The Jia Lie Family, inner courtyard council hall.
Crack!
A fine blue-and-white porcelain teacup shattered against the floor, scalding tea splashing across the bluestone tiles and raising a cloud of white mist.
The hall was silent as the grave. Several family elders held their tongues like cicadas in winter.
Jia Lie Bi sat in the seat of honor. Rather than erupt in anger, he slowly rubbed his thumb ring.
Dark clouds now covered his face, which bore the marks of the passing years.
"Useless! A dignified Four-Star Dou Zhe, and a Two-Star Dou Zhe orphan from a collateral branch caught you across the neck with a single stroke! How do you, Jia Lie Shan, still have the face to report this to me!"
Below him, Jia Lie Shan knelt trembling on the floor, a blood-staunching plaster stuck to his neck, not even daring to raise his head.
"Please calm your anger, Patriarch... that Lu Ze... there's something uncanny about him!"
"I remember clearly that he practiced the most worthless basic swordsmanship! But today, that Sword Qi... that Sword Qi, I couldn't do anything against it! Even my Mysterious Tier longsword couldn't withstand it!"
"I suspect he must have secretly cultivated some high-tier Dou Technique, or... he's been hiding his true cultivation!"
"Hiding his cultivation?" Jia Lie Bi cast him a cold glance.
"To what end? If he was hiding his cultivation, why would he teach you a lesson today?"
"An orphan raised on the family's charity-where would he get the cultivation methods and resources to hide his cultivation?"
"In my view, he most likely stumbled upon some fortuitous encounter, or merely awakened some kind of mutated Dou Qi..."
Jia Lie Bi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart.
As the patriarch of the Jia Lie Family, he was no brute who knew only how to rage.
On the contrary, his ruthless patience and calculations were precisely what had allowed him to sit steady on his fishing platform through more than a decade of strife among Wutan City's three great families.
He was angry not because Lu Ze had injured one of his younger kin, but because he somewhat regretted failing to rein in the family's younger members, perhaps creating a rather serious rift between Lu Ze and the family.
And only going forward could he mend that bond.
Lu Ze, oh, Lu Ze! Why did you only become strong now!
Still, he can't leave the family right now either, or he wouldn't have attacked Jia Lie Shan. Resources...
A genius like him needs more resources to grow.
"The struggle between our family and the Xiao Clan over the mine vein has already reached fever pitch. We've already lost quite a few men because of the Xiao Clan."
Jia Lie Bi tapped his fingers lightly against the table, his gaze flickering.
"At a time like this, we absolutely cannot have disorder within the family, especially among you younger members."
"Now that Lu Ze has displayed strength enough to kill enemies above his rank, if your stupidity drives him over to the Xiao Clan, Jia Lie Shan, even ten thousand deaths would not absolve you!"
Jia Lie Shan shuddered, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
"Patriarch, then... are we just letting this go? Lu Ze may be strong, but he hasn't matured yet."
"Besides! He isn't from the main family!"
"Heh!" A mocking curve rose at the corner of Jia Lie Bi's mouth.
"The Jia Lie Family doesn't keep useless people, but we absolutely cannot let a genius slip away. So what if he's from a collateral branch?"
"He needs resources, so I'll give them to him. Then he'll have to depend on our Jia Lie Family."
"But once he takes the family's benefits, he'll have to risk his life for the family."
"Once the dust settles over the South City Mine Vein, an orphan with no foundation-if he's a dragon, he'll coil up; if he's a tiger, he'll lie down for me."
"Then we'll take a look at this so-called fortuitous encounter of his!"
Jia Lie Bi rose, straightened his sumptuous brocade robe, and said mildly:
"Go invite Lu Ze to the council hall."
"I'd like to see just how big an appetite he has."
Half an hour later, Lu Ze stepped into the council hall.
He had changed into a clean, close-fitting blue outfit washed pale with wear, his back ramrod straight.
Facing the scrutinizing gazes of the elders in the hall and the intangible pressure of the Da Dou Shi seated in the place of honor, Lu Ze did not even blink. His expression remained calm, like a pool of stagnant water.
"Lu Ze, I've already heard about what happened at the training grounds."
"Jia Lie Shan went far too far. I've already punished him by sending him to the South City Mine Vein to atone through meritorious service."
Jia Lie Bi spoke first, his tone surprisingly gentle, even carrying a trace of an elder's affection.
"When our Jia Lie Family rose to prominence in Wutan City centuries ago, it was through the deep affection and friendship among the younger generation."
"Now that I've heard about this incident, I am naturally deeply pained."
"You... have been wronged."
Lu Ze sneered inwardly.
What an old fox!
He opened by playing on sentiment, pushing all responsibility onto Jia Lie Shan, as though he were a wise ruler who dealt out rewards and punishments fairly.
He'd slipped neatly out of sight!
"You're too kind, Patriarch."
Lu Ze cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing.
"Young Master Jia Lie Shan was merely following orders, with a little arrogance in his everyday conduct."
"After all, within the family, it is the collateral branches' duty to shoulder the main line's worries.
"I only fear my abilities are limited. If I went to the South City Mine Vein, I might delay the family's mission, throw away my life for nothing, and fail your expectations, Patriarch."
The corner of Jia Lie Bi's eye twitched slightly.
The boy spoke softly, but every word kept pointing back to the matter of sending him to his death.
"Hehe, it's good for young people to have some temper. Jia Lie Shan is far too overbearing. If he offended a senior outside because of it... he'd better go temper his disposition at the mine."
"As for you, Lu Ze." Jia Lie Bi gave two dry chuckles and simply stopped beating around the bush.
"The talent you've displayed does indeed warrant different treatment from before."
"The Jia Lie Family will not let talent go to waste."
"Starting tomorrow, you'll move into a Grade Bing residence in the inner courtyard, and your monthly resource allotment will equal Jia Lie Shan's."
"Fifty gold coins, three portions of Qi Gathering Powder, and one bottle of Qi Recovery Powder each month."
Jia Lie Shan laid out the terms, watching Lu Ze's expression intently, trying to catch a look of profound gratitude on his face.
After all, to an orphan from a collateral branch, this was already an immense favor.
Yet Lu Ze's expression remained as calm as water.
"Patriarch, fifty gold coins and three portions of Qi Gathering Powder are indeed the treatment afforded to core disciples."
Lu Ze's tone was mild, as though he were discussing the day's weather.
"But it still isn't enough for me. I want to push toward higher realms. This alone isn't enough."
Jia Lie Bi frowned slightly, his tone growing heavier.
"Lu Ze, one mustn't be too greedy. The Jia Lie Family's yearly income is limited too..."
"Patriarch! You've misunderstood me."
Lu Ze interrupted him, his voice ringing firm and clear.
"I don't want fifty gold coins. I want an advance in gold. I want an advance of one thousand gold coins as a settling-in allowance.
"I want a Grade Jia residence in the inner courtyard!"
At these words, all the elders in the council hall sucked in a breath of cold air.
A Grade Jia residence?
That was treatment only Jia Lie Bi's own son was entitled to enjoy!
And he wanted a settling-in allowance of one thousand gold coins?
Why didn't he just turn to robbery!
"Insolence!" First Elder Jia Lie Bi roared.
"How dare someone from a collateral branch bargain with the patriarch?!"
"Please be calm, First Elder."
Jia Lie Bi raised a hand to stop Jia Lie Nu and gave Lu Ze a long look, a trace of appreciation and wariness flashing in his eyes.
Neither servile nor overbearing, clear in his aims, and even daring to bargain face-to-face with a Da Dou Shi.
With such a temperament, this boy is no creature destined to remain in a pond!
"One thousand gold coins is too much. The family can only give you five hundred for now."
Jia Lie Bi spoke slowly.
"I'll also agree to the Grade Jia residence. As for the condition, when the matter of the mine comes, I want you to help the family kill at least one high-ranking steward of the Xiao Clan!"
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