In the great kingdom of Kun, within the bustling city of Xuan, a grand courtyard housed a significant assembly. Inside the main hall, eight individuals were seated, divided into two distinct rows.
Four individuals occupied the seats of honor, their presence commanding respect. Below them, in the subordinate row, sat four others whose status was evidently lower. Among these lower-ranked individuals were two familiar faces: the heads of the Zhao and Qian families, whom Zhong Shan had encountered over a year ago in Dragon Gate Valley.
"Second Grandfather, hasn't anyone from the imperial Su family arrived yet?" Zhao Family Head addressed one of the senior figures.
The addressed elder glanced at him and replied, "The Su family intends to use us to eliminate the Zhong family, reaping the benefits without expending any effort."
"Zhong Shan? You all fear him this much? He's only been in the Innate stage for just over a year. I could capture and kill him single-handedly," another ancestor scoffed.
"Grandfather, don't underestimate Zhong Shan. He is extremely formidable and dangerous. If he hadn't reached the Innate stage, we could have waited for his natural end and taken everything from him. But now, with a lifespan of two hundred years at the Innate stage, and his talents likely preventing him from reaching the Golden Core stage, he will inevitably focus on worldly power and influence. That would spell disaster for our families," the Qian Family Head quickly explained.
"Humph, you are unworthy of leading the Qian family," the Qian family's ancestor retorted coldly. The thought that a mere merchant could instill such fear in a family head was intolerable.
"No, Ancestor, it's not that I'm weak. It's that Zhong Shan is genuinely terrifying. It's not just the Qian family; ask the Zhao, Sun, and Li family heads. We all understand this. So, while it's embarrassing to request your intervention, if it can rid our families of this great threat, I am willing to relinquish my position as head," the Qian Family Head pleaded earnestly.
Hearing this, the Qian family's ancestor narrowed his eyes and looked at the other family heads. Their expressions mirrored the same concern.
The four ancestors exchanged glances, their brows furrowing with the weight of the decision.
"When do we act?" Zhao family's ancestor asked bluntly.
"Ancestor, dealing with Zhong Shan is not just a matter for our four families. The imperial family should be even more concerned. Let's wait ten more days. If the imperial family remains inactive, we will storm the Zhong residence ourselves," proposed the Zhao Family Head.
The others nodded in agreement.
In the northeastern region of the Great Kun Kingdom, an inn had been completely taken over by a group of more than twenty individuals. All other patrons had been unceremoniously cleared out, and any martial artists who attempted to protest were swiftly dealt with by the guards at the door.
At a large table laden with local delicacies, only two people were seated—a man and a woman. The woman, exuding a noble aura, was none other than Princess Qianyou, who had recently pursued Hao San. The man was the notorious playboy, Gu Lin. Beside them stood Mr. Shuijing, calmly fanning himself with a feather fan.
Princess Qianyou was not eating but rather listening intently to a report from a man kneeling before her. Once the report was finished, she stood and paced back and forth, frowning in deep thought.
"Qianyou, didn't you say you wanted to try the local dishes? Why aren't you eating?" Gu Lin asked, chopsticks in hand, looking puzzled.
Princess Qianyou cast a disdainful glance at him and replied, "You go ahead."
"What's wrong?" Gu Lin put down his chopsticks and asked.
Princess Qianyou turned to look at Mr. Shuijing, who was standing quietly to the side. Despite his silent stance, he continued to fan himself with a calm smile on his face.
"Sir, what do you think?" Princess Qianyou asked Mr. Shuijing.
"The princess already has her suspicions, why ask me?" Mr. Shuijing replied with a smile.
Princess Qianyou's eyes gleamed, as if something had just occurred to her.
Seeing the cryptic exchange between Princess Qianyou and Mr. Shuijing, Gu Lin asked impatiently, "Shuijing, what's going on?"
Mr. Shuijing sighed internally at his young master's ignorance but explained nonetheless, "The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation in the Eight Gates Mountain has a ten percent chance of housing a formation spirit."
"Only a ten percent chance?" Gu Lin frowned.
To Princess Qianyou and Mr. Shuijing, ten percent was quite significant, but Gu Lin didn't grasp the magnitude of it. Mr. Shuijing could only shake his head in silent resignation.
"Ten percent is already quite a lot," Princess Qianyou explained, frowning.
"In that case, let's go there. If we find it, I'll snatch it and give it to you, Qianyou," Gu Lin declared confidently.
However, Princess Qianyou turned to Mr. Shuijing and said, "Sir, I will need your wisdom for this. If we obtain the formation spirit, I am willing to share it with you."
"Share what? If we find it, I'll decide and give it directly to you, Qianyou," Gu Lin interrupted.
Mr. Shuijing could only shake his head again, sighing internally at the young master's ignorance.
"Shut up," Princess Qianyou snapped, genuinely irritated.
"What did I do wrong by offering to give it to you?" Gu Lin asked, bewildered.
Princess Qianyou was at a loss for words, but one thing was certain—she regretted bringing Gu Lin along.
"Alright, let's set off now," Princess Qianyou said, frowning.
She then led the way, with Gu Lin by her side and the rest of the group following closely behind.
In the Grand Kun Kingdom, on the third day of Dark Emperor's arrival at the Zhong Residence in Xuancheng, Zhong Shan was at the top of the five-story pavilion. He meticulously reviewed the information that had been gathered from all directions, then stood at the top of the pavilion, gazing towards a distant residence. That place was where the four family heads and their elders resided.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Zhong Shan stood, his eyes glinting with a cold light as he stared at that place. Meanwhile, Tian Ling'er was by the pond in the Zhong Residence, learning to fish. At first, she was very enthusiastic, but after an hour with no catch, she grew increasingly impatient. How come Zhong Shan could catch fish so easily, yet she couldn't catch a single one? She even began to suspect that the fish might be trained by Zhong Shan.
As her frustration mounted, Tian Ling'er nearly threw her fishing rod in exasperation, grumbling continuously as she cursed the fish in the pond. Zhong Shan, standing at the top of the pavilion, turned his head and saw Tian Ling'er poking the fish in the pond with the tip of her fishing rod. He couldn't help but smile—no wonder she couldn't catch any fish; she was scaring them away.
Just as Zhong Shan was about to go down and guide her, he suddenly heard the sound of bells from above his head. Looking up, he saw a massive purple copper bell at the very top of the pavilion. Seeing the bell ring, Zhong Shan's eyes flashed with surprise, then softened with a loving smile. He swiftly descended the pavilion.
The bell was not only in the pavilion but in many places throughout the Zhong Residence. All the bells were ringing.
Tian Ling'er, who was hitting the fish with her fishing rod, suddenly heard bells ringing from various eaves nearby. She quickly tossed aside her fishing rod, curious to see what was happening. Just then, she saw Zhong Shan hurrying along a corridor, and she immediately ran towards him, wondering if enemies were attacking.
Catching up to Zhong Shan, she saw him rushing towards a secluded courtyard. Zhong Shan stopped outside the courtyard and stood, waiting patiently as if expecting someone to open the door from inside.
"Zhong Shan, are the enemies here?" Tian Ling'er asked anxiously.
Zhong Shan glanced at her, shook his head, and smiled, "No, it's a relative of mine."
"A relative?" Tian Ling'er echoed, puzzled.
Inside the courtyard, in a small house, a section of the floor in a corner suddenly parted. From beneath, a young woman swiftly emerged. She was stunningly beautiful, but more than that, she exuded a heroic spirit. Her confident face was full of excitement, and she wore slightly tight black clothing that accentuated her vibrant figure.
The woman, who appeared to be around twenty years old, was brimming with excitement as she rushed out of the hidden entrance. After tapping a few times on the ground, the floorboards closed up again. She hurried to the courtyard door but hesitated with her hand on the handle, suddenly feeling a mix of anticipation and reluctance.
"Ying Lan, open the door," Zhong Shan's cheerful voice called from outside.
Hearing this, Ying Lan's face lit up with joy and determination. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and opened the door to see Zhong Shan standing there with a warm smile.
Hearing Zhong Shan's voice, though it sounded a bit different from before, younger somehow, the woman in tight black clothes immediately recognized it—it was indeed Zhong Shan. Excitedly, Ying Lan opened the courtyard door with a bang.
As the door swung open, Ying Lan's eyes immediately focused on Zhong Shan, completely ignoring Tian Ling'er. Despite the changes in Zhong Shan's appearance from what she remembered, Ying Lan was certain it was him. She recognized Zhong Shan's eyes—there was no mistaking it. It also seemed Zhong Shan had reached the Xiantian stage.
Seeing the door open, Zhong Shan's face lit up with a kind smile. Meanwhile, Tian Ling'er, for some inexplicable reason, suddenly felt a wave of nervousness. Her eyes locked onto the woman in the courtyard, filled with an inexplicable sense of hostility.
Tian Ling'er quickly assessed the woman, noting her perfect, voluptuous figure and her sensuous attire. In comparison, Tian Ling'er felt like a little girl. Who was this woman? What was her relationship with Zhong Shan? These questions swirled in Tian Ling'er's mind, coupled with a growing sense of rivalry upon seeing Zhong Shan with such a beautiful woman.
"Gūyéyé (Granduncle)!" Ying Lan suddenly shouted and rushed towards Zhong Shan, throwing her arms around him like a koala bear, wrapping her arms around his neck, and showing no intention of letting go.
Seeing this affectionate and familiar gesture, Tian Ling'er felt a pang of jealousy but remained silent, watching the heartfelt reunion unfold. Zhong Shan, with a gentle smile, patted Ying Lan on the back, clearly happy to see her after a long time.