“Amusing indeed,” Jiang Wang chuckled.

“Will you go?” Ling He inquired.

“And why would I not?” Jiang Wang turned to An An. “Brother shall take you to feast and drink your fill. What say you?”

Jiang An An nodded her little head with grave seriousness.

Only then did Ling He straighten his attire and grasp his sword.

“Hold there!” Jiang Wang halted him. “You need not follow. This is no matter for blades.”

Meeting Ling He’s gaze, Jiang Wang added, “Worry not. The Fang family is not so witless.”

Ling He pondered for a moment, finding the reasoning sound. He sheathed his sword and settled into a cross-legged posture. For him, in the absence of other matters, continuous cultivation was the only path.

Cultivation held boundless mysteries, and within it, lay true pleasure.

***

Strolling towards the Moonlight Gazing Pavilion, An An suddenly tilted her head and asked, “Are the Fang family wicked folk?”

“Oh?” Jiang Wang regarded her with interest. “And what makes you say that?”

“I saw that even Brother Ling He wished to smite them,” An An replied.

Jiang Wang laughed heartily.

Ling He’s disposition was indeed such that rarely did he show animosity towards any.

“Then we shall not eat,” An An declared again.

“That will not do. We must eat, and we must eat with style and distinction!” Jiang Wang declared with deliberate emphasis. “To consume the wicked until they are impoverished, this is a righteous act, understand?”

Jiang An An bit her thumb, her brow furrowed in thought, then nodded.

“Smack!”

“No biting your fingers!”

Wangjiang City boasted a towering structure known as the River Gazing Tower, renowned far and wide for its magnificent proportions. Fenglin City’s similarly named Moonlight Gazing Pavilion, in contrast, was utterly insignificant.

This building was not tall, standing at only three stories. To name it ‘Moonlight Gazing’ was, in truth, a laughable misnomer.

Yet, the cuisine within this pavilion was exceedingly rare and delectable. Consequently, within the confines of Fenglin City, its doors were perpetually thronged with patrons.

Jiang Wang, holding Jiang An An’s hand, entered the Moonlight Gazing Pavilion and was directly ushered to a private chamber by the Fang family’s attendants.

A middle-aged man, possessing a calm disposition and a somewhat refined countenance, rose to greet him. “Nephew!”

His gaze fell upon An An, and his smile became even more amiable. “Is this your sister? How utterly charming.”

Jiang Wang had encountered Fang Zehou before. In the days when he was close to Fang Pengju, Fang Zehou had invited them to dine on more than one occasion. At that time, Fang Zehou had still regarded his nephew with considerable care and held great expectations for him. Following Fang Pengju’s demise, due to the ignominious circumstances of his death, none of the Fang family had been willing to step forward and arrange his burial.

As for being his nephew, Jiang Wang had no such inclination. He merely offered a simple greeting: “Patriarch Fang.”

“Not yet, not yet,” Fang Zehou said with a smile. He then gestured, receiving a string of gold beads from a servant, and presented them to Jiang An An. “A gift for our first meeting! Your uncle’s token of affection!”

Jiang An An turned her head, burying her little face in Jiang Wang’s embrace. In her small mind, she had long since determined that this was a wicked person, and she was unwilling to speak with him.

Jiang Wang settled Jiang An An onto a seat and said, “The little one is shy, please do not take offense. As for the gifts, Master Fang need not be so polite. What matter is it that you have invited me this time?”

Fang Zehou possessed the title of a Yuanwailang, a rank bestowed upon those who contributed generously to the imperial treasury, thus granting him an official position. The address of ‘Yuanwai’ was therefore not inappropriate.

“No rush, no rush,” Fang Zehou said, his face completely devoid of awkwardness. He waved his hand, indicating for the servant to retrieve the string of gold beads, and then continued, “First, let us sample the signature dish here, the Lotus Leaf Chicken.”

Jiang An An, having long resolved to eat the wicked until they were impoverished, was about to begin but was stopped by Jiang Wang. Jiang Wang extended his chopsticks and tasted each dish on the table, savoring for a moment, and then selected a few dishes and placed them before An An.

“Brother has sampled them for you. These dishes have the finest flavor.”

Jiang An An wished to voice a few complaints, but the fragrance of the Lotus Leaf Chicken had already filled her nostrils, leaving her no time for complaint. She reached out and tore off a chicken leg to eat.

Fang Zehou maintained a cordial smile throughout, as if completely oblivious to Jiang Wang’s wariness.

“Brother and sister share a close bond,” he praised.

“Barely managing to raise her,” Jiang Wang replied perfunctorily.

Jiang An An glared at him, but her mouth was too busy, and she couldn’t help but bite into another chicken wing.

Jiang Wang paid her no mind and continued, “I wonder what matter the Yuanwai seeks me out for this time…”

Fang Zehou suddenly sighed, and his face became heavy. “Regarding Pengju’s matter, our Fang family owes you an apology.”

When Fang Pengju was mentioned, Jiang Wang had to be serious. Regardless of the circumstances, Fang Pengju was dead, and the animosity had dissipated. He neither desired nor needed to pursue the matter of Fang Pengju’s burial.

“It is all in the past,” Jiang Wang stated.

“Although nephew says so, our Fang family cannot remain without acknowledging it,” Fang Zehou pushed a small box across the table. “Within are one hundred taels of red gold, as an apology.”

“Regarding Fang Pengju’s matter, he himself bore the consequences,” Jiang Wang had no inclination to engage in further circumlocution. He did not even glance at the box of gold. “Pray tell me what you wish to say.”

Fang Zehou nodded. “Pengju was once the hope of our Fang family, his future limitless. He was slain by you in a life-and-death battle. Although it was his own fault, our Fang family has not caused you any trouble because of this, is that not so?”

“It is so.” This was a fact, and Jiang Wang saw no need to deny it.

“Now, your uncle has a matter to request of you.”

Jiang Wang looked at him, signaling him to continue.

Fang Zehou said, “After Pengju’s death, among the younger generation of our Fang family, only Heling remains worthy of nurturing. I can only set aside my grief and place all the care I held for Pengju onto Heling. He is also quite competitive, diligently pursuing his studies, and his cultivation even surpasses yours. But…”

Jiang Wang’s brow furrowed, knowing the true purpose was about to be revealed.

“Before his battle with you, his confidence was shattered, and his entire being collapsed. He shut himself in his room, drowning his sorrows in drink all day long. If this continues, I fear he… will become a cripple.” As he spoke, even a wily old fox like Fang Zehou’s voice trembled slightly.

After all, he was his only legitimate son.

“And so?” Jiang Wang inquired.

“This is a little difficult to say,” Fang Zehou admitted. “But your uncle still shamelessly hopes that you can go and admit your mistake to Heling, saying that you used… used underhanded means in the duel, to help him regain his confidence.”

Jiang Wang almost laughed aloud. “What I have not done, how can I admit it?”

“Not for nothing, not for nothing!” Fang Zehou reiterated. “Once the matter is done, besides this box of red gold, I will also give you another one hundred taels of red gold! You just need to pretend to lower your head once…”

Jiang Wang tapped the box of gold with his fingers, and indeed laughed. “The Fang family has also produced cultivators. Old Master Fang, I recall, was an eighth-grade Zhou Tian realm cultivator? What significance do these so-called gold and silver hold for cultivators?”

He pressed his finger on the small box and gently pushed it back.

Fang Zehou immediately retrieved a small brocade box from his robes, carefully opened it, and placed it before Jiang Wang.

The fluctuations of Dao essence within the brocade box almost instantaneously captured Jiang Wang’s attention.

“Here is a Dao essence stone. For cultivators, I believe it is meaningful,” Fang Zehou’s expression was full of sincerity. “As long as you lower your head slightly, it is yours.”

This Dao essence stone, of course, held meaning! Compared to mundane gold, silver, and jewels, the Dao essence stone was the hard currency for cultivators, capable of both aiding cultivation and replenishing energy at any time. And this Dao essence stone before him, unused and fully charged, contained a full one hundred units of Dao essence.

For Jiang Wang, absorbing this Dao essence stone would bring him almost immediately to the threshold of Foundation Establishment!

He finally understood why Fang Heling could achieve Foundation Establishment so swiftly, and even had already approached the completion of the Lesser Zhou Tian circulation.

However, Jiang Wang merely gently closed the box. “Perhaps, as you say, my bowing is not worth a single copper.”

He also pushed the brocade box back. “But Fang Heling is not worthy.”

It was he who had been provoked, and he who had been forced into the duel. Where did the reason for him to apologize come from? If you lose, you collapse, whom do you blame? Is it the case that the weak are inherently just, and because you are weak, you possess righteousness?

The Dao essence stone was of immense importance, but reason was even more so.

“Not for yourself, but also for your sister,” Fang Zehou said slowly. “She is still studying in private school, is she not?”

At this moment, Jiang An An was still using both hands, eating with her head down, her mouth smeared with grease. She had no idea what the adults were discussing.

Jiang Wang’s gaze instantly tightened, and for the first time, he harbored such clear and undisguised killing intent.

Fang Zehou barely met his gaze, a strong urge to leap out the window and flee seizing him. He realized at that moment that the young man before him was completely different from his son, by no means a fragile seedling raised in a greenhouse. He had already weathered wind and rain, struggling to survive, a young beast!

“Hahahahaha.” Jiang Wang suddenly laughed loudly a few times, stood up, and picked up Jiang An An. “We shall eat no more. Let us go home.”

Regardless of his inner thoughts, he would not display them before Jiang An An, nor would he place her in any danger.

“Wu… Wu…” Jiang An An swallowed the meat in her mouth with difficulty. Though already in Jiang Wang’s arms, her eyes were still fixed on the dishes on the table.

“I… I implore you!” Behind him, Fang Zehou spoke these words.

But Jiang Wang had already pushed the door open, his sister in his embrace, and did not linger.

***

Many thanks to book friend 20170527084735469 (Pray, grant yourself a nickname!), many thanks to book friend Shen A’yao, book friend Little Friend Who Loves to Eat Melon, book friend Seven Swords and Sabres, book friend Sad Rain Sights the Wind for the generous rewards!