Everyone Has Their Weakness

After Jiang Wang left, a hidden door suddenly slid open in the wall behind Fang Zehou. Fang Heling, bound to a chair, was pushed out in an extremely humiliating posture.

The Moon-Gazing Pavilion had always been a Fang family business, which was precisely why Fang Pengju had chosen this place to murder Jiang Wang back then.

Fang Zehou raised his hand, and the Fang family retainer pushing Fang Heling finally unsealed his mouth and untied the ropes.

But Fang Heling did not move. Like a pile of mud, he simply collapsed limply into the chair.

It turned out he had been listening to the entire conversation in the private room all along, under the retainer's surveillance, but could neither speak nor act.

"As you can see," Fang Zehou said. "He defeated you with real strength, no tricks or cunning. Between you and Jiang Wang, there is a naked gap you never noticed."

Fang Heling said nothing, but the look he gave his father was almost pleading—a look that said, Please, stop talking!

"As you can see, your father, because of you, has lost all face," Fang Zehou continued.

Fang Heling's eyes dropped, their light scattering.

Fang Zehou walked up to him, reached out, pinched his face, and forced him to meet his gaze.

"As you can see, our Fang family, because of you, is looked down upon!" Fang Zehou said.

Fang Heling's tears rolled down. He reached up to stop them, even tried to push them back, but the resistance was so feeble. He simply could not stop himself from being as weak as a dog.

And Fang Zehou's voice pressed on: "For your sake, I suppressed your cousin's resources. For your sake, I gave up many benefits, just to win you a chance to enter the Dao Academy's inner sect. For your sake, I can swallow any grievance. And you?! You became the laughingstock of all Maple Forest City in front of everyone, and now you've given up on yourself, a waste. You've made me, Fang Zehou, a joke too!"

"I don't want this either, I don't want this either..." Fang Heling shook his head, mumbled, wept, and finally shouted: "I don't want this either!"

"Then prove it to me!" Fang Zehou roared!

This middle-aged man, this man who had already seized control of the Fang family, loosened his grip.

He changed to holding Fang Heling's face in both hands and said softly: "Then prove it to me... my son."

Leaving the Moon-Gazing Pavilion, Jiang Wang's steps were not heavy.

To be honest, after entering the inner sect, he no longer worried about what the Fang family might do to him. The so-called Fang family of Maple Forest City, though wealthy and powerful, was nothing compared to the Dao Academy.

As long as he pushed forward fiercely in his cultivation, he would sooner or later hold some official post in the Zhuang Kingdom, perhaps even a high position in the capital, Xin'an. The local gentry and prominent families of Maple Forest City were hardly worth caring about.

But today, when Fang Zehou mentioned Jiang An'an, it truly stirred Jiang Wang's killing intent. Even if the Fang family did nothing else, just sending some clan children to bully An'an at school was something Jiang Wang could not tolerate.

Some grievances he could bear, but An'an could not. Their father was dead, their stepmother had remarried—Jiang An'an only had him now.

"Are you full... Hey! Stop wiping it on my clothes!" Jiang Wang reached out and pulled Jiang An'an's little head away.

She had been nestled in his arms, secretly smearing the grease from her mouth onto his shoulder.

Jiang An'an blinked her big eyes. Her little mouth was already clean, but she pouted very innocently: "You didn't even wipe my hands..."

Jiang Wang surrendered instantly, his voice helpless: "Look at me—is there any clean spot left on my body... Do whatever you want."

This was giving up entirely.

Jiang An'an's busy little hands wiped and wiped, then suddenly remembered something: "What did you just say?"

"I asked you... Sigh!" Jiang Wang let out a breath and said directly: "Cai's Mutton Shop?"

"Mm-hmm." Jiang An'an nodded wildly. She reached out her little hand, cupped her brother's face, and twisted it to the left: "This way!"

Jiang Wang leaned his head back in disgust. "I know the way!"

Jiang An'an was already bouncing with joy. "Giddyup~!"

So Jiang Wang carried Jiang An'an and headed toward the mutton shop.

"Oh, right, the teacher said you need to come to the private school tomorrow." Jiang An'an had finally remembered something.

Jiang Wang frowned: "Did your teacher say what for?"

Little An'an thought for a moment, then buried her head in Jiang Wang's chest and mumbled: "I don't know."

Jiang Wang immediately grew worried.

At the same time, in the City Lord's Mansion, a conversation between only Dong A and Wei Quji was also underway.

"...If it really is what I think, with this bait, they're sure to take it. When those fiends jump out, we'll close the net in one move and slaughter them all!" Wei Quji clenched his fist and swung it. "That's the whole plan."

"The plan is tight." Dong A nodded, his expression still flat. "But I think it's meaningless."

"Why?"

"Do you think..." Dong A looked at him with a mocking gaze. "That the group who created the Small Forest Town massacre still needs to show up in Maple Forest City?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know anything about this White Bone Sect you speak of, nor am I clear on what that thing you worked so hard to get is supposed to attract. But with the Three Cities Dao Discussion—such a major event—Maple Forest City is heavily guarded. Is that thing really worth them taking such a big risk? A fool couldn't have led us around by the nose and sacrificed Small Forest Town right under our eyes! Besides, you're not even sure they're the White Bone Sect, are you?"

"Then this is the only way to try, Dong A! It's been so long since the Small Forest Town incident. This office must give an account!"

"But how sure are you? Are you going to stake the safety of all Maple Forest City's people on your certainty?"

"Maple Forest City is this office's city. This office's mind is made up!"

Dong A slammed the table and stood: "Maple Forest City is Zhuang Kingdom's Maple Forest City!"

"Dong A, think about it." Wei Quji had no choice but to soften his tone. "In Qin Kingdom, in Jing Kingdom, even in Yong Kingdom right next door! Can they do something like this? Sacrificing an entire town! Thousands of people, generations of souls that should have been laid to rest!

At the slightest move from Clear River Water Mansion, the entire Qinghe Prefecture's army has to redeploy. When a Heart-Devouring Demon appears, the entire Qinghe Prefecture's Criminal Investigation Bureau swarms in. They know us inside and out, but we know nothing about them!

Do you still want to see something like this happen? It's time. We have to get to the bottom of this!"

Dong A slumped into his seat. "Yes, we all share the blame. Those who died unjustly—in the names they cursed with their dying breaths, yours and mine should be counted."

His voice was weary. "Do it your way, then. The Daoist Academy will cooperate. If those fiends really do show up again, let me see... whether good and evil are truly repaid!"

"If those people really are from the White Bone Sect, the Underworld Candle should be very important to them. After all, it was taken... from that place."

"Regardless, I'll fully cooperate with you this time. I hope this Three Cities Dao Discussion doesn't become a joke for Qinghe Prefecture."

"They might come, or they might not. But This Seat can only try." Wei Quji muttered to himself, then turned to ask, "That Zhu Weiwu—can he really not make it back? Nothing's happened to him, has it?"

"His battlefield isn't here." Dong A turned his head, seeming to look through the window at some distant place beyond the sky. "He's destined to shine in the State Daoist Academy. Giving him a slot would be a waste. I hope Zhang Linchuan can win that spot for the Three Cities Dao Discussion."

"That way, Maple Forest City will have two talents in the State Daoist Academy. You've thought it out perfectly."

"I'll guide them with everything I have. Consider it my own... insignificant redemption."

In the dark room, someone sighed.

The seats were empty.

(Thanks to fellow readers Shen Ayao, Lüdanyi Miujiu, and Huang Azhan for their tips! Also, a word on tipping—please do it within your means, never force it. Just give me all your recommendation votes! If you have time, help recommend this book. Thank you all! Let's work hard together!)