Second to None

Tuoba Yan said with a smile, "Grandfather, I didn't force anyone to buy or sell. Every transaction was entirely voluntary. Since these people entered the game and kept a close eye on the Tuoba Clan's movements, it was only their own fault that they stumbled now!"

Among the forces watching the Tuoba Clan were not only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, wealthy enough to rival a nation, but also royal relatives of the two great empires, along with numerous deeply entrenched soul master families.

Tuoba Xi's blood surged with excitement, light flashing in his eyes as he clapped his hands. "Good, we'll do as you say!"

Anyone could imagine that these ill-intentioned people would surely end up lifting a stone only to smash their own feet.

Meanwhile, the Tuoba Clan could use this chance to make a fortune and might even leap into becoming the second-richest family in the soul master world.

As he envisioned the family's grand future, Tuoba Xi was overwhelmed with excitement. In his lifetime, he might actually be able to raise the family's strength to a whole new level through his own efforts.

Tuoba Yan looked at Tuoba Xi and deliberately reminded him, "Don't celebrate too soon. You said earlier that the watchers included people from the Pontiff and the Judgement Elder!"

To his surprise, Tuoba Xi dismissed it with contempt. "I have devoted myself heart and soul to Spirit Hall, with absolute loyalty. If they need something, they can exchange something for it, and I will naturally agree. Yet they hold high positions while doing something so beneath their status. They are only humiliating themselves, and they have no one else to blame! Yan'er, I'll go make the arrangements at once!"

Watching Tuoba Xi's departing back, Tuoba Yan's lips curled slightly.

After his guidance, Spirit Hall's "fourth fool" was finally no longer so ignorant.

Just then, Tuoba Xi turned and caught sight of Hu Liena behind the glass doors of the second-floor balcony.

Though the glass was exceptionally soundproof, Hu Liena noticed his gaze and silently drew the curtains.

Tuoba Yan walked into the living room. As he passed the cleaning auntie, he smiled and said, "Auntie, the dress you're wearing today is especially elegant."

"Thank you."

After that brief exchange, Tuoba Yan climbed the stairs, a sinister smile curling across his lips as he thought, My martial soul is the Saint, not some holy mother. Auntie, since you want to profit by using me, don't blame me for turning your strength against you. I just wonder whether someone of your status can bear the consequences this brings!

For some time afterward, the Tuoba Clan's Task Hall released an endlessly repeatable mission.

Any family disciple who went out to purchase designated items could easily earn family contribution points.

At first, only direct-line disciples were allowed to participate in the mission.

Seeing this, the forces closely watching the Tuoba Clan began purchasing the same goods in imitation.

From the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect down to third-rate families, all of them frantically sought to buy them.

The most pleased of all was the cleaner from Zero Dormitory.

Not only did she begin dressing lavishly, but she also started wearing gold and silver, glittering with jewels.

Having personally witnessed Tuoba Yan's cultivation rise dramatically after using the item, she leaked the news to the financial backer behind her.

It was not until one day, when the Tuoba Clan suddenly stopped buying, that everyone finally realized something was wrong.

All the previous sellers had either been direct-line Tuoba Clan members disguised as merchants or had sold the goods through third-party channels.

After this affair, the Tuoba Clan's treasury was already piled high with Gold Soul Coins.

Because the treasury truly could not hold any more, they had no choice but to begin purchasing Storage Soul Guide Devices to store the Gold Soul Coins.

The major forces finally woke from their dream.

Three days later, Zero Dormitory had a new cleaner.

Tuoba Yan learned that the former cleaner's entire family had been massacred.

The murderer had set fire to their home, leaving no bodies or bones behind.

And she had only been a cleaner.

As Spirit Hall's imperial relatives, the Tuoba Clan was a prestigious and influential family.

Even though the major forces knew they had fallen into a trap, they could only swallow their broken teeth with blood and dared not stir up trouble.

Even Pontiff Bibi Dong and Judgement Elder Qian Dao Liu suffered a hidden loss. Facing the utterly loyal Platinum Bishop Tuoba Xi, even though they held absolute power, they could only suffer in silence like mutes swallowing bitter herbs.

Inside Zero Dormitory, Tuoba Xi burst into laughter. "Hahaha, Yan'er, you should have seen their faces! At first, they all thought it was some ordinary cultivation material, but it really was an extremely ordinary material. Our Tuoba Clan made 1.7 billion Gold Soul Coins from this! Seventeen hundred million! Now I dare say that we are the richest family in the soul master world, second to none!"

"Don't celebrate too soon. Spirit Hall's elders also suffered losses."

Tuoba Xi's smile abruptly vanished. "You mean... the Council of Elders will target us? I have considered that already. Your mother is the Judgement Elder's niece. If he wants to protect the Qian Clan's interests, he cannot do without the Tuoba Clan's full support. With that connection shielding us, even if they want to act, they will have to think twice. At worst, we'll rebel!"

"Oh, Grandfather has finally come around?"

"Yan'er, don't misunderstand. I am loyal, not foolish. You and the family are my spiritual pillars, the foundation I have sworn to protect with my life. If anyone wants to harm you, then they will have to step over my corpse first!"

Tuoba Xi's gaze was resolute as he added, "But as long as there is even a sliver of possibility, we cannot rebel. Until now, Spirit Hall has treated us well."

Tuoba Yan remained silent for a long while before saying, "That is only your choice. It can only represent you personally!"

After Tuoba Yan's maneuvering, Tuoba Xi's state of mind had quietly transformed.

In truth, Hu Liena and Xie Yue were also quietly changing. It was not their personalities or conduct, but their cultivation progress.

Furthermore, the true cultivation value of Whale Rubber and Dragon Saliva Incense had been discovered ahead of time, while families such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had suffered a major setback because of Tuoba Yan.

Although Tuoba Yan had not yet taken power, his actions were already influencing the world in subtle ways.

The facts proved that the future could be changed.

Tuoba Yan was filled with confidence about freeing Spirit Hall from its curse and rewriting the Tuoba Clan's tragic fate.

Tuoba Xi knew full well that his grandson had strong opinions, and even he found it difficult to sway him. Thinking that everyone walked a different path, he stopped trying to persuade him and instead asked, "What level is your Soul Power now? Your qi is completely restrained, and I can't even sense your true level."

"Level twenty-nine."

The Simulated Training Grounds had accelerated his cultivation progress.

At level twenty-five, Tuoba Yan had needed fifty days to rise one level.

After that, each level took increasingly longer. Going from level twenty-eight to level twenty-nine had actually taken three months.

If given another four months, Tuoba Yan was confident that he could break through to become a three-ringed Soul Elder before advancing to the second year.