Fairy, don't be afraid, I, Wang Daqi, am truly an honest man.

Seeing Wang Daqi's troubled expression, Tang Youyou asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"

"How about another day?" Wang Daqi said.

"Heh, so you've really fallen for someone else! You said you'd marry me if you became a Nascent Soul cultivator and the head of the family, but now you're ignoring me so quickly!! So what if you have Xia Chunlian? I could be your concubine..."

As Tang Youyou spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.

"Why…………"

Wang Daqi never expected that Tang Youyou was so infatuated with Xu Taibing.

This is true love.

Just as Wang Daqi was thinking about how to deal with Tang Youyou, Tang Youyou's expression changed, and she quickly took out a communication talisman.

"Oh no, I can't stay with you tonight, Xu Sheng is back."

"Didn't you say he'd be away for several days?"

"That's what we said before, but it seems we encountered some unexpected problems."

Without saying anything more, Tang Youyou quickly left.

"call……"

Wang Daqi breathed a sigh of relief as the woman walked in.

Then, he frowned.

The mission went smoothly, and we quickly learned about the issues between the Xu and Hao families.

It turns out that the reason the Xu family cooperated with the Hao family was because the Zhou family, who controlled beasts, agreed to take Xu family cultivators into the secret realm to obtain the opportunity to become Nascent Soul cultivators!

What a stroke of luck to become a deity...

This is absolutely tempting.

Even if the Shen family receives this news, they probably can't just sit idly by and wait for their doom.

"A secret realm!! I need to find a way to get the approximate location of that secret realm. Maybe this will allow me to cooperate with the Shen family and disrupt their relationship."

"Or, we could simply spread the news out, so that all the cultivation families would know about it, and probably no one would be able to ignore it..."

Once you stir up the water, everything becomes simple.

…………

…………

…………

Early the next morning.

Wang Daqi specially picked out two cans of the finest spiritual tea from the market and carried them toward Xu Sheng's residence.

He walked slowly, perfectly portraying the image of his cousin who was "recovering from serious injury".

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Xu Sheng sitting in the pavilion, and his aloof older sister, Xu Ying, was also there.

"Brother Sheng, I heard from the servants that you've returned from outside. I just happened to buy two cans of good tea, so I brought them over for you to try."

Wang Daqi forced a smile and placed the tea leaves on the stone table.

Upon seeing that it was "Xu Taibing," Xu Sheng's previously gloomy expression softened considerably. He quickly waved and said, "Brother Taibing, you're back just in time! I was just planning to visit you later. Please have a seat."

"Brother Sheng, how come you're back so soon after your trip? Did things go smoothly?" Wang Daqi asked, feigning curiosity, but his eyes inadvertently swept over Xu Ying beside him.

"Everything went very smoothly." Xu Sheng picked up his teacup and took a sip. "I just got back from the Zhou family."

"The Zhou family?"

Wang Daqi's heart skipped a beat, but he pretended not to know. "Haven't we always been close to the Shen family? Why are we suddenly going to the Zhou family?"

"That Shen Ruyan from the Shen family is utterly ungrateful!"

Xu Sheng slammed his cup down, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "I've tried to befriend her time and again, but she's always giving me the cold shoulder and refuses to budge on the marriage proposal. Since the Shen family doesn't want this great opportunity, then don't blame me for turning ruthless and turning to the Zhou family for cooperation."

Xu Ying, who was standing nearby, asked, "Brother Taibing, I heard you're in trouble?"

"Yes, I encountered a fake cultivator who was also a heretic. I risked my life to escape. It's a shameful thing to talk about, so let's not dwell on it. These past few days, I've been confined to my home to recuperate and haven't dared to go anywhere."

"Hmm, fake Core cultivators are indeed troublesome. You're lucky to have escaped with your life."

Xu Ying nodded slightly, her voice still indifferent, "Your foundation is quite solid. Don't be greedy for quick success these next few days. Stabilizing your foundation is the most important thing."

Wang Daqi nodded obsequiously, intending to take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere to inquire about the mysterious "secret realm".

But whenever he steered the conversation toward the family’s recent developments or the rumors about Curved Blade Lake, Xu Sheng and Xu Ying would tacitly steer the conversation away from the topic.

Clearly, this kind of secret is not yet at the point where we can reveal everything to him.

Wang Daqi cursed the two little foxes inwardly for being cautious, and was about to take his leave to find another breakthrough.

Suddenly, Xu Sheng's expression turned serious, as if he had remembered something. He stared at Wang Daqi and said, "Brother Taibing, since you've just returned, there is indeed something I need your help with."

"Brother Sheng, just give me your orders. As long as it's something I can do with my crippled body, I will not refuse." He appeared extremely righteous.

Xu Sheng lowered his voice and said, word by word, "Three days later, the Zhou family will send a special batch of congratulatory gifts. To avoid attracting attention, these gifts won't be sent through the main gate. I need you to take a few trusted men to Wild Horse Slope outside the city to meet them. Remember, these gifts... must not be seen by anyone."

"Brother Sheng, what's so urgent? Why aren't you using a storage bag...?"

"There's a batch of mithril here. You know, these things can't be stored in a storage bag!!"

Xu Sheng said in a deep voice.

"Mithril..." Wang Daqi raised an eyebrow. This was a type of spatial material that could not be stored in a storage bag.

Judging from Xu Sheng's words, the fact that this batch of mithril required special personnel to receive and transport it indicates that its quantity was absolutely astonishing.

If there were hundreds or thousands of kilograms, the value would be immeasurable!

"Brother Sheng, is the Zhou family really that generous? So much mithril, just given to us like that???"

Wang Daqi feigned shock, widening his eyes as if he had never seen anything like it before.

Seeing his appearance, Xu Sheng's eyes flashed with a hint of contempt.

He then turned to look at Xu Ying, who was sitting silently to the side, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "This is not a free gift; it is a betrothal gift prepared by the Zhou family for my eldest sister."

bride price??

Wang Daqi understood.

It seems that the rumors circulating outside that Xu Ying was going to marry into the Hao family were just a smokescreen!

The Xu family's true backer and marriage partner is actually the Zhou family of Beast Taming, who have a deeper foundation and greater power!

"So that's how it is!"

Wang Daqi immediately put on a look of surprise and delight, and smiled at Xu Ying, "Congratulations, Sister Ying! To receive such a generous gift from the Zhou family, your status after entering the Zhou family will definitely be incredibly high!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of arrogance finally appeared on Xu Ying's usually icy face.

She tilted her chin slightly, her tone humble, but her obvious delight was undeniable: "Brother Taibing, things aren't settled yet, so don't speak carelessly. It's just a small token of the Zhou family's appreciation, nothing to congratulate them on."

Wang Daqi's face showed a hint of doubt again, and he continued to ask, "But Sister Ying, since these materials are a generous gift from the Zhou family, and also a matter of face for our Xu family, why not have the Zhou family deliver them to the market with fanfare, instead of having us secretly go to Yema Slope to receive them? This sneaking around makes us seem petty."

"What do you know?"

Xu Sheng lowered his voice and casually explained, "The situation at Curved Blade Lake is delicate right now. There are many people and eyes in the market, and the Shen family, the Zhou family, and all the big and small forces in the city are watching us. We haven't completely broken ties with the Shen family yet. If people see that we're getting so close to the Zhou family and have accepted such a generous gift from them, it will inevitably cause some unnecessary trouble. So, it's better to be cautious."

"I see. Brother Sheng and Sister Ying are very thoughtful." Wang Daqi nodded repeatedly, looking as if he had learned something.

Xu Sheng also explained some of the contact codes and specific routes for the rendezvous.

Wang Daqi wrote them down one by one.

He then adopted a bold and unyielding demeanor, determined to fulfill his mission, and took his leave with the empty tea bag.

Once Wang Daqi's figure had completely disappeared, Xu Ying's smile vanished.

Instead, he looked on with suspicion.

She put down her teacup, frowned, and looked at her younger brother beside her: "Shengdi, what's wrong with you today? Why did you entrust such an important matter to Xu Taibing? That guy spends his days indulging in pleasure in the sect, his heart is not with our Xu family at all. What if he can't keep his mouth shut and leaks the news? How are we going to explain that? You know, he also has good relations with quite a few people in the Shen family..."

"Sister, don't worry, I want him to 'leak the news,' I want him to 'mess up.'

Xu Sheng slowly fiddled with a jade ring on his finger, his eyes flashing with a cold, venomous light.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Xu Ying was taken aback, somewhat puzzled.

Xu Sheng lowered his voice and sneered, "Actually, that batch of so-called mithril was secretly sold to the merchant guild in the south by Father half a month ago. The spirit stones obtained in return have been filled into our own family's secret treasury to help Father break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. At that time, we will be the second largest power in the Xu family."

"What?!"

Xu Ying was truly shocked. She abruptly stood up. "Those were the betrothal gifts and kickbacks for the Zhou family, the agreed-upon supplies! Father actually sold them?! If the family investigates, won't we be in deep trouble?"

According to custom, since Xu Ying was raised by her family from childhood, at least half of the dowry she received had to be handed over to the family!

Now that all the mithril has been sold, this is no small matter.

"Therefore, we need a scapegoat."

Xu Sheng smiled slightly, a chilling calculation in his eyes. "Three days later, the shipment that 'Xu Taibing' will be picking up will turn out to be nothing more than crates of heavy scrap metal. I'll have my assassins ambush them at Wild Horse Slope. The caravan will be wiped out, the 'Mithril' lost, and the losses devastating. And Xu Taibing, the one in charge of the pickup… he'll be that negligent, possibly even 'colluding with the enemy,' traitor of the Xu family!!!"

Xu Ying was terrified.

After a long silence, he asked hesitantly, "Brother Sheng, didn't you always say that Xu Taibing has some connections in the sect and is at the Foundation Establishment stage, with a promising future? Shouldn't we try our best to win him over? Why did you suddenly decide to kill him this time and ruin his reputation?"

Xu Sheng's smile vanished, and his eyes turned icy cold.

He gently pulled a pure white, nimble mouse from his sleeve, its nose twitching slightly!

"This is a rare spirit beast, the 'Treasure-Seeking Rat,' specially given to me by the Zhou family, the Beast Tamer."

"I know, you're my younger brother, the Zhou family specially sent you this." Xu Ying nodded.

"Sister, did you know that this little guy can not only find treasure, but his sense of smell is also a hundred times more sensitive than that of ordinary spirit dogs?"

Xu Sheng stared at the treasure-hunting rat, his voice barely audible, "When Xu Taibing was sitting here just now, this little guy smelled a scent on him... a scent of 'Cold Fragrance Powder' that only that bitch Tang Youyou in my yard would use. And the scent was incredibly strong, clearly they were very close last night."

He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles cracking.

This cold fragrance powder was sent by the Zhou family.

You absolutely can't buy this anywhere else!!

He specially wiped Tang Youyou's face.

Unexpectedly, this happened to Wang Daqi.

He had suspected Tang Youyou of having someone else, but he had no evidence!

Now, everything is clear!

"He's my cousin, and he came back smelling of my concubine. Tell me, should I spare his life???"

"To be honest, I originally planned to have someone else take the fall, but now... it's just that Xu Taibing was unlucky! He actually came back..."