Shen Zhe had no luck in finding Blue Fox's Blood or the Gold and Silver Tobacco in the mall after searching for two hours. He had to return to school; Zhao Chen delivered the herbs that he prepared for him soon after.
"Have you found the rest of the herbs?" asked Zhao Chen with curiosity.
Shen Zhe shook his head.
He didn't intend to reveal that he had solved the question in the Empyrean One Pavilion just yet.
"I told my father that you were wounded. He said that it's not easy to find the Gold and Silver Tobacco, but the Blood of the Blue Fox shouldn't be too hard!" said Zhao Chen.
Shen Zhe asked in a hurry, "Where can we find it?"
"The Blood of the Blue Fox is rare partly because it's hard to hunt the fox, and partly because it's difficult to preserve the blood. Its effect will be gone in one day!" explained Zhao Chen.
His family ran an herb business. His father Zhao Fan had vast knowledge in medicine and their characteristics.
"That is why the useful Blood of the Blue Fox is always newly fetched… we have to capture a living Blue Fox to get the blood. My father has sent a message. There should be responses soon!"
Zhao Chen continued, "One of my family's suppliers saw a Blue Fox once!"
"Thank you for your trouble…" Shen Zhe said gratefully.
Zhao Chen and his father had done him a great favor.
He had to return the favor in the future.
"You're welcome…" Zhao Chen was about to continue, when someone knocked the door anxiously and said, "Shen Zhe, are you there?"
He opened the door and Liu Pengyue rushed inside.
"It's good that you're here, Shen Zhe. I had trouble finding you…" said Liu Pengyue nervously, "Wang Xiaofeng seems to be in trouble!"
"Trouble?" Shen Zhe was puzzled.
"We were talking just now when a bunch of people showed up. His face changed when he saw them, and he asked me to leave immediately. It didn't feel right… There was little I could do by myself so I ran to find you!" said Liu Pengyue.
"Let's go and take a look!" Zhao Chen rose.
Shen Zhe nodded.
He certainly couldn't idle by when his friend was in trouble.
They went to Wang Xiaofeng's dormitory and entered without hesitation.
Wang Xiaofeng was seated on one side of the room, while a young guy and three middle-aged men were on the other.
"Are they your cronies?"
Sneering, the young man said with disdain, "You people have no shame. Not even when you're in the last four places of your school… You're an embarrassment to the Wang family!"
"Wang Zheng, please show them some respect. They're my friends!"
Wang Xiaofeng reprimanded him while he clenched his fists.
Shen Zhe and his friends looked at each other and frowned.
Although angry, they could tell that the strangers were from Wang Xiaofeng's family; it was inappropriate for them to intervene as outsiders.
"Okay, respect!"
Wang Zheng ignored Shen Zhe and said condescendingly, "Enough with the crap. You should know why we're here."
"I'm not a smart guy. You'd better stop beating around the bush!" said Wang Xiaofeng.
"Alright, let's talk in plainer terms!"
Wang Zheng frowned and said, "Everybody knows that the eighth stage of body polishing has been created. You should offer the herb liquid to the family, since it can quickly raise your status to the peak of stage six."
"It's true that it's unlikely that you'll succeed as patriarch with your talent and your grades. However, you should make contributions proportional to your privileges as a member of the family!" said one of the middle-aged men.
"You needn't do anything. All you have to do is reveal the source of your herb liquid…" said another middle-aged man.
Shen Zhe became grave.
He didn't expect that he would be involved.
It seemed that he had underestimated the influence of the eighth stage of body polishing.
"I won't tell you anything about the herb liquid. You should go!" Wang Xiaofeng waved his hand.
"Wrong choice!"
Wang Zheng said gloomily, "Don't you know how much your father has invested in you over the years? Yet, you've only illuminated three stars, and you haven't picked up any battle technique yet…"
"There are rules regarding the distribution of family resources, and using them for selfish reasons violates the rules. Your father will lose his position as the patriarch as long as three elders file an impeachment! Don't act as if you're a young master. I'm not here to discuss with you, but to inform you to surrender the herb liquid whether you are happy or not!"
"Are you threatening me?" Wang Xiaofeng narrowed his eyes.
"It's not a threat, it's just a fact. Your branch has controlled the family long enough. It's time for someone else to take the mantle!"
Wang Zheng said indifferently, "However, if you give the herb liquid to me, I'll talk to the elders and allow your father to retire gracefully instead of being ousted!"
He then stood up and placed a pile of paper on the desk. "Think about it. I'll give you three days; I'll have your answer by then. These are the resources that your father wasted on you. If you don't want me to show it to the family, you know what to do…"
Wang Zheng gave him a scornful look and left after that, followed by the three middle-aged men.
"Xiaofeng, what exactly is this about?" Zhao Chen couldn't help but ask.
"It's my fault…"
Shaking his head, Wang Xiaofeng said in frustration, "My father gave me a lot of rare resources, but it was all in vain due to my poor grades! According to the family rules, those with good grades should have more resources, while members with my aptitude shouldn't get any…"
"Wang Zheng is my peer, but he has already broken through the obstacles of the Seven Star Stage to become a level-one Mage. He found out what my father did, so he convinced three elders of the family to force me to surrender the herb liquid, otherwise he would reveal my father's scandal…"
"Well…" Shen Zhe didn't look very good.
He didn't know that his herb liquid would become Wang Zheng's leverage.
"Shen Zhe, rest assured. I've spoken with Zhao Chen, I won't say a thing about the herb liquid to anyone!" said Wang Xiaofeng as he looked at him.
Exposing the truth would only put Shen Zhe in trouble. He would never do that.
Shen Zhe frowned and said, "But your father may be punished if you don't talk…"
"It's fine. I'll just argue that I begged my father to do that. I was the one who used up the resources anyway. It's no big deal!" said Wang Xiaofeng.
"A Family's internal strife can't be so simple…" Liu Pengyue shook his head.
The bigger the family was, the fiercer its competition would be. Things couldn't be as gentle as he claimed, should Wang Xiaofeng's enemy attack him!
"You should probably reveal it!" said Shen Zhe.
Although it would be revealed sooner or later, he knew that the secret was best to be kept as long as possible.
However, he could tell that Wang Xiaofeng would be in major trouble if he kept it a secret, so it would be for the best to admit it.
Shen Zhe was confident that nobody could harm him as long as he stayed in school, also considering his status as a descendant from the four greatest families.
"You've done me a great favor. As a friend, I cannot put you in danger…" Wang Xiaofeng shook his head.
"Actually… There's a solution!"
Zhao Chen suddenly opened his mouth.
Everybody looked at him.
"According to family rules, those with good grades are entitled to more resources. There's nothing your family members can say about using those resourcesIf you're first place instead of last place, right?" argued Zhao Chen.
"Yes!" said Wang Xiaofeng with a bitter smile, "But you know how bad my grades are…"
"I'm not talking about grades. There's going to be a contest in two days, right? We're all in the sixth stage of body polishing. If we form a team and get a decent result, so what if your father invested resources in you? Your performance would prove you worthy of those resources…" explained Zhao Chen.
"Taking part in the contest and getting a good result?"
"It's indeed the best solution…" Wang Xiaofeng was enthused first but shook his head later. "However, can we really get a good result?"
Everybody was silent.
Although all of them were at the peak of the sixth stage of body polishing, there were too many geniuses in the school who had illuminated the Seven Stars and practiced battle techniques. Those people were too strong for them.
"Whether or not we can, it's the only way!" Zhao Chen looked at them and said, "Let's set up a team! I'll sign us up today!"
"Alright, I'm on board!" Liu Pengyue and Wang Xiaofeng nodded. They looked at Shen Zhe and asked, "What about you, Shen Zhe?"
"I…" Instead of giving a straight answer, Shen Zhe paused while deep in thought.