"Grandmaster Peak!!!"
Zhou Ruiming, who had initially been prepared to haggle, immediately paled at Ouyang Yun's exclamation and changed his attitude.
The guard had only reported that Zhao Ping'an was likely a Grandmaster Realm expert. He was astonishingly young, but considering that both of the Sun Family's Ninth Level Innate experts had fallen to him, there was no doubt he was a Grandmaster.
(They still didn't know that Sun Hongxi had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. Not long after Zhao Ping'an left, Sun Hongxi had succumbed to his grievous injuries.)
Any Grandmaster was a human-shaped wrecking machine. Their formidable defenses, terrifying mobility, and the immense destructive power of their Qi left anyone beneath the Grandmaster Realm utterly helpless.
So unless it was necessary, he didn't want to offend any Grandmaster. His cultivation was too low; he was only a Ninth Level Martial Artist.
And Ouyang Yun was merely his business partner. He wouldn't risk his life fighting another Grandmaster for Zhou Ruiming.
Now that he'd learned Zhao Ping'an's "true" cultivation, Zhou Ruiming was even more afraid to offend him. He put all his little schemes away.
"Just as you said. You can have forty percent of the Sun Family's assets. No, I only need thirty percent. I'll send people right away to help you hunt down the Sun Family Remnants!"
Zhou Ruiming swiftly changed his mind and spoke with conviction.
"No need. I said forty percent, so forty percent it is. Here's to a pleasant partnership. I'll be waiting for good news from the City Lord. Farewell!"
With that, Zhao Ping'an used his perfected Golden Eagle Soaring Technique and vanished from the City Lord's Mansion.
"Human Grade Perfection Lightness Skill!!!"
Watching Zhao Ping'an disappear from sight in an instant, Ouyang Yun cried out in shock.
"Brother Zhou, you can only befriend this man. Never offend him. I wouldn't even be able to protect myself, let alone help you..."
After standing there for a long while, Ouyang Yun turned to Zhou Ruiming and solemnly warned him.
"Don't worry, Brother Ouyang. I'll remember!"
"Guards!"
Before long, the South Ridge City Guard deployed more than a thousand men to help the Blazing Blade Sect guard the Sun Family's businesses in the city and track down the Sun Family Remnants.
At once, the various forces—large and small—that had been closely following events erupted in an uproar. Those with some clout sent people to the City Lord's Mansion to inquire, while those who couldn't get through its doors called in every favor they had to learn the latest.
They didn't want to get involved, either, but this would determine whether they could survive in the days ahead.
After leaving, Zhao Ping'an first visited several of the Sun Family's major businesses around the city. He found that the Blazing Blade Sect had already sent people to guard most of them.
The places left unguarded had already been emptied by someone, leaving them in complete disarray.
"I hope the Blazing Blade Sect emptied them themselves. Otherwise..."
After looking around, Zhao Ping'an headed back to Zhao Residence. He left the rest to the City Lord's Mansion and the Blazing Blade Sect. All he wanted were the Medicine Mountain outside the city and the Alchemy Workshop within it.
After making his rounds, Zhao Ping'an soon returned to Zhao Residence. At the entrance, he saw several carriages and more than a dozen fine horses. Martial Artists dressed in Blazing Blade Sect Attire stood quietly beside them.
Even the main gate was guarded by four Blazing Blade Sect disciples in the early Houtian Martial Artist stages, ranging from the first to the third level.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhao!"
The moment they saw Zhao Ping'an, all four bowed and cupped their fists in unison.
Clearly, someone had already described Zhao Ping'an to them. They might even have seen his portrait.
"Mm. Who told you to guard this place?"
Zhao Ping'an replied in a calm voice, then asked coolly.
"Um... it was the Sect Master! And the Sect Master is waiting for you inside!"
The one with the highest cultivation hesitated briefly, then answered at once.
"Song Lieyang? Keep standing guard."
Zhao Ping'an murmured and strode into Zhao Residence.
Once inside, Zhao Ping'an sensed only one unfamiliar presence. It must have been the Blazing Blade Sect's Sect Master, Song Lieyang.
His cultivation, however, was no longer the Eighth Level Innate Realm his Master had mentioned. At some point, he'd broken through to the ninth level.
Zhao Ping'an hadn't concealed his aura, so by the time he reached the middle of the courtyard, the three people seated in the main hall had come out one after another.
This was only the second time Zhao Ping'an had met Song Lieyang. The last had been at the Apprenticeship Banquet, when Zhao Ping'an became Zheng Hetong's personal disciple. Nearly eight years had passed since then.
When they met, Song Lieyang stood awkwardly beside Zheng Hetong, unsure how to address Zhao Ping'an.
If they'd seen each other often, it would have been one thing. But they clearly hadn't. Zhao Ping'an was practically a nobody in the Blazing Blade Sect. Not only did the handful of personal disciples barely know him, but few among the many inner disciples recognized him, either.
Song Lieyang regretted it deeply.
"Master, Mistress. Sect Master Song, let's go inside."
Zhao Ping'an first bowed respectfully to his Master and Mistress, then spoke to the awkward Song Lieyang.
Once the four of them had taken their seats in the reception hall, Zhao Ping'an explained his agreement with the City Lord's Mansion and what he planned to do next.
In short, the City Lord's Mansion would help the Blazing Blade Sect stabilize the situation, in return for forty percent of the Sun Family's assets. Song Lieyang could work out the exact division with Zhou Ruiming himself.
Of the remaining sixty percent, the Medicine Mountain outside the city and the Alchemy Workshop within it would belong to Zhao Ping'an. Together, they made up roughly twenty percent of the Sun Family's total assets.
Of the remaining forty percent, the Blazing Blade Sect would take thirty, and the last ten would go to Zhao Residence.
In other words, the Sun Family's assets would be divided as follows: forty percent to the City Lord's Mansion, thirty percent to the Blazing Blade Sect, twenty percent to Zhao Ping'an, and ten percent to the Zhao Family.
Song Lieyang winced at the loss, but didn't dare object. He agreed at once.
But Zhao Ping'an's final words made Song Lieyang's face change. He was utterly stunned.
"One last thing. Once the matter of the Sun Family is settled, the Blazing Blade Sect and I will have nothing more to do with each other. You can walk your sunlit road, and I'll cross my single-plank bridge."
"Of course, Master, Mistress, and my senior brothers and sisters will always be family to me. If you want, you can leave the Blazing Blade Sect with me and live peacefully in the city. No one will be able to force you to do anything you don't want. Isn't that right, Sect Master Song?"
At the end, Zhao Ping'an smiled at Song Lieyang, who sat across from him, and asked in an even tone.
"Yes! Yes! Absolutely!"
Song Lieyang glanced at the silent Zheng Hetong and hurriedly nodded.
"Good. Tonight, I'll host the City Lord's Mansion and the Old Master of the Zhao Family at Zui Chun Lou. I hope you won't be late, Sect Master Song. You may leave."
"All right, all right. I'll be there on time. Then I'll take my leave!"
Song Lieyang hurriedly rose and agreed.
Watching Song Lieyang leave, Zheng Hetong fell silent for a long while, his expression complicated.
"Ping'an, I agree to what you said. But we'll need to discuss it with your senior brothers and sisters first. After all, their futures are at stake."
Seeing the expectant look in his wife's eyes, Zheng Hetong spoke in a low voice, then headed outside.
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