Not the Brother-in-Law

Kang Yunshu's demeanor was overbearing, yet it didn't last long. The welcome banquet concluded in less than an hour. By the time Liu Sanlang and Zhang Miao returned to the small courtyard of the White Jade Pavilion, Wu Ming was only halfway through the second set of Root Stance supplementary gymnastics of the Gujian Sect.

Seeing this paragon of diligence, Liu Sanlang couldn't even bring himself to offer his usual pleasantries. He walked into the courtyard and let out a long sigh.

Wu Ming was curious, so he finished the final set of movements as planned. After retracting his blood energy and mana, he turned his head and asked, "What's wrong? Did Zhang Miao eat something weird again?"

Zhang Miao immediately protested, "I don't just eat anything..."

Liu Sanlang shook his head with a bitter smile. "Brother Wu, you misunderstand. I just have never been accustomed to dealing with the Kang Family, especially this Kang Yunshu. She acts with lightning speed and is aggressive; often, she doesn't even care about the decorum of a noble family. She is truly... incredibly difficult to handle."

Wu Ming laughed. "So, what does this 'urgent' person want?"

Liu Sanlang sighed. "Naturally, she is impatient. She wants us to yield a few of the envoys as soon as possible. She also wants to know our methods for resolving the Tribulation of Lost Li, and on top of that, she wants intelligence regarding everything beyond the second floor."

"Hahahaha, such lofty ambitions and such comprehensive demands! It's a pity she isn't participating in a dating show. 'Better to cry in the Sanqing Immortal Sect than to laugh in Qiongzhou'—she might have even become a hit..."

Liu Sanlang sighed again. "No jokes, she is serious... Although the Kang Family's influence is inferior to the Liu Family, the Liu Family is currently in a position where they genuinely need the Kang Family's help in many areas. Her eldest brother, Kang Pingxiang, promised to assist the Liu Family in the Wangyou Immortal Mansion. As a return, the Liu Family must provide compensation through Kang Yunshu."

Wu Ming became a bit more serious then and asked, "So, does your family intend to pay her back with your body? If so, congratulations."

Zhang Miao couldn't help but interject, "I think it's better for two people to have genuine feelings for each other."

Wu Ming remarked, "Then you are missing out on a lot of excitement."

Liu Sanlang replied, "The Liu Family wouldn't completely abandon their principles and bottom line for the Kang Family, but the envoys from Luohuang Mountain have indeed spent too much time with us, far exceeding the Kang Family's limit of patience. It is only natural for Kang Yunshu to come and protest."

Wu Ming said indifferently, "Protesting is normal, and having a protest be ineffective is also normal. We didn't use any illicit means to deceive or lure the people from Luohuang Mountain; they chose to follow us of their own volition, and everything is in accordance with the rules. Even if she is impatient, what can she do?"

Liu Sanlang said, "It is precisely because everything we do is within the rules that she only hosted a banquet today. Although her attitude was aggressive, she was ultimately still making a request. If we ignore her, it's hard to say what might happen next."

This sentence made Wu Ming suddenly realize something. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "What do the people from Luohuang Mountain say?"

The next moment, Yi Yi's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"We were merely ordered to descend the mountain to protect the Dao Seeds and talents of Qiongzhou. Everything else depends on you; we will not interfere."

Without knowing when, the five Luohuang Mountain cultivators had arrived in the courtyard. They all looked indifferent, as if they didn't care at all about the issues between the Liu and Kang families.

This made Wu Ming feel a bit strange.

"Luohuang Mountain truly has no inclination toward either side?"

Yi Yi shook his head without speaking.

Wu Ming found it even stranger, but since the other party was unwilling to elaborate, he decided not to press the matter. He could only sigh, "As expected of a first-rate Immortal Sect. A mere Qi Refining immortal mansion is no longer enough to pique their interest."

Knowing that Wu Ming had the ability to potentially raze the Heavenly Absolute Immortal Mansion to the ground, they still insisted on maintaining an attitude of fairness and neutrality between mere local noble families... Could it be that the Innate Supreme Treasure in the Moli Immortal Mansion was not considered that important in the eyes of Luohuang Mountain? Or perhaps, from the very beginning, they never had enough confidence in him?

Or maybe they felt that they had already mastered the method to clear the dungeon, so the presence or absence of the original author was no longer important... perhaps they were even eager to shake off the burden of a mere mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator and replace him with stronger, more capable peak-stage Qi Refining workhorses to do the job?

Hmm, as expected of a first-rate immortal sect, their holy nature is as stubborn as livestock!

But in truth, this wasn't entirely unexpected. Ever since Wu Ming, Yi Yi, and the others confessed they possessed a method to clear the level, he had never intended to keep this strategy a secret from Luohuang Mountain.

He and Yi Yi's group were in a partnership; both sides took what they needed, so naturally, both had to demonstrate their value. He was also confident that even if his current strength was still lacking, as long as he retained the qualities of a professional world-first clearer, Luohuang Mountain would never abandon him.

In fact, he was even slightly worried that Luohuang Mountain might find Yi Yi and the others' strength insufficient and replace them with authentic Immortal Guiding Envoys...

Yet, looking at it now, had he overestimated a first-rate immortal sect after all? Even in another world, one still had to witness the symptoms of traditional corporate bureaucracy?

But it didn't matter. Even if Luohuang Mountain really pulled their funding halfway through, he remained confident that he could reach the finish line ahead of anyone else.

The path to a world-first clear was never about drawing up charts, setting schedules, and then face-rolling the keyboard. Or, to put it another way, armchair strategy was far from enough; the core lay in meticulous micro-adjustments and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. If Luohuang Mountain couldn't recognize talent, then it was perfect for him to monopolize the rewards of the world-first clear!

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Yi Yi say again, "In short, as long as you still have the desire to continue exploring the Immortal Mansion, we will accompany you to the very end, within the bounds of the rules."

These words sounded somewhat profound, but before the listeners could chew on them, he bowed to Wu Ming, Liu Sanlang, and Zhang Miao respectively. The next moment, those gold-red Daoist robes gradually vanished from sight.

At this, Liu Sanlang couldn't help but offer a bitter smile. "Haha, Luohuang Mountain strictly upholds neutrality, so now the pressure is all on me."

Wu Ming asked, "So, you never told your family that you have the potential to conquer the Immortal Mansion?"

Otherwise, if they knew there was a possibility of conquering the Immortal Mansion—even if it wasn't a sure thing—the Liu Family should have supported Liu Qi at any cost.

Liu Sanlang replied in a low voice, "No one would believe me even if I said it. People often say that although the Liu Family is large, only the eldest brother among the direct descendants is worth anything, while the rest are all wastrels. Especially the third son, who is dissolute and uncompetitive. The family places a great immortal opportunity right in front of him, and he still lets it slip through his fingers... and his head is full of impractical prophecies, even going so far as to defy the family head for them. What credibility could a person like that have?"

"So, why should I say anything more to them? Only by producing tangible results in the end and obtaining the treasure my mother prophesied can I make those people open their eyes and shut their mouths."

Hearing this, Wu Ming just smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.

Liu Sanlang didn't seem to be telling the whole truth: no matter how little the family thought of him, he had truly managed to advance his cultivation to the mid-stage of Qi Refining in just one month. With that track record as a foundation, no matter what he said, others should at least listen to him finish his speech.

Most likely, there were other hidden circumstances, but since the other party hadn't mentioned them, Wu Ming didn't intend to probe further... After all, the cooperation between the two sides was still pleasant, so it was better not to branch out into side stories. Some moods truly couldn't afford to be spoiled!

In the following days, everything remained as usual.

The group continued to leave early and return late, grinding the remnants in the Immortal Mansion. The episode with Kang Yunshu felt as if it had never happened.

Wu Ming also gradually focused on his cultivation and the Immortal Mansion, no longer paying attention to trivial external matters... For a time, no matter how the wind blew or the rain fell outside, he remained unmoved, which felt quite like the good old days of focusing on world-first clears before he transmigrated.

However, this tranquility was destined not to last.

On the third day of the fourth round, when the group stepped out of the Immortal Mansion and arrived at the familiar hill, they were confronted head-on once again.

This time, the person who came was not Kang Yunshu, but a dashing young gentleman whose grace and temperament were eye-catching. He wore gold-woven Daoist robes and a cloud-patterned jade crown. A light, spirited vitality overflowed from his smile, causing those around him to resonate with him and feel their moods improve.

Yet, upon seeing him, Liu Sanlang's expression visibly darkened. He forced a smile and took the initiative to step forward.

"Big brother, you're here."

The person who arrived was none other than Liu Cheng, the eldest son of the Liu Family. Upon seeing his younger brother, he stepped forward, pulled him into a firm embrace, and laughed heartily.

"It's only been a month, yet you dare to distance yourself from your big brother!"

Liu Sanlang was held so tightly he couldn't break free, so he had no choice but to sway helplessly along with Liu Cheng. A moment later, the slight bitterness on his face seemed to be shaken away, leaving only a sigh.

"Big brother, if you act so undignified, and Madam Rong finds out..."

"Ahem!" Liu Cheng finally released his third brother, stepped back half a pace, and cupped his hands in a salute to the others.

"I am Liu Cheng, a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for looking after my good-for-nothing third brother during this time. To show my gratitude, I have prepared a banquet and hope you will do me the honor of attending."

Another banquet, yet Liu Cheng's attitude was clearly much more candid and approachable than Kang Yunshu's. He looked specifically at Wu Ming and offered him an individual salute.

"You must be Young Hero Wu Ming of the Gujian Sect, right? I have long admired your reputation; seeing you today, you truly are extraordinary! It is no wonder Sanlang speaks of you with such high praise. There were many misunderstandings between my family and your sect previously. On behalf of my family, I offer my sincere apologies. Please, accept these small tokens of our regret!"

As he spoke, a hunchbacked old man appeared behind him like a ghost, holding a tray filled with multicolored Spirit Stones. A rough glance suggested there were no fewer than a thousand.

"Though they are worldly goods, worldly goods are the most practical, after all," Liu Cheng laughed. "I also hope Young Hero Wu Ming will grace us with your presence at the banquet. After all, while my brother may seem indifferent to the world, he is actually incredibly stubborn—even I, his big brother, often cannot sway him. But he should be able to listen to you!"

Having reached this point, Wu Ming truly had no reason to refuse. He had just finished grinding a round of scripts, and his health and mana were both depleted. If he could use this wealthy brother's banquet to quickly recover his status, he could read a few more pages of his book during late-night study.

He wouldn't lose anything either way!

"Then I shall impose upon your hospitality."