The factions involved, Ya Fei's bold resolve

The waiting room.

Xiao Zhan and Gu Ni were waiting inside.

Before long, the door opened with a creak, and Zhou Changqing and Ya Fei walked in.

"Uncle Xiao, Master Gu Ni, how did it go? Did you get anything out of him?"

Seeing Xiao Zhan and Gu Ni repeatedly furrow their brows, Zhou Changqing's thoughts raced, and he immediately realized the matter was far from simple.

After Zhou Changqing and Ya Fei sat down, Xiao Zhan nodded, his tone somewhat grave. "We did. I'm afraid this won't be easy to deal with."

"Uncle Gu Ni, what happened?"

Hearing this, Ya Fei turned to Gu Ni, whose brow was also furrowed.

Gu Ni glanced at Zhou Changqing, then at Ya Fei. After weighing his words for a moment, he finally spoke. "Quite a few factions were involved in the attempt to surround and kill our young friend Changqing. More than half the factions in Wutan City had a hand in it."

"That Dou Shi has named everyone involved."

"The Jia Lie Family led this operation, joining forces with the Ao Ba Family, Weapons Tycoon Che'erluo, and more than a dozen factions of various sizes throughout Wutan City."

"The Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family targeted you because of the marketplaces. By supplying Treasure Weapons to the Xiao Clan, you severely squeezed the other two families' marketplaces out of business, causing them heavy losses. That was what led to this."

If they could not solve the problem, they would simply eliminate the person who had created it.

"As for Che'erluo, I imagine you already know his reason. The remaining factions coveted the profits from Treasure Weapons and wanted to get the method of making them from you."

"Hmph! The likes of them wanted to swallow up the Treasure Weapons? Weren't they afraid of stuffing themselves until they burst?"

Ya Fei gave a cold snort, a trace of disdain flashing through her alluring eyes.

Even their Mittel Auction House had never considered monopolizing the Treasure Weapons. They had chosen to cooperate instead.

Leaving aside Zhou Changqing's monstrous talent, if they inadvertently offended him beyond reconciliation and failed to eliminate him completely, he would become an enormous threat in the future.

He had already followed up the Treasure Weapons by developing and forging even more heaven-defying equipment like the Magic Core Armament. With such terrifying development capabilities, who could guarantee that he would not create even more powerful weapons in the future?

In fact, Ya Fei's intuition told her that Zhou Changqing might already have developed something more powerful than the Magic Core Armament he had previously shown them!

The financial returns from Magic Core Armament were not one bit inferior to those of second-tier pills!

As a family rooted in commerce, how could the Mittel Family turn away profits and destroy its own treasure trove?

But the Mittel Family's clearheadedness did not mean everyone else was equally clearheaded. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as greed clouding the mind.

Zhou Changqing also found their desire to obtain the Treasure Weapon crafting techniques rather amusing. Shaking his head, he said, "These people are a little naive. Treasure Weapons aren't something just anyone can forge after getting the instructions. Without the necessary qualifications, they couldn't make them even if I handed the method over for free."

"How is that any different from someone without an Alchemist's talent wanting to become an Alchemist and refine pills? It's nothing but a flight of fancy."

All three listeners fell into thought.

Although they had genuinely never considered harming Zhou Changqing, they had entertained ideas about making Treasure Weapons themselves.

Who would not want such a lucrative source of income? It was just like how everyone wanted to become an Alchemist.

"Changqing, when all is said and done, this happened because of my Xiao Clan. You were dragged into it for no reason. Let your uncle offer you an apology."

At that moment, Xiao Zhan looked at Zhou Changqing apologetically, stood up, and cupped his hands in a sincere apology.

If he had not approached Zhou Changqing about working together, the young man would never have suffered this undeserved calamity.

Faced with Xiao Zhan's sudden apology, Zhou Changqing hurriedly rose and reached out to stop him. "Uncle Xiao, what are you saying? Supplying weapons to the Xiao Clan is my business. What does it have to do with them? How could the Xiao Clan be blamed for this?"

How could anyone go through life untouched by a speck of dust, living in peace without ever taking action?

Even when he had been an ordinary person in his previous life, he had occasionally clashed with others over trivial matters. How much more so in this fantasy world, where people killed at the drop of a hat?

Being hated for no reason was commonplace. Even ordinary people living peaceful lives might one day find powerful fighters passing through and battling nearby, only to die in the aftershocks.

Which powerful figure on the Dou Qi Continent had not climbed upward over heaps of white bones?

If Zhou Changqing truly wanted to avoid getting entangled in cause and effect, he could simply hide away in some remote, deserted mountain forest. Why would he ever bring out Treasure Weapon to sell?

The moment he brought out the Treasure Weapon, he had already anticipated finding himself at the center of a storm. Offending people was inevitable.

The Jia Lie Family's sudden desire to kill him seemingly arose from the Xiao Family Market, but even without that incident, who could guarantee that they would not become his enemies in the future?

What was done was done. Zhou Changqing did not regret cooperating with the Xiao Clan, nor would he shift the blame onto them.

To borrow a saying from his previous life: did being a good person mean you deserved to have a gun pointed at you?

"Changqing, what do you intend to do now? With their plan failing, the Jia Lie Family and the other factions have become your outright enemies. They definitely won't stop here. They'll do everything they can to get rid of you."

Ya Fei turned to Zhou Changqing and asked, a few ideas already forming in her mind.

Xiao Zhan immediately straightened his back and declared coldly, "Then we go to war! Even if it costs every life in the Xiao Clan, I, Xiao Zhan, won't let them get away unscathed!"

"Yes, our Mittel Auction House can offer assistance as well," Gu Ni added.

At this, a smile appeared on Zhou Changqing's face, carrying a little more warmth.

"Uncle Xiao, it hasn't reached that point yet. They account for more than half the factions in Wutan City. Even if the Xiao Clan threw its full strength into fighting them head-on, it would accomplish nothing. The losses would only outweigh the gains."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ya Fei gently set down her teacup and said calmly:

"If the Xiao Clan isn't enough, then add the Mittel Family. I can return to the Imperial Capital immediately and have the family dispatch one Dou Ling and ten Da Dou Shi to join the Xiao Clan and wipe them all out."

At those words, all three men stared blankly at the woman who was usually so charming, yet now radiated extraordinary dominance.

One Dou Ling and ten Da Dou Shi?

Wipe out more than half the factions in Wutan City?

"Hiss!"

Coming to his senses, Xiao Zhan could not help drawing in a sharp breath. What bold resolve this woman had!

Even Gu Ni looked at Ya Fei in astonishment.

Even within the Mittel Family, a Dou Ling expert held the rank of an elder. Such a figure could not be mobilized lightly.

He had never imagined that Zhou Changqing held such an important place in Ya Fei's heart.

"Whoa, whoa, there's no need! Sister Ya Fei, there really is no need to make such a huge show of force."

Zhou Changqing glanced at Ya Fei, his surprise touched with a faint, almost imperceptible tenderness, then waved his hand in refusal.

He did not doubt the truth of her words. She genuinely had the ability to do it.

But he also knew that afterward, Ya Fei would likely have to pay a price she could scarcely bear.

After all, Ya Fei's standing within the Mittel Family was not particularly high. She was essentially a decorative tool for a marriage alliance.

He was a grown man. Even if he were going to live off a woman, this was not the way to do it.

"Are we supposed to just let this go, then?"

Ya Fei looked at Zhou Changqing indignantly, as though she had been the one surrounded and targeted for death.

Having suffered such a huge loss, Zhou Changqing naturally could not simply let it go.

Narrowing his eyes, a cold glint flashing through them, Zhou Changqing said slowly, "Of course I won't just let it go. Otherwise, they'll think I'm easy to bully. I already have a plan. Before long, I'll send the Jia Lie Family and those other factions a generous gift!"

(End of chapter)