Several years had passed since they had last met, yet Tian Xiaojian's bearing remained as striking as ever. Compared with the impression he had left back then, however, a trace of his former high-spirited restlessness was gone, replaced by a measure of steadiness and maturity.
"Young Master!" Yuan San bowed, a faint hint of fear hidden on his face.
Tian Xiaojian merely glanced at him. Before he even spoke, his brows had already drawn together slightly. "Judging by your expression, the mission failed?"
"Young Master, spare me! It wasn't that this lowly one didn't do his utmost—there was truly an accident." Yuan San shuddered all over and loudly cried out his grievance.
He then recounted the whole sequence of events. He did not add oil or vinegar to the story, and it basically matched the facts.
A trace of surprise appeared on Tian Xiaojian's face. He reached up and rubbed his chin. "If that is the case, then you truly cannot be blamed."
"Thank you for your mercy, Young Master. This lowly one will surely serve with utmost loyalty, through boiling water and blazing fire, and will not refuse!"
"Get up!"
"Yes!"
Yuan San scrambled to his feet and stood respectfully to one side with his hands clasped. Tian Xiaojian, meanwhile, paced nearby, frowning in thought.
"Young Master." After a while, Yuan San spoke cautiously.
"Speak."
With Tian Xiaojian's permission, Yuan San swallowed, then carefully chose his words. "Young Master, since we have confirmed that those things are in the hands of the Liu and Ye families respectively, why go to such trouble to sow discord between the two? We can simply make a direct move and seize them..."
"Idiot!" Anger flickered across Tian Xiaojian's face. "The Liu and Ye families may not be powerful, but they both have Core