Master Yang Grants Medicine!!

"Give me and Third Brother twenty percent of the Black Iron Mine's profits." Yang Yueshan held up two fingers and spoke blandly.

Yang Jinshan finally could not hold back. He rushed forward and slammed a hand onto the table. "Twenty percent? Are you dreaming? How much of the estate's silver have you two embezzled outside, and you still have the nerve to demand a share of the Black Iron Mine?"

Yang Yueshan's expression darkened as he looked at Yang Jinshan.

Yang Junshan was still smiling, but his gaze turned cold. "Fifth Brother, that is not right. What do you mean, embezzled? We worked our fingers to the bone outside. What is wrong with taking a little compensation for our trouble?"

Yang Jinshan wanted to retort, but Yang Zhenshan raised a hand to stop him.

Yang Zhenshan looked at Yang Yueshan, his tone calm. "Elder Brother, half the accounts you submit every year for the spirit medicine business do not add up."

"As for the broker business, at least thirty percent of the silver Third Brother has handled over the years has gone into his own pocket."

"I turned a blind eye to these matters because you are my elder brothers."

He paused. His tone remained calm, but each word carried greater weight than the last. "But I, Yang Zhenshan, staked everything I had to claw my way to this Black Iron Mine. Now you want to pick the peaches? Have you forgotten that I am the Yang Family's patriarch!"

Yang Yueshan's expression changed.

"If Elder Brother wants the Black Iron Mine, fine. First, let us settle every unclear account from these past years, item by item. Once that is done, you will receive every last bit that is yours—but if it is not yours, do not dream of taking even a single coin!" Yang Zhenshan continued, but by the end, he could no longer suppress his tone.

Yang Yueshan abruptly rose to his feet and slapped the table with his palm.

Bang!

A crack split across the tabletop. Wine cups toppled over, and wine spilled across the floor.

"Yang Zhenshan! What do you mean by this?"

His aura erupted, the pressure of peak eighth-layer Qi Refining sweeping through the hall and leaving the lower-cultivated clan members behind him struggling to breathe.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him, his eyes gradually turning cold.

He slowly rose, and with him rose the pressure of his Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement.

By the time Yang Zhenshan stood fully upright, his aura had reached its peak.

His pressure fell like a mountain, crashing down and instantly scattering Yang Yueshan's aura.

Yang Yueshan's face turned pale. He staggered back half a step and bumped into a chair.

The smile on Yang Junshan's face froze as well, though he still did not rise.

The entire hall fell deathly silent.

Yang Yueshan steadied himself against the chair. His face was livid, his chest heaving violently. As he looked at Yang Zhenshan, the fury in his eyes nearly overflowed.

"Second Brother, after ten years, do you intend to fight me again?"

Yang Zhenshan slowly rose to his feet, standing with his hands behind his back.

"Of course not, my dear Elder Brother!" His voice was not loud, yet it reached every person's ears clearly. "But if you remain stubborn and refuse to see reason, do not blame me for disregarding brotherly ties!"

Yang Yueshan stared at him, his fists clenched until they crackled.

Yang Junshan stood nearby, his eyes shifting. He leaned close to Yang Yueshan's ear and whispered a few words.

As Yang Yueshan listened, his expression changed again and again.

After a long while, he drew a deep breath and slowly loosened his fists.

"Second Brother, you have some nerve." He gritted out each word. "You are the patriarch, so you have the final say. Since I was not invited to today's feast, I will not be eating."

He turned to leave, but then halted and looked back at Yang Zhenshan.

"But remember this: I, Yang Yueshan, am your elder brother, and I was the one who yielded the Yang Family patriarch's seat to you." Yang Yueshan's face was iron-blue. After a pause, he continued, "If you want to audit the Spirit Medicine Hall's accounts, come whenever you wish. But if you truly refuse to show even a shred of brotherly feeling, then from this day forth, the two of us will be cleanly cut in two."

With that, he strode toward the door.

Yang Junshan followed behind. At the doorway, he turned back and cupped his hands toward Yang Zhenshan, a smile returning to his face. "Second Brother, do not be angry. Elder Brother has always had that temper. Another day, I will invite you for drinks personally and apologize."

With that, he left as well.

The two figures vanished into the night.

The main hall remained deathly silent.

Yang Zhenshan stood where he was, staring at the doorway for a long time before slowly withdrawing his aura.

He turned around, glanced at the cracked tabletop, and said blandly, "Someone, replace the table."

The servants snapped awake as if from a dream and hurried forward to clean up.

Yang Zhenshan returned to the seat of honor, lifted his wine cup, and looked around. A smile returned to his face.

"Keep the music playing, keep the dancing going!"

Everyone raised their cups, and the atmosphere gradually recovered.

Zhou Qi held his wine cup and slowly took a sip.

He was deep in thought.

For the rest of the banquet, the atmosphere never quite recovered.

Zhou Qi did not say a word either, only drinking in silence.

Before long, Yang Zhenshan left first, instructing Yang Yuanshan to make sure everyone ate and drank their fill.

Yet the banquet still ended quickly. It was already deep into the night.

Zhou Qi rose and followed Laifu toward the inner courtyard.

Halfway there, he suddenly stopped.

"Brother Laifu, go back first. I have something to do."

Laifu froze for a moment. "Brother Zhou Qi—no, Elder Zhou, where are you going?"

Zhou Qi did not answer. He turned and headed toward the rear courtyard.

Laifu watched his retreating figure, opened his mouth, but ultimately did not dare stop him.

The rear courtyard study.

The lamp was still lit.

Zhou Qi walked to the door, took a deep breath, and raised his hand to knock.

"Come in."

Zhou Qi pushed the door open and entered.

Yang Zhenshan sat behind the desk with an account book in hand. Seeing Zhou Qi enter, he put it down, his face expressionless.

"What is it?"

Zhou Qi walked before the desk and cupped his hands. "Master, I dare to ask something that must be asked."

Yang Zhenshan looked at him without speaking.

Zhou Qi continued, "This life of mine was given by you, Master. Whatever you ask of me, I will obey without a second word. But this Soul-Splitting Pill..."

He raised his head and looked Yang Zhenshan directly in the eye. "I ask that you give me a definite answer. When will there be an antidote? One month from now? Two months? Or..."

He paused, leaving the rest unsaid.

Yang Zhenshan looked at him. The warmth in his eyes gradually vanished, replaced by a deep, scrutinizing gaze.

The two simply stared at one another.

The night wind swept past, stirring a rustle of leaves.

After a long while, Yang Zhenshan suddenly smiled.

"Zhou Qi, are you trying to force my hand?"

Zhou Qi lowered his head. "I would not dare. I merely wish to know a definite time frame."

"A time frame?" Yang Zhenshan slowly stepped closer, looking down at him from above. "Who do you think you are speaking to?"

Zhou Qi did not move or lift his head.

Yang Zhenshan continued, "You stole the Yang Family's cultivation technique and stumbled upon the Yang Family's secrets. By the family rules, you should have long since been chopped to pieces and fed to the dogs. I spared your life, gave you cultivation techniques, pills, martial skills, and even the position of elder..."

He paused, his voice growing ever colder. "I have already given you more than enough. What more do you want?"

Zhou Qi raised his head and met his eyes.

There was not a trace of warmth in that gaze.

"Master has given me much, and I have kept it in my heart," Zhou Qi said. "But I only have one life. I cannot help but ask."

Yang Zhenshan stared at him for a long time.

Then he suddenly smiled.

There was a hint of coldness in that smile, a hint of appreciation, and something else that could not be clearly described.

"Interesting," he said. "You have courage and backbone."

He returned to the desk, opened a drawer, took out a small porcelain bottle, and tossed it to Zhou Qi.

Zhou Qi caught the porcelain bottle, and a system panel appeared:

[Item: Soul-Calming Pill]

[Grade: Yellow-rank mid-grade]

[Effect: Suppresses the Soul-Splitting Worm for one month, placing it in a dormant state]

[Side Effect: Long-term use will produce drug resistance]

"This is medicine that suppresses the Soul-Splitting Pill. Take it once every month, and the soul worm will not act up." Yang Zhenshan stood with his hands behind his back, his tone returning to calm.

"As for the true antidote..." He paused and said blandly, "When you truly become one of my Yang Family, that is when I will give it to you."

Zhou Qi fell silent.

Yang Zhenshan continued, "Zhou Qi, you are a smart man. You should understand what I mean."

"It is not that I do not trust you. It is that you have not yet made me trust you completely."

"You helped the Yang Family win the grand competition today, and I am grateful. But gratitude is gratitude, and trust is trust."

He stepped closer, his tone carrying a hint of earnest persuasion. "Think about it. Today, you could sneak into the rear courtyard for a cultivation technique. Tomorrow, might you betray the Yang Family for something else?"

He was gaslighting me.

Zhou Qi lowered his head. A cold glint flashed through his eyes, but he said nothing.

Yang Zhenshan patted his shoulder. "Work hard. When the day comes that I feel you are truly one of the Yang Family, the antidote will naturally be given to you. But before then..."

He glanced at the porcelain bottle in Zhou Qi's hand. "Come to me on the first day of every month to collect your suppression pill."

With that, Yang Zhenshan returned to his seat and resumed reading the account book.

Watching Yang Zhenshan's pretense of reading, coldness gradually appeared on Zhou Qi's face.

But in the end, he merely squeezed the porcelain bottle in his hand. Without saying anything more, he cupped his hands and bowed. "Thank you, Master, for granting me medicine!!"

He turned and left.