Fishing in Troubled Waters

As the Shadow's voice trailed off, the atmosphere, which had only just begun to ease, grew tense once more.

Damn it, it's just a courtyard. Do they really think this young master is too poor to afford a place to stay? Chen Xiao cursed inwardly.

In truth, Chen Xiao understood that what these three were fighting over wasn't merely a place to live, but a matter of pride and status.

All three possessed extraordinary aptitude and were top-tier geniuses of their generation, each harboring a deep sense of arrogance. When geniuses meet, they either cherish each other as kindred spirits or clash in a battle of supremacy, often ending in life-or-death struggles.

Clearly, the possibility of these three becoming kindred spirits was slim to none. Had Chen Xiao not been there to suppress them, they would likely have come to blows long ago. This gave Chen Xiao a headache; managing subordinates was exhausting work, and one wrong move could lead to a disaster.

There were only three of them now, but what would happen when he recruited a few more ruffians later on? Chen Xiao felt a pang of regret. He had originally asked Cai Di to spar with Ao Xie just to gauge their capabilities and get a sense of their strength.

He hadn't expected the Shadow to insert himself into the mix. By now, the three men's auras were already colliding in the air. Had Chen Xiao not already placed Breath-Concealing Talismans and Heaven-Concealing Talismans on them, the sheer force of their clashing auras would have been enough to level his small courtyard.

At this moment, Cai Di, the weakest in terms of cultivation, let out a muffled groan and stumbled back three steps. However, a mass of grayish mist—clearly some form of potent poison—had manifested over his palms.

In an instant, the black mist from his palms enveloped his body, forming a wall of black vapor that shielded him.

"Myriad Poison Profound Baleful Intent! You are the Poison Immortal, Cai Di!"

Upon seeing the black mist, Ao Xie's expression shifted. A flicker of wariness appeared in his eyes, but a moment later, it was replaced by a surge of battle intent.

The name of the Poison Immortal, Cai Di, had long since spread throughout the Immortal World. Killing an immortal while only at the Body Integration Realm was an unprecedented feat in the history of the Immortal World, shattering everyone's perceptions. Beyond his Poison Chiefs, the foundation of Cai Di's fame was the Myriad Poison Profound Baleful Intent he had painstakingly refined.

As the Dragon Prince of the Worry-Free Sea, Ao Xie spent his days in deep cultivation, yet he remained well-informed about the prominent figures across the nine heavens and ten lands of the Immortal World.

The Shadow, however, remained as calm as ever, his expression unchanged. Having come from the lower realms, his knowledge of the Immortal World was virtually a blank slate; he had no idea what the Myriad Poison Profound Baleful Intent was.

"Enough, stop this nonsense."

Seeing Cai Di bring out his Myriad Poison Profound Baleful Intent, Chen Xiao frowned. If he didn't put a stop to this now, they would surely cause a catastrophe.

"The sparring I mentioned earlier was not for you to fight amongst yourselves. Our enemies are still lurking outside, yet you choose to engage in internal strife here—what kind of behavior is that!"

Seeing Chen Xiao's anger, the three men hurriedly withdrew their auras.

"Young Master, how would you like us to compete?" Only Ao Xie dared to speak to Chen Xiao in such a manner.

"The Nangong Family is my enemy, and naturally, they are yours as well." Chen Xiao held up a finger. "Your competition will be to hunt down the elders of the Nangong Family. Use their Nascent Souls and Storage Rings as proof; whoever brings back the most wins."

Chen Xiao would never forget the sight of the countless cultivators swarming the Chen Clan in his past life, their auras all at or above the Body Integration Realm.

He had always wondered where those people had come from, but it now seemed clear that the Nangong Family's backers had been laying the groundwork in Moon-Gazing City for a long time.

Since he now had these three thugs at his disposal, it would be a waste not to prune those wings.

In fact, he had considered having Cai Di take action the moment he pledged his loyalty, but striking then would have been too passive and might have triggered a backlash from the Nangong Family's backers.

But now, Nangong Xiangyan and his cohorts had offended Shi Chou, violating the rules of the faction behind him. They wouldn't live long, and this was the perfect opportunity to divert attention toward that conflict.

Furthermore, Chen Xiao anticipated that Nangong Xiangyan would inevitably view Shi Chou as a rival faction or an interloper disrupting their plans in Moon-Gazing City, never suspecting the Chen Clan.

Shi Chou's interference had actually done Chen Xiao a great favor by successfully shifting the Nangong Family's focus. Once Nangong Xiangyan and the others were dead, it would only serve to confirm their suspicions.

Of the three, Cai Di had been with Chen Xiao the longest and had secretly executed many of his plans. Hearing that Chen Xiao intended to move against the Nangong Family, his expression turned solemn.

"Understood." A hint of killing intent flickered in Ao Xie's eyes, and the long halberd in his hand began to tremble slightly.

"I obey the Young Master's command." The Shadow had no objections; he did whatever Chen Xiao said.

"Good." Chen Xiao nodded. "Do not touch the envoys from the Glazed Heaven Palace; someone else will deal with them. And leave Nangong Shenhe, the head of the Nangong Family, alone. Go."

Chen Xiao waved his hand.

As for how they would find the Nangong elders, that was up to their own capabilities. Chen Xiao understood that trying to kill people on the Nangong Family's home turf would be impossible for Cai Di and the others if they acted alone, but if they cooperated, they might stand a chance.

Chen Xiao produced another Heaven-Concealing Talisman and gave it to Cai Di. As for the Shadow, he could turn into a phantom at will and had no need for such things.

Although Chen Xiao now had three cultivators at or near the Mahayana Realm, he still didn't have much chance of winning a head-on confrontation with the Nangong Family. Besides, he didn't want to destroy the Nangong Family just yet.

As long as the Nangong Family existed, they could serve as a cover for the Chen Clan. If they were wiped out, the Chen Clan, as the leading family of Moon-Gazing City, would inevitably be pushed into the spotlight.

Various signs indicated that the treasure hidden in Mingyu Mountain was something extraordinary; otherwise, a family with an immortal in their ranks wouldn't have valued it so highly, spending hundreds of years planning for it through a branch family.

After the three left, Chen Xiao took Mengmeng out to the streets to stir up more trouble. However, he clearly sensed that the atmosphere in Moon-Gazing City had grown much tenser. Many unfamiliar faces had appeared in the city.

High-level cultivators at the Integrated Body and Division Spirit Realms were appearing frequently. There were even a few powerhouses whose cultivation Chen Xiao couldn't fathom, lurking in the corners of the city and keeping a watchful eye on everything.

Clearly, the battle between Nangong Xiangyan and Shi Chou a few days ago had caught the attention of those with ulterior motives.

A faint curve touched the corner of Chen Xiao's mouth. Let it be chaotic. If Moon-Gazing City isn't in chaos, how am I supposed to fish in troubled waters?

As for the Chen Clan, Chen Xiao wasn't worried in the slightest. The battle between Nangong Xiangyan and Shi Chou had completely exposed the Nangong Family, while the Chen Clan had been personally granted the City-Suppressing Seal by an Immortal from the Glazed Heaven Palace—a perfect protective talisman.

The second chapter is delivered. Please vote, and I'm off to prepare the third!