Xu Shan's Room
"Why did you keep him here?" Xu Shan slapped the table and demanded angrily.
Ma Hongyun rolled his eyes and curled his lip. "Did you think we had a choice in that situation just now? The other side is very likely a Spirit Profound expert. Who knows what would happen if we went against his wishes? Better to go along with him for now and watch how things unfold. That also gives us time to discuss a strategy."
In truth, he had other thoughts as well. He wanted to see if he could forge a connection with Zhou Hao. There was some risk involved, but opportunities were rare. Once one appeared, it had to be seized.
Xu Shan snorted coldly. "What's there to fear? At worst, we die."
Ma Hongyun shook his head helplessly. "It doesn't matter if you die, but what about the three hundred brothers in the stronghold? Does it not matter if they die too? They've all followed Big Brother this far."
"This..." Xu Shan opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Then he shut it again and slammed the table hard to vent his anger.
Ma Hongyun sighed faintly and continued, "Besides, this man appeared out of thin air. He must have used some kind of teleportation equipment. People like that are either rich or noble. We can't afford to provoke him. We can only serve him politely."
"So you're volunteering to be his dog?" Xu Shan asked unwillingly.
But after Ma Hongyun put it that way, he actually understood in his heart.
Ma Hongyun smiled and asked in return, "Isn't taking the initiative better than being passive?"
"..." Xu Shan had nothing to say. Indeed, if they became passive, being a dog might be the least of it.
After a pause, he asked, "Then what do you plan to do?"
"Of course, serve this distinguished guest well and keep the people in the stronghold under control. Don't offend him over trivial details. Whatever he needs, we prepare it. But never take it upon ourselves to give him things, or it will only backfire," Ma Hongyun reminded him.
Without understanding Zhou Hao, every action needed to be considered again and again, because one never knew what might offend him.
Xu Shan nodded, then looked at Ma Hongyun and asked with a curl of his lip, "You're saying this for my sake, aren't you?"
"These are requirements for everyone, myself included." Ma Hongyun patted his chest.
Xu Shan fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Understood. I won't act rashly."
"That's good." Ma Hongyun chuckled. After a pause, he looked at Xu Shan, an indescribable light flashing in his eyes. "By the way, what did you and Big Brother talk about that night when you were drinking?"
Xu Shan raised his brows and gave Ma Hongyun a deep look. Then he replied without changing expression, "Nothing much. We just talked about what we gained in the Tomb of Opportunities."
"Right, I still don't know what you got in the Tomb of Opportunities. Would it be convenient to tell me?" Ma Hongyun stared intently at Xu Shan.
Xu Shan smiled and sighed. "Just a High-grade Mortal Artifact. Useless as shit."
"Is that so?" Ma Hongyun looked at him suspiciously.
"Of course," Xu Shan answered firmly.
Ma Hongyun smiled. "All right. I won't ask anymore. I'll go get busy first."
"Okay." Xu Shan nodded with a smile. Once Ma Hongyun left, his smile immediately vanished, and he sank into thought.
After returning to his room, Ma Hongyun snorted coldly. "He has a guilty conscience."
He could tell that Xu Shan definitely had some secret.
Zhou Hao's Room
"Oh~ Comfortable." Zhou Hao lay on the bed and smiled.
He had not slept in a bed for a long time.
Zhou Yuanbao and Mu Jinyin flew around the room. For the time being, they would remain in these miniature forms.
Zhou Hao looked at the pillow beside him, and Murong's figure involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
The corners of his lips lifted slightly as he thought, Next time she comes, it should happen on this bed, right?
He rolled around on it to test whether it was sturdy enough. Then there was the matter of cleaning it once every day afterward, preparing for Murong's arrival.
Though he and Murong had been apart for less than an hour, he was already looking forward to her next visit.
After testing the bed all over, Zhou Hao looked around the room.
To his surprise, there was an enormous bathing tub in one of the room's side chambers. It was made of wood and carried a faint woody fragrance.
"Jinyin," Zhou Hao called. "Come here for a moment."
Mu Jinyin and Zhou Yuanbao both came over and asked, "Dad, what is it?"
Zhou Hao pointed at the wooden tub. "Burn it a little. Don't burn it away—just disinfect it a bit."
"Oh~" Mu Jinyin did not understand why, but she still listened to Zhou Hao and lightly burned the tub.
Zhou Hao nodded in satisfaction. Now he could bathe without worry.
Afterward, he inspected every part of the room. Overall, it was quite good—at the very least, far more comfortable than the secret chamber.
Zhou Hao sat by the window, watching the people come and go in the stronghold. Why was I teleported to a place like this? At the very least, I should have been sent somewhere more secluded!
What he did not know was that Du Tianhong had set up the Teleportation Array thousands of years ago. Back then, this place had not been a stronghold at all, but merely a forest without a trace of human habitation.
"Dad, the people here are all so weak!" Zhou Yuanbao flew over to Zhou Hao's side.
Zhou Hao nodded in agreement. "They are a little weak."
Du Tianhong had told him he could only leave after cultivating to the Spiritual Consciousness Realm. He had thought the people outside would be incredibly powerful, but when he arrived, he discovered they were all so weak.
Still, this was probably just a small place. It was understandable that there were no powerful experts.
"Come on, let's go take a walk." Zhou Hao stood up with a smile.
There was nothing to do for now, so he might as well learn about this place first.
But when he wandered around the stronghold, he found that everyone who saw him respectfully bowed, then hurried away as though they had seen a ghost.
Zhou Hao scratched his cheek and muttered doubtfully, "Am I really that scary?"
Of course he was not scary. It was only because everyone in the stronghold had received orders from Ma Hongyun and Xu Shan to be more respectful toward Zhou Hao. But they had overdone it, creating the current scene where they fled upon seeing him as if they had encountered a ghost.
Just then, a little boy of around eleven or twelve walked up to Zhou Hao. He tilted up his head, his large black eyes fixed on Zhou Hao, tears swirling in their rims.
Zhou Hao was dumbfounded. He looked left and right. What was going on? He had not bullied a child, had he?
After hesitating, he crouched halfway down to meet the boy's gaze and asked as gently as possible, "What's wrong?"
"Uncle Shi... Uncle Shi Po was... was killed, sob sob sob~" The little boy sniffled, then broke into crying.
Zhou Hao immediately became flustered. He looked around, but seeing no one come over to help, he hesitantly reached out and gently patted the little boy's head. "Don't cry first. If you keep this up, people will think I bullied you."
He truly was not good at dealing with children like this!!!
The little boy wiped away his tears, sniffed, and looked at Zhou Hao with innocent, pitiful eyes. "Uncle, can... can you help me find the real culprit who killed Uncle Shi Po?"
"Huh?" Zhou Hao froze. Such a sudden request? And besides, I don't even fucking know who Shi Po is. Why did he come looking for me?
And this "Uncle" form of address was a little...
Zhou Hao started to speak, then stopped. In the end, he gave up on correcting the little boy.
At his age, it really was about time for him to be called uncle.
Zhou Hao glanced at the little boy. Seeing that he was about to cry again, he hurriedly said, "I'll help you. But tell me the situation clearly first, okay? You're making me a little confused."
The little boy sniffled twice and nodded. "Okay."
Zhou Hao looked at his snot and could no longer bear it. He beckoned to a young man in the distance.
The young man was instantly startled. He looked around in every direction, then realized Zhou Hao was calling him. With his heart in his throat, he walked over and asked tremblingly, "M-my lord, you called for me?"
"Do you have any paper?" Zhou Hao asked.
"Yes, yes." The young man hurriedly pulled out a wad of paper from his clothes.
Zhou Hao took it and waved him away.
The young man felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted. He hurriedly ran off.
Watching his rapidly retreating back, Zhou Hao's mouth twitched. He once again began to wonder whether he looked terrifying.
He shook his head with a laugh, then wiped the little boy's snot and asked softly, "What's your name?"
"Yezi," Yezi answered in a soft, childlike voice.
Before you continue