriarch Shi, I meant no offense, I was simply too excited."

Yang Yunji smiled awkwardly.

"Do you agree to this?" Shi Hao asked casually.

"I agree! Of course, I agree!"

Yang Yunji nodded without a trace of hesitation, as though he was afraid that Shi Hao would rescind the offer if he delayed.

"Big Brother!"

At the same time, Yang Yunchong recovered his wits and looked distastefully at Yang Yunji. "If you agree to this… how will you explain this to Medicine Master Zhou?"

"This doesn't seem right."

"Moreover, if Zixi knows about this, she will definitely not agree," Yang Yunchong said, voicing out his apprehension.

Yang Yunji smiled coldly, "That Medicine Master Zhou is merely a village bumpkin from an inferior-level prefecture, we'll just pay him off with some silver and dismiss him… even if he is unwilling, what can he do? Could he possibly go against our Yang family? As for Zixi, she's just a little girl, what does she know?" Yang Yunji said casually.

Yang Yunchong smiled bitterly but did not pursue the matter.

After all, the allure of the promise made by the patriarch of the Shi family was too enticing, and if he was in his big brother's position, he might have agreed as well.

"One more thing."

Shi Hao continued speaking, "My son Shi Yu has taken a fancy to that Yang Zixi of your Yang family… if the Yang family will match her with my son, my Shi family will provide the Yang family with valuable medical formulas in the future, and I guarantee that all the medicine shops owned by the Yang family will at least double their profits!"

The promise that Shi Hao now made took Yang Yunji's breath away.

However, he could only give a bitter smile at the condition that Shi Hao imposed. "Patriarch Shi, perhaps you are not aware… that niece of mine is willful, and I am unable to force her to marry Young Master Shi. If I had a way, I would have married her off to Young Master Shi when he approached us with the subject of marriage… but that girl Zixi, she threatened to take her own life, and I could do nothing about it."

Yang Yunji gave a long sigh as he finished speaking.

He sighed not just at his helplessness regarding Yang Zixi's will but also because the Yang family had missed the opportunity to gain the formulas that the Shi family could offer them.

"So I've heard from my son."

Shi Hao was not surprised by what Yang Yunji had said, and he spoke indifferently as he continued, "Therefore, Patriarch Yang, you have another option."

"If she rejects marriage to my son, as long as you expel her from the Yang family and announce it publicly that she is no longer a Yang family member, the Shi family will still provide you with the formulas," Shi Hao said.

This caused Yang Yunchong's expression to change completely.

Yang Yunji however, looked at Shi Hao with shining eyes. "Will the formulas provided also allow the medicine shops owned by the Yang family to earn more than twice their current profits?"

Seeing Shi Hao nod, he immediately agreed. "Excellent! I agree!"

"Big Brother!"

Yang Yunchong never imagined that his big brother would agree. He said in a low voice with a foul expression on his face, "If you do this, how can you honor the memory of your deceased second brother? Don't forget… that year, Second Brother and Second Sister-in-Law were killed by the bandits while covering your escape!"

As he finished, Yang Yunchong's expression became more foul.

"Even if Second Brother and Second Sister-in-Law had not protected me, they would probably not have escaped with their lives anyway."

Faced with Yang Yunchong's rebuke, Yang Yunji's expression did not change, and he said flatly, "They did save my life… but in the years since, I have done my best to bring up their only daughter, and I have fulfilled my obligations to them."

"Now that their daughter has grown up… it is time she makes some contribution to the family clan," Yang Yunji said matter-of-factly.

In reply to Yang Yunji's words, Yang Yunchong said in a low voice, "I cannot agree to this!"

"Even if you don't agree, it is beyond your control."

Yang Yunji swept a cold gaze over Yang Yunchong. "The patriarch of the Yang family makes the decision, not you!"

"If you expel Zixi from the Yang family, then expel me together with her."

Yang Yunchong looked furiously at Yang Yunji. "Even if you don't care for her, I do!"

"Enough!"

Just as Yang Yunchong finished speaking, Shi Hao rose with an impatient shout and sprang towards Yang Yunchong like a hound.

Pong!!

Shi Hao delivered a punch which sent Yang Yunchong flying before he even had time to react, and he crashed heavily into the wall of the receiving chamber and fell without a sound.

Yang Yunchong was only a level-five adept of the Qi-gathering and naturally could not withstand Shi Hao, who was a level-seven adept of the Qi-gathering.

Even if Shi Hao had not attacked unexpectedly, Yang Yunchong would have been hard-pressed to defend against Shi Hao's attack.

"Patriarch Yang, I don't believe you object to us helping the Yang family to clean house?" Shi Hao asked.

After killing Yang Yunchong with a single blow, Shi Hao looked at Yang Yunji with a mocking smile who was staring slack-jawed at him.

Yang Yunji was pale with fear and waved his hands hurriedly as he said, "No objections, no objections… many thanks to Patriarch Shi for helping the Yang family clean house!"

Would he have dared to object? Shi Hao was an outstanding level-seven adept and could easily kill Yang Yunji if he wanted to.

Of course, because of the restrictions imposed by the imperial court of Yunyang country, Shi Hao did not dare kill the patriarch of a grand family indiscriminately, but roughing him up was not out of the question.

Within the country of Yunyang, the wholesale slaughter of families and extinguishing their roots was forbidden between the powerful families… after a family had sprung up, they would have the royal family's protection as long as they were able to put on record before the royal family that they were a family of renown.

And behind the royal family was the imperial court. The orders of the imperial court were carried out by all the royal courts. The reason for such restrictions was because the imperial court wanted to establish order within the country of Yunyang to protect the internal stability of the country.

Otherwise, there would be families slaughtering each other everywhere, and the people of Yunyang country would have no way of making a living. This was not something the imperial court of the country of Yunyang wanted to see.

"If only that slut is expelled from the Yang family and is denied the support of the Yang family… she will be fish on my cutting board, and I, Shi Yu, will be able to do whatever I wish!"

Shi Yu's eyes glittered at Yang Yunji's agreement.

His father had included this condition at his suggestion, and he considered it a reward from his father.

This time, the addition of Xiao Chen, the intermediate-level medicine master, to the Shi family was all due to his effort, and therefore, his father had agreed to give him this reward.

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Chapter 83: An Invisible Hand

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The morning of September 14, 1228 of the Ziyun Era.

"Big Brother Zhou."

This would be the third time that Zhou Donghuang was visiting the patriarch of the Yang family Yang Yunji to purge the poison from his body, and the young lady had arrived early in the morning to look for him.

At the sound of her voice, Zhou Donghuang left his room and left with the young lady for Yang Yunji's accommodation.

"Eh? Where's Third Uncle?"

The young lady was surprised at not seeing the third master of the Yang family, Yang Yunchong, as he would normally be around.

"I have sent your Third Uncle on some errands, he'll only be back in several days' time," said the patriarch of the Yang family Yang Yunji with an affable expression. He had come out of his room to welcome Zhou Donghuang.

He looked at Zhou Donghuang and bowed and raised his arm to usher Zhou Donghuang into the room. "Medicine Master Zhou, after you."

"Mm."

Zhou Donghuang nodded and led the way into the room. Yang Yunji and the young lady followed him in.

Less than half a day later, Zhou Donghuang had completed yet another round of acupuncture on Yang Yunji.

"Tomorrow, I will come over to perform the last round of acupuncture, and the poison in your body will be completely purged. At that point, you will only need to consume the medicine prepared with my formula for two days while you recover, and your body will recover completely to its prior state," Zhou Donghuang said.

"Many thanks to Medicine Master Zhou."

Yang Yunji thanked him profusely.

Half of Yang Yunji's remaining white hair had turned black, and there were almost no more wrinkles on his face, making him look just over fifty years old at most.

From the appearance of a roughly seventy-year-old man just three short days before, he now looked just over fifty. If this became widely known, it would shock many people.

…

Not long after Zhou Donghuang returned and just as he was about to start practicing, the young lady came over again with a foul expression.

"Zixi, what's wrong?"

"Big Brother Zhou, I just ran into two elders of the Yang family and overheard them discussing the matter of Uncle regaining his youth." The young lady said in a low voice, "They said it was that Medicine Master Xiao Chen who purged the poison from Uncle. But it is undeniably Big Brother Zhou who helped Uncle get rid of the poison, so how could they give Xiao Chen the credit? I explained it to them, but they did not believe it. They said that a youth like you could not possibly have the ability to purge the poison from Uncle's body.

"I asked them where they heard this news, and they said that they heard it from other elders… I got to the root of the matter and searched out the elder who spread the news, and do you know what he said? He said it was what my First Uncle himself told him!"

"How is that possible?"

"So I went to look for First Uncle… and true enough, he said that he had never said such a thing, he told everyone that it was Big Brother Zhou who helped him purge the poison."

After saying this, the young lady was still in a huff, but she still managed to console Zhou Donghuang at the same time. "Don't worry, Big Brother Zhou, First Uncle said that he will severely punish the elder who spread the lie!"

"Zixi, you came… just because of this?"

Zhou Donghuang shook his head with a smile, thinking that she was making a mountain out of a molehill. To him, this was just a small matter of no consequence.

Even if the patriarch of the Yang family Yang Yunji himself refused to acknowledge his efforts and instead attributed it to someone else, he would not have minded. Why would he care about rumors started by a Yang family elder?

This was because he had decided to treat the patriarch of the Yang family only because of the ten-year survival weed.

"Big Brother Zhou, don't you feel exasperated?" the young lady asked angrily.

"Hmm, it really is exasperating."

Zhou Donghuang nodded with a slight smile and looked at the young lady with a gaze that had become more tender than before without him realizing it.

Although he did not care about such things, the concern the young lady showed inexplicably caused waves of warmth to wash over his heart.

"Big Brother Zhou, First Uncle did not know about this, please don't be angry with him," the young lady said softly, looking timidly at Zhou Donghuang.

"Don't worry."

Zhou Donghuang nodded.

The young lady exhaled in relief at his reply and bade him farewell with a smile. "Big Brother Zhou, then I shan't bother you further… I'll come over tomorrow morning!

After the young lady left, Zhou Donghuang returned to his room and resumed practicing. He only stopped the next morning when he left his room to wait for the young lady in the courtyard.

"Big Brother Zhou."

Once she arrived, Zhou Donghuang left with her to look for the patriarch of the Yang family Yang Yunji.

Half a day later, Zhou Donghuang packed up the golden needles and told Yang Yunji, "Patriarch Yang, the poison in your body has already been completely purged."

The wrinkles on Yang Yunji's face were gone, and not a strand of white hair remained. He had recovered his original appearance, and after staring at himself in the mirror for a long while, he finally recovered his wits.

"Many thanks to Medicine Master Zhou."

Seeing that the poison had all been purged, Yang Yunji looked at Zhou Donghuang with a nod, not bowing in thanks as he had the previous day.

The young lady standing to the side frowned at this, thinking that her uncle was being rude. But Zhou Donghuang did not seem to mind, and looking at the golden needles in the brocaded box, he said to Yang Yunji, "Patriarch Yang, this set of golden needles will not be used by the Yang family anyway, so how about giving them to me?"

Although there were thirty-six golden needles, they were extremely light and not worth much. If Zhou Donghuang wanted a set, he would only have to instruct Fu to get one for him.

However, since it was right there, he was happy to save the trouble.

"Medicine Master Zhou, I would like to examine these golden needles, so I'm afraid I cannot give them to you," Yang Yunji said flatly.

Zhou Donghuang was startled by the reply, but he immediately put down the brocaded box. "In that case, never mind."

This time, the young lady could no longer stand it and said to Yang Yunji, "First Uncle, since Big Brother Zhou wants these golden needles, why don't you just give them to him?"

At the same time, the young lady was confused as to why it seemed that her first uncle seemed a totally different person that day?

"Zixi, your first uncle has his own plans."

Yang Yunji gave the young lady a glance and looked back at Zhou Donghuang. "Medicine Master Zhou, I have something to tell my niece… you, could you leave us for now?"

"Mhm."

Zhou Donghuang nodded indifferently and exited the room immediately as he prepared to leave.

However, as soon as he had exited the room and left the small courtyard, he heard the young lady's scream of rage. "Fine! I'll leave the Yang family! Even though I, Yang Zixi, may starve to death after leaving the Yang family, I will not agree to marry that playboy Shi Yu who toys with young girls!"

Hearing this, Zhou Donghuang paused, frowning slightly.

Soon, he saw the young lady rush out from the room in a huff, rivers of tears flowing down her beautiful cheeks, looking delicate and lovely even in her pitiful state.

"Big Brother Zhou."

Seeing that Zhou Donghuang had not yet left, the young lady reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes, but the tears kept flowing.

Even though Zhou Donghuang had a thousand years of memories and had seen disasters and calamities, he could not help feeling pained seeing the young lady in this state.

"What happened?"

The young lady cried as she told him, "First Uncle wants me to marry that Shi Yu, and said if I do not agree, he will expel me from the Yang family!"

Now, the young lady's voice was trembling, and it was obvious how emotional she was.

"How could he say such a thing?"

Zhou Donghuang frowned. "Could he just have been angry?"

"No."

The young lady shook her head. "I know First Uncle, and he would not say something if he did not mean it."

"Big Brother Zhou, I'll take my leave to pack my things and get ready to leave the Yang family… now, I don't wish to linger here a moment longer."

The young lady stumbled off after wishing Zhou Donghuang, crying as she went and leaving a trail of tears behind her.

Zhou Donghuang's face fell, and he entered the courtyard once more and went into Yang Yunji's room.

"Why?"

Zhou Donghuang looked at Yang Yunji and asked in a low voice, "Do you know, Zixi respects you as a father… and you, in order to force her to marry someone she hates, would even expel her from the Yang family?"

"Medicine Master Zhou, this matter is the Yang family's concern, don't worry about it," Yang Yunji replied indifferently to Zhou Donghuang question.

"Do you confirm… that what you said to her was not just to scare her?" Zhou Donghuang asked in a low voice.

"I am the patriarch of the Yang family, and my word is decisive. Why would I scare her?"

Yang Yunji smiled coldly. "Medicine Master Zhou, if you are able to advise her, please do so… if only she agrees to marry Young Master Shi, she will still be part of the Yang family and will continue to enjoy the blessings that come with it."

Zhou Donghuang's eyes gleamed coldly at Yang Yunji's words, and not bothering to argue, he left and returned directly to his guest room. After Fu had packed up, he led Fu in search of the young lady.

When they found her, she was about to leave with Aunt Mei.

"Big Brother Zhou?"

Seeing Zhou Donghuang and Fu, the young lady and Aunt Mei could not help being stunned momentarily.

There were still traces of tears on the young lady's face, and Aunt Mei's face was full of rage.

"I am also about to leave the Yang family, let's go together."

Zhou Donghuang smiled.

As they walked out of the main entrance of the Yang family mansion, Zhou Donghuang asked the young lady, "Where do you intend to go next?"

She hesitated briefly before answering, "I… intend to go to a sister and stay with her temporarily."

"I'll send you over," Zhou Donghuang said with a smile.

"Big Brother Zhou, you too do not have accommodation in the royal city at the moment… when I see my sister, I'll get her to take you in too," the young lady said as she dutifully forced out a smile.

…

The entrance of the family mansion of the grand Zheng family.

"Young Mistress Zixi, our young mistress has instructed us… if you have come seeking shelter after being expelled from the Yang family, we are not to allow you in. We are also to advise you that an arm cannot be stronger than a leg, it is best that you marry Young Master Shi," the Zheng family junior guarding the entrance told the young lady.

"Did she really say that?"

The young lady's face turned pale.

"Yes."

The Zheng family junior nodded.

…

The main entrance of the family mansion of the grand Xie family.

The young lady had been turned away again.

"Sister Zixi, our young mistress says, if you agree to marry Young Master Shi, you will both remain sisters… if not, the bond as sisters that you share will end here."

…

Zhou Donghuang followed the young lady as she encountered one setback after another.

It was as though there was an invisible hand pushing the young lady and forcing her to make the stark choice: Marry Young Master Shi of the Shi family or wander the streets.

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"They… have all become so heartless?"

The young lady was pale-faced and desolate.

She never imagined that the daughters of the other grand families who had previously been as close as sisters to her would turn their backs on her in her time of need after being expelled from the Yang family.

Not just that, each one of them was trying to push her into the pit.

In the past, she had shared with them more than once that she would rather die than marry that Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family…

Now, were they really trying to force her to her death?

"Zixi, we had better find an inn to stay for now."

Zhou Donghuang sighed. He did not know how to console the young lady given her situation because this was reality.

No one ever objected to making a good situation even better. However, no one would ever be willing to give help when it was most needed.

"No… I cannot believe it, I cannot believe it…"

The young lady shook her head with an indignant expression and proceeded to bring Zhou Donghuang to the family mansions of two more grand families, with similar results. They were turned away at the door.

"Young Mistress, listen to Medicine Master Zhou, let's find an inn for the night."

Aunt Mei sighed. "Right now, you have already looked up everyone who could have helped."

"No… there's still one more."

There was a look of stubbornness on the young lady's face.

"Still one more? Who?"

Aunt Mei was momentarily stunned. She knew all her young mistresses' friends, and she could not recall anyone else besides those whom her young mistress had already sought out.

"Ren Jiapei!" the young lady said solemnly.

"Ren Jiapei? The daughter of the grand Ren family?"

Aunt Mei smiled bitterly. "Young Mistress, you and Young Mistress Ren don't seem to have interacted much with each other? The only interaction you had with her was ten years ago, when she was almost knocked down by the carriage of the tycoon Kong family, and you pulled her aside just in time and saved her life."

"Although she owes you her life, how old was she at that time? She might not even remember."

Aunt Mei shook her head. "That year, the patriarch of the Ren family brought her to the Yang family mansion to thank the patriarch of the Yang family, and after presenting a lavish gift, you and she had no more interactions with each other thereafter."

The Chu royal city was not huge, but neither was it small.

Yang Zixi and Ren Jiapei had not interacted with each other since that year because Ren Jiapei had followed her mother when she left the Ren family and left the Chu royal city. They had been away for ten whole years, and they had just returned a month ago.

Hearing Aunt Mei relate this story, Zhou Donghuang could not help shaking his head to himself. He did not believe that this young mistress of the Ren family would take the young lady in at this point in time.

"Big Brother Zhou, just one more… this is the last person I'll look up. If even she does not agree to take me in, I'll go with you to find an inn," the young lady said to Zhou Donghuang.

"Let's go."

Zhou Donghuang nodded.

On the way to the Ren family, Zhou Donghuang found out from Aunt Mei that although the Ren family was also a grand family, they were much stronger than the Yang family.

The Yang family had only one level-six adept of Qi-gathering, while the Ren family had three. For this reason, the Ren family's position in the Chu royal city was much higher than the Yang family's.

Of course, they could still not compare to the Shi family, which was a tycoon family.

Soon, the small group arrived at the main entrance of the Ren family mansion.

"I… I am Yang Zixi, looking… looking for Young Mistress Ren Jiapei."

The young lady was not holding on to too much hope after the repeated setbacks, and she spoke to the two Ren family juniors without much confidence.

"Yang Zixi?"

One of the Ren family juniors gave a start and asked with a serious expression, "Young Mistress Zixi of the grand Yang family?"

"In the past… however, I have now been expelled from the Yang family."

Yang Zixi shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.

What the Ren family juniors said next surprised everyone, including Zhou Donghuang. "Young Mistress Zixi, our young mistress instructed us yesterday that if you came looking for her, we should bring you to the receiving chamber immediately and notify her to go over."

"Young Mistress Zixi, this way please."

As they spoke, the Ren family juniors ushered the group of four into the Ren family mansion and led them to the receiving chamber.

"Young Mistress Zixi, please wait here for now. I'll proceed to notify our young mistress.

After greeting the young lady, the Ren family junior jogged away from the receiving chamber.

"I never imagined, really never imagined…"

Aunt Mei looked at the young lady in disbelief, sighing and shaking her head. "Young Mistress Ren has not seen you for over ten years now… I never imagined that just when Young Mistress is in need, she would be more reliable than those young mistresses of the other grand families who you are usually close to and treat like sisters. I never imagined, never imagined, really did not imagine."

Aunt Mei could still not believe it.

Now, Zhou Donghuang was already thinking about something else.

Earlier, the Ren family junior said that his young mistress had instructed them the day before to bring Yang Zixi to the receiving chamber and alert her to go over if Yang Zixi came looking for her?

This meant that Young Mistress Ren already knew since the day before that Yang Zixi would be expelled from the Ren family.

The young mistresses of the grand families who are usually so close to Zixi obviously also knew about this, which is why they instructed their family juniors in advance to turn Zixi away at the door.

Zhou Donghuang's eyes narrowed at this thought. It's that Patriarch Yang, could he have made arrangements with the daughters of the other grand families in advance for them not to take Zixi in?

Or could it be… the tycoon Shi family?

At this point, Zhou Donghuang could already make several intelligent guesses.

Huh?

Suddenly, with a slight movement of Zhou Donghuang's ear, he heard the sound of hesitant footsteps drawing closer, and although they were still some distance away, he still managed to detect them.

This was the reward of practicing the Lord of the Four Supremes. While building up his store of qi, practicing the Lord of the Four Supremes also greatly increased the acuity of his eyesight and hearing.

Just as Zhou Donghuang was looking out of the receiving chamber.

"Sister Zixi!"

A crimson figure entered, accompanied by a melodious and delicate voice.

It was a young lady wearing a figure-hugging crimson outfit, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with an alluring figure. Her pretty face was captivating, as it seemed delicate and mature at the same time. This apparent contradiction gave the young lady an attractive sense of uniqueness.

"Sister Zixi, it's been ten years, and you've grown even more beautiful."

The young lady in crimson immediately came up to Zixi with a brilliant smile, two small dimples appearing intermittently, her gaze softening.

"You are… Sister Jiapei?"

Seeing the young lady in red, Yang Zixi's expression froze. She could not reconcile the slender and elegant young lady with the alluring figure with the little girl from many years ago who cried so easily.

"What? Don't you even recognize your sister?" Ren Jiapei asked with a smile.

"No… it's just that, Sister Jiapei, you have changed so much."

Yang Zixi gave a bitter smile.

"It has been ten years after all, big changes are normal. In the month since returning, my level of practice has been on the verge of a breakthrough, which is why I have not looked you up. I intended to do so after I had broken through."

Ren Jiapei stopped there and hesitated, and a cold gleam flashed through her eyes. "But I never imagined that before I could break through, someone from the Shi family came looking for me, putting on the air of being a tycoon family and telling me politely but with an implied threat that if you were expelled from the Yang family, I must not take you in. At first, I thought that the patriarch of the Yang family could never expel you from the Yang family… but I never imagined that he would actually do it."

As she finished, a hint of anger appeared on Ren Jiapei's face. "From what I know, if your parents had not sacrificed their lives that year, he would have died at the hands of the bandits. What an ungrateful scoundrel!

"It appears that the Shi family has offered him substantial benefits."

Ren Jiapei got angrier as she spoke.

However, when Ren Jiapei looked back at Yang Zixi, there was no trace of anger on her face. "Sister Zixi, from now on, the Ren family is your family, stay as long as you like… others may be afraid of the Shi family, but I, Ren Jiapei, am not afraid!"

"Many thanks to Sister Jiapei."

Yang Zixi thanked her with an expression full of emotion.

"No need for thanks between us… that year, I would have been crushed by that carriage that suddenly appeared from nowhere if not for you."

Ren Jiapei shook her head with a smile.

"Sister Jiapei, I don't have to introduce Aunt Mei, you have met her in the past."

Yang Zixi looked at Zhou Donghuang, and introduced him to Ren Jiapei. "This is Big Brother Zhou Donghuang, he is a medicine master, my first uncle…"

At this point, a pained look came over Yang Zixi's face, and she corrected herself, "The poisoning that Patriarch Yang Yunji of the Yang family was suffering from was purged by Big Brother Zhou himself."

"Big Brother Zhou."

Ren Jiapei followed Yang Zixi in calling Zhou Donghuang "Big Brother," and Zhou Donghuang, who was quite positively inclined towards Ren Jiapei, returned her greeting with a smile. "Young Mistress Ren."

"Sister Zixi, this is not right."

Ren Jiapei looked at Yang Zixi with a slight frown. "These two days, the news spreading in the Chu royal city is that… the poison that Patriarch Yang Yunji of the Yang family was suffering from was purged by one of the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city, Xiao Chen. That Medicine Master Xiao Chen's stock has skyrocketed because of this, and he has already eclipsed the other nine of the ten great medicine masters in the Chu royal city because they had been helpless against the poison that Yang Yunji was suffering from," Ren Jiapei said.

"It's not like this!"

Yang Zixi shook her head. "My first… Xiao Chen had nothing to do with the poison that Yang Yunji was suffering from! I personally witnessed the whole process of detoxification, and only Big Brother Zhou was involved."

"But… the news, many people have verified that it comes straight from the mouth of Patriarch Yang Yunji of the Yang family."

Ren Jiapei knitted her eyebrows again. "One more thing… that Medicine Master Xiao Chen is now a part of the Shi family, and is now in service to the Shi family as their medicine master. Many people find this odd because previously, he refused to be a part of the Shi family when he was less renowned. Moreover, although the Shi family is a tycoon family, it is a tycoon family at the bottom of the hierarchy of tycoon families in the Chu royal city, where there is no shortage of tycoon families."

As she finished, Ren Jiapei had a perplexed look on her face because it really did not make sense.

"Yang Yunji himself said that it was Xiao Chen who purged the poison from him?"

Yang Zixi's expression changed completely.

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Chapter 85: Are You Finished

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"It was undeniably Big Brother Zhou who purged the poison for him, how could he say it was someone else? Has his conscience been eaten by dogs?"

In a fit of anger, a fountain of blood spurted from Yang Zixi's mouth, and she fainted. Only Zhou Donghuang's timely intervention to support her prevented her from falling to the ground.

"Young Mistress!"

Aunt Mei's expression changed.

"Young Mistress Ren, why don't you arrange a place for Zixi to rest for now," Zhou Donghuang said as he supported Yang Zixi. Ren Jiapei had been scared pale by the suddenness of the scene before her.

Ren Jiapei was, after all, only a young lady, and it was normal for her to be scared. She hurriedly accepted Zhou Donghuang's suggestion and led Zhou Donghuang and the others out of the receiving chamber.

Ren Jiapei did not bring them towards the guest rooms, but to the compound where she stayed. "This is where my mother lived apart from my father, and this is where I have been staying since I returned. There are many rooms, and you all can stay here with me from now on. This way, I can take even better care of Sister Zixi."

While Ren Jiapei was speaking, she allowed Zhou Donghuang to carry Yang Zixi back to her room as there had not been time to prepare the other rooms.

"Big Brother Zhou, is Sister Zixi okay?"

Standing by the bed, Ren Jiapei looked worriedly at Zhou Donghuang, who had just laid Yang Zixi down on the bed.

"She's fine, Zixi just suffered a psychological attack caused by the state of her vital energy; she'll be fine after resting for a while."

Zhou Donghuang shook his head and led the way out of the room. "Let her have a good rest for now; no one should disturb her."

"Understood."

Ren Jiapei and Aunt Mei followed him out as he instructed.

As for Fu, he was helping several servant girls of the Ren family to prepare some other rooms, and Aunt Mei went off to help once she came out of the room.

"Big Brother Zhou, you purged the poison that the patriarch of the Yang family Yang Yunji was suffering from and not Xiao Chen?"

After making sure that Yang Zixi was in no danger, Ren Jiapei let out a breath as her curiosity overcame her and she questioned Zhou Donghuang.

"Why? Don't you believe what Zixi said?"

Zhou Donghuang smiled casually, not showing any displeasure that the young lady doubted him. Firstly, he was not a petty person, and secondly, he liked the young lady's personality and was favorably disposed towards her.

"I definitely believe what Sister Zixi said, but I'm just surprised."

Ren Jiapei smiled awkwardly.

"When Zixi brought me to the Yang family to examine Yang Yunji, Xiao Chen had just examined Yang Yunji and said that he was powerless to help."

Zhou Donghuang said indifferently, "After that, I spent four days helping Yang Yunji purge the poison. Yang Yunji announced to the public that it was Xiao Chen who purged him of the poison, and Xiao Chen was accepted into the Shi family after this incident… I believe that Yang Yunji, Xiao Chen, and the Shi family have agreed on a mutually beneficial arrangement. If I'm not wrong… Zixi's expulsion from the Yang family should also be a part of this agreement."

As he finished, a cold gleam flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes. To him, this matter was inconsequential.

However, he could not overlook the fact that Yang Yunji had hurt Yang Zixi because of this, and thus, he could not stand by idly.

Moreover, Yang Zixi had rejected Shi Yu in the past had not been expelled from the family by Yang Yunji, but this time, he really had expelled her.

He had a feeling that Shi Yu had no small part to play in this.

…

In reality, it was soon proven that Zhou Donghuang had guessed correctly.

The next day after Ren Jiapei returned from outside, she called Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi over together, her pretty face unusually serious.

"Big Brother Zhou, Sister Zixi."

Ren Jiapei said in a low voice, "Today, the Shi family gave one of their medicine shops near the city center to the Yang family, and the Yang family is in the process of taking it over. Besides that, the big medicine shops owned by the Yang family have put on sale a good number of new elixirs and potions, and these new elixirs and potions are not something that the inferior-level medicine master of the Yang family has the ability to formulate.

"The most important thing is that… the exact same elixirs and potions went on sale concurrently at the Shi family's medicine shops. If I'm not wrong… those elixirs and potions should all be the work of that Xiao Chen, one of the ten great medicine masters of the Chu royal city."

Ren Jiapei paused and hesitated before continuing, "Besides that, I have gotten someone to find out some things from a direct relative of the Shi family who is very close to Shi Yu. Shi Yu himself is responsible for Xiao Chen joining the Shi family… Shi Yu personally told that direct relative of the Shi family that the Shi family gave the Yang family a shop in return for Patriarch Yang announcing publicly that Xiao Chen purged Yang Yunji's poison, thus helping to raise Xiao Chen's status in the Chu royal city.

"The price Xiao Chen has to pay is… joining the Shi family for three years. Besides that, to reward Shi Yu for orchestrating Xiao Chen's inclusion into the Shi family, Shi Hao of the Shi family promised to give the Yang family some formulas, which would take the business of the Yang family's medicine shops to the next level.

"And the price the Yang family has to pay is… for Sister Zixi to marry Shi Yu!"

Ren Jiapei paused and looked at Yang Zixi.

Yang Zixi's fists were tightly clenched, and her body was trembling. She never imagined that her first uncle would go behind her back and make this sort of arrangement with the Shi family.

"Of course, if Sister Zixi stubbornly refuses to marry, the Yang family would only have to expel Zixi from the Yang family, and the Shi family would still give the Yang family those formulas. This was also Shi Yu's idea… because he intended to appear before Sister Zixi after no one takes her in when she is expelled from the Yang family, making himself appear as her last straw of hope and thus lay claim to Sister Zixi from then on.

"The Shi family junior who came to the Ren family earlier looking for me was also sent by him… the only thing was that he did not imagine that I would still take Sister Zixi in," Ren Jiapei continued.

"Shi Yu!"

A cold gleam flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes, and he knew then that his guess was correct. It was him who had landed Zixi in this situation.

He suddenly could not help feeling a sense of remorse in his heart.

"There's one more thing."

Suddenly, Ren Jiapei looked at Yang Zixi, her expression instantly turning serious again. "It's about… Third Master Yang."

"Third Uncle? What about Third Uncle?" she asked anxiously.

A sense of dread crept into Yang Zixi's heart at Ren Jiapei's expression, and her expression changed as she spoke.

"Third Master Yang is dead."

Ren Jiapei sighed.

"Third Uncle… is dead?"

Yang Zixi's face was pale, and she stared in shock for a moment with bloodshot eyes and asked in a low voice, "Sister Jiapei, do you know when Third Uncle died?"

"On September 13th…"

Ren Jiapei was referring to September 13, 1228 of the Ziyun Era, which was also the day when Zhou Donghuang performed the second round of acupuncture on Yang Yunji to purge the poison from his body.

"From what that direct relative of the Shi family said, Shi Yu told him… at that time, Yang Yunji agreed to expel Sister Zixi from the Yang family, but Third Master Yang refused. He was killed with a single punch from the patriarch of the Shi family, Shi Hao. After Third Master Yang died, Yang Yunji still… still thanked Shi Hao for helping him… clean out his house."

As she finished, Ren Jiapei's speech slowed down, and she took a careful look at Yang Zixi. "Zixi, your third uncle, he… he did not abandon you."

"Third Uncle!!"

Yang Zixi threw her head back with a shrill wail of grief. Blood rushed to her eyes and blood flowed from her tightly clenched fists; blood also dribbled from the corners of her mouth from clenching her teeth too hard.

Swoosh!

A cold gleam flashed across Zhou Donghuang's eyes as he immediately rose from his seat and said to Yang Zixi, "Zixi, come with Big Brother Donghuang… today, Big Brother Zhou will take you to the Yang family and the Shi family and get justice for you!"

The Yang family?

The Shi family?

They were just ants in Zhou Donghuang' eyes.

Zhou Donghuang's sudden violent outburst had given Ren Jiapei a fright, and she smiled bitterly. "Big Brother Zhou, I know you are fighting for Zixi, but that Yang family, Shi family…"

"So what of them?"

Zhou Donghuang smiled coldly, spite and condescension on his face.

"The Yang family is a grand family, and although they are among the lowest grand families, they have a level-six adept of the Qi-gathering in charge, Patriarch Yang Yunji of the Yang family."

Ren Jiapei continued patiently, "The Shi family is a tycoon family, and although they are also among the lowest tycoon families, they have a level-eight adept of Qi-gathering in charge. Besides that, there are the many level-seven adepts of the Shi family, including Shi Hao."

Ren Jiapei paused here, and Zhou Donghuang swept a gaze over her and asked, "Are you done?"

"Big Brother Zhou, you…"

Just as Ren Jiapei was beginning to feel puzzled, not knowing where this youth before her was getting his self-confidence from, Zhou Donghuang had already lifted his right hand and proceeded to press down hard on the stone table beside him.

Pong!!

There was a loud sound, and the entire stone table trembled. It seemed to be transformed into a heap of stone powder, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust.

"This…"

Ren Jiapei stared wide-eyed, completely dumbfounded, and only regained her wits after a long while.

The shock of the sudden loud sound had brought Yang Zixi back to reality, the expression of grief frozen onto her face. She too looked at the heap of stone powder before her in astonishment.

"Cough… cough…"

Finally, Ren Jiapei absentmindedly spat out a wad of saliva as she recovered, looking at the youth before her as though she had seen a ghost.

The youth was tall, his clothes were whiter than snow, and his handsome face bore only a trace of delicateness. His eyes were deep and unfathomable, making it impossible for anyone to read him.

The most important thing was this: This youth looked only sixteen or seventeen years old at most.

If she had not witnessed it with her own eyes, she would not have believed even if she was beaten to death that such a youth could reduce the stone table in her courtyard to this state with just a single slap of his palm.

Even if her father, the patriarch of the Ren family and a level-six adept of the Qi-gathering, could destroy the stone table with a slap, he probably would not be able to reduce it to this state.

Now, the stone table was transformed into fine powder, and not a single piece was intact. Just thinking about the strength required to turn it into this state was truly fearsome.

"Zixi, come with Big Brother Zhou."

Zhou Donghuang called out to Yang Zixi again and strode out of the courtyard towards the main entrance of the Ren family mansion.

"Big Brother Zhou… is actually this powerful?"

Yang Zixi regained her senses, and her previously dull eyes finally lit up again as she rose from her seat and followed after Zhou Donghuang.

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Chapter 86: Chuxiu Inn

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Brother Zhou, Sister Zixi, wait for me!" As Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi walked out of the courtyard, Ren Jiapei finally recovered from her shock and chased after them.

"Brother Zhou, the Shi family has a level-eight adept… are you confident?" Although Yang Zixi had just witnessed Zhou Donghuang's frightening strength, she was not sure what level adept Zhou Donghuang was, only that he was stronger than her uncle, Yang Yunji. Although she had not reached level-one of the gathered qi, she knew that a level-six adept could not possibly destroy a stone table so easily.

"A level-eight adept?" Hearing Yang Zixi's words, Zhou Donghuang smiled with disdain. With his current level-seven of the gathered qi, nobody beneath level-nine in Yunyang country could defeat him.

Ren Jiapei reached them and happened to hear Yang Zixi's question and Zhou Donghuang's nonchalance. Instantly, she was shocked. Brother Zhou… is not even afraid of a level-eight adept? He… he looks just sixteen or seventeen years old…

Looking at the young man, Ren Jiapei was evidently shocked. She could not imagine that the young man could be so powerful at such a young age. This was simply impossible!

"Brother Zhou, if you are not confident, let's not go." Yang Zixi did not see the condescending smile on Zhou Donghuang's lips. Thinking that Zhou Donghuang had not replied, she thought that he was unsure and immediately stopped in her tracks. She halted and did not continue with Zhou Donghuang.

She breathed in deeply and said, "Third Uncle has already died, I… don't wish for you to be harmed too."

Then, Zhou Donghuang stopped too. He turned and walked towards Yang Zixi as he laughed and said, "Silly girl, don't worry… these level-eight adepts don't bother me at all." As he reached Yang Zixi, Zhou Donghuang stretched out and pet her on the head. The young girl was a year younger than him and half a head shorter.

"Brother Zhou, are you serious?" Yang Zixi still did not believe him, her eyes revealing her suspicion.

"When have I ever lied to you?" said Zhou Donghuang with a smile.

"Never," replied Yang Zixi, shaking her head.

"Then, come with me to that Shi…" Before Zhou Donghuang could finish his sentence, he was stopped by a sudden noise.

"First Lady, is this the Yang Zixi who was chased out by the Yang family?" Although the voice sounded aged, it was full of energy. The voice was accompanied by an old man in a green robe and an average build. His eyes were fierce and his actions were bold as he walked towards them.

"Head Elder," greeted Ren Jiapei as she bowed. She introduced the old man, "Brother Zhou, this is the head elder of the Ren family, Ren Qiong."

"Greetings, Elder Ren Qiong." Yang Zixi hurriedly bowed to the old man, while Zhou Donghuang merely glanced at him.

The old man frowned slightly at Zhou Donghuang's disrespect but did not say anything. He looked straight at Yang Zixi and said seriously, "Lady Zixi, if possible, please leave our Ren family before we are implicated. Our first lady was impulsive and did not think of the big picture… please take care of yourself." The old man tried to send her out.

"Head Elder!" Before Yang Zixi could respond, Ren Jiapei's expression had changed as she glared at the old man and questioned, "What do you mean? I allowed Sister Zixi to stay with my father's permission, not acting on my own impulse. What right do you have to chase away my guest?" As Ren Jiapei spoke, her tone turned unfriendly.

"First Lady, Chief agreed to you because he felt guilty towards you over the years… you too know that the Shi family sent a notice today that they would cease cooperation with our family." The old man looked intently at Ren Jiapei and asked, "Do you know… how much the Ren family will suffer? And all of this because of your impulsiveness!" The old man's gaze sharply at her.

Just as Ren Jiapei was about to respond, Yang Zixi told the old man, "Elder Ren Qiong, I did not know that my presence would cause so much trouble to the Ren family. Don't worry, I will leave today."

With that, Yang Zixi turned to Ren Jiapei and squeezed out a smile, "Sister Jiapei, I know you have good intentions… I appreciate it very much. To me, the greatest blessings in my life have been meeting Brother Zhou and Sister Jiapei."

Yang Zixi turned her gaze to Zhou Donghuang and said, "Brother Zhou, let's ask Brother Fu and Aunt Mei to leave together."

"Sure," said Zhou Donghuang as he nodded.

"Brother Zhou, Sister Zixi…" Ren Jiapei's face fell, as if she was about to say something, but was interrupted by Yang Zixi.

"Sister Zixi, do you know? Before I looked for you here, I had looked up many others whom I treated as sisters. But not a single one of them dared to meet me and rejected me at the door. I will remember your help forever," said Yang Zixi seriously. "I know that you can keep asking the Ren family chief to allow me to stay, but my presence will only implicate your whole family… that is not what I wish to see. Sister Jiapei, please don't try to keep me here, alright? The more you try, the more guilty I will feel."

As she spoke, tears sprang into Yang Zixi's eyes, but she forced a smile.

Seeing Yang Zixi and Zhou Donghuang leave, Ren Jiapei looked terribly upset. She glared sternly at the head elder and declared, "Head Elder, you will regret this!"

Just now, seeing the young man's power, she knew that as long as he stayed at the Ren family household with Sister Zixi—even if the young man did not join their family, he would definitely protect the Ren family should anything happen. But now, the head elder had sent him away, along with Sister Zixi.

"Regret?" The old man laughed with disdain.

Seeing this, Ren Jiapei did not bother explaining further, because she did not wish for the family to try to keep the young man out of material interest. "Let nature take its course… With Brother Zhou beside her, Sister Zixi should be fine out there." She was comforted by that fact. She breathed heavily and began walking in the direction that Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi had left.

"Lady Ren, which guest inn is the best in the Chu royal city?" As Fu and Aunt Mei finished packing, Zhou Donghuang turned to ask Ren Jiapei as they were about to leave the Ren family household. He had not asked Yang Zixi because he knew that she would definitely not tell him.

"Brother Zhou, the best inn here is 'Chuxiu Inn' run by the Chu royal household. The biggest and best courtyard there costs a thousand liang a night," answered Ren Jiapei. "Even if you book it for a year, it would cost three hundred thousand liang."

She then added, "Later, I'll get some money from my father so that you can book it for a year." Three hundred thousand liang is not much for a grand family. But for Ren Jiapei, this was not a small sum that she could fork out.

"No need." Zhou Donghuang shook his head. "I can afford this much."

"Brother Zhou, we don't have to go to such a good inn." Just then, Yang Zixi finally stopped him. "We can just find any average inn to stay in."

"Zixi, a normal inn would disturb my practice," said Zhou Donghuang with a laugh. Yang Zixi had nothing to say to that.

Ren Jiapei then instructed someone to prepare a carriage and drove them personally to Chuxiu Inn. As a guest inn operated by the Chu royal household and the best inn in the Chu royal city, Chuxiu Inn was not only situated close to the city center, but it also occupied a vast piece of land.

From the outside, the inn's old architecture was simple yet elegant. At the front door, two rows of uniformed assistants stood at attention. "Hello sir, looking for a room?"

As Zhou Donghuang and the rest got closer, one of the assistants stepped forward and asked Zhou Donghuang respectfully. His eager smile made one feel like a distinguished guest returning home.

"I wish to book your best courtyard here for a year," said Zhou Donghuang. "Forget all the procedures, we want to move in right away… if you manage to do that, you can have this tip." With that, Zhou Donghuang pulled out a ten thousand liang note and handed it to the assistant.

"Sir, please come in, I will bring you there right away." The assistant took the note from Zhou Donghuang with trembling fingers. In all his years working at Chuxiu Inn, this was the first time that he had encountered such a generous guest who gave him ten thousand liang as a tip.

As the assistant took the note, the rest of the assistants at the door all turned green with envy. Especially the older ones who had worked at Chuxiu Inn for more than ten years, their tips over the years did not even add up to ten thousand liang!

"Fu, pay him the fees." As the assistant brought Zhou Donghuang and the rest into the inn, Zhou Donghuang instructed Fu. Although he carried some notes with him, he had only a few hundred thousand liang for emergencies. Most of the money was with Fu.

"Yes, Young Master," replied Fu as he took out a huge stack of notes and handed three hundred liang to the assistant.

"Sister Zixi, this Brother Zhou… who is he?" By this point, even Ren Jiapei was taken aback by Zhou Donghuang's generous wealth. Even the young sons of the tycoon families were not as extravagant.

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Chapter 87: From the Valley of Medicine Masters?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

As the best courtyard in Chuxiu Inn, it was much bigger than any of the courtyards that Ren Jiapei had in the Ren family household. Within, there were fifteen rooms: five master bedrooms and ten rooms for the servants.

The five master bedrooms were lined up in the middle of the courtyard, while the servant rooms were distributed in the two corners closer to the door. Ten servant girls stayed in the rooms.

"Welcome to the Chuxiu Inn." As Zhou Donghuang and the rest walked into the courtyard, the ten servant girls stood in two rows and bowed in greeting. They then rushed forward to grab the bags from Fu and Aunt Mei. A few of them stepped forward together to take the black iron spear from Fu.

Clearly, they could tell that it was a spear made entirely of black iron and was immensely heavy. If not, they would not have come forward to take it together. This detail did not go unnoticed by Zhou Donghuang. "These servant girls have good judgement."

But after a while, he realized: what kind of place this was—Chuxiu Inn, the best guest inn in the Chu royal city. Furthermore, since these servant girls had been sent to wait on the guest in the best guest courtyard, they must have gone through careful selection.

"No wonder it costs a thousand liang to stay here for a night… they really put on quite a show," Zhou Donghuang muttered to himself as his eyes flashed. Of course, he was only mildly surprised to find such extravagance in the Chu royal city; in his past life, he had stayed in even more prestigious guest-houses as he had travelled around the universe. This inn could hardly hold a candle to those guest-houses.

The whole courtyard was split into the front and back yard, divided by the five master bedrooms in the middle. The servant girls spent most of their time in the front yard, sometimes going into the master bedrooms in the middle to clean them. They would not step a foot into the backyard unless the guest instructed them to tidy it up. This ensured the guest's privacy.

This was all introduced to Zhou Donghuang's party by a slightly older servant girl among the ten of them.

"In the past, I had only heard of how terrific the best guest courtyard in Chuxiu Inn is; this is my first time here… This is much better than the courtyard I have at home," Ren Jiapei exclaimed. She turned to Zhou Donghuang and said with a cheeky smile, "Brother Zhou, look… the four of you will only take up four rooms. How about leaving the last one for me?" Ren Jiapei pouted as she looked expectantly at Zhou Donghuang.

"If you want to stay here, how can I stop you?" Zhou Donghuang replied with a laugh. If Ren Jiapei stayed here, Zixi would have a buddy; of course, he was happy to oblige.

That Yang Zixi was suddenly thrown into such a circumstance; he felt like comforting her, but he never did. After all, in his past life, he had traversed across the universe all alone for millennia. Clearly, he was not adept at dealing with women. Although he never lacked women, he was still never interested as he chose to focus on his practice.

Of course, if he was being honest, it was also because he had never met someone whom he had really liked, and he was not willing to settle either. Hence, he had stayed alone all the way.

This time, if I really meet someone whom I fancy and who is suitable… I don't mind trying an intimate relationship. Zhou Donghuang had thought this way more than once before.

"It's settled!" Hearing Zhou Donghuang's words, Ren Jiapei's eyes lit up as she called Yang Zixi, "Zixi, let's take a look at the rooms."

With that, she dragged Yang Zixi into one of the master bedrooms. But they had not entered the one in the middle. Of the five master bedrooms, the one in the middle was clearly the biggest, followed by the two on each side, while the two at the ends were even smaller. The smallest rooms had been taken by Fu and Aunt Mei. Both Yang Zixi and Ren Jiapei knew to leave the biggest room to Zhou Donghuang.

Settling down with a roof over their heads, Zhou Donghuang did not forget about the matter of standing up for the young girl. "Zixi, I've already asked the servants to prepare our meal… after eating, I'll go with you to the Shi family."

"Mm," the girl replied. "Thank you, Brother Zhou." She had already asked Aunt Mei to secretly ask Fu to confirm that Brother Zhou indeed did not fear the Shi family, so she was no longer afraid that he would be harmed by going there.

"I'll come along." Ren Jiapei's eyes flashed, eager to be part of the fun.

…

The Shi family was a tycoon family. Even though they were considered to be among the bottom of the tycoon families, they had some status in the Chu royal city. Although the Shi family household did not occupy as much land as many other tycoon families, it was not small either and was situated close to the city center.

However, something had stirred the peace at the Shi family household today.

"Chief! Trouble!" A family disciple rushed into the courtyard where the Shi family chief, Shi Hao, was staying, and said hurriedly, "Someone has broken into our house!"

"Who is so bold?" The door to the courtyard pushed open, and a muscular, fearsome man walked out. This was none other than the current chief of the Shi family, Shi Hao.

"It's a young man and two young girls," reported the disciple. "The young man injured many of us with just a blow, then made one of us bring them to the hall. He told the rest of us to inform you, the old chief, First Young Master and Medicine Master Xiao to come over."

This Shi disciple was one of the few who had been tasked to guard the front door that day. He grabbed his left arm with his right hand, his face pale. His left arm had clearly been injured by the young man.

"All of you are so useless that you couldn't even defend against a young teenager?" Shi Hao's eyes flashed coldly as he asked furiously.

"Chief, that young man is too powerful, we could do absolutely nothing," replied the Shi disciple. Quietly, he thought: If he was not powerful, how would he dare to barge into their Shi household? Of course, he did not think that the young man could compare to their chief. After all, their Shi family chief was a level-seven adept, whereas the most powerful guard was only a level-three adept.

Though the fact that the young man could overpower so many of them surprised him… because that teenager looked only sixteen or seventeen. He thought to himself: Even the most talented sons of the Chu royal family could not have such power at such an age.

"Hmph!" Shi Hao grunted, then turned and walked towards the hall. Along the way, his anger subsided somewhat, and his thinking became clearer. Just now, he had been furious to learn that someone had broken into their household. His first thought had been that the intruder was incredibly bold.

But he had missed something out. Or rather, he had not had the chance to consider some things. "Teenager?" In the Shi family household, even the weakest among the disciples guarding the door was a level-two adept, and there was at least a level-three adept as part of each team of guards.

They could not defend against a teenager? As he thought of this, Shi Hao's expression turned darker. He did not consider that the disciples had lied to him because he knew that they did not dare to.

Soon, at a distance from the hall, Shi Hao saw an old man walking in the same direction. The old man's face was filled with worry.

"Father!" The old man was in a loose gray robe with a huge figure and eyes that resembled Shi Hao's. This was none other than Shi Hao's father, Shi Ji.

Shi Ji was the previous chief of the Shi family and the only level-eight adept in the family. The Shi family had ascended to become a tycoon family five years ago solely because this old family chief had entered level-eight of the gathered qi.

"Do you know who that teenager is?" Shi Ji asked Shi Hao worriedly.

"No idea," replied Shi Hao as he shook his head.

"Just now, I found out that… the few of them together were not even his match. And there was a level-three adept among them," said Shi Ji with fear in his eyes. "Which means… that teenager is at least a level-four adept, or even level-five!

A level-four or five adept doesn't mean anything… but for a teenager who looks just sixteen or seventeen who is a level-four adept, do you know what that means?" As he spoke, he sounded increasingly fearful.

"At least in the country of Yunyang, even in the imperial court, I've never heard of any prince reaching level four of the gathered qi at just sixteen or seventeen years of age!" Shi Ji breathed in sharply, his eyes turning frightened. "I suspect… he could be from the Valley of Medicine Masters!"

"Valley of Medicine Masters?!" As soon as Shi Ji mentioned the word, Shi Hao's expression changed drastically as his eyes narrowed. The Valley of Medicine Masters was a sect so strong that the Shi family could only fantasize of it. It transcended the country of Yunyang… with just a word from its chief, he could easily change the ruler of Yunyang country.

"Even if he is from the Valley… why is he here?" Shi Hao was utterly flustered. He could not help but lose his cool—since that young man has come to them in such a manner, it meant that he was not here on friendly business nor as a guest.

"Hmph! I'll have to ask you what you have done!" Shi Ji's face darkened as he remarked coldly. He breathed in deeply, as if to muster his courage, then continued towards the hall.

To him, that young man whom they suspected to have come from the Valley of Medicine Master definitely did not barge into their home for no good reason. Someone in the Shi family must have offended him!

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Chapter 88: Teenage Medicine Master

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The hall of the Shi family household.

Before entering, Shi Yu had been wondering which teenager had not only injured their Shi disciples guarding the door and barged into their home, and even dared to wait for them to arrive in the hall. Now, as he walked in and saw the man sitting arrogantly on the head seat in the hall, his expression darkened immediately.

"It's you!"

When the old man beside Shi Yu saw the young man in white sitting in the hall, his brows furrowed and his face darkened slightly too. He could not fathom why this young man was here.

This was the man who had not only injured the few disciples guarding the door and broke into their home, but even called for them to meet him in the hall? The old man could not help but curse the disciples guarding the door for being so useless that they could not even defend their home against a sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenager.

Entering the hall alongside Shi Yu was one of the top ten medicine masters in Chu royal city, Xiao Chen. He was also one of the most reputable persons in the city recently as he had managed to detoxify a poison that the other top medicine masters in the city could not treat, and had taken only a few short days. These few days, Xiao Chen's pharmacy was overflowing with business from customers looking to buy poison antidotes.

After news that Xiao Chen had joined the Shi family had spread, the Shi family pharmacies also enjoyed great business, as if they were giving the medicine for free. This was all because Yang Yunji, the chief of the grand Yang family, had announced that his poison had been treated by Xiao Chen.

These days, Xiao Chen looked especially radiant, as if his life had been renewed.

"Zhou Donghuang, you were the one who hurt our Shi family disciples and barged into our home?" Shi Yu demanded as he glared at the young man dressed in white, sitting in the middle of the hall.

Now, he was not even interested in the two beautiful young ladies standing behind the young man. Because, if it was indeed Zhou Donghuang who had broken into their house. That meant that Zhou Donghuang was at least as powerful as he was.

Xiao Chen may not have understood the formidability of the disciples guarding the door, but as the first young master of the family, Shi Yu was well aware.

If it was indeed him, he must be at least a level-four adept, and not just an average one! Shi Yu thought to himself, perplexed. This Zhou Donghuang, isn't he just a bum from the inferior Yunfeng prefecture? How could an inferior prefecture produce someone like that? Or maybe… his background was just a bunch of lies. Actually, he is from… the Valley of Medicine Masters!!

Despite his young age, Shi Yu was much more mature and meticulous in his thinking than most others his age. Otherwise, he would not have come up with the conspiracy that made Xiao Chen join the Shi family.

As the thought crossed his mind, a fog seemed to settle over Shi Yu's heart.

Impossible… simply impossible… Shi Yu comforted himself quietly.

"Xiao Chen!" Yang Zixi, who was standing behind Zhou Donghuang, shouted as she saw the man, her eyes gleaming coldly. "As one of the top ten medicine masters in Chu royal city, I never would have thought that you were so thick-skinned to claim that you were the one who treated the poison when it was actually Brother Zhou's work… even I feel ashamed for you!"

"Your words don't mean anything," said Xiao Chen, grinning. "Even if you say it on the streets, nobody will believe you. Everyone will only trust the words of Yang Yunji himself. If he says it was me who treated him, then it has to be me!" As he spoke, his smile widened.

Hearing this, Yang Zixi was so furious that her body trembled. She could not believe that someone could be so shameless.

"Shameless!" Even Ren Jiapei, standing at Yang Zixi's side, could no longer keep quiet. She scolded, "You old man, with hardly any more years left, aren't you afraid of going to hell for doing such despicable things?"

"And you are…?" Xiao Chen recognized Yang Zixi, but not Ren Jiapei. But hearing Ren Jiapei curse him, his eyes flashed murderously.

"Medicine Master Xiao, she is the first lady of the grand Ren family, Ren Jiapei," Shi Yu reminded him.

"So it is the Ren first lady." Xiao Chen looked at Ren Jiapei with a look of realization. He laughed and smirked. "Lady Ren, I heard you took in this Yang Zixi? I advise you to stay out of this… if not, the Ren family will incur even more losses!" With that, his eyes glinted as the smile on his old face turned even more twisted and evil. Although he was smiling, it looked even more horrible than if he were crying.

Just then, two sets of heavy footsteps echoed from outside the hall. As Shi Yu and Xiao Chen turned to look, they saw two figures enter. The one leading the way was an old man, followed by a middle-aged man. Both of them had dominating figures with similar faces; their noses looked almost identical.

"Grandfather! Father!" Shi Yu called. This was none other than the former Shi family chief, Shi Ji, and the current chief, Shi Hao.

"Shi Hao!" As the man walked in, Yang Zixi glared at him with eyes filled with hatred. This was the man who had killed her third uncle, Yang Yunchong.

"Greetings, old Chief." Even Xiao Chen, one of the top ten medicine masters in the city, did not dare be disrespectful when meeting Shi Ji. He hurriedly bowed in greeting.

Shi Ji was not only the old chief of the Shi family, but also the pillar of strength of the family and a formidable level-eight adept! It was solely because of him that the Shi family could become a tycoon family. If the family did not produce another level-eight adept in the next century, they would fall to the status of a grand family again.

"Chief." On the other hand, Xiao Chen was more relaxed towards Shi Hao, the current chief.

"Medicine Master Xiao," responded Shi Ji with a nod. He walked past Xiao Chen and Shi Yu and bowed in greeting to the young man in the head seat. "Shi Ji of the Shi family greets this young master. How should I address you?" Shi Ji asked cordially.

Shi Hao was hardly surprised at the respect with which they treated the young man, but Shi Yu could hardly restrain his disgust. But he was well aware of the reason for his grandfather's actions. He must have also suspected that the young man was from the Valley of Medicine Masters.

"Zhou Donghuang," came the response as Zhou Donghuang glanced at Shi Ji. "You are the level-eight adept of the Shi family?"

"Yes," Shi Ji answered quickly, afraid to be rude.

"Shi Hao, chief of the Shi family, greets Young Master Donghuang," called Shi Hao as he bowed respectfully.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen was stunned. "Chiefs, what are you doing? This lad is just someone from an inferior prefecture… Chief, you know him, he was the one who detoxified the poison for Yang Yunji, Medicine Master Zhou." Xiao Chen looked at Shi Hao, perplexed.

"What?!" Hearing this, Shi Hao's face dropped in fear. He turned to the young man in fright as he muttered, "He… he is that teenage medicine master? Wasn't he from an inferior prefecture? How can someone from such a place enter level-four of the gathered qi or even level-five at such an age?"

Shi Hao was shocked. He felt his skin crawl because he realized he had messed with the wrong person.

A teenage medicine master. The Valley of Medicine Masters. Shi Hao realized that these two were inextricably connected. No wonder this teenager who had attained at least level-four of the gathered qi at such a young age could possibly treat the poison of Yang Yunji. It was simple for someone from the Valley to achieve something like that.

"Young Master Donghuang, you… you are from the Valley of Medicine Masters?" Shi Hao asked nervously as he breathed in deeply, harboring this last tinge of hope. If he was really from the Valley, then he was done for. If not, this could be solved easily.

"The Valley of Medicine Masters?" Hearing the question, Zhou Donghuang was first taken aback, then laughed condescendingly. "Why? You want to find out if I am from the Valley before thinking of what to do next?"

Shi Hao smiled awkwardly as his thoughts had just been exposed.

Zhou Donghuang said flatly, "If you want to find out if I am from the Valley, then call Yang Yunji here… I can't be bothered to make another trip there. Today, let's settle everything here."

"I will get Yang Yunji here right away," responded Shi Hao as he rushed out.

"Valley of Medicine Masters?" As Shi Yu stared at Zhou Donghuang suspiciously, Xiao Chen looked again at Zhou Donghuang as his expression darkened.

He could not figure it out: how did this teenager become linked to the Valley of Medicine Masters?

"Yu'er, what is going on here?" Shi Ji turned to Shi Yu and whispered.

"Grandfather." Shi Yu threw a cautious look at Zhou Donghuang, then told the full story to Shi Ji.

Shi Ji was usually focused on his practice and rarely got involved in such matters. Although he was aware and even surprised that Xiao Chen had joined the Shi family, he was still not clear of the circumstances.

Hearing Shi Yu's story, Shi Yu's expression transformed drastically. He could not blame his son or grandson for anything because he too would have done the same. But what nobody expected was that the teenage medicine master who had treated Yang Yunji, whom everyone had simply taken no notice of, could possibly be from the Valley.

"Grandfather, he may not be from the Valley," reminded Shi Yu.

Shi Ji smiled bitterly, "I hope so."

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Chapter 89: You Want to Stop Me?

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Sister Zixi, Brother Zhou… is from the Valley of Medicine Masters?" Seeing how afraid all three generations of the Shi family were that the young man was from the Valley, Ren Jiapei could not help but lean into Yang Zixi's ear and whisper.

"I don't know," replied Yang Zixi. She looked equally lost. "I don't… think so?" She remembered that Brother Zhou had told her that he had grown up in Yunfeng prefecture, and this was the first time that he had left the prefecture.

Of course, Zhou Donghuang had told her this because it was indeed his first time leaving Yunfeng prefecture on such a long journey in this life. In his previous life, he had gone much further, even being brought to a faraway planet, Earth.

"No?" Ren Jiapei was somewhat disappointed, but not afraid because the young man had already displayed immense power. Furthermore, despite knowing that the Shi family had a level-eight adept, he had been bold enough to enter the house in this manner. Surely, he did not fear them.

After about fifteen minutes, Shi Hao led Yang Yunji to the hall in the Shi family household. The Shi family chief had ridden a ferghana horse to the Yang family and brought the Yang family chief here directly.

"Chief Shi, you have yet to tell me why you brought me here in such a hurry?" Yang Yunji asked as they reached the hall in the Shi family household. He sounded confused.

"You'll find out once we go in," Shi Hao replied as they entered the hall.

Yang Yunji followed him in. Immediately, he saw his nephew, Yang Zixi, whom he had chased out of the Yang family, standing behind the head seat in the hall, looking like she owned the place. He was not surprised to see Ren Jiapei beside her, as he had known that First Lady Ren had taken his niece in, though there was nothing he could do about it. Finally, his gaze landed on the young man sitting on the head seat arrogantly.

"It's you?!" Yang Yunji was first taken aback, then asked incredulously, "You… what are you doing here?"

Yang Yunji could not imagine why this bum from an inferior prefecture was sitting on the head seat in the Shi family hall. Furthermore, now, even the old Shi family chief, a level-eight adept, was standing beneath him, looking afraid of the young man.

Could it be that he had been mistaken?

"Young Master Donghuang, I've brought him here… now, can you please tell us?" Shi Hao stared at Zhou Donghuang and asked.

"Tell you what?" Zhou Donghuang replied flatly.

"Young Master Donghuang, are you from the Valley of Medicine Masters?" pressed Shi Hao.

"Valley of Medicine Masters?" Initially, upon seeing Shi Hao, the chief of the tycoon Shi family, treat the young man so respectfully, Yang Yunji's expression had changed slightly. Now, the color drained from his face.

Valley of Medicine Masters? Wasn't this lad from an inferior prefecture? How could he be from the valley?

"No," answered Zhou Donghuang.

"No?" Shi Hao's eyes flashed, as the rest all heaved a sigh of relief. They did not think that Zhou Donghuang would deny it, because in such circumstances, at least he had not lied by saying "yes."

"So Young Master Donghuang… which family clan are you from?" Shi Hao continued.

"Stop probing," said Zhou Donghuang as he stood up suddenly. "I have no family backing me… as for me, I was born and raised in the inferior Yunfeng prefecture. I have an adopted mother who was a disciple of a lesser family in Yunfeng prefecture, but she has left that family now." Zhou Donghuang revealed his entire background.

"If you really want to know about my background… I, Zhou Donghuang, am my own background!" As he said this, his eyes flashed like the sparkling stars in the night sky. An aura of confidence seemed to surround him, as if there was nothing in this world that he feared.

"Chief Shi, I was wondering why you brought me here so hurriedly, so it is because you thought that this country bumpkin was from the Valley of Medicine Masters… you've been overthinking, disciples of the Valley are not like cabbages that can be found anywhere," Yang Yunji said as he laughed, shaking his head.

"If you're not from the Valley, how dare you be so brazen in my home?" Shi Hao turned to Zhou Donghuang again, his gaze icy cold. He stepped forward as he declared, "Today, since you have come to our Shi family, don't think of leaving!"

Shi Ji stood at the side, frowning slightly as he looked at the young man. If this man had no family background, how could he be so arrogant? He could not fathom what was the source of his confidence if he lacked a family backing. Was he simply putting on a front? Or pulling a bluff?

"Then I want to see, if I want to leave… how will you stop me?" Zhou Donghuang strode towards Shi Hao.

Just as Shi Hao was also wondering why this young man was so arrogant, Yang Yunji laughed coldly, "Lad, someone like you doesn't need the Shi family chief to get his hands dirty, I can send you on your way myself!"

With that, Yang Yunji ran towards Zhou Donghuang using a lesser-grade swiftness technique.

Hwah!! Yang Yunji reached Zhou Donghuang, his palm outstretched. He looked formidable, his power as a level-six adept fully displayed.

Just as Yang Yunji was about to attack Zhou Donghuang, Zhou Donghuang struck Yang Yunji's palm with his right palm in a lightning-fast motion, without so much of a glance in his direction.

Bang!! As the two palms hit each other, the loud sound resounded around the hall.

Kach'ng!!

"Ah—!"

The sound of bones cracking accompanied Yang Yunji's guttural scream as he flew backward. He crashed into the screens in the hall along the way before falling on the ground, blood gushing out of his mouth. The arm which he had used to attack Zhou Donghuang had been totally destroyed by the strike from Zhou Donghuang's palm.

Instantly, a hush fell over the hall.

"Brother Zhou…" Even though the two young ladies were prepared to see this, they still could not help but draw in a sharp breath upon seeing Zhou Donghuang injure Yang Yunji so terribly with just a casual strike.

Yang Yunji was the chief of the grand Yang family and a formidable level-six adept. But now, in front of their Brother Zhou, he had been defeated in just one strike as if he were a baby.

"How is this possible?!" Shi Yu's expression changed. Initially, he had found it hard to believe that the young man was a level-four adept. But now, the young man had injured the level-six Yang Yunji so severely with just a strike. That meant that he was at least a level-seven adept. Or even stronger.

"This young man… could he be reincarnation of a magnificent practitioner?" Xiao Chen started at the young man with fright, his heart thumping. For a sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenager to be stronger than a level-seven adept was unheard of, even in the Valley of Medicine Masters that transcended Yunyang country. Thus, Xiao Chen could not help but suspect that this young man could be the reincarnation of a magnificent practitioner.

Even the God-tier adepts who had surpassed the levels of gathered qi were not fit to be considered "magnificent practitioners," a term reserved only for the beings who surpassed God-tier.

These beings could fly, even use their physical form to transcend through space, leaving Ziyun planet for other planets. To the people of Yunyang country, these were legendary creatures. Across the whole Ziyun planet, there were few of such beings.

"Shi Hao, chief of the tycoon Shi family and a level-seven adept… I heard you are the strongest level-seven adept in the Shi family?" As Zhou Donghuang walked towards Shi Hao, he did not break his stride even as he blew Yang Yunji away with just a strike. Within an instant, he was right in front of Shi Hao.

"Sir…" It was only when Zhou Donghuang came face-to-face with him that Shi Hao recovered from his shock, his face revealing his fear. Even he did not have the power to injure Yang Yunji like that; in the Shi family, only his father had such power.

"Young Master Donghuang, please have mercy!" Shi Ji stepped forward. Now, he finally understood why the young man was so arrogant… as he had said, his background was he himself!

The strength that the young man had displayed showed that he was a level-eight adept like him. Although it seemed unbelievable, but he had just witnessed it for himself.

"Why? You want to stop me?" Zhou Donghuang tilted his head and glanced at Shi Ji. Without a warning, he rushed towards Shi Ji like a crazed bull.

Seeing this, Shi Ji reacted quickly, prepared to attack.

But, he was too slow.

Just as he had gotten into his stance, Zhou Donghuang had accelerated and reached him. He did not strike with his hands or legs, but whammed into his chest with the side of his body.

Bang!!

With a loud bang, Shi Ji flew backward as if he had been hit by a ferocious beast. He landed on a pillar in the hall, a huge human-shaped mark forming on the stone.

In the next instant: Boom! Boom! Bang! Bang!

…

The whole hall trembled as if a huge earthquake had happened.

When things became quiet after a while, Shi Ji's old body had landed on the ground, fresh blood gushing out of his mouth. His breath was weak and his face pale as he struggled to get up.

"Father!"

"Grandfather!"

Both Shi Hao and Shi Yu were horrified.

Xiao Chen was appalled as well. He never would have thought that this teenage medicine master was such a powerful adept.

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Chapter 90: The Regretful Yang Yunji

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Hung!" Zhou Donghuang's eyes flashed coldly as he struck with his hand in a lightning-fast motion; before Shi Hao could react, his two hands grabbed his arm like claws.

Shuah!!

As Zhou Donghuang grabbed Shi Hao, Shi Hao finally recovered from the shock of seeing his father Shi Ji get defeated so easily. The blood drained from his face. He tried to pry open Zhou Donghuang's hands, but to his surprise, no matter how much force he used, his strength was like a pebble sinking in the ocean, unable to create any waves. He could hardly fathom why this was happening… the man was simply too strong for him!

"This is the Shi family's strongest level-seven adept?" Ignoring Shi Hao's struggle, Zhou Donghuang remarked calmly. In a quick motion, he grabbed Shi Hao and threw his body behind him like a ragdoll.

In the next moment, bang!! With a loud crash, Zhou Donghuang turned around, and as his feet touched the ground, he flew out towards Shi Hao, causing the tiles to crack. Instantly, he flew above Shi Hao's body and raised his right leg. He landed squarely on Shi Hao's chest. Zhou Donghuang pressed Shi Hao's body down to the ground, landing behind Yang Zixi and Ren Jiapei.

Hong!! With another ground-shattering sound that reverberated around the hall, Shi Hao's body crashed into the ground under Zhou Donghuang's feet. Blood gushed out of his open mouth as he lay seriously injured, like his father Shi Ji.

"Zixi," Zhou Donghuang looked at the frightened young girl and smiled as he said, "This is the man who killed your third uncle… now you can kill him to avenge your third uncle."

The young girl's gaze was filled with hatred as she turned to Shi Hao. Shi Hao's pupils shrank in fear as he cried, "Zi… Lady Zixi… please spare me! Spare me!!" Seeing that everything was under the control of the young man who was stepping on him, and the young girl really looked about to kill him, he was certain he was about to die!

"I am terribly guilty about the death of Third Elder Yang. I can pay it back to you! I can compensate you!! No matter what you want, I'll give it to you if I can! I'll give it all to you!!" In the face of death, Shi Hao was flustered.

"Brother Zhou, help me kill him." The young girl was unmoved as she stared coldly at Shi Hao. Towards this man who had murdered her third uncle, she had no pity, only hatred.

"Sure," agreed Zhou Donghuang as he nodded. He stepped down with his foot and crushed Shi Hao's heart. Shi Hao's head drooped as he breathed his last breath.

"Father!!"

"Hao'er!!"

Shi Hao's death caused both Shi Yu and Shi Ji to cry in shock. Their eyes were filled with despair and indignation, but they dared not reveal any sort of anger towards the young man who had killed Shi Hao. The young man was simply too powerful; he could kill them easily too.

With Shi Hao's death, the young girl fell to the floor loudly. She knelt in front of Zhou Donghuang and kowtowed, "Brother Zhou, thank you for avenging Third Uncle… from today on, my life is yours."

"Silly girl, you don't have to do this." Zhou Donghuang helped her up and shook his head gently. "I have a part to play in Third Elder Yang's death… today, I avenged him not just to help you."

However, the young girl continued to stare resolutely at Zhou Donghuang.

"Zixi, how do you want to deal with this Yang Yunji?" As Zhou Donghuang helped the young girl up, he looked at Yang Yunji who could barely stay on his feet. His eyes narrowed murderously.

Before the girl could answer, Yang Yunji was so frightened his face had turned pale as he too fell to his knees as his entire body trembled. "Zixi, I… I am your uncle… you… you can't kill me… Don't forget that it was me who raised you. As long as you agree, you can come back to the Yang family anytime. Once I return home, I will announce to everybody and accept you back into the family… Uncle was wrong, I know I was wrong…. Give me a chance, give Uncle a chance…"

Seeing Shi Hao, chief of the tycoon Shi family, being murdered, Yang Yunji was absolutely terrified as he begged the young girl nervously.

"I never would have thought that you could watch Third Uncle get killed… You can ignore me as your niece, but Third Uncle, he… was your brother!" The young girl looked at Yang Yunji with disgust, her body shaking with anger. "From today onwards, I, Yang Zixi, have nothing to do with you and the Yang family!"

Hearing this, Yang Yunji heaved a sigh of relief, because he knew that as long as the young man did not act on his own accord, he would be able to walk out alive today.

"After you go back home, prepare five million liang, that is the price you'll pay for keeping your life today." Zhou Donghuang glanced at Yang Yunji as he said calmly. "Later, I will get my men to collect it from you."

Clearly, Zhou Donghuang was not going to let him go so easily. Just as well, the money that he had brought from Yunfeng prefecture was running low.

"Five million liang?" Yang Yunji's eyes narrowed as he grimaced. In the past, it would be easy for the Yang family to produce five million liang, but in this half a year, he had spent most of the family's money on producing the ten-year survival weed. The Yang family would not be able to produce five million liang now.

"What? You really value your money more than your life?" Seeing Yang Yunji's reluctance, Zhou Donghuang stared at him menacingly.

Seeing this, Yang Yunji was completely flustered and cried, "Young Master Donghuang, I'll prepare it right away! I'll get it right away!" Now, Yang Yunji was already planning to sell some of the family business to get enough money for this man… He could not afford to offend him!

"Mm," muttered Zhou Donghuang as he nodded with satisfaction. He turned to the pale old man who had long since been frozen with fright. "Xiao Chen, Medicine Master Xiao?"

"Dong… Young Master Donghuang, do you have any instructions?" Thinking that he had escaped, Xiao Chen turned in fright when Zhou Donghuang called to him. His eyes were nervous.

"The poison that I treated, you said it was you… now you're famous in the city?" Zhou Donghuang asked.

"Young Master Donghuang, I will announce to everyone that you were the one who treated Yang Yunji's poison and not me!" Xiao Chen's expression changed as he cried hurriedly.

"No need," said Zhou Donghuang as he shook his head. "I don't care what they are saying… your fame must be worth five million liang?" With that, Zhou Donghuang looked hard at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen's face turned pale as he heard what Zhou Donghuang had just demanded. "Five… five million liang?"

He could fork out this sum. But once he did, that would be all his life's savings.

"Why? You can't do it?" Zhou Donghuang asked as his eyes flashed coldly.

Sensing Zhou Donghuang's murderous glint, Xiao Chen broke out in a cold sweat as he shook his head hurriedly, "I can! I can!"

Money lost could be earned again. But once he lost his life, that was it. Xiao Chen understood this.

"Very good," said Zhou Donghuang as he nodded. "Later, I will send someone to collect it from the Shi family. You better prepare it soon, if I don't receive the money, I'll come here to look for you. By then, it won't be just a mere five million liang." With that, Zhou Donghuang glared at Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen immediately agreed, "Young Master Donghuang, don't worry, I will prepare the money in the next two days!"

"Shi family…" Zhou Donghuang's eyes landed on Shi Ji, who was staring forlornly at the body of his son, Shi Hao. Zhou Donghuang said calmly, "Ten million liang should be reasonable for the Shi family?" His eyes landed on Shi Yu as his lips curled into a murderous smile. "If not, you can also… leave Shi Yu with me."

Shi Yu had been influential in this whole incident. Hearing this, Shi Yu's expression changed as he dropped to his knees with fright, screaming, "Grandfather, save me!! Save me!!"

Shi Ji said gravely, "Young Master Donghuang, don't worry, we will prepare the ten million liang within two days." Today, even though he was a level-eight adept and the pillar of strength of the tycoon Shi family, he could do nothing but accede to the request. The young man was simply too strong. Even if he was not a level-nine adept, he had to be among the strongest level-eight adepts and definitely not someone the Shi family could afford to offend.

"Old Chief Shi is decisive," said Zhou Donghuang with a smile. He then turned to call the two girls behind him as they left arrogantly.

After their figures had disappeared out of sight, Shi Yu turned to Shi Ji as he cried with hatred, "Grandfather, we must avenge Father's death!"

"Revenge?" Shi Ji laughed. "Even I am not his match… why don't you tell me how we will take revenge?"

"Grandfather, we can sue him in the Chu royal household!" suggested Shi Yu.

"Chu royal household?" Shi Ji shook his head as he said, "Though he killed your father, it was a simple act of revenge… even if it wasn't, your father's death doesn't affect the Shi family, as we are still a tycoon family. The Chu royal court will not care."

Shi Yu was silent.

"Our Yang family… missed out on a huge opportunity!" Here, the most regretful one was none other than Yang Yunji, the chief of the Yang family. He would never have thought that this teenager that he had looked down upon would be such a powerful man… if the young man had been on good terms with his niece and stayed on in the Yang family, he could have led the family to become a tycoon family!

The Yang family had missed their chance to become a tycoon family.

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Chapter 91: Level-eight of the Qi-gathering

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After returning from the Shi family mansion, Zhou Donghuang began to devote all his energy and concentration to practicing.

He would let Fu collect the bill from the Yang family as well as the two bills from the Shi family, ten million liang of silver in total, turning him from a pauper back into a prince.

The two million liang of silver he had previously brought from Yunfeng Prefecture was almost completely spent.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed as he practiced in his room, Zhou Donghuang suddenly opened his eyes. Must the state of total concentration needed for practicing the Lord of the Four Supremes really be reached only by devoting time to reach that state?

That state of total concentration is, after all, a state of calm and focus…there are many elixirs that can help achieve this state. Can I use these elixirs to directly enter a state of total concentration?"

The Lord of the Four Supremes that Zhou Donghuang was now practicing could be practiced at an incredibly fast rate which was incomparable to the normal rate of practice if he entered a state of total concentration.

For example, his level of practice was still at level-five of the Qi-gathering when he was in the intermediate-level Guangling prefecture.

In four short months, his level of practice had advanced to level-eight of the Qi-gathering by the time he had arrived at the Chu royal city, consecutively breaking through two levels of practice.

This was because he had entered a state of total concentration, and attained the maximum rate of practice for the Lord of the Four Supremes.

In any case, entering a state of total concentration required practicing in seclusion, so that there would be minimal external distractions.

Zhou Donghuang had just hit on an idea.

Could he not formulate an elixir that would help him enter a state of calm and focus so that he could enter a state of total concentration even earlier and maintain his rate of practice at the maximum level to practice the Lord of the Four Supremes?

I'll give it a try.

Springing into action immediately, Zhou Donghuang found a pen and some paper and wrote down a list of herbs. He passed the paper to Fu, instructing him to purchase all the herbs on the list.

It would be a simple matter to buy all the herbs from the medicine shops in the Chu royal city.

Zhou Donghuang intended to formulate an elixir called "concentration elixir," which would allow the person who consumed it to enter a state of calm and focus in the shortest time possible.

From what he recalled, a concentration elixir did not require using the essential core forged from the Samadhi Fire to formulate the best elixir for calm and focus.

"Young Master, here are the herbs you wanted."

That night, Fu returned with the herbs. Less than half a day later, Zhou Donghuang had managed to formulate the concentration elixir that he wanted and immediately proceeded to consume a bottle of it.

After he consumed it, he began practicing and was pleasantly surprised to find that in just an hour, his rate of practice had entered the maximum rate of practice for the Lord of the Four Supremes!

At this rate of practice… it will not be long before I can smoothly attain level-eight of the Qi-gathering, and become a level-eight adept of the Qi-gathering with the strength of eight bulls!

After realizing that the concentration elixir was indeed effective, Zhou Donghuang could not help the smile that spread over his face despite being in a state of total calm.

After instructing Fu to find a post station to send a letter back to Yunfeng prefecture, Zhou Donghuang retreated from the world and sank into a state of frenzied practice.

…

All was calm in the Chu royal city.

In both the grand Yang family and the tycoon Shi family, everything was peaceful and in order. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and there was no news being spread.

However, many people in the Shi family noticed that they had not seen the patriarch of the Shi family, Shi Hao, for a period of time. As for the whereabouts of the patriarch of the Shi family, he was away on business, according to First Young Master Shi Yu of the Shi family.

This was all according to what the elder patriarch of the Shi family, Shi Ji had arranged. If news of his son Shi Hao's death was allowed to spread, it would create waves in the Shi family and cause unnecessary disruption.

That day, after the youth had left, he had sworn Yang Yunji and Xiao Chen to silence and placed an embargo on the news of his son Shi Hao's death.

Because of this, although Zhou Donghuang had put on a display of his godly might in the receiving chamber of the Shi family mansion, only those few who were present were aware of what happened.

Ren Jiapei did indeed mention this to her father, who was the current patriarch of the Ren family, after she returned home. Her original intention was to make it clear to the Ren family that they were not to offend the youth who was with Yang Zixi at any cost.

However, the patriarch of the Ren family merely laughed and dismissed what she said with obvious disbelief.

However way she said it, the patriarch of the Ren family did not believe it. It was all she could do to stop herself from bringing her father to that Big Brother Zhou to rough him up.

Finally, although Ren Jiapei was helpless about it, she understood clearly why her father did not believe her… if he had not seen it with his own eyes, who would believe that a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth had the ability to easily defeat a level-eight adept of the Qi-gathering?

Moreover, that level-eight adept was Shi Ji, the previous patriarch of the Shi family who had led them to become them a tycoon family five years earlier.

"Zixi."

Now, Ren Jiapei would go to Chuxiu Inn to stay for several days whenever she was free, and over the next three months, she and Yang Zixi had become as close as sisters. "I have not seen Big Brother Zhou for a long time… is he always practicing?"

"Mhm."

Yang Zixi nodded with a slight smile. Hearing Ren Jiapei mention Zhou Donghuang, her eyes narrowed into a crescent shape as she smiled, making her look very pretty.

Previously, her Big Brother Zhou had passed on a new practice technique to her, as well as the Qi-gathering elixir that left her stunned.

In three months, she not only smoothly attained level-one of the Qi-gathering, but was even not far from level-two of the Qi-gathering.

Over that period of time, she had come to realize that her Big Brother Zhou was not an ordinary person and could not be compared to anyone by the standards of Yunyang country or even the Valley of the Medicine Masters.

Even among the most elite families and the disciples of the sects on the planet of Ziyun… there is no one who can be compared to Big Brother Zhou!

Yang Zixi had had this thought more than once and had counted herself extremely lucky that she had gotten to know this Big Brother Zhou.

"Zixi, I can tell… you have feelings for Big Brother Zhou."

Ren Jiapei smiled. "How about that? When are you going to confess your feelings to him? Do you want my help?"

Ren Jiapei stopped there, thinking that Yang Zixi would deny it in embarrassment. Yang Zixi did not deny it but gave a long sigh.

"Sister Jiapei, I am already very satisfied to even be able to stay with Big Brother Zhou. As for anything else… I will make no demands. From the time Big Brother Zhou avenged Third Uncle, my life has belonged to Big Brother Zhou. Even if I have to spend my life serving him, I am willing to do it."

As she finished, the corners of Yang Zixi's mouth subconsciously curled up in a bitter smile.

If she had struck up her courage three months earlier when she had just left the Yang family, confessed her feelings and fought for her happiness…

But now, she understood her Big Brother Zhou better and was even more acutely aware that she and her Big Brother Zhou were of two completely different worlds.

Her sense of inferiority before her Big Brother Zhou had convinced her that she could not possibly be a match for him. Perhaps, only the daughters of the elite families or sects of Ziyun would be a suitable match for him.

"Silly girl."

Ren Jiapei did not know what Yang Zixi was thinking, and she shook her head. "Since you like Big Brother Zhou, you have to fight for it yourself… most of the time, you have to fight to secure your own happiness. As outstanding as Big Brother Zhou is… if you don't make a move soon, won't you be giving others a better chance?"

Ren Jiapei continued to offer advice.

"Sister Jiapei… you wouldn't have feelings for Big Brother Zhou too, would you?"

Yang Zixi looked earnestly at Ren Jiapei, who lowered her head guiltily. Seeing this, Yang Zixi sighed in her heart.

Although Ren Jiapei had not admitted it directly, her actions made it obvious enough.

Just as the atmosphere between the two ladies was becoming rather awkward, they heard the door of the master bedroom in the middle of the guesthouse being thrown open, and a figure dressed in robes whiter than snow walked out.

"Is Young Mistress Ren here?"

For the first time in three months, Zhou Donghuang left his room with a peculiar demeanor about him.

He had finally attained level-eight of the Qi-gathering!

"Big Brother Zhou?"

Zhou Donghuang's appearance was unexpected, and the two ladies immediately focused all their attention on Zhou Donghuang.

"Big Brother Zhou."

Yang Zixi rose from her seat, her beautiful face radiating warmth, her gaze briefly showing a look of infatuation as she looked at the youth who seemed to have lost almost all the air of childishness that he once had.

In three months, the youth had changed substantially. He was more mature and more charismatic now.

"Big Brother Zhou, have you perhaps been practicing too obsessively?"

Ren Jiapei sighed. "I've been here more than ten times in the past three months, but never seen you once… now, I finally understand how you have such ability at this age."

Although she said this, Ren Jiapei knew full well that even if an ordinary person was even more diligent than this youth, it was impossible for him to have the level of ability that this youth had at his current age.

"What time is it now?"

After continuously practicing for three months, Zhou Donghuang could not remember clearly what time it was, but from what Ren Jiapei had said, it should be sometime in the middle of December.

"Big Brother Zhou, today is December 19, 1228 of the Ziyun Era," Yang Zixi said with a smile.

"Big Brother Zhou, since you have stopped practicing for now and left your room, you should go out for a walk… if not, even if you don't feel cooped up, Zixi probably does."

Ren Jiapei looked at Zhou Donghuang and glanced sideways as she said, "It so happens that there is a gathering for the scions of the grand families in the Chu Royal city at the end of the month, why don't Big Brother Zhou and Zixi attend it as a couple?"

"I won't go; you can just go with Zixi."

Zhou Donghuang shook his head. He did not have the slightest interest in a gathering for the youths of the grand families.

"Big Brother Donghuang, if I go with Zixi, what if we get bullied by someone? Could you bear to see us get bullied?" Ren Jiapei asked coquettishly with a pout.

Zhou Donghuang raised his eyebrows and looked at Zixi, and saw a glimmer of longing in the depths of the young lady's gaze which immediately softened his heart. "Sure… I'll go with you both."

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Chapter 92: Zheng Qiuhe

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Early morning on December 31, 1228 of the Ziyun Era.

Chuxiu Inn.

In the courtyard of the best guesthouse, a youth in a white robe was sitting at the stone table, drumming his knuckles gently on the tabletop with a misty look in his eyes.

Without realizing it… it has been more than a year since I've been back.

On December 12, 1227 of the Ziyun Era, Zhou Donghuang had been accidentally brought back from a thousand years in the future, and he had embarked on a journey to change his fate.

Over the past year, many things had happened, and thinking back on it now, Zhou Donghuang still felt like he was in a dream.

However, this was not at all a dream.

It has already been over eight months since I left Yunfeng Prefecture… I wonder how Mother and Xiao Lu are?

Thinking of Lin Lan and Xiao Lu, a look of worry surfaced in Zhou Donghuang's eyes. "I should have brought them over together back then."

Back then, he had not brought Lin Lan and Yun Lu over because he did not know if he could attain level-seven of Qi-gathering in such a short time.

He also did not know that the concentration elixir could help him speedily enter a state of calm and focus to practice the Lord of the Four Supremes. After all, if his family was with him in a place like the Chu royal city, he could not act freely without sufficient ability.

However, while he was formulating the concentration elixir three months ago, he had written a letter and passed it to Fu. "Fu, go and find a big post station in the Chu royal city and find a messenger that uses a ferghana horse for delivery and get this letter delivered to Yunfeng prefecture, to Patriarch Lu Qinghu of the Lu family."

In the Chu royal city, some of the larger post stations employed a team of messengers who used ferghana horses to deliver express mail.

Of course, the fees for such messengers were extremely expensive. However, this was small change to Zhou Donghuang, who had twenty million liang of silver.

After today, I will have become an adult in this life.

Returning to the stone table and sitting down, Zhou Donghuang smiled wistfully as he remembered that it was the last day of the year 1228 of the Ziyun era.

On the planet of Ziyun, an eighteen-year-old was considered an adult.

Those below eighteen were considered youths and young ladies, but once they reached eighteen, they were considered young men and women.

"Big Brother Zhou!"

Not long after Fu left, Ren Jiapei came over. "Where is Zixi? Today is the day of the gathering for the scions of the grand families, I'm here to look for you both so we can go over together."

Ren Jiapei was not dressed as casually as she usually was, but was dressed like a lady in the same manner that Yang Zixi usually was. Zhou Donghuang was not used to seeing her like this.

"Sister Jiapei."

Ren Jiapei's voice was rather loud, and just as she finished, Yang Zixi came out of her room after having heard her voice.

Yang Zixi was dressed in a snow-white long-sleeved gown and wore a white gauze top over the dress, complementing her fair skin perfectly. This gave her an incomparably pure look. In addition to Yang Zixi's beautiful looks, her gown accentuated her appearance such that she looked like a saint—pure and holy, and nothing could mar her appearance.

"Wah!"

Seeing Yang Zixi's outfit, Ren Jiapei's eyes shone. "Sister Zixi, you look stunning today! Moreover, it really suits your personality. With your original good looks, even if you made a minimal effort in dressing up for today's gathering, you would already outshine the crowd… now, the daughters of the other families are going to wither before you."

Ren Jiapei spoke as though she had forgotten that she herself was one of the daughters of a prominent family attending the gathering.

Yang Zixi's disposition was slightly aloof, which matched her completely white outfit and gave her an aura of detachment and coolness. Usually, Yang Zixi did not speak much in front of outsiders, and sometimes not at all. Only in front of Zhou Donghuang would she behave like a girl-next-door.

"Moreover… it really matches Big Brother Zhou's white robe."

Ren Jiapei looked at Zhou Donghuang as she said this with a teasing smile.

Two spots of red bloomed on Yang Zixi's face at Ren Jiapei's words. Her alluring appearance made an onlooker feel like rushing forward to hold her tight and give her a kiss.

"Big Brother Zhou, does my outfit… look good?"

Yang Zixi looked at Zhou Donghuang as she brushed her white gown and asked anxiously. Today, she had dressed up not to impress others, but first and foremost for the youth before her.

Women beautify themselves for their own happiness, and this described Yang Zixi now.

"Mm, it looks good."

Zhou Donghuang nodded with a slight smile.

How could he fail to discern the young lady's thoughts? However, at this point, his feelings towards the young lady were like that of a sibling. She had never plucked that particular string in his heart.

After the last incident, he had wanted to make his feelings clear to the young lady but did not know where to start, and thereafter it had gradually fallen aside.

This time after the gathering, when we are alone, I will make it clear to this girl… to avoid her falling deeper.

Zhou Donghuang sighed to himself. He knew that some things had to be said, no matter how difficult. However, Zhou Donghuang did not know that the young lady had already fallen in as deep as she could go, even to the point where she could not extricate herself…

"Let's go," he told Ren Jiapei.

To avoid the young lady's misunderstanding, Zhou Donghuang quickly looked away from her and rose.

The young lady had perceived how Zhou Donghuang had intentionally avoided her gaze, and the corners of her mouth subconsciously curled upwards in a bitter smile.

But in an instant, her gaze once again became incomparably resolute,

"Good! Let's go!"

Although Ren Jiapei was usually casual, she sensed the mood was not right. She went to the young lady's side and took her hand, leading her out of the courtyard.

Zhou Donghuang followed the two ladies, his white robe fluttering in the wind like drifting snow.

…

Grand families were common in the Chu royal city. For example, the Yang family that Yang Zixi had been a part of was only at the bottom of the hierarchy of the grand families.

Even the Ren family that backed Ren Jiapei was only considered an intermediate-level grand family, even though they had three level-six adepts in charge. This was because an elite grand family would usually have many level-seven adepts in charge.

Even superior-level grand families would have at least one level-seven adept in charge.

The gathering for the scions of the grand families was organized once a year. The scions of several elite grand families of the Chu royal city took turns to organize it, rotating this duty among their families.

This year, the gathering was organized by the elite grand Wei family.

As an elite grand family, the Wei family's mansion was huge, far outclassing the mansions of the Yang and Ren families even though they were both also grand families. It would not be considered inferior even when compared to the family mansion of the tycoon Shi family.

"Young Mistress Ren."

Ren Jiapei took out the invitation at the main entrance of the Wei family mansion and led Zhou Donghuang and Yang Zixi in.

The several guards who were guarding the main entrance of the Wei family mansion were left staring at the beautiful young lady in the pure, white gown from the moment the three of them had entered.

"This… is the Yang Zixi who was expelled from the Yang family by the patriarch of the Yang family?"

"No wonder the first young master of the tycoon Shi family had taken a liking to her, she is breathtakingly beautiful, and I don't think any of the young ladies can hold a candle to her."

"That Young Mistress Ren is also very beautiful; when the two of them are standing together, it is like looking at a pair of beautiful sisters."

"That youth in white behind them has a carefree air around him, and his demeanor is extraordinary… but which family is he from?"

"Since he did not produce an invitation, he probably is not from a grand family, and might not even be a direct relative of a grand family."

…

Several side relatives of the Wei family were talking among themselves, but they managed to recognize Yang Zixi. As for Zhou Donghuang, he was a new face to them and completely unfamiliar.

However, each of the direct relatives of the grand families attending today's gathering could bring a maximum of two people, therefore, even though Yang Zixi was not a member of a grand family and Zhou Donghuang did not have an invitation, they did not remark upon it.

"Young Mistress Ren, right this way."

When they entered the Wei family mansion, someone was there to show them the way to the area where the gathering was held, which was the spacious back courtyard of the Wei family mansion.

Zhou Donghuang followed the two ladies into the back courtyard and saw at first glance that the tables were laden with food and drink. They were neatly set up at every corner of the back courtyard, just like the buffet restaurants back on Earth.

"Oh? Isn't that Young Mistress Ren?"

As soon as the three of them arrived, a young lady in a green gown approached together with a servant girl, giving Young Mistress Ren a mocking look. "Young Mistress Ren, I heard that by taking Yang Zixi in, you caused the Ren family substantial losses form the joint businesses with the Shi family."

The young lady in the green gown could still be considered pretty, but she was miles behind Ren Jiapei and Yang Zixi in terms of looks. Now, she had been chattering continuously like a shrew since she approached them.

Zhou Donghuang had already noticed that this young lady in the green gown, who obviously had no intention of acknowledging Yang Zixi, had been looking enviously at her since they had arrived.

"Zheng Qiuhe."

Ren Jiapei looked at the young lady in the green gown with an icy smile. "If I recall correctly, Yang Zixi gave you quite a lot of rouge powder in the past and also did you many favors? Before Sister Zixi was expelled from the Yang family, you called yourself her sister, but after she was expelled, you turned her away at the door. I, Ren Jiapei will have nothing to do with such an ungrateful wretch like you… get lost!"

The young lady in the green gown, Zheng Qiuhe, was the third young mistress of the grand Zheng family.

The Zheng family?

Zhou Donghuang swept an indifferent gaze over Zheng Qiuhe. He remembered clearly that the first place Yang Zixi had went to after being expelled from the Yang family was the Zheng family mansion.

Recalling that, it was to find this Zheng Qiuhe.

The Zheng family, like the Yang family, was at the bottom of the hierarchy of the grand families. Because of this, seeing that Ren Jiapei was in a stronger position, Zheng Quiuhe's expression turned extremely foul, but she did not dare block Ren Jiapei's path and obediently made way.

The Ren family was much stronger than the Zheng family.

"Third Young Mistress, First Young Mistress of the Ren family will have to answer to First Young Master of the Shi family sooner or later if she continues to be so stubborn… you don't have to put up with her."

The servant girl behind Zheng Qiuhe consoled her gently.

"Hrmph! I'll wait for misfortune to befall Ren Jiapei," Zheng Qiuhe said hatefully, staring coldly at Ren Jiapei's back.

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Chapter 93: The Focal Point

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The social circles of the grand families of the Chu royal city were not considered big, but neither were they small.

The scions of the grand families had their own social circles, too.

For example, as a member of a grand family of lower status, Yang Zixi was closest to the third young mistress of the Zheng family Zheng Qiuhe and others of similar backgrounds, who were all members of grand families with lower status.

Ren Jiapei's social status, however, consisted of members of intermediate-level grand families and was considered one level higher than Yang Zixi's original social circle.

"Sister Jiapei, is your friend Sister Zixi? Reputation cannot compare to reality; she is truly a great beauty."

A young man about twenty years old in a green robe gave the young lady beside Ren Jiapei a look, then quickly and self-consciously looked away. That young lady was beautiful, but she was not for him. That beautiful young lady was the one whom First Young Master Shi Yu of the tycoon Shi family had his eye on. This was no secret in the Chu Royal city.

"Mhm."

Ren Jiapei nodded and introduced the young lady to the young man. "Sister Zixi, this is the second young master of the Hu family, Hu Qing."

The young lady glanced at Hu Qing and nodded casually by way of greeting. Her detached demeanor forestalled any attempt at further conversation and created an unbridgeable gulf between them.

"This is?"

Just then, Hu Qing's gaze fell on the youth in white beside the two ladies, and a curious look flashed across his eyes.

"This is my Big Brother Zhou, not someone from our social circle."

When Ren Jiapei uttered the three words "Big Brother Zhou," the respect in her tone was evident.

"Surnamed Zhou?"

At the same time, Hu Qing noticed that when the young lady beside Ren Jiapei looked at the youth surnamed Zhou, the coldness in her eyes disappeared and was replaced by gentle warmth, just as if she was looking at her sweetheart.

"Brother, may I have a private word with you?" Hu Qing asked Zhou Donghuang with a smile and a gleam in his eye.

"Huh?"

Zhou Donghuang gave a start, then nodded casually and stepped aside. Hu Qing followed him.

"Brother."

Hu Qing did not beat about the bush as he walked over to Zhou Donghuang and said, "From what I know… in the Chu royal city, and even within the country of Yunyang, there is no grand family and above with the surname Zhou. I warn you, keep your distance from Yang Zixi… that is the lady whom First Young Master Shi Yu of the tycoon Shi family has his eye on, and if he knows Yang Zixi has developed feelings from you, he will not let you off.

"The Hu family and Ren family have good relations, and I consider Jiapei as my own sister, and since you are her friend, I have to warn you," Hu Qing said.

"You wanted to speak to me privately just for this?"

Zhou Donghuang was taken aback at first, then smiled casually. "Thanks for the reminder… However, I don't care whether that Shi Yu will let me off or not."

Shi Yu? The first young master of the tycoon Shi family? If he remembered correctly, he had already killed Shi Yu's father Shi Hao three months ago.

At that time, the level-eight adept of the Shi family had been present and had witnessed him kill Shi Hao. However, Zhou Donghuang could not help laughing bitterly to himself… Now, even someone who had seen him and Yang Zixi for the first time could tell that Yang Zixi had feelings for him?

"Brother, I've said all that I needed to say… what you do next is your own business."

Hu Qing shook his head at the ignorance of the youth before him.

In his opinion, he had reminded the youth for Ren Jiapei's sake and had done all he could.

If the youth wanted to court death, there was nothing he could do about it.

If it wasn't for the Ren family backing Sister Jiapei when she rashly took in Yang Zixi three months ago, she would be in deep trouble now… even so, the Ren family has already lost the opportunity to cooperate with the Shi family.

If this youth with no background insists on flirting with Yang Zixi, he is simply trying to get himself killed!

…

As the day progressed, the back courtyard of the Wei family mansion, which was the venue for the gathering of the scions of the grand families, became rowdier.

When Zhou Donghuang and his group arrived, the scions of only a few grand families had arrived.

After several hours, the scions of more than ten grand families had already arrived. Among them were several daughters of the lesser grand families that had turned Yang Zixi away after she had been expelled from the Yang family.

However, not all the daughters of the grand families who had been close to Yang Zixi were like Zheng Qiuhe.

One or two of them took the initiative to approach Yang Zixi and apologize to her and express their sorrow. Of course, there were even more who were like Zheng Qiuhe and totally ignored Yang Zixi, as though they had never had any relationship with her before.

In the past, this would have upset Yang Zixi. However, over the past three months, she felt more peaceful than she had ever felt, because she had put this incident behind her and was no longer affected by it.

Whether the daughters of the prominent families who had been close to her apologized to her or ignored her did not matter, it was no longer important to her now. Now, all she cared about was the youth in white who was standing at a table laden with fruits and helping himself to the fruits.

"Sister Jiapei, do whatever you need, I'll go and find Big Brother Donghuang."

After exchanging greetings with Ren Jiapei, the young lady began walking towards the youth standing nearby. And that youth who had previously been as good as invisible to everyone else around him became the focus of everyone's attention as the young lady walked over to him, a smile blooming on her face and replacing her cool expression.

"Who is that?"

"Earlier, other than Ren Jiapei, Yang Zixi was giving the cold shoulder to everyone else… now she actually smiles to this youth?"

"Who is this youth in white?"

"Is there such an outstanding person among the grand families of the Chu royal city?"

…

The crowd of scions of the grand families focused their attention on Zhou Donghuang, all curious about Zhou Donghuang's identity. However, after exchanging notes among themselves, they realized that no one knew this youth in white.

The youth in white seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

This Zhou Donghuang is in for trouble.

Seeing Yang Zixi approaching Zhou Donghuang and turning them into the center of attention, the second young master of the Hu family Hu Qing shook his head and sighed gently. In his view, it was better for this Zhou Donghuang not to attract anyone's attention. In his opinion, it would be a disaster if Zhou Donghuang attracted attention.

"Brother Hu Qing, do you know him?"

The person speaking to Hu Qing was a young man about eighteen or nineteen years old, and he was asking out of curiosity as he saw Hu Qing looking and sighing at the youth in white.

"I can't say I know him… but he is Jiapei's friend, and we did have a chat."

Hu Qing shook his head.

"Where is he from? Looking at Yang Zixi, she obviously adores him…"

The youth shook his head and continued, "If that first young master of the Shi family saw this, he would probably explode with rage."

"His surname is Zhou, where could he possibly be from?"

Hu Qing continued shaking his head.

"Surnamed Zhou?"

The youth frowned slightly and racked his brain. In the country of Yunyang, there seemed to be no family surnamed Zhou from the imperial court down to the royal families of the various kingdoms—even down to the various tycoon families and grand families.

"With no background, how he is so close to Yang Zixi?"

When the youth looked at Zhou Donghuang once more, he shook his head gently with a look of pity in his eyes.

With no background, was it not courting death to be so close to Yang Zixi, who was considered to be exclusively for the first young master of the Shi family, Shi Yu?

"Zixi, this apple is not bad, would you like one?"

He asked the young lady walking towards him. Zhou Donghuang took a bite of the apple as though no one was around and chewed on it as he smiled.

"Sure."

The young lady had a radiant smile as though she had been instantly transformed from a cold and supreme goddess into a girl-next-door, stunning the crowd of scions of the grand families.

"Here."

Zhou Donghuang took an apple from the fruit platter on the table and passed it to the young lady, who reached out to take it began to take small, delicate bites of it.

The scene was picture-perfect. A young lady in a gown of pure white, a youth in a robe whiter than snow, standing face to face and chewing on the apple that each of them was holding. The looks that were directed at them from all around seemed to be completely ignored by them. At that moment, there seemed to be only the two of them under the sky.

"Brother Wei, who is that youth?"

In the corner where the scions of the elite grand families were gathered, a delicate-looking kid in a silver mandarin gown asked the youth beside him curiously.

The youth was handsome with sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, and he was dressed in white like a scholar with a fan in his hand. He gave off an air of elegance. He was the host of the day, the first young master of the elite grand Wei family, Wei Hongtao.

"I don't know."

At the youth in silver's question, Hong Wei stopped tapping the fan against his hand and shook his head.

"You don't know? Then how did he get in?"

The youth in silver was shocked.

"I'll ask around."

Soon, Wei Hongtao had summoned the Wei family juniors who were in charge of organizing the gathering before him and learned that the youth in white had entered together with the first young mistress of the Ren family Ren Jiapei.

"He entered with Ren Jiapei? Surnamed Zhou?"

The youth in silver raised an eyebrow. "It seems he is not the son of any prominent family… at least not from a grand family or above."

As he said this, his gaze lit up. "Zhang Yongshan of the Zhang family has already gone over to that youth… he usually likes to hang out with Shi Yu, following him around. Today, it seems like he wants to stand up for Shi Yu."

Under the gaze of the scions of the grand families, a young man about twenty years old and of average build approached Zhou Donghuang.

"Little fellow, if you don't want to die, you had better stay away from the sister-in-law of my family."

The youth stood before Zhou Donghuang and stared coldly at him, threatening him in a chilly voice.

"Sister-in-law?"

Zhou Donghuang was taken aback.

"She is the sister-in-law of my family."

The youth looked at Zhou Donghuang and reached out to point at the young lady before him.

"Zhang Yongshan, don't talk nonsense."

The smile on the young lady's face vanished, replaced by a frosty expression, and she stared icily at the youth.

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Chapter 94: Wei Hongtao

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Yang Zixi, it is your good fortune that my Brother Shi Yu has taken a fancy to you, you should count your blessings!"

Zhang Yongshan stared at Yang Zixi with a stormy expression and said in a cold voice, "I have already confirmed… this youth with you here is not from a grand family or higher! What is so good about him that you would rather choose him over Brother Shi Yu?"

As he finished, Zhang Yongshan's voice became even colder.

"Shi Yu?"

Yang Zixi shook her head and looked back at the youth with a starry-eyed look. "How could he be compared to my Big Brother Zhou?"

The young lady's actions were a public declaration of the feelings she felt towards Zhou Donghuang, and she abandoned all restraint that a lady could have.

The scene broke out in an uproar.

"Sister Zixi."

Although Ren Jiapei had long expected that Zixi would confess her feelings for Big Brother Zhou someday, she never imagined that it would come so soon.

She immediately felt an emptiness in her heart, and a desolate expression came over her face without her realizing it.

"Yang Zixi… you have really fallen for this youth?"

"This youth is surnamed Zhou, in the country of Yunyang, there is no grand family and above that has the surname Zhou. In other words, he can be at most only the son of a preeminent family. Yang Zixi would rather be together with the son of a preeminent family than with First Young Master Shi Yu of a tycoon family? If Shi Yu was here, he would surely want to kill this youth."

…

Although the scions of the grand families who were present had all felt that Yang Zixi treated that youth in white differently and guessed that she had taken a liking to him, it had only been a guess.

Now, it had been confirmed by what Yang Zixi herself had said: She really had taken a liking to this youth.

In that moment, the daughters of the grand families looked at Zhou Donghuang with looks of pity, and the young masters of the grand families looked at him without a trace of envy, but with only pity and delight at his impending doom.

"That little fellow is done for!"

Some distance away, a son of a grand family sneered and turned to leave. He rode away from the Wei family mansion on his ferghana horse, heading for the Shi family mansion. When my cousin Shi Yu arrives, I'll watch how this kid will die!

Meanwhile, in the back courtyard of the Wei family mansion, Zhang Yongshan was momentarily stunned at the young woman's words, but he did not take long to recover.

"Slut! I'll help Brother Shi Yu teach you a lesson now!"

Zhang Yongshan glared at the young lady, and with an angry shout, he lunged towards her with his hand raised, sweeping it savagely towards the young lady's face.

Although the young lady's level of practice was almost at level-two of the Qi-gathering, her reaction was still a fraction too slow against Zhang Yongshan, a level-three adept.

By the time she had reacted, Zhang Yongshan's hand was only several inches from her face, and she could feel the wind rushing towards her.

That was the wind that Zhang Yongshan's hand created.

Even so, the young lady's expression did not change, and she remained as calm and peaceful as before because the youth she admired was with her.

The youth gave her an absolute sense of security.

Piak!

The slap that the onlookers were expecting did not materialize, and what they heard instead was a soft sound.

In full view of the crowd, in the split-second before Zhang Yongshan's hand landed on the young lady's beautiful face, he found his wrist gripped by a hand that had shot out like lightning.

The hand that had shot out like lightning was like an iron pincer, gripping Zhang Yongshan's wrist like a vice and preventing it from moving forward any further.

"That's fast!"

There was a look of shock in the eyes of First Young Master Wei Hongtao and the other scions of the elite grand families. The speed with which the youth had acted was so fast that they had not even noticed that he had moved.

Of course, in their opinion, this was because they had not been focused on the youth from the beginning. Otherwise, the youth could not have acted faster than they noticed.

Even so, they still felt that the youth had a considerable ability and was at least not any weaker than Zhang Yongshan.

The youth would not have been able to do this if his ability was weaker than Zhang Yongshan.

"Such speed!"

"This youth is actually not weaker than Zhang Yongshan?"

"How is this possible! He… he looks like he has not even reached maturity, only seventeen years at most!"

…

The scions of the grand families were stunned by the scene before them, and only Ren Jiapei was not surprised by this because knew how fearsome her Big Brother Donghuang was.

Just as the crowd exclaimed in shock.

Ka-chak!!

Without warning, the crowd heard the clear sound of bones breaking, causing their scalp to tingle.

"Ahhhh—!"

A shrill cry of pain followed the sound of bones breaking.

In full view of the crowd, that youth in snow-white robes casually folded Zhang Yongshan's hand in half with a calm expression, immediately breaking his bones!

"How ruthless!"

The eyes of the crowd widened at this scene, and they trembled in their heart, frightened by the youth's ruthlessness.

The youth in question casually pushed Zhang Yongshan over, smiling as he asked about the young lady flippantly, causing a chill to creep into the hearts of the crowd.

The previous moment, he had broken someone's arm, the next, it was as though nothing had happened as he talked and laughed cheerfully.

Who on earth was this youth?

"With Big Brother Zhou around, Zixi is not afraid."

The young lady smiled sweetly as she looked at the youth with a gentle gaze, as though it would melt everything.

"Sir, wasn't that too extreme?"

A low voice spoke just as Zhou Donghuang's actions had given the crowd a fright.

A young man dressed in white scholar's robes and holding a folding fan stepped forward.

"It's First Young Master Wei Hongtao of the Wei family!"

"Wei Hongtao is the host of the day… this youth in white creating a scene at this gathering organized by him is like a slap to the face of the Wei family."

"However, the ability of this youth in white is reasonably strong, and he is a whole level higher than Zhang Yongshan… and Zhang Yongshan has attained level-three of the Qi-gathering not long ago."

"He is at least an outstanding level-three adept… otherwise, he wouldn't have the ability to hurt Zhang Yongshan like that."

"So what if he is? The first young master of the Wei family is an outstanding level-four adept, wouldn't it be simple to deal with him?"

…

As Wei Hongtao stepped forward, the scions of the grand families turned their gazes on him one by one.

Wei Hongtao, the first young master of the elite grand Wei family, the preeminent person of the younger generation of the grand families of the Chu royal city.

In the circles of the grand families, Wei Hongtao would be the focal point wherever he went.

When Wei Hongtao stepped out, the daughters of the grand families, including Third Young Mistress Zheng Qiuhe of the Zheng family, all looked at him with starry-eyed gazes. He was the man of their dreams.

Very quickly, Wei Hongtao was beside Zhang Yongshan, glancing with a slight frown at Zhang Yongshan who was rolling on the ground in pain. Then he looked at the youth in the white robe with a piercing gaze.

"Sir, didn't you hear me? Aren't your actions too extreme?"

Wei Hongtao repeated himself in a slightly firmer and much deeper tone, creating a sense of pressure out of nowhere.

However, the youth did not pay him any attention, as though completely ignoring him.

"Crazy! This youth is crazy!"

"He actually dares to ignore First Young Master Wei like that? He wouldn't treat First Young Master Wei like he treated Zhang Yongshan, would he?"

"Zhang Yongshan is only the young master of an inferior-level grand family, but this Young Master Wei is the first young master of an elite grand family. They are as different as heaven and earth!"

"Who is this youth, and how arrogant is he? He even ignores First Young Master Wei when he is speaking?"

…

The crowd of the scions of the grand families looked at the youth in wonder. They could not understand where this youth was getting such courage from.

Just as Wei Hongtao's expression turned a shade darker, Ren Jiapei stepped forward. "Big Brother Wei!"

"Sister Jiapei, I know you brought him along… but, today, he has gone too far. He must explain himself to me and to the Wei family!"

Wei Hongtao said in a low voice, "Today, even your pleas on his behalf are useless!"

Ren Jiapei smiled bitterly.

Wei Hongtao thought that she had stepped up to plead for Big Brother Zhou?

She stepped up only because the Wei family and the Wei family were cooperating closely, and she did not want the Wei family to provoke her Big Brother Zhou if she could help it.

Even the patriarch of the tycoon Shi family had been killed by her Big Brother Zhou, and the Shi family dared not harbor any thoughts of revenge. What was a mere grand family to him?

"Zixi, I feel there is no point in staying… why don't we go out for a walk?"

The youth's snow-white robe fluttered in the wind as he asked the young lady with a smile.

"Oh."

The young lady nodded and responded obediently.

"Thinking of leaving?"

A cold gleam flashed across Wei Hongtao's eyes, and he began to move to detain the youth.

At that moment, a voice said suddenly, "Little fellow! My Big Brother has already left to bring Cousin Shi Yu over… if you wait here obediently for my cousin Shi Yu to arrive, you might be fortunate enough to leave with your life. Knowing my cousin Shi Yu's temper, if you dare leave, you'll be dead!"

After he finished, a figure walked slowly forward. It was a young man in a greyish white mandarin robe.

"It's the second young master of the grand Tan family, Tan Li."

"Although the Tan family is only an intermediate-level grand family, they are related to the Shi family, and their position in the Chu royal city is not lower than the elite grand families."

The circles of the grand families of the Chu royal city were only that big, and everyone present recognized the second young master of the Tan family.

"Big Brother Wei, why don't you hand him over to my cousin Shi Yu to resolve personally when he arrives."

Tan Li looked at Wei Hongtao.

"Sure."

Wei Hongtao nodded. Since Shi Yu was on his way, he could happily be at leisure.

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Chapter 95: Considering the Feelings of Others

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Shi Yu?

Zhou Donghuang laughed at Tan Li's words. Even if someone had really gone to inform Shi Yu, would he really dare come over?

"Zixi, let's go."

Zhou Donghuang called to the young lady and led her out of the back courtyard of the Wei family mansion with a swagger.

No matter how Tan Li used the might of the tycoon Shi family to threaten him, this couple, who was like a golden man and a jade lady, did not even spare him a glance. And Tan Li naturally did not dare obstruct them.

Zhang Yongshan, who was much stronger than him, had already been left in this state. If he rashly went forward, he was afraid that he would suffer the same fate as Zhang Yongshan, given the ruthless character of the youth.

Seeing them both leave, Wei Hongtao's gaze grew cold, and he planned to stop them at first but was stopped in time by Ren Jiapei.

"Big Brother Wei, you had better see if that Shi Yu dares to come over today, then consider if you want to make enemies with Big Brother Zhou."

Ren Jiapei walked over and stood before Wei Hongtao and gently left him with this advice, then ran to catch up with the youth and the young lady. "Big Brother Zhou, Sister Zixi, wait for me!"

Because of what Ren Jiapei had said, Wei Hongtao did not move to obstruct Zhou Donghuang and the young lady as everyone else was expecting him to.

From what Sister Jiapei said, Shi Yu dares not come over?

As the first young master of the Wei family, the first among the younger generation of the grand families of the Chu royal city, Wei Hongtao naturally was not stupid.

He knew in full detail the backgrounds of everyone present except the youth in white.

If Shi Yu dared not come over, it could not be because of anyone present, including him, so it could only be because of that youth in white.

If Shi Yu really dares not come over because of him, he… who is he? Unless… Sister Jiapei is deceiving me on purpose to save him?

Now, these two thoughts were bouncing around in Wei Hongtao's mind.

Why not wait a while and see if Shi Yu comes over.

Wei Hongtao thought to himself.

"Big Brother Wei, why don't you stop him?"

"Yes, Big Brother Wei, what that little fellow did today is a slap to the face of the Wei family. Letting him leave just like that would cause you and the Wei family to lose face."

…

Many of the scions of the grand families looked at Wei Hongtao with incomprehension, not knowing why Wei Hongtao did not stop that youth.

Even Tan Li looked at Wei Hongtao with a slight frown. "Big Brother Wei, why did you let him leave just like that?"

"Huh?"

Wei Hongtao was surprised at Tan Li's words. "Tan Li, didn't you let me hand this matter over to your cousin Shi Yu to resolve when he arrives? Since you said that, I naturally had to give Shi Yu face. Could it be that… once he leaves, Shi Yu cannot do anything about him? Even First Young Master Shi Yu of the tycoon Shi family could not lack the ability to fight this kid?"

Wei Hongtao countered.

"Of course not!"

Tan Li's gaze turned cold, and he said in a chilly voice, "He dares to leave today, and with my cousin Shi Yu's temper, he is as good as dead!"

At this moment, the whole crowd of scions of the grand families came to a sudden realization as they heard what Wei Hongtao said.

"So Big Brother Wei did not detain that youth on account of Shi Yu's face."

"I've already said that if Big Brother Wei wanted to detain that little fellow, how could he have left with such confidence?"

…

Hearing the crowd whispering among themselves, Wei Hongtao smiled indifferently, knowing that he had preserved his face as well as that of the Wei family.

After instructing a Wei family junior to send Zhang Yongshan back to the Zhang family, Wei Hongtao smiled as he addressed the crowd, "It's rare for everyone to be able to gather, please continue to enjoy yourselves… don't let that little incident spoil the occasion."

…

The Shi family mansion.

Tan Zhi, the first young master of the grand Tan family, was able to enter the Shi family mansion freely because he was the nephew of the wife of Shi Yan, the second master of the Shi family.

Even the members of the Shi family who crossed paths with him greeted him warmly and respectfully when they saw him.

"Cousin Shi Yu."

Tan Zhi went directly to find Shi Yu, the first young master of the Shi family. He went straight to the point in relating the incident that occurred in the back courtyard of the Wei family mansion to Shi Yu in full detail.

"Cousin Shi Yu, that little fellow was too savage… as they say, consider its master before you hit a dog. The way he bullied and humiliated Zhang Yongshan, you must not let him off!"

Tan Zhi did not notice Shi Yu's expression becoming fouler and fouler, as he spoke angrily, absorbed in himself.

When Tan Zhi paused and was about to continue, Shi Yu shouted coldly, "Enough!"

"Cousin Shi Yu?"

Just then, Tan Zhi finally noticed that something was not normal with Shi Yu's expression. "You… what's wrong?"

Shi Yu took in a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Cousin Tan Zhi, don't go back to that Wei family mansion… I hope Tan Li doesn't blindly antagonize that youth, otherwise, you will have died for nothing.

As he finished, a look of deep terror flooded Shi Yu's eyes.

Even after three months, the mention of that youth caused memories of the scene of that youth killing his father Shi Hao to surface in Shi Yu's mind.

Even his grandfather, the strongest in the Shi family and a level-eight adept of the Qi-gathering, was no match for that youth.

"Hss—"

As Shi Yu finished, Tan Zhi's expression suddenly changed completely, and he subconsciously let out a cold breath. "Cousin Shi Yu, that youth… where on earth is he from?"

"Cousin Tan Zhi, there are some things that I absolutely cannot tell you about without my grandfather's permission."

Shi Yu looked sternly at Tan Zhi and said in a low voice, "You must only remember, do not return to the Wei family mansion today."

"Go back to the Tan family and wait for Tan Li to return… if Tan Li has provoked that youth and died at the Wei family mansion, he can only blame himself for his misfortune."

"If you receive news that Tan Li has been killed, tell your father… even my grandfather does not dare offend that youth. Your father will understand when he hears this."

Shi Yu finished and heaved a long sigh, and he turned around and went back to his room, leaving Tan Zhi staring at his desolate silhouette.

Tan Zhi's expression changed completely in the instant that Shi Yu finished speaking.

He understood his cousin Shi Yu's character completely, and he was not someone who would lose out on even the smallest thing… and today, at the mere mention of that youth, his cousin had been like a mouse that had seen a cat.

The important thing was that his cousin Shi Yu had told him even the grand patriarch of the Shi family did not dare offend that youth.

The grand patriarch of the Shi family was a level-eight adept of the Qi-gathering who had led the Shi family to become a grand family five years ago! If not for the restrictions of the imperial court of the country of Yunyang, that grand patriarch of the Shi family had the ability to easily single-handedly wipe out the entire Tan family!

On the way back to the Tan family mansion from the Shi family mansion, Tan Zhi was continuously praying in his heart, "Hopefully Xiao Li did not provoke that youth… even if he did, hopefully that youth will be the bigger man and not be calculative with Xiao Li."

Now, Tan Zhi finally grasped the severity of the situation.

At the same time, he also felt somewhat regretful that he had brought his third brother Tan Li along to attend the gathering of the scions of the grand families organized by the Wei family. If he had not attended, his third brother Tan Li would not have landed in this dangerous situation.

But… what kind of person is that youth?

Despite a sense of lingering dread, Tan Zhi's heart was full of curiosity.

…

"Young Mistress Ren, why don't you return to the Ren family first."

After they had exited from the main entrance of the Wei family mansion, Zhou Donghuang said to Ren Jiapei who had followed them out, "I… I have some things that I need to say to Zixi in private."

"Sure."

Ren Jiapei nodded and exchanged greetings with the young lady beside Zhou Donghuang, then turned and left in the direction of the Ren family mansion.

As she turned, a bitter smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth.

Now, beside Big Brother Zhou and Zixi, she… had already become a third wheel?

"Zixi."

After Ren Jiapei had left, Zhou Donghuang and the young lady walked shoulder to shoulder for a while before he began speaking with a deep sigh.

"Big Brother Zhou, I'm listening," the young lady said gently.

"Zixi, actually… actually…"

Once Zhou Donghuang began, he realized he did not quite know how to continue. Now, given the choice, he would rather fight a Petty Consummation adept of the Qi-gathering than reveal his true feelings to the young lady.

"Big Brother Zhou, whatever it is, you can be direct… with me, you shouldn't have any misgivings."

The young lady's smile and considerate look made one feel pity for her.

"Zixi!"

Zhou Donghuang stopped suddenly and looked at the young lady, who had also stopped, and said with a serious expression, "It's just… towards you, I feel… for now I … for now I only take you as a younger sister and not… and not…"

Zhou Donghuang paused here, unsure of how to continue.

"Big Brother Zhou, is that all you wanted to tell me?" the young lady asked with a slight smile.

"Hm?"

Seeing that there was no change in the young lady's expression and she was still maintaining her smile, Zhou Donghuang was momentarily stunned, but then immediately nodded.

"Mm, Big Brother Zhou, Zixi understands."

The young lady nodded as she acknowledged. "Moreover, as you have also said… it's only for now."

This scene caused Zhou Donghuang to be somewhat at a loss because what was actually happening seemed to be quite different from what he had expected.

Shouldn't the young lady be hurt and upset?

"Big Brother Zhou, I'm rather tired… I'd like to go back and rest."

The young lady spoke up first after the two of them had walked in silence for a while.

"Sure."

Zhou Donghuang nodded and immediately returned to the inn with the young lady, and she went straight to her room once they reached the guest courtyard.

Just as Zhou Donghuang heaved a sigh of relief, his acute sense of hearing, sharpened by practicing the Lord of the Four Supremes, picked up a vague sound of sobbing coming from the young lady's room.

Although the young lady had tried to stifle the sound of her sobs, he could still hear her clearly with his current sense of hearing.

At that moment, the young lady definitely did not know that he could hear her sobbing.

"So, she put on a front just now… it was all a show for me."

Zhou Donghuang shook his head with a bitter smile. "What a mature girl."

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Chapter 96: Lady in the Lost Forest

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Although Zhou Donghuang used to stand on top of the world in his previous life, his strengths lay in his power and the Way of Essence. In the field of romantic relationships, he was a complete "romantic idiot."

"If I had known this earlier, I would've picked one of the ladies that the star clans or the top sects sent… then, I wouldn't be in such a spot when I have to face these things now." Zhou Donghuang sighed as he walked out of Chuxiu Inn.

If he stayed in the courtyard, the girl's cries would make him feel even more uneasy, so he decided to take a walk. As he strolled, Zhou Donghuang was not paying attention. It was only when he heard some gossip that he perked up.

"Did you hear the news? Yesterday, someone found that the spirit in the Lost Forest suddenly turned strange… accordingly, this only happens when a spirit fruit or a god-tier demon appears." The voice had come from within a horse-drawn carriage. It was the voice of a middle-aged man. Of course, it was only because of Zhou Donghuang's extraordinary sense of sound that he could hear the conversation in the carriage as it passed by.

"It can't be a god-tier demon!" Another voice chimed in. "In the Lost Forest, the strongest are the two 'golden-crowned eagles…' and those two eagles have only achieved petty consummation of the gathered qi and not even great consummation, how could they possibly reach connate-tier and become connate demons?"

"This morning, our Ouyang family sent two level-nine elders to explore the Lost Forest… I heard the Chu royal household also sent people in. Did your Lui family do anything?"

"I just heard this news from you. But this morning, I saw our Head Elder Liu and Third Elder leave the household anxiously."

"They must have gone to the Lost Forest."

"Who cares… even if there really is a spirit fruit, and even if my family gets it, we cannot possibly use it."

…

As the carriage went further away, the voices that Zhou Donghuang heard became softer.

"Ouyang family? Lui family?" As far as he knew, both the Ouyang and Lui family were premier tycoon families with many level-nine adepts, nothing that the Shi family could compare with. Their conversation had piqued his interest. "Lost Forest? Unnatural spirit?"

The Lost Forest was in the north of the Chu royal city and covered a vast expanse of land. Inside, there were not only many fearsome beasts, but even some demons that had extraordinary talent. The demons in the forest ranged from level-one of the gathered qi to petty consummation, but there were only two that had achieved petty consummation. They were the kings of the forest, the two golden-crowned eagles.

These demons were filled with treasures, the higher their level of practice, the more valuable their body parts. There was a phrase from Earth: if it can be sold, it will be killed. It was the same on Ziyun planet. Because the demon body parts were so valuable, some adepts even put themselves in grave danger to go into the Lost Forest to hunt these demons. Those who were successful earned a fortune, while some would fail and die within the forest. The Lost Forest was an extremely dangerous place, particularly the depths of the forest. This was a land ruled by the two golden-crowned eagles of petty consummation of the gathered qi, even the strongest adepts from the Chu royal household could not enter easily.

"Unnatural spirit, there must be a reason… it's unlikely that a connate demon would appear. It must be a spirit fruit." As he thought of this, Zhou Donghuang's eyes lit up. A spirit fruit that could affect the spirit of the Lost Forest had to be at least of the same level as the ten-thousand-year red fruit and was surely a treasure for him now.

"Just as well, I don't want to return to the inn for now, since I'm free… I shall take a look."

The Lost Forest was only a hundred miles from the Chu royal city. With Zhou Donghuang's current footsteps, he only took an hour to reach it at a leisurely pace. If he had rushed, he would not have taken so long at all.

The Lost Forest was a dense forest that looked the same everywhere within. After entering, one could get lost easily if one did not mark the route along the way.

"The spirit here… is already starting to feel strange." Not long after entering the forest, Zhou Donghuang could already sense the unnatural spirit that hung in the thick air. As compared to any others, he could sense the unnatural spirit more easily.

"The spirit seems to be in the depths of the forest… looks like there probably is a spirit fruit that appeared." With a glint in his eye, Zhou Donghuang stepped in a graceful footwork as he rushed towards the depths of the forest like a bolt of lightning. Now, Zhou Donghuang was already at level-eight of the gathered qi, and his qi alone was equivalent to the strength of eight bulls. With his extreme physical strength and with his second-grade swiftness technique, he was the fastest man in the country of Yunyang for any adept beneath petty consummation of Qi-gathering. Of course, Zhou Donghuang could also use a first-grade swiftness technique, but that would be too energy-intensive and not suitable for him to use for longer durations. Lesser-grade swiftness techniques were inferior but more efficient over longer durations.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

…

Where he passed, it was as if a gust of wind swept by, causing flowers and grass to tremble and the trees to sway. Even the beasts and demons scurried away in fright. His speed was so fast that it was as if a lightning bolt had flashed by; the beasts and even the demons avoided it.

Along the way, Zhou Donghuang also saw many adepts hunting beasts and demons. But his speed was so fast that although the adepts could sense the movement, by the time they could turn to look, he had already disappeared.

"Almost there!" After an hour, Zhou Donghuang arrived at the depths of the Lost Forest. There were only a few demons here. The rare ones that he saw were all extremely powerful, with the strength of at least a level-eight adept. At the same time, he could also sense that the source of the spirit in the forest was close by. His eyes shone with expectation.

…

In the deepest part of the Lost Forest, there was a clear lake that looked like a piece of jade lying on the ground from a distance. Now, from the side of the lake, the spirit seemed to flow into a shadow sitting cross-legged beside the lake.

This was a lady in a pale green dress. She seemed about twenty years of age, with beautiful eyes, a high nose and crimson lips. Her alluring face seemed to radiate coldness. Her long hair was held in a pale green hair band, the loose hair drifting despite the still air.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

…

Now, a spirit funnel appeared above her head, as all the spirit energy of the Lost Forest flowed straight into her body. The lady's cold face flashed slowly with a radiance. Upon closer inspection, one could see that her pale hands and legs were also flashing as if she had been poisoned and was controlling the toxicity in her body.

On another end of the lake, there were two huge trees upon which a massive bird's nest lay.

A fog hung around the lake that isolated it from the rest of the world outside. The fog not only blocked the vision of those from the outside, but any stray insects that got too close would also be instantly destroyed by the fog.

The fog concealed a frightening killer. It was like a giant bell, isolating the lady and the two huge trees from the rest of the world.

Whoosh!

…

Outside of the fog, two golden-crowned eagles were circling above the layer of fog, trying to penetrate the fog but being forced back by it time and again.

"Second Brother, forget it," said the darker colored eagle to the other in demon tongue.

"Big Brother, could this be the shield of legends?" asked the other.

"Isn't that obvious?"

"But… in the legends, only magnificent practitioners who obtained the level of contained primal essence could produce a shield!"

"I think… the lady who stole our land must be such a magnificent practitioner!"

"How could it be? That lady looks just twenty… at such an age, she cannot possibly be a magnificent practitioner!"

"Don't forget that when she arrived yesterday, she threw us out with just a wave of the hand… if she had wanted to kill us, we would not be alive."

"If she really is a magnificent practitioner of the legends, why is she stealing our territory?"

"From her looks, she must be injured… perhaps she's just borrowing the place to treat herself, and she'll leave once she's recovered."

"I hope so."

…

Clearly, these two large golden-crowned eagles were the masters of the Lost Forest, the famed demons who had attained petty consummation of Qi-gathering. The imperial court of Yunyang country had once sent two great consummate adepts to hunt these two eagles, but was unsuccessful because the eagles could fly. Once they took to the skies, even connate adepts could do nothing about them.

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