"Alas, that thing is the foundation upon which our Zhong family will stand tall in Meng Country in the future. Naturally, it must be given the best protection. It absolutely cannot fall into another's hands..."
"Please forgive me, Patriarch. Had this child not been careless, Xiao Hua would never have discovered it!" Zhong Peifu said dejectedly.
"It matters not. Xiao Hua only knows it is a place for artifact refinement; he does not know what lies within!" Zhong Tianyao waved a hand. "Besides, he is merely a cultivator from Xi Country. Once we capture him, we will kill him before he can speak. Even if Thunder Control Sect disciples come looking, can Thunder Control Sect deny his crime of killing dozens of our Zhong family's low-level disciples?"
"Then should Jing'er still go to Feihe Mountain?" Zhong Peiyuan asked.
Zhong Tianyao shook his head. "Not for now. Qin Kai and Fei Siqing are refining artifacts and have no mind for anything else. Did you not hear what Jing'er said? He did not even accept the storage pouch. He has no intention of coming at all. Otherwise, the things inside would be enough to move him!"
"This child understands." Zhong Peiyuan and Zhong Peifu nodded.
"During this time, strengthen your patrols. Do not let any more lives be lost!" Zhong Tianyao instructed.
"Yes!"
After the two left, Zhong Tianyao frowned again. Sitting upright in his chair, he sank into thought.
Several dozen more days passed without notice. It was another moonless night, and all of Zhongling Mountain Villa was steeped in an atmosphere of extreme tension. Everyone knew that the last two times Xiao Hua had entered Zhongling Mountain Villa to kill had both been at this hour. If nothing unexpected happened, he would come again tonight!
Even Zhong Yedong, seated at