Countermeasures

Who had laid hands on Lu Wan?

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

To put it bluntly, if the Wu Family thought Lu Wan was no good here and no good there, they could have simply killed her. Even that would have been better than humiliating and tormenting her like this.

It would have been one thing if they had merely made things difficult for her at her stall every day.

But now, with the Water Dragon Sect selection just around the corner, they had actually injured her and made her unable to take part in it.

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

Sitting aboard the Black Wind Boat on his way home, Ji Yuan could not help recalling the ugly faces of the Wu father and son.

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

But that old thief Wu Wenbin was different. Whenever Ji Yuan thought of him, that smiling, squinting face appeared in his mind.

There was a very fitting term for such a person.

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 that, he was simply powerless.

If he had reached Late Qi Refining by now, or even the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining known as Peak Qi Refining, there would have been nothing to say. Even if Lu Wan had not asked, he would have charged 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.

There was nothing else Ji Yuan could give her—or rather, even if he gave it to her, she would not be able to keep it safe.

"I wonder what she'll choose."

Ji Yuan did not know. Neither did the Lin Hu couple sitting behind him, and the whole way home, they did not say a word.

It was not until they returned to the little lakeside cottage and went their separate ways that Lin Hu and Wu Qin went home. After a long silence, Lin Hu was the one who finally spoke.

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

Wu Qin hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she nodded.

"Alright."

They had discussed this before, but their view then had been to wait a few more years. It was still too early.

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

Their own Spiritual Roots were poor, and their talent was lacking.

But what about their descendants?

If they gave birth to a Heavenly Spirit Root like the one they had seen today, would they not likewise... attain the Dao and ascend?

And that was the mindset of most fishers in Zengtou City, and even throughout Cloud-Rain Marsh. Since they themselves were no good, they would stake everything on the next generation!

The Wu Family's main hall.

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

"Father, are we really just going to leave that brat 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 his present momentum.

"Leave him alone?"

Hearing that, Wu Wenbin seemed almost angered into laughter.

"You saw what happened over at the Fish Pen today. Ji Yuan's talent in the way of Talismans—even Lu Wan cannot compare to him, much less you and me."

"On his first try, he successfully drew two Skylight Talismans in a row... Heh. Even Hong Xiuwen, a formal disciple of the Water Dragon Sect, took a liking to his talent and was willing to protect him, accepting him as a junior brother."

"Did you hear his final sentence clearly? He was warning your father!"

Wu Wenbin gave a mocking laugh. "Our Wu Family may indeed 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 effortless."

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

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

Wu Wenbin let out a faint sigh as he spoke.

"So during these three years, not only can we not touch Ji Yuan, at crucial moments, we may even have to stand behind him."

"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 saw that it was still about Ji Yuan.

"This... what does Ji Yuan have that we don't?!"

Wu Yan nearly lost his voice as he stared at the letter in his hand.

What it recorded was precisely how, on the first day of the new year, Ji Yuan had been taught a spell by 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 eye of two Water Dragon Sect cultivators at once...

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

"Heh, what does he have?"

Wu Wenbin sneered. "You, Wu Yan, are thirty-two this year, and only by relying entirely on your old man have you managed to reach the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, along with the status of a Middle First Tier Talisman Master."

"But what about Ji Yuan?"

"He only turned nineteen after the new year. You probably do not know this, but he is also at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, and his Talisman skills are even better than yours. What does he have, you ask? What does he have?!"

Wu Wenbin's final sentence was practically a roar.

The veins on Wu Yan's forehead bulged. He clenched his fists tightly and opened his mouth several times, yet could not say a word. In the end, Wu Wenbin was the one who settled the matter.

"Judging from the past few times, Ji Yuan is someone who knows when to advance and when to retreat. Do this: send him a generous gift in the name of our Wu Family."

Wu Yan fell silent for a moment before speaking.

"What if he refuses to accept it?"

"Whether he accepts it is his business. In any case, our Wu Family's attitude will have been made clear. Even if we cannot form a good bond, we will not become enemies."

Though Wu Yan was unwilling in ten thousand ways, he had to admit that Wu Wenbin's handling of the matter was the most correct approach.

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

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

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

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

Wu Wenbin gave him a cold, indifferent glance.

"Otherwise why would I say your brain is not much good... Use that worthless head of yours and think carefully. With Qin Old Blind Man'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 with you?"

"Oh, so that's how it is..."

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

He thought to himself that fortunately, no Water Dragon Sect cultivator valued Lu Wan so highly.

"She took so many benefits from our Wu Family, then turned around and betrayed us. Torment her a little more. After all, Qin Old Blind Man only promised to protect Lu Wan, not her family."

Wu Wenbin said this without changing expression.

"Alright, I'll definitely handle it well!"

When Wu Yan recalled Lu Wan's expression and bearing when she had rejected him, ruthlessness 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 understood the importance of strength more deeply than ever.

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

With this Formation in hand, Ji Yuan would dare to speak loudly even before someone at Late Qi Refining.

For that reason, he had even bought quite a few books in Zengtou City on the basics of Formations.