Bai Pianqing

At the Bai family estate, Bai Pianqing, nearing sixty, reclined against a redwood bed with a hard mattress, eyes closed as she rested.

She wore a black Tang suit. Her figure had gone somewhat out of shape, and her hair was half black and half white, but she had taken fairly good care of herself.

Lately, she had been in poor spirits.

As one of the weakest families in the HR Alliance, the Bai family couldn't get a foot in the door of any of the truly profitable businesses, leaving them in an awkward position.

That much could be endured. Thanks to the family's Spirit Reader bloodline, they still had fairly good relations with others.

But recently, Bai Yang had burst onto the scene in Jiangnan Base City, leaving her deeply unsettled.

The young man had only risen to prominence less than two months ago, yet news about him had never stopped coming.

Even Jia Yi, practically the most influential person in Huaxia, thought so highly of him. How could she not be shaken when she heard the news?

What kind of luck had Bai Pianyong stumbled into?!

His own son, Bai Sheng, had become an Advanced War General at twenty-eight, but his nephew was even more impressive!

An Advanced War General at nineteen!

Everyone knew he was all but guaranteed to become a War God!

A War God!

Even the Xu and Wang families, which ranked far above the Bai family in the HR Alliance, couldn't summon a War God at will and dismiss him just as easily.

Who wouldn't have to treat one with care and appeal to their friendship?

If a direct descendant of their own family could become a War God, it would be like winning the lottery for the Bai family. Their standing would rise considerably.

Unfortunately, the Bai family's Spirit Reader bloodline was extremely diluted and impure. The three women she had originally planned to match with Bai Sheng—Bai Zhangting and the others—were already the best they could offer.

At most, they could reach the level of Junior War Generals, and with their Spirit Reader abilities, perhaps barely punch one level above that.

Lately, based on all the news about Bai Yang she'd heard, Bai Pianqing had more than once wondered whether she should take the initiative and apologize to her cousin Bai Pianyong. There was nothing she could do about Bai Yang now.

But she still wanted to make Bai Sheng's marriage happen.

After all, in theory, those two brothers had the closest blood ties in the world. Perhaps the match would be quite good?

Unfortunately, judging by the responses from Bai Zhangting and the other two, the other side was now refusing with unusual resolve.

They had even said several times that they would return all the money spent on their training and gifts to the Bai family.

She had barely managed to refuse their offer for the time being, but if she meddled any further, it could provoke unforeseen consequences.

Just then, someone hurried through the door. It was the Bai family's head steward.

Bai Pianqing wondered why he dared disturb her while she was resting.

"Family Head! Young Master Bai Yang is here!" the old steward cried.

He'd actually come!

Bai Pianqing's heart lurched. A visitor who came with ill intentions was probably exactly what she was dealing with!

This was bad!

She hurriedly ordered, "Go to the side courtyard and invite War God Lin Ranyi! I'll go keep that boy occupied!"

The entire Bai residence erupted into frantic activity.

Bai Yang and Yang Wu were standing in the Bai family's main hall, waiting at their leisure.

Dozens of servants clustered around the two of them, attending to them carefully.

Bai Yang didn't sit down. He looked around at the various redwood furnishings on his own, feeling a little of the place's familiarity.

Now this was more like the kind of decor you'd see in a wealthy Huaxia household in a TV drama.

His manner made it obvious he hadn't come as a friendly guest.

Everyone nearby felt on edge, afraid one wrong word might anger him.

Other people might not know who he was, but surely everyone in the Bai family did.

The old lady brought him up every few days now, then regretted her poor decisions, wondering why she had approached Bai Sheng instead of him back then.

Bai Zhangting and the other two had taken plenty of blame for it. Many people thought the family had lost its chance to gain a War God directly because they had offended Bai Yang.

Now they had to spend every day gauging War God Lin Ranyi's mood. Just thinking about it was infuriating.

Bai Pianqing entered the hall. She had just secretly sent word to Bai Zhangting and the other two.

She told them not to come out under any circumstances, lest they make things worse.

Seeing Bai Yang, she greeted him with a beaming smile and said, "Nephew, what brings you to Kyoto Base City?

"I was just thinking of making a trip to Jiangnan Base City to meet with you and your family properly!"

Bai Yang glanced at her and smiled. "Hello, Auntie.

"I had some business to take care of in Kyoto, so I thought I'd drop by and see you."

Bai Pianqing felt a little more at ease. At least Bai Yang hadn't flown into a rage the moment they met.

He was with [Mount Hua] now, representing Jia Yi's good name. Surely he couldn't just go around losing his temper?

She hurriedly said, "Oh, how polite of you!

"It's all my fault that we haven't seen each other in over a decade. The family's had so much going on that I never found the time to look after you all."

Bai Yang chuckled without responding to that. "The main reason I came this time was to return the money Brother Sheng spent before."

Without waiting for Bai Pianqing to react, he gave Yang Wu a look.

Yang Wu immediately stepped forward and held out a bank card to her with both hands.

It contained the wealth he had collected from various slaves—barely a drop in the bucket to him now.

"There are thirty million Huaxia Currency in here. Please accept it, Auntie," Bai Yang said.

Bai Pianqing's expression shifted uncertainly. She didn't know whether to take the card or refuse it.

Bai Sheng had stayed with the Bai family for about half a year, and the total expenses had come to around three million.

Now Bai Yang was returning ten times that amount. It was obvious he didn't want to owe the Bai family any favors or have any ties to them.

She weighed her options for a moment, then decided she didn't dare refuse. She took the bank card.

If she couldn't build a relationship with him, that was still better than inviting trouble. Settling their past grievances this way wasn't so bad.

Seeing this, the other Bai family members in the hall also let out a quiet sigh of relief.

What they feared most was Bai Yang refusing to let things go—for instance, insisting that the family severely punish its only three Spirit Readers. That would have been a huge problem.

With Bai Yang's current status, he wouldn't even need to do anything himself.

All he had to do was say a word, and the Bai family's many rivals would find all sorts of ways to make their lives miserable.

Seeing that Bai Pianqing had been sensible, Bai Yang nodded in satisfaction and said, "Auntie, we've settled our personal matters. Now let's talk business."

"What business? Is it about a project for [Mount Hua]?" Bai Pianqing had just relaxed, but now she was instantly on guard again.

"No, just an idea of my own. Auntie, the Bai family is one of the HR Alliance's twelve families in Huaxia, right?" Bai Yang asked.

"That's right. The Bai family isn't one of the nine great families, but we still have some influence within the HR Alliance." Bai Pianqing couldn't make sense of what he was after, so she could only offer a vague answer.

Bai Yang nodded approvingly. "Good. That makes this easier. I want to buy a 'War Base.'"

"What did you say?!" Bai Pianqing was so shocked she nearly jumped to her feet.

"I said I want to buy a 'War Base' and put it on Changxing Island in Magic City to hold back the monsters."

"Do you know how much that costs? You! You! Do you have that kind of money?"

"Of course I don't. That's why I wanted to discuss it with you, Auntie. I'd like the Bai family to help me get a secured loan."

Bai Yang sounded both earnest and sincere, as though this really were nothing more than a small matter they could discuss.

Bai Pianqing's vision went black. She nearly fainted on the spot.