In the end, neither He Miaojun nor Lianshan Jingcheng had the heart to beat filial piety into their son with a rod.
He Miaojun was even so moved that she hugged her son, casting a wary glare at Lianshan Jingcheng.
Her look left Lianshan Jingcheng caught between tears and laughter.
"My dear, what sort of man do you take me for? No matter how timid and averse to trouble I may be, I know Little Xin took that risk for your sake. How could I blame him?"
At this, Lianshan Jingcheng let out a soft sigh. "I'm only worried about Little Xin."
Hearing Lianshan Jingcheng say this, He Miaojun's mood grew heavy as well.
The road to soaring ambition naturally drew the envy of the world, but the bleaching bones lining both sides of the path were plain for all to see.
"Little Xin, a general's glory is built upon ten thousand withered bones," He Miaojun sighed as well.
Lianshan Xin remained utterly calm. "Mother, if we don't strive to become the general, won't we just end up as part of the ten thousand bones? Even if I hadn't joined Nine Heavens, once Chairman Qu's identity was exposed in the future, would our family really have escaped unwarranted disaster? Ordinary commoners have even less ability to guard against danger; they can only perish without knowing why. We might as well fight with all our might. This world isn't as safe as it seems."
Originally, Lianshan Xin had not felt such a sense of crisis.
However, ever since seeing that Chairman Qu was also a Demon Cult fiend, he realized he had lived far too comfortably over the past eighteen years.
Peace in Jiangzhou City in the past did not mean peace in the future.
Moreover, the armies wielding armed might in this world were hardly the people's army; one could never entrust one's safety to their protection.
He Miaojun did not refute Lianshan Xin's words.
Clearly, the fact that Chairman Qu was a Demon Cult fiend had shaken both He Miaojun and Lianshan Jingcheng immensely.
"Father, Mother, carry on with your work for now. I'll head over to the Qu household first. The Nine Heavens people are still stationed there. I'll tie up the loose ends, and then return to Bailudong Academy to report to Heavenly Sword."
Besides that, he had one more thing to do.
A moment later.
Just as Lianshan Xin stepped out of Huichun Hall, he saw two door gods flanking the entrance on either side.
"Brother Qi, Brother Jiu, why are you two here?"
*Why are you guarding my family's front door?*
Du Jiu said with a chuckle, "Sir, Tanhua Qi sent word. From now on, Brother Qi and I will be working under you and following your commands in everything."
"Don't worry about Huichun Hall, Sir. Little Jiu and I will keep an eye on it," Qi Wenbin patted his chest and promised.
Lianshan Xin was not surprised.
This was something Qi Shiyun had mentioned to him earlier.
Nor did he stand on ceremony.
"There actually is something I need help with from you two. Which of you is skilled at tailing and keeping watch?"
"I am," Qi Wenbin answered.
Du Jiu nodded.
"Good, then I'll trouble Brother Qi. Brother Qi, did you see the girl who just left my house?"
"Of course. Though young, that girl already shows devastating beauty. Given time, she will surely become a peerless stunner."
Evidently, Dai Yueying had left a deep impression on Qi Wenbin as well.
"Brother Qi, here is that girl's home address. Please help me keep an eye on her."
"Easy enough, easy enough."
Qi Wenbin flashed an understanding smile.
But Lianshan Xin said solemnly, "I suspect there's something wrong with her."
"What?"
Qi Wenbin's expression turned serious as well.
"What kind of problem? Is she a Demon Cult temptress too?"
"I'm not sure yet, which is why I need to trouble you to shadow her, Brother Qi."
"Understood. I'll go right away."
Taking the slip of paper from Lianshan Xin's hand, Qi Wenbin glanced at the address written on it, turned, and left.
With Demon Cult fiends lurking in Jiangzhou City these days, seeing Lianshan Xin act so solemn naturally led him to read into it.
Du Jiu had also read into it, asking in a low voice, "Sir, could that girl also be from the Demon Cult?"
"I don't know, which is why we must investigate."
Lianshan Xin didn't actually believe every random person he bumped into belonged to the Demon Cult.
How could there be so many demon whelps?
Nor did he have that kind of luck.
However, Dai Yueying's conduct had been far too deliberate and precocious. Coupled with Lianshan Jingcheng's assertion that she possessed an innate internal charm physique, Lianshan Xin had grown instinctively cautious.
Most importantly, Lianshan Jingcheng had said that if Dai Yueying cultivated charm arts, her martial arts cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.
And just moments ago, he had offended Dai Yueying.
Although in Lianshan Xin's eyes it was merely an ordinary rejection of a courtship, what if Dai Yueying was petty and narrow-minded?
Once she attained great success in martial arts down the road, he would be the one in trouble.
He still needed to guard against that possibility.
"Brother Jiu, how are things at the Qu household?"
"All quiet through the night, Sir. No need to worry. Just as Tanhua Qi said, the Demon Cult fiends don't dare clash head-on with us in Nine Heavens. Now that we've found their trail, all they can do is flee."
Lianshan Xin shook his head. "Actually, isn't there another possibility?"
"What possibility?"
"The Thousand Faces Demon is a master of disguise and concealment, and the most dangerous place is often the safest. If the Thousand Faces Demon killed one of our Nine Heavens brothers and slipped into our ranks, who among us could tell?"
Lianshan Xin looked at Du Jiu, his tone somber. "Just like right now—who knows if you might be the Thousand Faces Demon, Brother Jiu?"
Du Jiu jumped in fright. "Sir, please, don't make such jokes."
"Brother Jiu, can you be certain that *I'm* not the Thousand Faces Demon?"
Du Jiu's knees nearly buckled.
This was something he had never even considered.
He had never imagined such a twist was possible.
"S-Sir, you must be joking..."
Lianshan Xin chuckled and patted Du Jiu on the shoulder, saying calmly, "Right now, of course, it's a joke, but who's to say the Thousand Faces Demon won't actually do this? We still have to guard against it. Brother Jiu, I suggest you report this to Tanhua Qi or Lord Heavenly Sword and voice your concerns. No, you should only report to Tanhua Qi—going over someone's head is a huge taboo."
Hearing this, Du Jiu felt a surge of warmth in his chest. "Sir, it would be better if you reported it yourself."
"I'll pass. Reporting the Qu household was already my doing; I don't need another achievement." Lianshan Xin shook his head. "For a newcomer like me, stealing too much limelight isn't good. Brother Jiu, you and Brother Qi need to accumulate more merit."
Bailudong Academy was an excellent starting village for farming and developing; Lianshan Xin intended to grow steadily there.
Moreover, his current strength was too low, yet his contributions were already enormous. For the next phase, his most important goal was to raise his personal strength.
He had no pressing need for more achievements right now.
It was far better to use them to cultivate trusted followers.
Sure enough, Du Jiu was deeply moved.
"Du Jiu will keep your kindness engraved upon his heart, Sir."
"No need to be polite. We'll prove ourselves through action going forward," Lianshan Xin said with a light smile.
He knew how to groom drivers and secretaries, but he truly didn't know how ancients trained deathsworn soldiers.
Yet when he thought about it, it was probably nothing more than giving them money, giving them resources, and supplementing that with emotional bonds.
Of course, the most trouble-free way would be control through poison.
With Lianshan Jingcheng backing him, Lianshan Xin could genuinely pull that off. But Lianshan Xin wasn't that heartless; he still preferred using human methods first.
"I'll go check on the Qu household. If there's nothing else, I'll return to Bailudong Academy to report back to Lord Heavenly Sword."
"Hold on, Sir."
Du Jiu stopped Lianshan Xin.
He led Lianshan Xin to a corner of the Qu residence and informed him of something.
"Yesterday, after Tanhua Qi returned and reported back to Lord Heavenly Sword, Lord Heavenly Sword said that when handing out rewards according to merit, you, Sir, hold top credit. What Lord Heavenly Sword meant was that if your esteemed father is willing, Chairman Qu's medicinal ingredient business in the merchant guild can be handed over to him, provided half of the annual profits are handed over to us in Nine Heavens."
Lianshan Xin blinked, his heart leaping. "Half?"
"Yes, half."
"Lord Heavenly Sword is truly generous," Lianshan Xin praised with utter sincerity.
Never mind having to share half the profits with Nine Heavens.
From now on, Huichun Hall would essentially have a state-owned enterprise buying an equity stake!
Besides, not a single coin of profit from Chairman Qu's medicinal ingredient business had belonged to their family before.
Now, they merely had to surrender half of Chairman Qu's business profits to Nine Heavens; their family made a killing!
"I'll go back and discuss it with my father."
Though he called it a discussion, it was really a notification.
Lianshan Xin would never allow Lianshan Jingcheng to turn away a mountain of gold.
In this day and age, who didn't hope their father would become a dragon?
...
"Father, do you want to get rich overnight?"
Lianshan Jingcheng gave Lianshan Xin a look and decisively shook his head. "I don't."
"No, you do."
Lianshan Jingcheng said, "Meat pies don't just fall from the sky. Son, don't let yourself be scammed."
"No one's scamming me, Dad. Lord Heavenly Sword has given me a massive gift."
Lianshan Xin relayed Heavenly Sword's proposal to Lianshan Jingcheng.
Far from feeling flattered by the honor, Lianshan Jingcheng grew worried. "Doesn't that mean I'll have boarded Nine Heavens' pirate ship as well?"
"Dad, I've already boarded it, and you and Mother were never going to be able to untangle yourselves anyway. Can we stop lying to ourselves? Brothers stand together to fight a tiger; father and son fight side by side in battle! You have to put in some effort too."
Lianshan Xin was not the type to keep his family in the dark about everything. If he succeeded, he would bring glory to his ancestors; if he failed, nine generations of his clan might be wiped out. The danger was an objective reality, so his parents had to know in advance.
That way, even if they had to flee, they could prepare beforehand.
Lianshan Jingcheng felt helpless. "Little Xin, I'm not like you. I'm clumsy with words; I'm not cut out for dealing with people."
"Father, this isn't about dealing with people. It's about silver. Your son will be making his way in the imperial court in the future. If you don't earn more silver, I run the risk of becoming a corrupt official! And if I become a corrupt official, wouldn't you and Mother be in grave danger?"
Lianshan Jingcheng: "...You unfilial wretch, are you threatening me now?"
"Father, this isn't a threat; it's something very likely to happen. I'm your son. You certainly know how flexible my moral bottom line can be. You wouldn't want your son to be forced by circumstances into corruption, would you? Your son has had quite enough of being poor!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Lianshan Jingcheng grabbed a stick and beat Lianshan Xin right out of Huichun Hall.
Then, looking up at the sky, he let out a helpless, drawn-out sigh.
"My dear, can we have another child? I don't think Little Xin can be salvaged anymore."
He Miaojun scoffed softly. "You know how my body is. Giving birth to Little Xin nearly cost me half my life. Do you want me to lose the other half?"
"No, absolutely not." Lianshan Jingcheng sighed again. "Little Xin... how did this boy grow up so twisted? Since he was small, I taught him gentleness, modesty, and restraint, yet his head is filled with nothing but fame, fortune, and official power."
He Miaojun replied with righteous conviction, "It certainly isn't because I spoiled Little Xin. I say he takes after you."
Fond of lying flat and taking things easy, Lianshan Jingcheng was left utterly speechless. He could only look up at the sky and heave another long sigh.
Chapter 21