Staying the Night at Aunt Tang's House

"Xiao Lin."

Tang Wenwan smiled like a peach blossom. "Here's the thing. The Evil-Warding Bureau, where I serve, wants to recommend you to the Divine Strategy Manor in the Divine Capital to cultivate as one of the Great Cang Kingdom's top geniuses. Would you like to go?"

"No." Qi Lin shook his head without hesitation.

"Why not?" Tang Wenwan bit her lip, her beautiful eyes shimmering. "Under Great Cang Kingdom Law, only those who reach the Mystic Sea Realm before thirteen and receive a recommendation from one of the five bureaus can enter the Divine Strategy Manor. Who knows how many geniuses and monstrous talents across the country would break their heads fighting for an opportunity like this? They exhaust every connection they have and still can't get one."

Qi Lin knew perfectly well how hard it was to enter the Divine Strategy Manor.

The Divine Strategy Manor was the foremost national academy in the Great Cang Kingdom!

Never mind that even princes and princesses studied and cultivated there. One only had to look at how Su Lianxi had sold out the entire Pingyang District and offered up a God-Inherited Bloodline just to obtain one place.

Moreover, the Divine Strategy Manor was not only the cradle of the Great Cang Kingdom's geniuses; it was also where its high officials and military commanders were trained!

Those who came out of the Divine Strategy Manor could generally take up high positions in the five bureaus throughout the kingdom's cities and regions. They could even remain in the Divine Capital, stand above others, participate in court affairs, and gain offices and noble titles.

As the saying went, entering the Divine Strategy Manor was like ascending to heaven in a single step.

The connections one built while cultivating at the Divine Strategy Manor alone were worth more than a thousand pieces of gold could buy.

So Tang Wenwan couldn't understand why he had refused.

Qi Lin's tone was firm indeed. "My Lineage is in trouble now, and the people here have no way to survive. The Xiao Clan and the Universal Salvation Chamber of Commerce could retaliate at any moment. After losing so much face, who knows how many powerhouses and patriarchs they'll send? I'm staying in front of the ancestral hall to fight alongside my grandpa. I'm not going anywhere."

Xiao Tianyang had called the Xiao Clan a clan that suppressed the world, and it was a fact that its sixty thousand members and experts were spread across the country!

Not to mention the Universal Salvation Chamber of Commerce, which spanned several kingdoms, had now joined in.

Hearing Qi Lin's words, Tang Wenwan couldn't help laughing. "In a battle that decides whether a clan lives or is wiped out, what help could a junior at the Mystic Sea Realm like you possibly be..."

Before she could finish, Qi Tianji interrupted her. "Qi Lin says he's not going, so he's not going."

Tang Wenwan froze for a moment, then smiled awkwardly. "Of course. As things stand, Uncle Qi, you have the final say in Mystic City."

"No." Qi Tianji glanced at her. "Little Tang, you have the final say in Mystic City. Have the Tang Clan in the Divine Capital back you for the position of the new city lord."

"Uncle Qi, I'll do my best."

Tang Wenwan felt the pressure at once. "Also, I'm willing to help you take over Green Jade Hall and transport its wealth and medicine to Pingyang District."

"See to it," Qi Tianji said.

"Thank you for your trust, Uncle Qi!"

Tang Wenwan showed a Heavenly Dominion expert all the respect he was due.

"Wait, Aunt Tang..."

Qi Lin suddenly cut in and asked somewhat sheepishly, "You're the head of the Evil-Warding Bureau. The Evil-Warding Bureau specializes in controlling and killing evil beasts, right?"

"That's right, Xiao Lin."

"Then does Aunt Tang's Evil-Warding Bureau have any evil beast corpses right now? The kind that are still warm..." Qi Lin asked quietly.

"Let me think." Tang Wenwan's eyes lit up slightly. "There does seem to be one fresh corpse. It's 'Mid-Grade Jia Hui.' Do you want it?"

Qi Lin was thin-skinned, but to give the Heaven-Piercing Prison-Suppressing Qilin its first proper meal, and to deal with the matter of the God-Inherited Bloodline at Su Lianxi's place, he steeled himself and said, "Yes."

"If you want it, Auntie will grant your wish."

Tang Wenwan gave him a flirtatious wink.

"Can you talk normally?"

Qi Tianji couldn't stand watching any longer and smacked Tang Wenwan on the head.

"I'm talking perfectly normally." Tang Wenwan cried out, then protested aggrievedly.

Seeing that Qi Tianji didn't reproach her further, and that she had a fine opportunity to get closer to Qi Lin, Tang Wenwan hurriedly said to him, "I'll make arrangements for Green Jade Hall first, then I'll take you to get it."

Qi Lin glanced at his grandfather. Seeing that he had no objection, he knew there shouldn't be any safety concerns, so he nodded in agreement.

"Spicy eggs!" The little beast on the sword hilt was already getting excited, howling, "See that? Now that's what you call a real woman! Stick with a real woman, and you'll never go hungry!"

Qi Lin hastily covered the sword hilt, his head aching terribly.

How could he shut that mouth?

Soon enough!

Tang Wenwan finished making arrangements for Green Jade Hall. Next, Qi Tianji would distribute its wealth and medicine to the people. Han Yuan and the others were helping, so there was no need for Qi Lin.

"Come on, Xiao Lin."

Tang Wenwan's red dress billowed in the night breeze as she beckoned to Qi Lin with graceful charm.

"Ahem."

Qi Lin felt like a sheep walking into a tiger's den.

On the road.

Fragrant breezes wafted around him.

Tang Wenwan didn't tease Qi Lin anymore. Instead, she looked back toward Pingyang District and said worriedly, "Xiao Lin, do you have any idea what the Divine Capital Xiao Clan and the Universal Salvation Chamber of Commerce are like?"

Qi Lin shook his head. "I only know that their clan branches reach far and wide, that they have many experts, and that they repay the slightest offense. I don't know exactly how strong they are."

Tang Wenwan sighed. "Your grandfather is in the Heavenly Dominion Realm, that's true, but both the Xiao Clan and the Universal Salvation Chamber of Commerce have many Heavenly Dominion Realm experts holding down the fort."

"Exactly how many?" Qi Lin asked.

"In these chaotic times, no one willingly lays all their cards on the table. Everyone shows one face in public and another in secret... The Xiao Clan alone has more than twenty Heavenly Dominion experts in the open. Who knows what else they might have hidden up their sleeve?"

After saying that, Tang Wenwan looked at Qi Lin. "In times like these, you and your grandfather are still willing to speak up for the people at the bottom. I admire that, but it isn't a long-term solution. In the end, there are only two of you, grandfather and grandson, while your enemies have tens of thousands of experts and endless connections! So, child, true strength isn't the strength of one person, but the strength of many."

"The strength of many?"

"That's right!" Tang Wenwan looked toward the Divine Capital. "How does one person become many? Naturally, by making friends far and wide and rising to prominence across the four seas. So Aunt Tang thinks that, rather than being buried along with Pingyang District, you should take a roundabout path to saving your family and go to the Divine Strategy Manor! Perhaps there, you can find someone who can truly help you... That would be helping your grandfather."

"I'm not going."

Qi Lin refused again without even thinking.

"Why?" Tang Wenwan stared at him.

"There are too many demons and monsters in this world. Rather than rack my brains trying to please other people, I'd rather keep that time for myself," Qi Lin said.

"You child..." Tang Wenwan couldn't help smiling. "You've got something!"

Afterward, she added wistfully:

"I just don't know how much."

Before long.

They arrived at the Evil-Warding Bureau.

It was now the second half of the night, and the Evil-Warding Bureau was dim and deserted.

Tang Wenwan held a candle, her graceful body swaying along with its flame as she led Qi Lin inside.

"Evil beast corpses are heavy and large, so they're hard to move. I'll get a carriage ready for you."

"Thank you, Aunt Tang. How much is it?" Qi Lin asked.

"You have gold and divine stones?" Tang Wenwan asked in surprise.

Qi Lin showed her his bronze ring. "A Void Ring. It belonged to Ye Qing. There's some dirty money inside."

"Hehe." Tang Wenwan rolled her eyes at him. "Keep it. Auntie doesn't want your money. I only want to give you a red envelope."

"What do you mean?" Qi Lin asked blankly.

He knew that an evil beast was a treasure from head to toe and worth a fortune.

Why wasn't she charging him, and why was she even giving him a red envelope?

Amazing!

Tang Wenwan didn't answer him. Instead, she went to the storeroom.

Soon, she brought out a horse-drawn carriage. An iron cage sat on it, covered with thick cloth, and the stench of blood was strong.

It wasn't just the smell of blood, either. There was also a supremely wicked and violent presence, something unique to evil beasts.

"It really is an evil beast..."

Seeing the black wooden sword at his waist getting excited again, Qi Lin knew the evil beast was genuine.

After handing the carriage over to Qi Lin, Tang Wenwan suddenly took his hand in her jade-like one and said wistfully, "Your hand is already a little bigger than Auntie's."

"Ahem." Qi Lin hurriedly pulled it back. "Aunt Tang, what kind of evil beast is this?"

A smile appeared on Tang Wenwan's face. "Mid-Grade Jia Hui, a Great Yang Turtle."

"Is it an evil beast of supreme yang and unyielding vigor?" Qi Lin asked in surprise.

"That's right." Tang Wenwan's beautiful eyes roamed over Qi Lin's body, her red lips trembling slightly. "Are you planning to take its turtle treasure and consume it? Take Auntie's advice: at your age, you won't be able to handle it."

"Well..." Qi Lin gritted his teeth. "Never mind that!"

"You child, you really are a headache."

Tang Wenwan caught his wrist again, and in her gaze, there seemed to be pink flames.

"If you insist on taking it, then you might as well not go home tonight." Tang Wenwan gave him a sultry look. "Auntie will temper you into a real man..."

Qi Lin's face flushed red as he listened.

"Are you insane?!"

He hurriedly took the reins and drove the carriage away at breakneck speed.