At this time, Quliu Town was utterly desolate. The shops and merchants had all been relocated by Wei Yuan, making it impossible for the town to recover any vitality in such a short span. The only sign of life in the entire town came from the Xu family's cluster of large manors.
The adviser swaggered up to the front gates of the Xu residence with several soldiers in tow, only to see dozens of burly laborers and house-trained guards clearing out the shanties in the adjacent area.
The adviser grabbed hold of one of the burly men and demanded, "What are you doing here?"
The man wore a vicious scowl. Glaring fiercely, he barked, "Who do you think you are, putting your hands on your grandfather?"
He had such a ruthless look about him that the adviser's hand trembled, quickly letting go before stating his identity.
Hearing that the man was from the Commandery Prefect's Office, the burly man did not dare cause a scene. "We have too many people in the household and not enough rooms, so the Family Head wants to build a few more courtyards. He sent us to clear the lot. Fortunately, there isn't a soul left around here, so a single torch is all it takes."
"Carry on then, good fellow." The adviser parted from the man with a fake smile and headed toward the main gate of the Xu residence. Once he was a short distance away, his expression immediately darkened. The Western Regions was teeming with outlaws, and that brute clearly had many lives on his hands; the adviser felt there was no need to lower himself to such an animal's level.
Arriving before the front gate of the Xu residence, the adviser announced his name. Moments later, the head steward came rushing out. "The Family Head is hosting guests in the garden. We must trouble the adviser to come meet him there."
The adviser scoffed. "Has your master grown so proud lately that he dares make me walk to him?"
The steward offered an ingratiating smile. "Our Family Head is entertaining important guests and simply cannot pull himself away."
"Fine! I'd like to see just who these people are, and how important! Lead the way!"
With a scowling face, the adviser followed the steward past the side hall toward the garden. As soon as he crossed the threshold, an intoxicating aroma hit his nose, instantly setting his stomach to rumbling.
Not a single merchant remained in Quliu Town, and fresh game was exceedingly rare in the Shattered Lands. Ever since arriving with Yuan Qingyan, the adviser had not tasted a single bite of fresh meat; the kitchens held nothing but military rations like dried jerky.
Stepping out of the side hall, he saw a banquet laid out inside a pavilion in the garden. Twenty or thirty grand dishes were already spread across the table, and maidservants were still bringing out course after course in a steady stream.
Around a dozen people sat around the table, and Xu Jingfeng was not even occupying the seat of honor. The figure sitting dead center wore an exquisite jade mask of extraordinary elegance. Everyone else at the table wore masks as well, all of them quietly watching the adviser approach.
The adviser's face fell. Striding over with pompous steps, he sneered sarcastically, "Well, well! While the commoners outside struggle just to survive and Lord Prefect eats nothing but thin porridge and pickled greens three times a day, Family Head Xu lives in lavish luxury! Truly worthy of a great clan—living so much better than the Lord Prefect himself!"
Xu Jingfeng remained seated, a faint smile on his face. "Ah, it is the adviser. What, have you already used up the gifts I sent last time, and now Lord Prefect is coveting more?"
Seeing that Xu Jingfeng had not even bothered to stand, the adviser snorted and replied sinisterly, "I gave you a friendly reminder last time, yet it seems Family Head Xu took none of it to heart. I came today to inform Family Head Xu that several days have passed since your last offering. Isn't it time you showed your respect again? Family Head Xu is raising new manors and throwing banquets for guests—can you truly bear to watch the Lord Prefect dine on thin gruel while so many of our colleagues in the magistrate's office suffer cold and hunger?"
As he spoke, the adviser pulled out a chair, sat himself down at the table uninvited, and picked up a pair of chopsticks, reaching straight for one of the main dishes in the center.
Yet before his hand could reach it, a masked woman beside him caught his wrist. She snatched the chopsticks from his grip, snapped them in half, threw them to the ground, and stomped on them several times.
Trembling with rage, the adviser cried out, "Treason! Absolute treason! Who is this? Family Head Xu, have your men seize her at once!"
The masked woman said coldly, "Seize me? You think you're worthy?"
Even more infuriated, the adviser pointed at her and shouted, "Good, good, good! Once you are thrown into the grand prison, let's see how many of our methods you can endure! When the time comes, everyone high and low in that dungeon will be your husband! And if that isn't enough, we can call in a hundred more grunts!"
At that moment, the masked figure sitting in the center spoke. "To throw someone into prison, one must have a reason, no? Could it be that the reason is merely offending you?"
The adviser sneered. "Does the Commandery Prefect's Office need a reason to throw someone into prison?"
Xu Jingfeng glanced toward the central figure. Seeing him give a barely perceptible nod, Xu Jingfeng's expression darkened, and he made a sharp hand gesture.
Xu manor guards lurking in the shadows appeared, stepping up behind the adviser like murderous fiends. The soldiers accompanying the adviser attempted to intervene, but a guard shoved one so hard he tumbled over; seeing this, they prudently shrank to the side and kept their mouths shut.
Both guards were Dao Foundation cultivators. They hoisted the adviser like a helpless chick and hurled him out of the pavilion. Though the adviser was also at the Dao Foundation stage, he was of the frailest scholarly sort, utterly incomparable to these battle-hardened guards of the Xu manor.
Humiliated and furious, the adviser stomped his feet and shrieked, "Xu Jingfeng! What insolence! What is the meaning of this?"
Xu Jingfeng said coldly, "Did I invite you to sit at the table? A lowly servant like you thinks he's worthy to dine with the Xu family?"
The adviser's old face flushed crimson as he raged, "Good, good, good! Just you wait—Lord Prefect will not let you off for this!"
Xu Jingfeng sneered. "This young master does not step outside this manor. Protected within by our Xu family's ancestral spirit, Lord Yuan is welcome to come whenever he pleases—though I fear he might enter easily enough, but never leave!"
Knowing he had run into a brick wall today, the adviser turned to leave. Just then, the figure in the center of the table asked, "You're just going to let him leave like that?"
Realization dawned upon Xu Jingfeng. Gritting his teeth, he barked, "Men, break one of his legs and throw him out of the manor!"
"All four," the central figure murmured placidly.
Xu Jingfeng immediately amended, "Break all four limbs!"
The adviser squealed like a slaughtered pig, alternating between begging for mercy and shouting threats. But the Xu manor guards were long accustomed to acting lawlessly in the Shattered Lands, every single one of them soaked in blood. Given their Family Head's command, they showed not a shred of hesitation. With sickening crunches and cracks, they twisted and snapped the adviser's limbs, crushing several smaller bones in the process as he shrieked in agony.
Not stopping there, Xu Jingfeng ordered them to break the limbs of all the accompanying soldiers as well, after which they were hauled outside the town and dumped unceremoniously into a muddy ditch.
With the eyesores cleared away, everyone at the table removed their masks, and the banquet officially began.
The one sitting in the center was naturally Wei Yuan, while the rest were the aristocratic young masters and ladies he had brought out this time.
Wei Yuan had things on his mind and did not eat much, but the young masters and ladies were ravenous, digging in without a care in the world. Over the past days, they had practically been eating dirt inside the domain. There was nothing in Qingming; the only food available was plain grain or dried rations that tasted worse than raw grain. They had nearly forgotten what good food tasted like.
The Xu manor's cooks were quite skilled, and the branch family had abundant stores of every ingredient imaginable. Having learned to read the room, Xu Jingfeng saw the ravenous green glint in their eyes and had quietly instructed the kitchen to send out extra dishes, bringing forth every specialty they had. This instantly earned him immense goodwill from the young nobles.
At this point, Wei Yuan remarked, "It seems our Lord Prefect isn't having the easiest time. How about this: from now on, hold a banquet every few days right in the main hall so that everyone outside can see it. You are the Family Head; eat as well as you possibly can."
*Won't Lord Yuan want to murder me then...?* Xu Jingfeng thought to himself before asking, "A banquet needs a pretext, doesn't it?"
Wei Yuan said, "Pretexts are simple enough. Say it's because you're in a good mood, or because you slept in today. If you truly can't think of one, these folks can take turns keeping you company at the table."
Xu Jingfeng understood at once: this master intended to infuriate Yuan Qingyan!
Still young and impetuous, Xu Jingfeng vividly remembered how Yuan Qingyan had driven him away after accepting his gifts last time. Now that Wei Yuan had authorized him to thoroughly provoke Yuan Qingyan, he was more than eager to retaliate to the bitter end.
Wei Yuan then asked, "You mentioned earlier that the manor is protected by an ancestral spirit?"
Xu Jingfeng hurried to explain, "Originally, only the Family Head was privy to this, so I was unaware at first. It was only after envoys from the main clan arrived and formally appointed me Family Head that they told me. They guided me through a binding ceremony, which granted me the authority to direct the ancestral spirit and summon it to battle if necessary. If you are interested, I can take you to see it right now."
Wei Yuan nodded. "Very well, let us go see it now."
The two left the main compound and headed to a side quarter. Xu Jingfeng led the way to a secluded, seemingly uninhabited courtyard, pushed open the gate, and bowed deeply toward an ancient tree in the yard. Chanting an incantation under his breath, he then announced, "Old Ancestor, Jingfeng has brought a friend to pay his respects."
As if awakened by the incantation, the trunk of the old tree rippled, and the face of an aged man emerged on its bark.
Seeing Xu Jingfeng, the old tree smiled. "Good, good. Your cultivation has progressed again, and rare indeed is your karmic luck! You have truly brought honor to our Xu family. Where is your friend?"
Wei Yuan stepped out from behind Xu Jingfeng, bowed to the old tree, and said, "Xu Yuan of the Heaven-Battling Gang pays respects to Old Ancestor."
The old tree finally took a clear look at Wei Yuan, its expression turning contemplative and perplexed. "His surname is also Xu? Indeed, he seems to carry a trace of Wangu's aura. Is he from that long-lost bloodline? Come closer, let me look at you carefully."
Wei Yuan had already sensed the old tree's profound cultivation; it was likely at the late-stage dharma idol realm. However, it was in a peculiar state, seemingly using the tree's body to nourish a human Primordial Soul, which left its senses and thoughts somewhat sluggish.
Wei Yuan had plenty of ways to deal with such ancient tree spirits. Releasing a tiny wisp of the immortal laurel branch's aura and blending it with a trace of the aura from the Xu family's Sixth Elder, he walked up to the old tree, ready to manifest his cauldron at any moment.
The old tree scrutinized Wei Yuan closely and sniffed deeply. It felt an instinctive closeness mixed with an inexplicable sense of awe, murmuring, "Good, truly extraordinary! A talent such as yours must acknowledge your ancestors and return to the fold! I shall grant you a token. Take it to the main clan and seek out the Council of Elders. When they see my token, they will naturally arrange a suitable place for you. How could a junior like you be left wandering outside?"
As it spoke, the old tree shook its boughs vigorously, causing a branch to snap off and drop into Wei Yuan's hand. On the branch hung a greenish fruit that had clearly just sprouted.
"You may consume the fruit; it will aid your cultivation. Now, I... must sleep for a while..."
Producing this fruit seemed to have drained a vast amount of the old tree's energy. It slowly closed its eyes, its facial features fading away until it reverted back to an ordinary ancient tree.
Xu Jingfeng watched in dumbfounded shock, his expression turning exceedingly odd. He secretly wondered: *Could this master truly be surnamed Xu? If he really possesses a trace of the Immortal Ancestor's bloodline, wouldn't all that earlier life-and-death fighting look rather absurd?*
Knowing what he was thinking, Wei Yuan said coldly, "There is a saying: old eyes grow dim."
Xu Jingfeng hurried to agree.
Wei Yuan plucked the half-ripe fruit, tossed it casually to Xu Jingfeng, and said, "This fruit offers extra benefits to those of the Xu bloodline. It's yours."
"F-for me?" Xu Jingfeng fumbled, nearly dropping it.
"It's yours. Now step outside for a moment." Staring toward the wing room, Wei Yuan shoved Xu Jingfeng out of the courtyard.
Seeing Wei Yuan's solemn expression, Xu Jingfeng did not ask any questions. Leaving the courtyard, he bolted straight for the main residence to summon the aristocratic young masters and ladies.
Judging by Wei Yuan's look, Xu Jingfeng knew something had slipped inside. A presence capable of putting Wei Yuan on such high alert—one that even Old Tree had failed to notice—was far beyond his ability to handle. He had to fetch help.
Behind the window of the wing room sat a radiant, charming woman clad in red. She held a book in her hands, gazing quietly at Wei Yuan.
Though she sat right there, Wei Yuan felt a profound sense of unreality from her, and Xu Jingfeng had not noticed her at all.
The woman in red phased straight through the wall and stepped in front of Wei Yuan. She appeared alluring and vibrant, carrying an innate, languid grace, yet Wei Yuan could not detect the slightest warmth from her—she lacked any sensation of living flesh and blood.
The woman suddenly smiled and said, "To think you can actually see me. Truly worthy of being one of the most outstanding talents of the younger generation. I am Zhu Yuanjin of Haotian View. I had some grievances in the past with your Grandmaster Fenhai."
*So she's a senior from our sect!* Wei Yuan hurriedly bowed. "This disciple greets Martial Grand-Aunt!"
The woman in red said, "That old tree of the Xu family possesses a bit of attainment, having accumulated power for several hundred years. If it were ever to erupt, its might would be considerable. Thus, I came here specifically to keep close watch over it. For one, to keep it from noticing anything amiss; for another, so that in the final moment, you will have a way out."
She spoke with utter nonchalance, yet anyone capable of securing Wei Yuan an escape route in the final moment was bound to wield earth-shattering Dao arts.
"And when would that final moment be?" Wei Yuan asked.
The woman in red replied, "Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps never. It depends on how much trouble you stir up."
Wei Yuan felt a twinge of guilt. He suspected that if he truly stirred up trouble with all his might, he might have to flee this very night. But stirring up trouble was not simply a matter of intent; it was bound to karmic luck. He had never imagined that a casual swipe of his hand would reincarnate what was likely the Shamans' most pivotal genius in a thousand years.
Right then, Xu Jingfeng charged into the courtyard with a squad of guards. Before even taking in the situation, he barked, "What vile fiend dares trespass upon my family's ancestral grounds? Hand over my master at once and your life may yet be spared! Otherwise, we will refine your soul in true flame and burn you for forty-nine days before letting you die!"
Only after shouting the whole threat did Xu Jingfeng realize something was off. He quickly turned to Wei Yuan. "My lord, why are you here by yourself? Where did that fiend go? What did it look like? Did it escape already?"
Wei Yuan was at a loss for words.
The woman in red stood right beside Wei Yuan, watching in silence as Xu Jingfeng made a frantic fool of himself.
Chapter 215