Zhao Sheng opened the paper and his heart immediately sank. It was almost identical to what he held in his hands.
The perfume workshop was clearly already exposed under the Wang Family's surveillance, yet he was completely unaware.
In the Cultivation World, one must never underestimate any cultivation family, especially those that have been glorious but have now fallen into decline, like the Wang Family of Fragrant Swallow Valley.
Zhao Sheng had long known that the coachman Wang Si was the Wang Family's mole.
Wang Si would not betray the Wang sisters, but that did not mean he would not secretly relay messages back to the Wang Family.
Zhao Sheng was prepared for this, but he had never imagined the Wang Family would be so shameless.
Today's lesson was profound, making him recall it occasionally even hundreds of years later.
Seeing Zhao Sheng remain silent, Wang Zonghai smiled and asked, "Young man, there shouldn't be any omissions in this document, right?!"
Zhao Sheng did not question the other party. It was pointless, and questioning is the display of incapability.
Faced with a predicament, his mind quickly started working, constantly searching for a way out.
The Zhao family and the perfume workshop aside, as the dominant force in Ganzhou, the cultivation Wang Family's situated power was certainly far beyond that of the Zhao family.
"What other bargaining chips are there?"
While pondering, an idea suddenly struck him.
If the Wang Family had already unraveled the trio's tracks, why hadn't they intervened directly and instead chose to quietly observe from the sidelines?
Seeing the smile reappear on the patriarch's face, Zhao Sheng suddenly conceived a bold idea.
It seems the Wang Family's strange behavior could all be attributed to the man in front of him.
Realizing this, Zhao Sheng raised the prescription he held and confidently said, "I recall someone once said, 'Interest is the sole motive of human actions.' You've gone through great lengths to create this situation, surely it wasn't just to toy with the junior? If you have any requests, please, feel free to speak directly."
Upon hearing this, Wang Zonghai suddenly burst out in hearty, genuine laughter.
"Excellent! If my descendants were half as clever as you in dealing with people, I would die content."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng's heart stuttered, thinking, "No way! Does this old man really want me to marry into the Wang Family?"
A real man should stand tall and mighty, how could he stoop to marrying into another family?
Zhao Sheng immediately reminded him, "Mr. Wang. My family has had only one child for three generations."
"If I'm not mistaken, you are the ninth in line in your generation," Wang Zonghai immediately exposed his lie.
"My parents passed away, and I need to offer incense yearly."
"With just a bit of effort, you could do the same in Fragrant Swallow Valley."
"Uh!"
Zhao Sheng was momentarily at a loss for words, left with no choice but to concede honestly, "Mr. Wang, it's impossible for me to marry into the Wang Family."
Only then did the people of the Wang Family realize what the old and the young were cryptically discussing.
In a flash, everyone was dumbfounded.
But Wang Zonghai's face darkened as he said, "Do you not want to marry my granddaughter?"
"I do. But I simply cannot betray my ancestors," Zhao Sheng replied.
What a joke! I am the founder of the Zhao family, how could I possibly betray myself.
Despite Wang Zonghai's subsequent threats and temptations, Zhao Sheng remained firm and shook his head in refusal.
Finally, Wang Zonghai gave in a step, "Let's make a gentleman's agreement then. If you can advance to the Innate Realm within three years, everything will be according to your wishes. If not, you'll marry into my Wang Family. Moreover, among the descendants of you and Yuqi, those without a Spirit Root can carry your surname, but those with a Spirit Root must bear the Wang surname."
Listen to how this is phrased.
The old man clearly had everything figured out from the start, yet he had initially pretended to be confused.
Hearing Wang Zonghai say this, Zhao Sheng immediately nodded, "Agreed, your word is my bond."
He was certain of victory! For he estimated that he could advance to the Innate within two years.
Wang Zonghai thought he had won, unaware that Zhao Sheng was a man with a plan.
Name: Zhao Zhiqin (Zhao Sheng)
Life Span: 18/120
Realm: First-class Martial Artist
Constitution: Hundred-year-old Body (Mortal Level), Light as a Feather (Mortal Level)
Talent: Dynamic Vision (Mortal Level)
Skill: Floating Light Sword Skill (Refined), Emerald Tide Technique (Great Success), Cloud Dragon Three Changes (Unprecedented), Wind Chasing Arrow Technique (Divine Transformation)
...
After that day, Zhao Sheng left Fragrant Swallow Valley alone.
Three days later, he returned to Zhao Family's Castle and, after two separate discussions with the Family Head He Xing and Clan Elder Zhao Taizhen, began his lengthy period of closed-door cultivation.
At the same time, a large group of martial arts experts suddenly appeared in Zhao Family's Castle, led by a man with a tiger's back and bear's waist.
Upon their arrival, they completely took over the perfume workshop and expanded its size tenfold in one fell swoop.
With the support of some mysterious power, the Zhao family quickly swallowed up several factions in the Ganzhou Martial World.
This caused a stir in the Ganzhou Martial World, with everyone crying wolf.
A year later, in a cultivation room within Zhao Family's Castle, Zhao Sheng sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly closed, a faint clear aura emerging above his head.
An elixir pill bottle lay in front of him on the floor, empty.
Thirty minutes earlier, Zhao Sheng had taken the last Essence Qi Pill and began his official attempt to break through to the Innate Realm.
Having the experience of advancing to the Innate Realm before, he smoothly converted all the Bi Hai True Qi in his body into Innate True Qi.
About an hour later, Zhao Sheng suddenly shook violently, his body soaring three feet off the ground before gently floating back to the floor.
Slowly opening his eyes, an excited expression appeared on Zhao Sheng's face.
With the aid of the Essence Qi Pills, he had advanced to Innate a year ahead of schedule.
The power of the elixir pills was terrifying!
...
Six months later, on the day the Ninth Young Master of the Zhao family got married, the whole of Nanyang City was astounded.
Because the people of Nanyang City had never seen anyone's marriage dowry stretch for twenty miles.
The Zhao family was tremendously generous, laying out thousands of tables for a continuous feast that lasted a month.
During that month, even the skinniest beggar in Nanyang City gained more than ten pounds.
This grand wedding was discussed enthusiastically by the people of Nanyang for nearly a hundred years.
A year later, Zhao Sheng had his first son, unfortunately without a Spirit Root.
The following year, a lovely daughter was born, still without a Spirit Root.
Zhao Sheng was not discouraged and continued his grand endeavors hidden within Zhao Family's Castle.
One night in the third year, the increasingly delicate and elegant Wang Yu Yan suddenly approached Zhao Sheng.
Her first words upon seeing him were, "I'm getting married!"
Zhao Sheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Congratulations!"
"A Sixth Level Qi Refining Loose Cultivator has agreed to marry into the Wang family. My father has agreed. Next month, on an auspicious day, we will have the wedding."
Wang Yu Yan looked intently at the man opposite her, her tone unusually calm as if she were discussing someone else.
"...Congratulations!" Zhao Sheng, not knowing what else to say, repeated his earlier words.
"Hmph, a man without courage!"
Having said that, Wang Yu Yan suddenly leaped and tackled Zhao Sheng to the ground.
Indeed, the mighty Innate Grandmaster was easily brought down.
"I want you!"