I Know Your Secret

The Manor Lord's Residence. Marquis Xia was eating when he looked up at Xia Huyou. A strange expression flickered across his chubby face. "Completely neutralized?" "Yes!" Xia Huyou nodded, clicking his tongue in admiration. "Zhou Hao—the one cultivating the Thousand Mountains Art, Cousin Yuwen's student—neutralized all the repulsive force in an instant and directly fused two apertures. And that's with the Thousand Mountains Art, which has the strongest repulsion of all." Marquis Xia nodded thoughtfully. "It's a good cultivation art. Even if its effectiveness falls off once someone reaches Shanhai, it's still powerful enough to transform middle- and low-tier cultivators. It will save geniuses a tremendous amount of time and allow them to rise much faster." Xia Huyou grinned. "Second Grandpa, my eye for talent isn't bad, is it?" "..." Marquis Xia cut him a glare and snapped, "If your eye were truly that sharp and you were truly that capable, the kid would already be bowing before you and gladly serving as your lackey! But look at you—you went and acted like his grandson instead!" Xia Huyou was rendered speechless. What he said... actually seemed to make some sense. Marquis Xia snorted, his eyes glinting. "Clever brat. He's hiding quite a lot! The Xia family doesn't resort to armed robbery. We can't do that. But... the Xia family loves it when people give us gifts!" "Huh?" Xia Huyou said hastily, "Second Grandpa, don't do anything reckless! If the Xia family breaks the rules..." "Scram!" Marquis Xia fumed. "Idiot! Who said anything about breaking rules? If I broke the rules, wouldn't your great-grandfather—my old man—come deal with me?" He muttered curses as he continued, "Dolt. If you weren't so useless, would I need to step in myself? Can't you learn a thing or two from your father instead of copying me all the time? You've become nothing but slick and oily. If true prodigies look down on you, that's no good either!" He was reasonably satisfied with this grandnephew of his. Yet being excessively slippery wasn't necessarily a good thing. As Xia Longwu's son and the future heir to the Great Xia Prefecture, he couldn't rely solely on being slick. "Look at your father! Back in the day, stubborn and bullheaded as he was, he at least recruited plenty of powerhouses to our side. What about you? Tell me, what have you accomplished?" "Su Yu!" "Scram!" Marquis Xia yelled furiously, "Did you recruit him? That kid latched onto you of his own accord! He wanted to use you as a banner and a backer! He's far better at winning people over than you are! Look at those few at the research institute right now—all of a sudden, they've become his diehard loyalists, pouring their hearts out for him! 'If you, Su Yu, treat me like a champion of the state, I shall lay down my life for you!' Could you pull that off? You're practically turning into his little brother!" "And he belongs to the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, which is despised by thousands and clearly on the weaker side! And you're supposed to be a member of the Xia family!" After a few more scoldings, Marquis Xia's anger cooled. He was just annoyed that his foolish grandnephew treated three hundred thousand merit points like pocket change. Selling off the family estate without a second thought, was he? Three hundred thousand merit points! You little bastard, you traded all that just for the right to keep a backup copy! You idiot, you're going to be the death of me! Xia Huyou wasn't angry in the slightest. He grinned and said, "Second Grandpa, it's no big deal. Geniuses are proud and arrogant. If I flaunted my identity right away, they might think I'm throwing my weight around. The way things are now is great. We interact as friends. Down the road, when they discover who I really am, they'll think: *Yo, His Highness of the Great Xia Prefecture treats me so warmly...*" "Doesn't Su Yu know your identity?" "He knows." "Was he moved?" "Um... doesn't seem like it." "Then why are you talking such nonsense?!" Marquis Xia was at a loss for words. If he wasn't moved, what was the point of spouting all that garbage! Ignoring him, Marquis Xia took a few more bites, wiped his greasy mouth, and rose to his feet. "Showing courtesy to the worthy. Since he has demonstrated his talent and strength, paying him a visit is indeed warranted!" "As Acting Manor Lord, I'll go meet him!" "Forget your father. That fellow is dumb as a brick. If he went, he might end up selling out the Xia family!" Xia Huyou: "..." He couldn't say anything to that. His granduncle could curse his father, but he certainly couldn't. If his father found out, he'd beat him to death. As Marquis Xia walked, he called out, "What are you standing around for? Let's go! I met that fellow once before and exchanged a few words. He's no good sort, so keep your guard up around him. I looked into his file. He's been bad news since he was little. His neighbors, teachers, and classmates all have a good impression of him, thinking he was an obedient child." "Yet Chen Hao next door was always getting into fights and bullying people... But I checked into that too. That kid isn't actually that tough or unruly." Marquis Xia puffed out his chubby cheeks and continued as he walked, "No need to look any further—one look makes it obvious. One was the muscle, the other was the shady mastermind pulling the strings, letting Chen Hao take all the blame." Xia Huyou followed him, curious. "Second Grandpa, why would Chen Hao be willing to take the blame for him? Su Yu's family background was ordinary, and he couldn't help Chen Hao with much. At least before this, there was nothing he could do for him." Marquis Xia chuckled. "That's what you call skill! Chen Hao didn't lose out either. At most, he earned a reputation as a hot-headed simpleton, but nobody dared bully him anymore. Everyone knew he was honest and blunt, just with a bad temper and an impulsive streak... Since he didn't lose out and even had someone feeding him clever ideas to deal with people, wasn't that pretty good for him?" Xia Huyou nodded thoughtfully. The two boarded a carriage drawn by Cloud-Galloping Horses. In front, an extraordinarily low-profile elderly man drove the carriage. Marquis Xia instructed, "To the Great Xia Civilization Academy!" Then he turned to Xia Huyou again. "Su Yu is a sly one. Whenever Chen Hao stuck his neck out for him, he would turn right around to apologize and make peace on Chen Hao's behalf. He'd say Chen Hao was simple-minded and had wronged them, asking them not to hold it against him. He'd even drag Chen Hao out and give him a few slaps to let the other parties vent their anger..." Marquis Xia said with a squinting smile, "Look at how he handled it! The ideas were his, the dirty work was done by Chen Hao. When opponents suffered a loss, he stepped forward as the peacemaker, offering an apology and making amends. It was framed as a minor spat, so people couldn't press the matter further. They even felt grateful that Su Yu intervened to restrain that brute, or else their troubles would never end... He'd beat someone up, and they'd still end up thanking him!" Xia Huyou sucked in a sharp breath. "He was that sinister even as a kid?" He couldn't help asking, "Is his father that sinister too?" "His father... Not sure. Probably normal enough." Marquis Xia had checked some records, but nothing unusual had shown up. He quickly added, "This is what you need to learn! After dealing with an opponent, you make them thank you. With a breezy apology, those who smeared you before won't smear you anymore—they'll even call you a good person..." Xia Huyou nodded and asked with a grin, "Second Grandpa, then how should we negotiate with Su Yu next?" "Negotiate what?" "Negotiate over the aperture fusion art!" "Scram!" Marquis Xia cursed, "Idiot! The aperture fusion art is a one-off deal. What's there to negotiate? Just wait! Your Second Grandpa doesn't negotiate over that!" "..." Xia Huyou looked at Marquis Xia, at a loss for words. He sighed inwardly. It seemed he still needed a lot more practice. He had thought he'd inherited the family's true essence, but now it appeared that wasn't quite the case! …… Outside the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. A carriage came to a halt. Inside, Marquis Xia curled his lip, drew back the carriage curtain, and glanced toward Xiuxin Pavilion. He muttered almost inaudibly, "I'm just here for a look. Stop staring at me. Spying on the Acting Manor Lord—are you trying to rebel?" Silence. "Tch!" Marquis Xia paid it no further mind. He stepped down from the carriage, waddled along, and strode inside. Inside the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. Su Yu's eyes flickered slightly. He rose and walked toward the entrance. Marquis Xia stood by the door, glancing up at the signboard. With a sigh, he murmured softly, "Lan Tian... Su Yu." In years past, the Lan Tian Research Institute had left a lasting mark. Today, the Primordial Spirit Research Institute might prove even more unforgettable. He stood there for a moment before Su Yu arrived at the doorway. Catching sight of Marquis Xia, Su Yu bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Marquis!" "No need for formalities!" Marquis Xia broke into a smile, stepped forward, and supported him by the arm. He chuckled, "Didn't you say Huyou's grandfather is your grandfather? Good boy, Grandson, drop the ceremony. Next time you see me, just call me Grandpa!" Su Yu's expression stiffened. Marquis Xia beamed. "Grandson, come on, let's go inside and take a look at my grandson's research institute! In the past, I always lamented not having a biological grandson. Huyou, after all, isn't my direct grandson. But now I have one!" "..." Su Yu... At this moment, Su Yu was completely speechless. Steadying his mind, Su Yu plastered a radiant smile on his face. "Yes, Grandpa! Grandpa, why don't I give you a tour of the academy? Let's take a stroll around the grounds. It's been quite some time since you last visited the academy, hasn't it?" Saying so, he stepped up to take Marquis Xia's arm, all smiles. *Grandpa... Whatever you say goes.* Marquis Xia chuckled. "Forget that. By the way, why did you install a surveillance camera at the entrance?" "Grandpa, it's nothing—just keeping an eye out to see if anyone tries to break into our institute." Marquis Xia smiled. "Fair enough. By the way, you aren't recording anything, are you? For instance, recording the scene between you and me right now, so that tomorrow it appears outside your institute on a giant screen, spreading the news of our warm grandfather-grandson bonding across the entire Great Xia Prefecture?" Su Yu's eyelid twitched, but he kept smiling. "Not at all. Don't overthink it, Grandpa. I know your identity is special, so I wouldn't spread things around carelessly." *I just want to send the recording to Xia Chan!* *Yes, having Xia Chan see it will be more than enough.* *Once she sees it, next time I casually call her 'Little Sister,' she probably won't be in a position to refuse, right?* *Like calling her that right in front of Zhou Mingren—how would that be?* Marquis Xia looked at him with a squinting smile. Su Yu maintained a gentle demeanor, exuding thirty percent restraint, thirty percent filial devotion, thirty percent warmth... the very picture of an elegant Civilization Master. "The youth of today truly inspire awe!" Marquis Xia sighed inwardly. In this first exchange, he didn't seem to have gained any upper hand. The kid had no shame! He didn't care in the slightest about being called 'Grandson.' What else could you do? Geniuses usually cared somewhat about saving face, didn't they? They usually had some pride, didn't they? Su Yu... had none! Such a person was not easy to deal with. Pondering this, Marquis Xia glanced at the others in the hall. That Wu family girl was staring strangely at him and Su Yu. Clearly, no recording was needed; the rumor that he and Su Yu were as close as family would probably spread right from her mouth. Hu Qiusheng and the others appeared rather restrained. Seeing Su Yu support Marquis Xia through the entrance, they all bowed in greeting. "Greetings, Marquis!" "No need for formalities!" Marquis Xia said, beaming. "We're all family here. Everyone in the Great Xia Prefecture is one of our own. You youngsters are doing splendidly—the youth truly inspire awe, splendid indeed!" After offering a few words of praise, he turned to Wu Lan and chuckled, "You're the little Wu girl, right? Send my regards to your grandaunt. I haven't seen her in years. Tell her to relax. Now that she has reached the Sun-Moon Realm, there's no need to rush so much." Wu Lan nodded repeatedly. Marquis Xia smiled. "You're a fine child too. I heard you tackled tough problems and overcame great difficulties this time. Splendid! The Wu family's women don't yield to men! A family of heroines. Grandpa Xia has high hopes for your future!" "Thank you, Grandpa Xia!" Wu Lan's grin stretched from ear to ear, barely able to contain her joy! *Marquis Xia praised me!* *Even though Grandaunt said in the past that Marquis Xia wasn't a good person, it didn't matter. Marquis Xia was a prominent figure. Since he praised me, he's a good person!* Marquis Xia was exhausted! *I'm in the Sun-Moon Realm! What is this little girl muttering in her head?!* *Your whole family isn't good, and that grandaunt of yours is even worse!* After speaking to Wu Lan, Marquis Xia quickly turned to Wu Jia, smiling warmly. "You must be Wu Jia? I saw you when you were small. You're doing splendidly as well!" Marquis Xia sighed with emotion. "A family full of loyal martyrs! Your parents died battling the All-Races Sect for the Xia family, making you the descendant of heroes. You are doing admirably now, and I heard you poured a great deal of effort into this research... Regarding your parents, a place can be reserved for them in the Great Xia Hall of Heroes!" The moment those words were spoken, tears streamed down Wu Jia's face! The next instant, she broke into uncontrollable sobs. Su Yu frowned slightly, glancing at Marquis Xia. He stepped forward at once to comfort Wu Jia, murmuring softly, "Senior Sister, don't cry. This is a joyous occasion! With Uncle and Aunt entering the Hall of Heroes, from now on, you are a daughter of the Xia family! Since the founding of the Great Xia Prefecture, there has been an ancestral rule: the Xia family provides for descendants of the Hall of Heroes just like their own children! Hurry, call him Grandpa..." "Grandpa..." Wu Jia choked out through her tears. The Hall of Heroes! That honor was reserved solely for heroes who made outstanding contributions to the Great Xia Prefecture and fell on the battlefield or perished in other heroic ways. Wu Jia's parents had previously lacked the qualifications to enter. Though they died resisting an attack from the All-Races Sect, it had not strictly been in the line of official duty. Of course, if one split hairs, Chen Yong was a researcher, and Wu Jia's parents had been strong members of the Guards back then. Guarding Chen Yong on his trip outside the prefecture could be considered official duty, meaning they died in the line of duty. Under that calculation, they were eligible, but the Hall of Heroes had extremely strict entry criteria, so excluding them had also been considered reasonable. Su Yu was about to curse inwardly, but he quickly suppressed the thought. *Can't curse him!* Marquis Xia was ruthless—the moment he arrived, he struck right at the vital point! Wu Jia and Wu Lan were completely done for right now. Fortunately, he hadn't been counting on them for anything major anyway. Otherwise, the two of them would have been led completely by the nose. Throughout it all, Marquis Xia maintained a kind, amiable smile. Seeing Su Yu comfort her, he quickly smiled and said, "Child, don't cry. This is what my Xia family should have done all along. It comes a bit late, but please understand that the Xia family had its difficulties as well." The difficulty was that Wu Jia's parents had died defending Chen Yong, and Chen Yong's journey outside back then... hadn't been for official business, which made things complicated. The status of a Hall of Heroes descendant was a shield of protection. With this status, Zhou Pingsheng wouldn't have dared target Wu Jia so brazenly before. Once listed in the Hall of Heroes, the Xia family officially took responsibility. The Great Xia King had pledged that the families of martyrs would be provided for by the Xia family! Targeting the descendant of a martyr would be courting death if things blew up. The reason generations of experts from the Great Xia Prefecture could campaign across all quarters was the stability of their home front. The Xia family granted immense honors and pensions to warriors who died on the battlefield. The treasury had been drained mostly because funds were poured into these matters. Su Yu didn't know what to say, sighing inwardly. *Well, this works too!* Having his senior sister's parents listed in the Hall of Heroes would at least lessen some of the harassment. Of course, whether harassment decreased or not didn't matter as much as having a guarantee of safety. Killing Wu Jia versus killing the descendant of an honored martyr were two completely different things. If an incident blew up, the Great Xia Prefecture would be forced to step in to appease the public and suppress the culprits in order to reassure the army and the populace. When that time came, heads would inevitably roll! Marquis Xia glanced at Su Yu with a grin. His eyes seemed to speak: *Did I give you enough face?* If her parents truly wanted to enter the Hall of Heroes, they technically fell just shy of qualifying. Su Yu said nothing more, merely cupping his fists toward Marquis Xia in thanks. "Grandson, how about we chat in private?" "..." Su Yu gave a wry smile and nodded. "This way, Marquis!" He dropped the "Grandpa"—it made him sick to his stomach! If not for the fact that having wild thoughts was dangerous around a high-level cultivator, he would have started cursing him right now. …… First floor, tearoom. Xia Huyou was present, as was Marquis Xia. Su Yu poured them tea, wearing a humble, agreeable expression. Having poured the tea, Su Yu sat down. Marquis Xia smiled. "We're all family here, and family shouldn't speak like outsiders. Talking about money hurts feelings. I can write off the three hundred thousand merit points owed by your grandmaster, and all three versions of the aperture fusion art will belong to the Xia family. How about that?" Su Yu smiled guilelessly. "Marquis... about that... why don't you just take the Wen Tan Research Center as collateral instead?" *I refuse to acknowledge the debt!* *In any case, I wasn't the one who borrowed it!* Marquis Xia chuckled. "Then how about this: we won't talk about money. I will send people to protect the safety of your father and your two teachers, in addition to canceling the three-hundred-thousand-merit-point debt. Are the three books enough for that?" "..." *Were they enough?* Su Yu sighed inwardly and said softly, "Enough!" Marquis Xia smiled. "Don't think I'm threatening you. Protecting your father is our duty—soldiers of the Great Xia Prefecture should naturally be protected by the Xia family. But protecting convicts is not our duty. The Vanguard Camp is also known as the Suicide Camp, the Criminal Camp. Protecting someone there is an extra service. Do you understand?" "Understood!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "Like I said, family doesn't speak like outsiders. There are things the Xia family doesn't covet! We will even help keep your secrets. Do you think the Xia family doesn't know about what you obtained in Nanyuan? We know. But the Xia family has our bottom line: it's yours, and we won't covet it! If we truly wanted to rob you, could you stop us?" Su Yu was slightly startled! Yet he didn't dare let his mind wander! Marquis Xia's eyes flickered slightly, and he grinned inwardly. *Scared you now, didn't I?* *Afraid we'll seize your ancient ruins, aren't you?* "Your ability to deduce these cultivation arts has a lot to do with that thing, right?" Marquis Xia said amiably, "Yet the Xia family is willing to trade fairly. We don't want to resort to underhanded tricks, because we are the family of an Invincible, a backbone family of the human race. Protecting humanity in our corner of the world was the very founding mission of the Xia family!" Su Yu nodded. Marquis Xia added, "Furthermore, handing these things to the Xia family allows us to put them to better use. How many people can you personally teach this art to? And even if you teach it, what will you gain? It will only bring you trouble, and perhaps some trivial gratitude!" Su Yu nodded and sighed. "What the Marquis says is true. I am also aware of the troubles involved. Therefore, I won't create any more cultivation arts in the future. It only brings trouble upon myself, so I'd better just not create any!" "..." Marquis Xia smiled. Turning the tables on him, was he? Fine! "There's no need for that. What the Xia family ought to give, we will give." Marquis Xia smiled. "How about this: on behalf of the Xia family, I will give you a promise, provided that whenever you have good things in the future, you consider the Xia family first." "What does the Marquis mean...?" Unruffled, Marquis Xia took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Simple. The Great Xia King—my old man—as you likely know, has decent strength. The trouble with your faction is that someone is watching you... If that fellow acts again, as long as his handle is caught, the Old Master is willing to take action!" "Even if he hasn't acted yet, if you have proof, the Old Master is willing to make a move. How about that?" Su Yu frowned. "If we truly have evidence..." Marquis Xia cut him off. "If you truly had evidence, do you think other Invincibles would be willing to act? That they'd be willing to kill him? What are you thinking? The Fifth Generation is dead! A dead Fifth Generation is not worth a living Invincible! As long as that person stops targeting the human race... there will be people willing to forgive him!" Marquis Xia's tone turned chilling. "That is reality! Let me put it more realistically. Take you, for example: if you killed someone out in the wilderness, someone weak, and it was later uncovered, would you be forced to pay with your life?" Marquis Xia said coldly, "No! Even if the evidence is ironclad, even if the victim was a minor genius too, even if you killed them intentionally... in all likelihood, you would just be banished to the Vanguard Camp! Su Yu, do you think that's fair?" "Not fair," Su Yu said in a low voice. "Exactly, it's not fair! Forcing you to pay with your life would be fair! But... from your perspective, from everyone's perspective, from the perspective of those Invincibles, having you, Su Yu, pay with your life for a dead person far inferior to you... it's better to give you another chance!" Marquis Xia sighed. "That is reality! The bloody, brutal reality! When that day comes, do you really think people will execute an Invincible to pay for the Fifth Generation's life? At most, they would make him battle an enemy Invincible and slay an Invincible to atone for his crime! If the Old Master doesn't step in to help you, who else can you count on?" Su Yu was silent. Yes, that was reality! Marquis Xia's promise was no empty platitude. When the time came, only the Great Xia King might actually step forward to punish the culprit! "I understand!" Su Yu sighed and nodded. "What the Marquis says is true. Then I agree! I can give the Xia family priority, provided the Xia family pays the corresponding price!" "Agreed!" Marquis Xia smiled. "Don't feel wronged or think you're getting the short end of the stick. To be honest, the Xia family could also just turn a blind eye... Do you really think dealing with an Invincible is that simple? One misstep... if the Old Master fails to suppress him and the entire Xia family is wiped out, who bears the consequences? Calling this a promise to you is less accurate than calling it regret over the Fifth Generation, coupled with the Old Master's hatred of evil!" "The Great Xia King is a hero among men!" Su Yu offered a compliment. One had to admit, Marquis Xia... was truly an incredible talker. *Sigh!* *I didn't manage to gain any real advantage here!* Intimidation, enticement, the stick and the carrot—he had applied them all. Marquis Xia smiled. "Su Yu, do you have any other requests?" "Yes. The Xia family may take all three versions of the aperture fusion art, but for the highest version, aside from direct descendants of the Xia family, disseminating it to anyone else requires my consent—and additional payment!" Marquis Xia raised an eyebrow. Additional payment on top of that? "I'm assigning people to protect Liu Wenyan and Bai Feng..." Su Yu said calmly, "That is why I gave you the mid-tier and low-tier versions without asking for money! The three-hundred-thousand-point debt... that's the price for keeping a backup! Furthermore, if you truly feel you're losing out, then there's no need to protect them. If even the Vanguard Camp under the watch of Invincibles has problems, then all I can say is... there isn't a shred of light left in this Human Realm, only darkness everywhere. I might as well stop struggling, retire in peace, and wait for death." Marquis Xia was struck speechless. Su Yu continued, "In addition, the mid-tier and low-tier versions must both be named the Twin Wu Aperture Fusion Art, originating from the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. They must be credited as the product of our Primordial Spirit Research Institute! Setting the mid-tier version aside, once the low-tier version is popularized, it must be clearly marked as coming from the Primordial Spirit Research Institute! Furthermore, for every person who adopts the mid-tier or low-tier aperture fusion arts after their dissemination, my Primordial Spirit Research Institute takes a cut of one merit point. That isn't an unreasonable request, is it?" "Research and development costs money too!" Marquis Xia snapped, "Three hundred thousand merit points... plus protecting your two teachers, and you're charging extra on top of that?" Su Yu shook his head. "No, the one merit point I'm charging is a copyright attribution fee. By noting that it comes from the Primordial Spirit Research Institute, you're borrowing our reputation to turn a profit. Paying one merit point isn't asking much, is it?" "..." *Fuck!* *You can do accounting like this?* *You were the one demanding that we credit the Primordial Spirit Research Institute, and now you claim that crediting it requires a fee? Then why should I credit it in the first place?!* Su Yu remained composed, looking at Marquis Xia with a serious expression. "Because before long, the Primordial Spirit Research Institute will be famous throughout the Human Realm and even the myriad realms, a guarantee of credibility! There are other aperture fusion arts on the market; why should anyone choose ours? Because of the brand name of the Primordial Spirit Research Institute!" "What big talk!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "You certainly have confidence!" Su Yu nodded. "Indeed! If you don't believe in our confidence, Marquis, the Xia family is welcome to release an aperture fusion art under your own name instead!" "..." Marquis Xia laughed again. "Aren't you afraid I'll hold a grudge?" "The Marquis is magnanimous; naturally, you wouldn't hold a grudge. If you held petty grudges, you wouldn't be the Marquis. Business isn't a one-off deal; it's long-term. If you refuse to take even a slight loss once, how can a partnership last?" Su Yu smiled. "If I take a loss this time, next time I'll think: *I developed a cultivation art, but I can't earn any money from it, so why should I share it? Wouldn't it be better to just cultivate it myself? If I bring it out, I only get pushed around, so why bother?* "The Marquis taking a step back today purchases far greater room for cooperation in the future!" Marquis Xia grinned. "Interesting. After you reach Tengkong, how about joining the Xia family?" "Done!" Su Yu agreed without hesitation. Xia Huyou chimed in anxiously, "Second Grandpa, he's going to provoke the rivals of the multiple divine character faction! He might even go looking for trouble with the Zhou family! That will cause us huge headaches!" Marquis Xia laughed and kicked him. "What are you scared of?! If he provokes them, so be it! Smart people know that what you get corresponds to what you give. If he provokes the Zhou family, he has to generate value for us that exceeds whatever trouble poking the Zhou family brings! Understand?" "Why would the Xia family protect him?" Marquis Xia said with a squinting smile, "Because his value is greater than the Zhou family's! For instance, if he generates tens of millions or hundreds of millions of merit points for me each year, then even if he provokes the Zhou family, worst case we just have your great-grandfather go fight a few rounds! Fighting battles while counting money—why not? Su Yu, don't you agree?" Su Yu smiled wryly. There was no faulting that logic. Marquis Xia chuckled. "The Xia family won't go around killing people for him. If he has the ability to kill an Invincible himself, that's his own capability. If he stirs up trouble, at most we keep him alive in exchange for equivalent value. The Xia family won't lose out!" Saying so, he looked at Xia Huyou and sighed, his expression practically screaming: *Stupid grandson!* *What are you thinking?!* *We aren't afraid of the Zhou family. If we offend them, so what? Your great-grandfather and your father are free labor! Having them fight while we collect cash—why on earth would you turn that down?* *Just treat it as sparring!* *Sparring is usually free, but this makes money!* *The Xia family might be wary of the Zhou family, but aren't the Zhou family wary of our Xia family?* *What a joke!* Su Yu smiled as well. "The Marquis's wisdom is profound! Compared to Brother Xia, the Marquis is truly the role model of our generation!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "You raised all those requests, so why didn't you ask the Xia family to protect you directly?" "No need." Su Yu bared his teeth in a grin. Marquis Xia smiled as well. Yes, there was no need, because... they had to protect him anyway! What if he died?! Wouldn't that be a monumental loss?! This kid had plenty of good things left in his head that hadn't been coaxed out yet. If he died, they'd take a huge hit. Marquis Xia stopped discussing business. He continued sipping tea and remarked with feeling, "So young, yet delving into so much. Can you manage it all?" Su Yu smiled. "It's alright. Actually, I didn't delve into much of anything; I just didn't want to be bullied since I was little. In this day and age, some people simply love to bully others. A motherless child gets bullied even harder. Some fellows, for whatever reason, just love doing such wicked things!" "Inherent flaws of human nature!" Marquis Xia chuckled. "Indeed. Life isn't easy for anyone. Alright, our talk today was very pleasant. Is there anything else you want to sell? Such as character arts or the like..." "I'm not short on money for now." Marquis Xia smiled. "It doesn't have to be money. Natural treasures, opportunities in secret realms, texts of will... If you're lacking anything, just speak up. The Xia family still has some wealth to its name!" Su Yu smiled. "I don't lack anything for now. If I do, I will seek out the Marquis." "That works too!" Marquis Xia stood up, thought for a moment, and smiled. "That ancient ruin in Nanyuan—once it's found, a thirty-seventy split: thirty for you, seventy for us. How about it?" "..." Su Yu showed no reaction, nor did he allow himself to think about it. He smiled and said, "I don't understand what the Marquis means!" "Never mind, then. When you need to search for it, come find me again. That ruin... is quite interesting. I somewhat underestimated it before!" "..." Marquis Xia chuckled, stood up, and departed, with Xia Huyou hurrying after him. Su Yu forcefully suppressed every thought in his mind! Although a Sun-Moon Realm cultivator couldn't sense unrelated thoughts and could only detect matters concerning themselves, he refused to think about it just in case. *Ruins!* *Right, ruins. I can't expose the ruins...* Su Yu repeated this thought frantically to himself! He escorted Marquis Xia all the way out the door, and even as Marquis Xia's carriage drove away into the distance, Su Yu kept thinking: *Yes, I discovered ruins in Nanyuan. I found ruins, which is why I have what I have today, why I have all these special traits...* *Ruins!* Only after holding it in for a very, very long time did Su Yu finally curse inwardly: *Ruins my ass!* *How come I had no clue there were any ruins!* Was this album given to him by an ancient ruin? He didn't know, but Su Yu felt the likelihood was small. Or was there truly a ruin that he hadn't noticed, and through some freak coincidence, he had obtained this album as a child? The ghost only knew whether that was true or not! Clearly, Marquis Xia believed he had obtained a legacy from an ancient ruin. At this moment, Su Yu's interest in the ruins was piqued as well. *Ancient ruins... Are they really that incredible?* *I deduced such a powerful cultivation art, yet it could all be credited to a ruin without Marquis Xia even doubting it, firmly believing a ruin had such power. Then just how formidable must this ruin be?!*