Countermeasures [Please Follow]

Who had attacked Lu Wan?

Other than the Wu Family, there was probably no one else. But this method... was filthy, filthy enough to make one sick.

To put it bluntly, if the Wu Family thought Lu Wan was lacking in this or that, they could have simply killed her. Even that would have been better than humiliating and tormenting her like this.

Making things difficult for her at her stall every day had been one thing.

But now that she was about to take part in the Water Dragon Sect selection, they had injured her and made it impossible for her to participate.

To watch the chance to change her fate vanish before her eyes like that—such a blow was not something an ordinary person could bear.

Sitting aboard the Black Wind Boat on the way home, Ji Yuan could not help thinking again of the faces Wu Wenbin and his son had made.

Wu Yan was still too young and could not hide his feelings, so he had revealed a little of them on the spot.

But that old thief Wu Wenbin was different. Whenever Ji Yuan recalled him, he saw that smiling face of his.

There was a particularly fitting term for such people.

A smiling tiger.

Whenever Ji Yuan recalled how Lu Wan had looked just now, he could not help sighing.

He wanted to help, but more than anything, he was powerless.

If he had reached Late Qi Refining by now, or Qi Refining Level Ten—the level known as the pinnacle of Qi Refining—there would have been nothing to discuss. Even if Lu Wan had not asked, he would have stormed into the Wu Family and demanded an explanation.

Unfortunately, he was only at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.

Giving her half a tael of Blood Essence to save her life was already about all he could do.

Ji Yuan could not give her anything else—or rather, even if he did, she would not be able to keep it safe.

"I wonder what she'll choose."

Ji Yuan did not know. Lin Hu and Wu Qin, seated behind him, did not know what to say either, and the two remained silent all the way home.

Only after they returned to the little lakeside cottage and went their separate ways did Lin Hu and Wu Qin return home. After sitting in silence for a long while, Lin Hu finally spoke first.

"How about... we have a child too?"

Wu Qin hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded.

"Alright."

They had discussed this before, but back then, they had both agreed to wait a few more years. It was still too soon.

But after seeing that Heavenly Spirit Root in Zengtou City today, their thoughts had changed somewhat...

Their own spirit roots were poor, and their talent was lacking.

But what about their next generation?

If they gave birth to a Heavenly Spirit Root like the one they had seen today, would they not... ascend to immortality as well?

And that was the mindset of most fishers in Zengtou City, even throughout Cloud-Rain Marsh. Since they themselves could not make it, they would stake everything on the next generation!

Wu Family main hall.

Wu Wenbin and Wu Yan sat facing each other, father and son both frowning deeply.

"Father, are we really just going to leave Ji Yuan alone?"

Wu Yan regretted it somewhat now. Had he known earlier... he should have found a chance to kill him back then instead of letting him grow into what he was today.

"Leave him alone?"

Hearing this, Wu Wenbin seemed so angry that he laughed.

"You saw what happened at the Fish Pen today. Ji Yuan's talent in Talismans far surpasses yours and mine—even Lu Wan cannot compare to him."

"On his first attempt, he succeeded at two Heavenly Light Talismans in a row... Heh. Even someone like Hong Xiuwen, a formal disciple of the Water Dragon Sect, developed a fondness for talent and was willing to protect him, accepting him as a junior brother."

"Did you hear his final words clearly? He was pointing directly at your father!"

Wu Wenbin sneered. "Our Wu Family may have some standing in Zengtou City, but before the Water Dragon Sect, we are not worth a fart!"

"Forget the Water Dragon Sect. Even if Hong Xiuwen wanted to crush us to death, it would be as easy as lifting a finger."

Wu Wenbin's words made cold sweat stream down Wu Yan's back, and his face even turned somewhat pale.

"If anything happens to Ji Yuan, then three years from now, during the next Water Dragon Sect selection, Hong Xiuwen will certainly come looking for our Wu Family."

As Wu Wenbin spoke, he let out a faint sigh.

"So for the next three years, not only can we not lay a hand on Ji Yuan, we may even need to stand behind him at critical moments."

"And besides..."

"Besides what?"

Wu Yan was already nearly resigned to his fate.

"See for yourself."

Wu Wenbin took a letter from his Storage Bag and tossed it over. Wu Yan caught it, opened it, and found that it was still about Ji Yuan.

"This... why does Ji Yuan deserve this?!"

Wu Yan stared at the letter in his hand, nearly losing his voice.

For what it recorded was precisely how, on the first day of the new year, Ji Yuan had received guidance in spellcraft from a Water Dragon Sect cultivator before the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

And that Water Dragon Sect cultivator was definitely not Hong Xiuwen.

In other words, Ji Yuan had caught the attention of two Water Dragon Sect cultivators at once...

With that being the case, who in Zengtou City would dare touch him?

"Heh, why does he deserve it?"

Wu Wenbin let out a cold laugh. "You, Wu Yan, are thirty-two this year, and you only managed to muddle your way to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining and become a mid-grade first-rank Talisman Master by relying entirely on your old man."

"But what about Ji Yuan?"

"He only turned nineteen after the new year. You probably do not know this, but he is already at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining too, and his skill with Talismans surpasses even yours. Why does he deserve it? Tell me, why does he deserve it?!"

Wu Wenbin's final sentence was practically a roar.

The veins on Wu Yan's forehead bulged. He clenched his fists tight and opened his mouth several times without managing to speak. In the end, Wu Wenbin made the final decision.

"Judging by the past few encounters, Ji Yuan knows when to advance and when to retreat. Here is what we'll do: send him a generous gift in the name of our Wu Family."

Wu Yan fell silent for a moment before saying:

"What if he refuses it?"

"Whether he accepts it is his business. In any case, our Wu Family has shown its attitude. Even if we cannot form a good bond, we need not become enemies."

Though Wu Yan was unwilling in every possible way, he had to admit that Wu Wenbin's way of handling things was the correct one.

"Then... what about Lu Wan?" Wu Yan asked.

Wu Wenbin lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers. "That old blind man of the Qin Household has stepped in. He is willing to protect her for three years, then wait for the next Water Dragon Sect selection and send her into the Water Dragon Sect."

"The condition is that she draws Talismans for the Qin Household free of charge for three years."

The instant Wu Yan heard this, he shot up from his chair. "No, Father! If Lu Wan really joins the Water Dragon Sect, we'll be in serious trouble!"

Wu Wenbin cast him a cool, indifferent glance.

"Why do you think I said your brain is no good?... Use that useless head of yours and think properly. With Old Blind Qin's character, how could he possibly send her into the Water Dragon Sect?"

"He merely wants to use a Talisman Master with no connections or backing for free for three years. Three years later, one slash settles the account. Who has the patience to waste so many words on you?"

"Oh, that makes more sense..."

Wu Yan let out a long breath and sat back down.

Inside, he was thinking how fortunate it was that no Water Dragon Sect cultivator valued Lu Wan so highly.

"After taking so many benefits from our Wu Family, she turned around and betrayed us. Torment her a little more. After all, Old Blind Qin only agreed to protect Lu Wan herself; he never agreed to protect her family."

Wu Wenbin said it without changing expression.

"Sure thing. I'll definitely handle it properly!"

The moment Wu Yan recalled Lu Wan's expression and bearing when she had rejected him, viciousness rose in his heart.

After Ji Yuan returned home, he first checked on the various buildings.

Only then did he enter the storage room... the Dao Comprehension Chamber. After what had happened today, he felt the importance of strength more keenly than ever.

Since he could not break through in cultivation for the time being, he would first see whether he could complete the Yin Ghost Formation.

With that Formation in hand, Ji Yuan would dare speak loudly even before a Late Qi Refining cultivator.

For that purpose, he had even bought quite a few introductory books on Formations in Zengtou City.