Although she really didn't want to deal with Xia Wantang, matters had already reached this point, and Xia Yingwu had no choice but to take it.
Furthermore, it was no longer her leverage that was in the hands of the Xia Family.
Quite the contrary, her status as the Saintess was now a solid fact, and at present, it was the future of the Xia Family that rested in her hands.
A person under someone else's roof had to lower their head, and Xia Yingwu deliberated for a moment before finally saying with a flattering expression:
"About this... Wantang, how many spiritual stones and medicinal pills do you still need for your subsequent cultivation?"
Xia Wantang rolled her eyes and directly raised the price on the spot:
"Bring five million spiritual stones, one thousand Heaven Grade Spirit Herbs, and one thousand Heaven Grade Spirit Pills."
After speaking, as if remembering something, she added:
"And the magical treasure left behind by the ancestor, I want to pick another one."
Xia Yingwu was so angry that his beard and hair fluttered, and he subconsciously refused:
"Absolutely not, this is too much. It's enough for the juniors of the entire Xia Family to cultivate for several years!"
Hearing this, Xia Wantang blinked and persuaded:
"But all the juniors of the Xia Family combined aren't as much of a facade as a Saintess of the Azure Cloud Palace."
"Patriarch, you should understand investment and return, right?"
"With me, a Saintess of the Azure Cloud Palace, not only will the Xia Family receive the protection of the Azure Cloud Palace, but they will also enjoy more cultivation resources. Besides, my own cultivation has already reached the peak of the Mystic Martial Realm."
"I am only eighteen years old this year, and in the future, it is very likely that I will break through to the Spirit Sovereign Realm and sit on equal footing with the Palace Lord of the Azure Cloud Palace."
"If the Xia Family can produce a Spirit Sovereign Realm cultivator, you have already experienced the benefits brought to future generations. You should ponder the pros and cons of this once more."
Hearing these words, Xia Yingwu actually did ponder it thoroughly:
Indeed, the reason the Xia Family was able to gain a foothold in Luoxia City nowadays relied entirely on the legacy left behind by that Spirit Sovereign Realm ancestor.
If the Xia Family could produce another Spirit Sovereign Realm cultivator, they wouldn't have to be trapped in tiny Luoxia City and could compete with the other great aristocratic families.
Thinking of this, Xia Yingwu was truly moved, and could not help but loosen his stance:
"Then..."
Xia Wantang immediately snatched the words:
"Then it's settled!"
"Patriarch, in a few days I will be returning to the Azure Cloud Palace. Remember to have the things prepared for me before the day after tomorrow, huh."
Xia Yingwu:...
"Fine then."
After Xia Wantang walked out of the reception room, Xia Yingwu finally reacted:
He had been led around by the nose the whole time by a little girl and had completely forgotten to pursue the matter of Xia Ba being beaten!
Leaving the reception room, Xia Wantang went back to the branch family of the Xia Family to visit her parents.
As soon as she stepped through the door, she saw a peerlessly beautiful middle-aged graceful woman sitting beside the table, with Xia Renhe sitting at her side.
According to her memories, Xia Wantang recognized that this was the original owner's mother—Liu Wan'er.
Upon seeing her daughter, Liu Wan'er wore a look of pleasant surprise:
"Wantang, it's really you, you're back?!"
Although Liu Wan'er was not young anymore, her skin was still as smooth as if it could be broken by a blow, and her brows and eyes were five parts similar to Xia Wantang's.
No wonder her daughter could grow up to be so outstanding; it turned out the mother's genes were simply too powerful.
Xia Wantang smiled gracefully, lacking even a shred of the fierce and bold demeanor she had when beating Xia Ba just now:
"Mother, it's me."
Liu Wan'er took Xia Wantang's hand and sat her down, sizing her up while sighing:
"Wantang, we haven't seen each other in half a year, you've gotten thinner than before, you've suffered."
"How is life in the Azure Cloud Palace? Has anyone... bullied you?"
Ever since their daughter left the Xia Family, Liu Wan'er and her husband hadn't been able to sleep soundly a single day, terrified that the people of the Azure Cloud Palace would discover a problem with their daughter's cultivation.
Who could have imagined that half a year later, their daughter would actually return completely unharmed? While this made them let out a sigh of relief, it also filled them with doubt.
"Mother, rest assured, your daughter's cultivation has already reached the peak of the Mystic Martial Realm, so there's no need to worry about my identity being exposed."
"Father has already witnessed it with his own eyes just now; I can easily defeat Xia Yingwu."
As she spoke, Xia Wantang extended her right hand, and an ice blade rapidly condensed in the center of her palm, its cold light flashing and its spiritual energy abundant.
Hearing this, Xia Renhe looked innocent as he said to his wife:
"Wan'er, I told you so. Wantang is really strong now, she can pin the second young master to the ground and beat him."
Liu Wan'er's pretty eyes widened, and she said in disbelief:
"Wantang, what is going on here? Hurry and tell me and your dad."
Thus, Xia Wantang repeated her previous rhetoric once more.
"Although it's very bizarre, ever since that day, my cultivation speed as a daughter has indeed advanced by leaps and bounds."
After listening to Xia Wantang's explanation, Xia Renhe looked pleasantly surprised:
"To think there really is such a thing as a dream oracle!"
"Our lineage is merely a collateral branch, yet we never imagined that Wantang would inherit the ancestor's talent. This must be heaven's will!"
Liu Wan'er revealed a worried expression:
"Actually, staying in Luoxia City and having the protection of the Xia Family's main household is quite good. Now that Wantang has gone to the Azure Cloud Palace, given the future political landscape of the world, there's no telling how things will turn out."
Xia Renhe, however, shook his head:
"Wan'er, you don't know this, but the second young master has always coveted Wantang's beauty. If Wantang hadn't had this opportunity, I'm afraid she would have been married off to Xia Ba as a concubine!"
Hearing this, Xia Wantang detested the Xia Family even more: she hadn't expected the original owner's circumstances to be so helpless, where neither choice was good.
At any rate, now that she had arrived, at least the original owner's parents were still alive and well.
Thinking of this, Xia Wantang took out the several magical treasures she had prepared:
"Mother, Father, these two cultivation manuals and the pair of swords are prepared for you. You can keep them to cultivate and defend yourselves; they happen to suit your current cultivations."
"And this book is the introductory array formations, spirit talismans, and weapon crafting encyclopedia that your daughter copied out. You must study them secretly, and you will definitely be able to use them in the future."
"You must never tell anyone else about these things, not even the Patriarch. If he comes to ask, you just need to deny it."
The two cultivation manuals and the pair of swords were not particularly rare items, but the array formations, spirit talismans, and weapon crafting encyclopedia were definitely fine goods. Even if they were only introductory level, ordinary cultivators might not necessarily be able to scavenge them together so comprehensively.
Xia Renhe and his wife listened in a daze, and Liu Wan'er pursued the question:
"Wantang, where on earth did you get these things from?"
"You mustn't provoke anyone you shouldn't, only for them to come looking for you for revenge later."
The moment she heard this, Xia Wantang knew they had misunderstood.
Xia Renhe and his wife were good in every respect; they were simply too soft-hearted and kind. Although this was partly caused by their inferior strength, staying cooped up in the Xia Family all day really had institutionalized them out of any backbone.
"Mother, rest assured, I specially scavenged these from various auction houses. Furthermore, the grades of these things aren't high either, so you can practice with them without worry."
Only then did Liu Wan'er and her husband set their minds at ease.
The family of three spoke some more intimate words, and then Xia Wantang found an excuse to return to her room.
After returning to her room, seeing that the sky had already grown dark, a thought stirred in her mind:
A dark and windy night is just right for murder and setting fires.
That Xia Ba was truly detestable, actually wanting the original owner to become his concubine.
Since that was the case, she couldn't be blamed for being ruthless.
However, before that, she first needed to refine the Fire Spirit Root.
After setting up the Shielding Formation, a section of transparent bone joint appeared in Xia Wantang's hand, still glowing with a faint firelight.
This was the Fire Spirit Root.
Water and fire are incompatible; holding the Fire Spirit Root in her hand, Xia Wantang could feel it vaguely repelling her. If not for the protection of her Ice Spiritual Energy and Water Spiritual Energy, her fingers would likely have been scorched.
Without the system's reminder, she already knew that this refinement would not be easy.
Without hesitation, Xia Wantang hardened her heart and directly began the process of fusing with the Fire Spirit Root—
Before you continue