Not My Brother-in-Law

Kang Yunshu had been forceful, but her influence had not lasted long. The welcoming banquet had wrapped up in less than an hour, and by the time Liu Sanlang and Zhang Miao returned together to the little courtyard at White Jade Pavilion, Wu Ming had only made it halfway through the second set of Gujian Sect Root Stance exercises.

Faced with such a model of diligence, Liu Sanlang couldn't even manage his usual words of praise. He stepped into the courtyard with a long sigh.

Wu Ming was curious, so he finished the final set of movements according to routine. After settling his qi, blood, and mana, he turned and asked, "What's wrong? Did Zhang Miao eat something she shouldn't again?"

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

Liu Sanlang could only smile wryly and shake his head. "Brother Wu, you've misunderstood. I've simply never been good at dealing with the Kang Family, especially Kang Yunshu. She's decisive and aggressive, and often doesn't care about the decorum expected of an Aristocratic Clan. She's really... difficult to handle."

Wu Ming grinned. "So what does this difficult woman want?"

Liu Sanlang sighed. "She's naturally impatient. She wants us to let the Immortal Envoys go as soon as possible, and she also wants to know how we intend to resolve the Tribulation of Lost Li. Then she wants information about the second floor and beyond."

"Hahahaha! Such lofty ambitions, such comprehensive demands. What a waste that she isn't on a matchmaking show! 'I'd rather weep at the Sanqing Immortal Sect than laugh in Qiongzhou'—maybe that'd even make her famous..."

Liu Sanlang sighed again. "Joking aside, she's serious... The Kang Family may be weaker than the Liu Family, but these days, the Liu Family genuinely needs the Kang Family in many ways. Her elder brother, Kang Pingxiang, promised to help the Liu Family in the Wangyou Immortal Mansion. In return, the Liu Family has to make it up to Kang Yunshu."

Wu Ming finally grew a little serious. "So the family's planning to pay her back with your body? Congratulations."

Zhang Miao couldn't help saying, "I think a relationship works better when both people are sincere."

Wu Ming said, "Then you've missed out on a lot of fun."

Liu Sanlang said, "The Liu Family won't abandon all principles and boundaries for the Kang Family. But the Immortal Envoys from Luohuang Mountain really have spent too long with us, far beyond the Kang Family's limit for patience. It's only natural that Kang Yunshu came to protest."

Wu Ming shrugged. "Protesting is normal, and so is having the protest ignored. We haven't used any underhanded tricks to confuse or deceive the people from Luohuang Mountain. They're staying with us of their own free will, and everything's within the rules. What can she do, even if she can't wait?"

Liu Sanlang said, "It's precisely because we've kept to the rules that all she did today was host a banquet to welcome us. Her attitude was aggressive, but in the end, she was still making a request. If we ignore her, it'll be hard to say what happens next."

Those words seemed to make something click for Wu Ming. He thought it over, then asked, "What do the people from Luohuang Mountain say?"

A moment later, Yi Yi's voice came from behind him.

"We were only ordered to descend the mountain and protect the talented Dao Seeds of Qiongzhou. Everything else is up to you. We won't interfere."

At some point, all five cultivators from Luohuang Mountain had arrived in the courtyard. Their expressions were calm, as though they couldn't care less about the problems between the Liu and Kang Families.

That struck Wu Ming as odd.

"Does Luohuang Mountain really have no side in this?"

Yi Yi shook his head and said nothing.

Wu Ming found it even stranger, but since the other man didn't care to elaborate, he let it go for now and remarked, "As expected of a first-rank Immortal Sect. A mere Qi Refining Immortal Mansion isn't enough to catch their interest."

They knew Wu Ming's group might be capable of conquering the Heavenly Absolute Immortal Mansion, yet they still maintained an air of impartiality between a couple of minor local clans... Could the innate treasure in the Moli Immortal Mansion really mean so little to Luohuang Mountain? Or had they never had much faith in him to begin with?

Maybe they felt they'd already figured out how to clear the place, so the original author was no longer important... Maybe they were even eager to ditch a mere mid-stage Qi Refining burden and bring in some stronger, more capable peak-stage Qi Refining workhorses.

Mm. As expected of a first-rank Immortal Sect: always piously bestial!

But it wasn't really unexpected. From the moment Wu Ming and the others had admitted they knew how to clear the place, he hadn't planned to keep their strategy secret from Luohuang Mountain.

He and Yi Yi's group were partners, each seeking what they needed, and both sides had to prove their value. Wu Ming was confident that even if he was still weak, as long as he retained the expertise of a first-clear specialist, Luohuang Mountain wouldn't abandon him.

If anything, he was a little worried that Luohuang Mountain might decide Yi Yi and the others weren't strong enough, replace them, and send the official Immortal Guiding Envoys instead...

But it seemed he'd overestimated the first-rank Immortal Sect after all. Even in another world, he still had to deal with the familiar disease of a big corporation?

Still, it didn't matter. Even if Luohuang Mountain pulled its funding halfway through, he was confident he could reach the finish line ahead of anyone else.

The road to a first clear had never been as simple as drawing up a schedule and rolling your face across a keyboard. Or, to put it another way, armchair strategizing was nowhere near enough. Fine-tuning the details and adapting on the fly were what mattered. If Luohuang Mountain couldn't recognize a good thing, then Wu Ming would just keep the rewards of the first clear for himself!

Just then, Yi Yi said, "In any case, as long as you still wish to keep exploring the Immortal Mansion, we'll accompany you to the end, within the rules."

His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, but before anyone could mull it over, he bowed to Wu Ming, Liu Sanlang, and Zhang Miao in turn. In the next moment, his gold-and-red robes gradually vanished from sight.

Liu Sanlang couldn't help smiling wryly. "Haha, Luohuang Mountain is staying neutral, so all the pressure's on my side now."

Wu Ming said, "So you never told your family you might be able to conquer the Immortal Mansion?"

Otherwise, if they knew there was a chance of conquering it, even if success wasn't guaranteed, the Liu Family should have supported Liu Qi at any cost.

Liu Sanlang lowered his voice. "Even if I told them, no one would believe me. People always say that although the Liu Family is powerful, only my eldest brother has made something of himself among the legitimate heirs. The rest all have the look of wastrels. Especially the third son, who's carefree and uninterested in competing. The family put a great Immortal Fate right in front of him, and he still let it slip through his fingers... He's also got his head full of impractical half-baked maxims, and he even defied the family head over them. What credibility could someone like that have?"

"So why should I bother telling them anything? Only when I bring back real results at the end, and obtain the treasure my mother foretold, will those people open their eyes and shut their mouths."

Wu Ming listened, then simply smiled and nodded without another word.

Liu Sanlang didn't seem to have told the whole truth. However little the family thought of him, he had genuinely advanced to mid-stage Qi Refining in just one month. With that achievement to back him up, no matter what he said, people should at least hear him out.

There was probably another reason behind it, but since Liu Sanlang hadn't said anything, Wu Ming had no intention of pressing him... After all, their partnership was going well for now. Better not to start a side quest. Some feelings couldn't afford to be tainted!

The next few days passed as usual.

Everyone still left early and returned late, grinding through echoes in the Immortal Mansion. The interlude with Kang Yunshu seemed never to have happened.

Wu Ming gradually focused on cultivation and the Immortal Mansion, no longer bothering with tedious external affairs... For a while, no matter how hard the wind and rain battered the outside world, he stood unmoved. It brought back some of the joy he'd felt before crossing worlds, when he'd focused on getting the first clear.

But that happiness was never going to last.

On the third day of the fourth round, when the group stepped out of the Immortal Mansion and onto the familiar hill, they were once again greeted by someone right in their faces.

This time, it wasn't Kang Yunshu. It was a handsome young gentleman whose refined bearing and graceful air made him a delight to behold. He wore gold-woven Daoist robes and a jade crown etched with cloud patterns. As he smiled, a vibrant vitality seemed to spill out of him, stirring the people around him and lifting their spirits.

Yet when Liu Sanlang saw him, his expression darkened. He forced a smile and went up to greet him.

"Big brother, you're here."

The newcomer was Liu Cheng, the Liu Family's Eldest Young Master. When he saw his own younger brother, he stepped forward and wrapped him in a powerful embrace, laughing aloud.

"It's only been a little over a month, and you're already daring to distance yourself from your big brother!"

Trapped in Liu Cheng's arms, Liu Sanlang couldn't break free. He could only sway helplessly from side to side with him. After a moment, the hint of bitterness on his face seemed to be shaken away, leaving only a sigh.

"Big brother, if Madam Rong found out you were acting like this..."

"Ahem!" Liu Cheng finally let go of his third younger brother, stepped back half a pace, and bowed to the others.

"I'm Liu Cheng. It's a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for looking after my good-for-nothing younger brother during this time. I've arranged a banquet to show my gratitude. I hope you'll honor me with your presence."

Another banquet, but Liu Cheng was clearly more straightforward and warm than Kang Yunshu had been. He even turned specifically to Wu Ming and bowed to him.

"You must be the young hero Wu of the Gujian Sect. I've heard so much about you, and seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation! No wonder Sanlang always praises you when he mentions you. My family had quite a few misunderstandings with your sect before. On behalf of the family, I offer my sincere apologies. Please accept this small gift!"

As he spoke, a hunched old man appeared behind him like a ghost, holding a platter piled with multicolored Spirit Stones. At a glance, there were at least a thousand of them.

"They may be common things, but common things are the most useful," Liu Cheng said with a smile. "I also hope young hero Wu will honor me by attending the banquet. My younger brother may seem indifferent to the world, but he's stubborn at heart. Even I, his big brother, often can't talk him around. But he should still listen to you!"

At this point, Wu Ming really had no reason to refuse. Besides, after running through a round of the scripted route, he was out of health and mana. If he could refill his bars at this wealthy young master's banquet, he'd have time to get through a few more pages of reading during evening study.

No loss either way!

"Then I'll have to trouble you."