Chapter Seventy-One: The Conspiracy Begins

Four men and three women gathered around the table, thoroughly enjoying their meal. In the midst of eating, Xuanyuan Zhe suddenly exclaimed, “Ah! The food is delicious, but if only we had a glass of wine to go with it, that would be perfect!”

The others all laughed at him inwardly for being so naive. Where would they find wine at a time like this? Their storage pouches were barely enough for essentials—who would waste space on liquor unless they were a true drunkard?

“What kind of wine do you want?” Tang Wei suddenly asked, startling everyone. Their eyes widened in disbelief, including Zi Xuan, who looked utterly astonished. Even he had no idea! Zi Xuan had lived with the Tang family for five years, and with Father Tang’s influence and Mother Tang’s indulgence, he had developed a slight fondness for wine. Whenever the mood struck, he and Father Tang would drink themselves into a stupor, so whenever Tang Wei spotted alcohol, she made a point to hide it.

“Heh, I don’t have anything fancy, but I can provide a few bottles of regular beer or baijiu,” Tang Wei said, setting down her chopsticks with a cheerful smile.

“Shi Yi, two glasses please, I’m begging you!” Xuanyuan Zhe knew how to play the fool, instantly dropping his dignity and adopting a pitiful look that had everyone laughing. Tang Wei took a few bottles of beer from her storage, handing them over—beer was ideal for the wilderness since it wouldn’t get anyone drunk, yet everyone could still enjoy themselves.

Xuanyuan Zhe rubbed the bottles, still unsatisfied, and shamelessly said, “If only it were ice-cold beer!”

“Stop being ridiculous, look at yourself—utterly embarrassing!” Yun Qian rolled her eyes at him. This little Zhe was truly a disgrace; he was making the whole Xuanyuan family lose face. All he ever did as a child was bicker with her. Yet some still thought he was fit to inherit the Xuanyuan family’s headship—the old man was far too biased. The eldest sister would be a much better choice.

“That’s not difficult. If you call me ‘big sister’ twice, I’ll grant your wish. How about it?” Tang Wei teased him further.

“Yun Qian, you’re so annoying!” Xuanyuan Zhe shot her an impatient look, then turned to Tang Wei, curiosity in his voice. “Shi Yi, you really have a way? Fine! Big sister, good big sister! Please, have mercy and help me out!” His act of feigned misery sent everyone into another round of laughter. With him around, boredom could never take root in this group—though who knew how long these peaceful days would last? In the shadows, danger crept ever closer, and none could say if they’d escape it.

After everyone had had their fun, Tang Wei took the beers, channeled her water spiritual energy, and soon the bottles were covered in a frosty chill. She cooled the rest and distributed them. The men, rare to have such leisure, drank and made merry until the moon rose high, then finally packed up for rest.

The days that followed were leisurely ones, the group wandering through the forest, hearts light as if on an outing. Their interactions were lively as well. For instance, Chen Jiayi kept trying to approach Tang Wei, but she remained oblivious; every time he sought her out, either Yun Qian, Xuanyuan Zhe, or sometimes even Zi Xuan would conveniently interrupt. After several days, he still hadn’t succeeded, and he secretly cursed the three of them bitterly.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Qianru trailed after Zi Xuan every day, her intentions growing ever more obvious. The group all saw through her, but pretended not to notice. Zi Xuan himself was clearly trying to avoid her, dodging at every opportunity, as if escape couldn’t come quickly enough.

After everyone had enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content, word finally arrived from the Xuanyuan family—they had located the Twin Fiends of Tianshan, but there was still no sign of Yaya. The message urged them to hurry over and give instructions. It seemed things had taken another turn, and Tang Wei, anxious, set out at once.

The Twin Fiends had been hiding on the eastern side of the original valley, likely waiting for the searchers to leave before making their move—only to be beaten to the punch. By the time Tang Wei and her group arrived, the bodies were already cold. However, the first to find them had left the corpses untouched, cordoning off the area to prevent others from approaching, evidently waiting for Tang Wei and her companions to search for clues.

Before they could begin their investigation, news came that agents from the National Security Bureau had also found the site. The Xuanyuan family’s people held them at bay, barring entry, which had them fuming with rage.

As Ouyang Qihua and the others approached, two middle-aged men stormed over. “Young Master Ouyang, Young Master Xuanyuan, Young Master Chen, I’m the officer appointed by the chief to supervise this case. There’s been a fatality—we must conduct a thorough investigation. That is my duty! Yet your people keep us out. I expect an explanation from your three families.”

“Long San, you again? It’s been a while! Where have you been lately?” Ouyang Qihua, a seasoned operator in his own right—if not quite as crafty as the family head, then at least a clever sort—sidestepped the question, steering the conversation off course.

Long San, no novice himself, pressed on sternly, “Enough with the small talk. I want an explanation. Is the National Bureau not allowed to intervene? Don’t forget—the victim was a rogue cultivator. This isn’t just an internal family matter! It’s not like last time, when you could brush it aside with a request for internal resolution. This time, the Bureau must take charge. Handle it as you see fit.”

“Every nation has its laws, every family its rules. My people follow orders. Without their superior, they can only do their duty—if anyone let you in without orders, they’d be beaten to death by family law. I’d wager your Bureau is even stricter. Now that we’re here and have given the order, no one will stop you. You may enter and investigate alongside us.” In just a few sentences, Ouyang Qihua left him with nothing to say.

“It had better be just that! Long Jiu, go in and search for clues!” After assigning Long Jiu, Long San turned, his tone righteous, addressing Zi Xuan: “These two must be the instigators of this affair. Surprised things came to this, weren’t you, seniors?”

“So what if we are? Perhaps our initial decision was hasty, but I’m certain no one would dare harm the one we seek. Finding her is only a matter of time. The fate of others is none of our concern. In the world of cultivation, it’s survival of the fittest; don’t think your Bureau’s few rogue cultivators can change such a brutal truth! Let me tell you, with my skill and my senior sister’s, anyone who harms our people—no matter if they flee to the underworld—we’ll drag them out of hell itself, tear apart their souls, and ensure they never know rebirth!” Zi Xuan’s arrogance blazed as he spoke, a clear message to Long San and his men, as well as a warning to whomever had secretly taken Yaya.

Tang Wei, listening from the side, couldn’t help but cheer inwardly. At first, Long San’s questioning made her heart race in fear—after all, she was born and raised in China, and not from the world of cultivation. Facing state authorities still made her nervous. Despite the support of her dimensional space and having survived life-and-death trials, at heart she was still a simple country girl.

Now, seeing Zi Xuan’s forceful display, Tang Wei’s eyes sparkled. “Zi Xuan has become so impressive! Why does my heart pound when I see him like this? Turns out he’s not as clueless as I thought!”

If Zi Xuan knew this was how Tang Wei always viewed him, he might just faint. Back at home, he only acted foolish to tease her and see her get flustered! Had he known this would win her heart, why bother ruining his image to please her in the first place?