Chapter 232 - Lifesaving Straw

The manager, whose real name was Hu Laogen, used to be called Little Gen when he was young, and simply Lao Gen as he aged.He was indeed a blood uncle from Hu Shaomeng’s own familial line, but their closeness could hardly be described as intimate.

Unlike the father and son of the Hu family, who spoke the official language of Daqi fluently, he could never rid himself of his local accent, which probably explained why he didn’t quite fit in with the upper class.

In Yang Country, speaking the official language of Daqi was fashionable among the upper class, sometimes even becoming a symbol of status.

His feelings towards Jiang Wang were complex, initially perceiving this cultivator master as different from the others and deserving of respect; hence, he’d decided that Jiang Wang was a good person, even resisting Ge Heng’s intimidation to not harm him.

Later, when Jiang Wang revealed his identity, ensuring the mine could continue operating and still allowing him to act as manager, Hu felt a sense of gratitude.

But now, as Jiang Wang and Hu Shaomeng, along with his son, were practically at loggerheads, he felt bewildered and unsure of which side to take.

At this moment, he stood aside silently, watching Jiang Wang and Su Xiuhang have a conversation.

“My lord, how should those people be dealt with?” asked Su Xiuhang, who quickly adapted to his role, doing everything to please, very sensible.

The people he was referring to were obviously the heads of those smaller families.

In Su Xiuhang’s opinion, the solution was certainly to kill them off.

But now Jiang Wang was in charge, it was for him to decide.

“Manager Hu, what do you think?” Jiang Wang inquired.

Manager Hu was taken aback for a moment before replying respectfully, “I, uh, don’t really have any thoughts on it, will follow whatever you feel is right.”

Previously, letting Manager Hu directly address him as Ah An was because Jiang Wang didn’t pride himself on his status.

Now that he was in control of the situation, proper decorum and order had to be established.

However, Jiang Wang hadn’t actually intended to make Manager Hu choose sides.

There was no need for such an ordinary old man to get involved in the conflicts of the supernatural world.

When Jiang Wang first entered the mine as Dugu An, having recommended himself under a pseudonym, it was in this very room that Manager Hu had hired him.

The hole that had been patched up before had been fixed yet again, and now it wasn’t easy to spot any longer.

“Some holes, even after patching up thoroughly and leaving no trace, just aren’t the same as the original,” Jiang Wang sighed as he stood up.

“I’ll take care of it myself.”

The Hu Clan Mine Site had built six small courtyards for transcendent cultivators; two of them had been constantly taking unearned pay, cheating the Zhong Xuan Family out of their Prime Stones.

Now Su Xiuhang occupied one of these, and the other was used to imprison those five people sent over by Xizi Chu.

Upon seeing Jiang Wang enter, they all showed great fear.

Knowing they had been delivered by Xizi Chu, they had already anticipated their own grim fate.

But with their entire families in the hands of Xizi Chu, they dared not speak carelessly.

Under Su Xiuhang’s interrogation, they could only offer what they considered the “truth” deep in their hearts.

The idea of hiring assassins to attack the envoy of the Zhong Xuan Family and framing the Xi Family was extremely audacious.

However, under the influence of the returning dream scent, they indeed made that decision in their hearts.

Even ten lives wouldn’t be enough to pay for it.

All they could hope for now was that Xizi Chu would keep his promise and not exterminate their family members.

Additionally, they wished Jiang Wang would make it quick and not torment them.

“I have no interest in your lives,” Jiang Wang stated as soon as he entered the courtyard.

The five individuals on their knees all looked up.

“I know you hired assassins to target me and planned to frame the Xi Family, to cause a conflict between the Zhong Xuan Family and the Xi Family.

I’m aware of all of that…

but I’ve decided to forgive you,” Jiang Wang said with a gentle smile.

“After all, you didn’t actually cause me any real harm, did you?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

“You are truly magnanimous, my lord!”

“Your heart is truly benevolent.”

The five men were ecstatic, no longer minding their pain as they heaped praise upon him.

If they weren’t tied up, they’d probably be kissing Jiang Wang’s shoes in gratitude.

Only Su Xiuhang felt a jolt in his heart upon hearing the word “forgive.”

“However,” Jiang Wang changed his tone, “how should I forgive you?

Personally, I might not care, but your actions have challenged the authority of the Zhong Xuan Family.

If I just release you, others might think the Zhong Xuan Family is made of clay Buddhas, lacking any temper.”

The five men exchanged glances.

Swallowing hard, Su Xiuhang said, “Your benevolence knows no bounds, my lord.

If I were in their place, I’d be willing to give up my life for you!”

The leaders of the five small families suddenly understood something.

One of them, the most quick-witted, blurted out, “Compensation!

We must provide compensation!

Whatever it takes!

We’ll pay everything we have!”

Crying out, he began to weep, “As long as you don’t kill me, don’t wipe out my whole family, everything I have is yours.”

With those words, a chorus of sobs ensued.

They were all scared; those who had never truly faced death could hardly imagine the fear.

“Stop, stop, stop,” Jiang Wang had to interrupt them, saying as gently as possible, “If I don’t even kill you, why would I kill your entire families?

You don’t have to bankrupt yourselves.

I am not a greedy person.”

“How about this, three is an auspicious number.

I’ll take just thirty percent of each of your family’s wealth, to appease the anger of the Zhong Xuan Family.

How does that sound?”

There was no need for hesitation.

“Absolutely!

Completely acceptable!”

“My lord, no problem at all.

Not a single Knife coin less.”

All five nodded like pounding garlic.

“As for my personal interests,” Jiang Wang said slowly, “do any of you have a unique secret technique?

It doesn’t need to be very powerful; as long as it has a unique idea, that’s fine.

I personally like to collect some unique secret techniques; they make me feel very good.”

“Yes!

I’ll have someone send it to you right away!”

“Our family doesn’t have one, but I know where to find it, and I’ll make sure to get it to you within three days.”

Jiang Wang nodded in satisfaction.

He was getting more skilled at this.

“Xiuhang, release them all.

Convert the money into Prime Stones, and send them later along with the secret techniques,” Jiang Wang smiled at the people: “I trust you.”

“We certainly won’t disappoint you, sir!”

“Good karma comes to good people, my lord.”

Leaving behind the flood of flattery and resolve, Jiang Wang entrusted the rest of the matter here to Su Xiuhang.

Having a capable subordinate at hand was not to be wasted.

Jiang Wang turned and left the place.

He didn’t expect these small families to have any formidable secret techniques; it was all about their rarity and exclusivity.

Offering them on the Dao Performance Stage could generate more laws for unlocking seals, which was all that mattered.

Of course, there was no need to explicitly state his intention not to actively eliminate the Xi Family’s competitors.

He believed that Xizi Chu would understand and also get his warning.

The rest was just a matter of choice.

Upon returning to the courtyard, he called for Xiao Xiao.

Jiang Wang did not shy away from Biqiong, who was nearby, as he directly asked, “Do you still have any relatives you can turn to?”

Xiao Xiao suddenly knelt down, her eyes brimming with tears: “Master, are…

are you asking me to leave?”

With a casual lift, Jiang Wang pulled her up, speaking softly, “That’s not the case.

It’s just that it might become very dangerous here, and it’s not safe for you to stay.”

“Master, I don’t want to go, I’m not afraid of danger, please don’t ask me to leave…” Xiao Xiao sobbed.

Only after meeting Jiang Wang did she start to live a somewhat normal life.

Like a drowning person desperately clinging to a lifesaver, she could not let go.

“If she doesn’t want to leave, then don’t make her,” Biqiong, unable to bear the sight, spoke up.

Jiang Wang gave her a look: “If she stays and there’s danger, will you stay to protect her?”

“I’ll protect her if I have to,” Biqiong retorted.

“Fine.

It’s a deal.”

Biqiong: “…”

She suddenly felt as though she had been tricked.

At that moment, Jiang Wang said, “Are you still willing to trade your Shenzhen Pearl?

I can exchange it for my Binding Tiger, but you must promise never to reveal it to anyone.”

The Binding Tiger was precious, but not unique.

To trade it for the Shenzhen Pearl, which could instantly enhance combat power, was a savvy deal.

“Of course!” Biqiong crisply said.

She hurriedly took out the Shenzhen Pearl and handed it to Jiang Wang, “Here!”

As if afraid that Jiang Wang would change his mind.

For Biqiong, the Shenzhen Pearl was indeed a treasure, but she could still find ways to acquire a new one at the Diao Hai Building.

A Dao Technique like Binding Tiger was a rare opportunity that she had personally experienced to be a clever combat art.

Jiang Wang handed over the already prepared copy of the technique to Biqiong, completing the mutually beneficial exchange.

With the Shenzhen Pearl, he was very much looking forward to seeing the might that his Flower Sea Dao Technique would display.