“How interesting,” Jiang Wang smiled.

“Will you go?” Ling He asked.

“Why wouldn’t I go?” Jiang Wang turned to An’an, saying, “Brother will take you for a feast, how does that sound?”

Jiang An’an nodded her little head earnestly.

Ling He then straightened his robes and casually picked up his sword.

“Hey!” Jiang Wang stopped him. “You don’t need to come along; we’re not going to fight.”

Meeting Ling He’s gaze, Jiang Wang added, “Rest assured, the Fang family isn’t that foolish.”

Ling He thought for a moment, and realizing the truth in his words, he put the sword back down and sat cross-legged. For him, unless something else demanded his attention, he could spend his days cultivating.

Cultivation held its own wonders; cultivation brought its own joy.

…

While walking on the road to Moonview Pavilion, An’an suddenly looked up and asked, “Are the Fang family bad people?”

“Oh?” Jiang Wang looked at her with interest. “Why do you say that?”

“Because even Brother Ling He looks like he wants to beat them up,” Jiang An’an replied.

Jiang Wang chuckled.

Ling He, with his personality, rarely showed animosity towards anyone.

“Then we shouldn’t go eat,” Jiang An’an said.

“Nonsense, we must go, and we must eat with style and eat with finesse,” Jiang Wang said deliberately. “If we eat the bad guys into poverty, we’ll be doing a good deed, understand?”

Jiang An’an nibbled on her thumb, thoughtfully nodding her head once.

“Slap!”

“Don’t bite your fingers!”

Wangjiang City boasted a Wangjiang Tower, a place of high stature and wide renown. Moonview Pavilion in Maplewood City, with its similar name, paled in comparison.

This pavilion was not tall, only three stories. Yet it dared to be named “Moonview,” inevitably falling short of its name, and inviting ridicule.

However, the dishes served within were of a rare quality. Therefore, it enjoyed a thriving business in Maplewood City.

Jiang Wang carried Jiang An’an into Moonview Pavilion and was immediately led by a Fang family servant to a private room.

A middle-aged man with a calm demeanor and a somewhat refined appearance rose to greet them. “Nephew!”

His gaze fell upon An’an, and his smile became even warmer. “This must be your younger sister? How adorable.”

Jiang Wang had met Fang Zehou before. When he and Fang Pengju were close, Fang Zehou had treated them to meals more than once. At that time, Fang Zehou had shown his nephew nothing but care and deep expectations. After Fang Pengju died, because he died so disgracefully, no one in the Fang family was willing to come forward to bury him.

He had no desire to be anyone’s “nephew,” so he greeted, “Clan Head Fang.”

“Not yet, not yet,” Fang Zehou chuckled, then beckoned a servant to hand him a string of golden beads, which he offered to Jiang An’an. “First time meeting you, your uncle is giving you a gift!”

Jiang An’an turned her head away, burying her face in Jiang Wang’s arms. Her little mind had already decided that this was a bad person, and she wouldn’t even speak to him.

Jiang Wang set Jiang An’an down in her seat at the table, saying, “The little one is shy, please don’t mind. Let’s skip the gift, Foreman Fang might as well say straight what he invited me here for.”

Fang Zehou had donated enough to become an honorary official, a “Foreman.” The title was not out of place.

“No rush, no rush.” Fang Zehou’s face showed no embarrassment, and he waved for the servant to take away the golden beads. Then he said, “First, try our signature dish, Lotus Leaf Chicken.”

Jiang An’an had already decided to eat the bad guy into poverty, and prepared to dig in, but Jiang Wang stopped her. Jiang Wang picked up his chopsticks, and tasted a little of each dish on the table, savoring each for a moment, then picked a few dishes and placed them in front of An’an.

“Brother has tasted them for you, these are the best dishes.”

Jiang An’an wanted to complain, but the aroma of the Lotus Leaf Chicken drilled straight into her nostrils, and she had no time to complain. She reached out and tore off a chicken leg to chew on.

Fang Zehou maintained his amiable smile, as if he didn’t notice Jiang Wang’s guard.

“What a loving pair of siblings,” he praised.

“Just raising her, I guess,” Jiang Wang said casually.

Jiang An’an glared at him, but her mouth was too busy, so she could only bitterly take another bite of her chicken wing.

Jiang Wang ignored it, and then asked, “I don’t know what Foreman Fang invited me here for…”

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

When Fang Pengju was mentioned, Jiang Wang couldn’t help but grow serious. No matter what had happened, Fang Pengju was already dead, so grudges were over. He didn’t want to, and had no need to, relentlessly pursue the matter after Fang Pengju’s death.

“It’s all in the past,” Jiang Wang said.

“Even if Nephew says that, the Fang family can’t simply let it go unaddressed.” Fang Zehou pushed a small box across the table. “Here is one hundred taels of red gold, as a token of our apology.”

“Fang Pengju was responsible for what happened,” Jiang Wang had no patience for such roundabout talk. He didn’t even glance at the box of gold. “Tell me straight, what do you want?”

Fang Zehou nodded. “Pengju was once the hope of the Fang family, his future was limitless. He was killed by you in a deathmatch. Although it was his own fault, the Fang family didn’t cause you any trouble because of it, correct?”

“Correct.” It was the truth, and Jiang Wang didn’t need to deny it.

“Now, your uncle has a request for you.”

Jiang Wang looked at him, signaling him to continue.

Fang Zehou said, “After Pengju’s death, the younger generation of the Fang family only has Heling who is still considered worth nurturing. I could only suppress my grief and focus all the care I had for Pengju on Heling. He did not disappoint, cultivating diligently, and his cultivation even surpassed yours. But…”

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow, knowing the crux of the matter was coming.

“After the battle with you, his confidence was shattered, and he collapsed completely. He locked himself in his room, drowning his sorrows in alcohol all day long. If things continue like this, I worry that he… will become a cripple.” As he said this, even Fang Zehou, a seasoned fox, sounded shaken.

After all, he was his only direct descendant.

“So?” Jiang Wang asked.

“This is a bit difficult to say,” Fang Zehou said, “but your uncle is still shamelessly hoping that you can apologize to Heling, saying that you used… used dishonorable means in the duel to help him regain his confidence.”

Jiang Wang almost laughed, “How can I admit to something I didn’t do?”

“It won’t be for nothing, it won’t be for nothing!” Fang Zehou said repeatedly, “After it’s done, in addition to this box of red gold, I’ll give you another hundred taels of red gold! You just have to, pretend to lower your head once…”

Jiang Wang tapped his finger on the box of gold and really laughed, “The Fang family has produced cultivators before. I remember Old Master Fang was an eighth-grade Zhou Tian realm cultivator? What’s the point of these so-called gold and silver to cultivators?”

His finger rested on the small box, and he gently pushed it back.

Fang Zehou immediately took out a small brocade box from his bosom, carefully opened it, and placed it in front of Jiang Wang.

The surge of Dao Yuan energy within the brocade box almost instantly caught Jiang Wang’s attention.

“This is a Dao Yuan Stone. I think it has meaning for cultivators.” Fang Zehou was very sincere. “As long as you lower your head slightly, it’s yours.”

This Dao Yuan Stone certainly had meaning! Compared to ordinary gold and silver jewels, Dao Yuan Stones were the hard currency of cultivators. They could be used to assist cultivation or to replenish energy at any time. Moreover, this Dao Yuan Stone in front of him had not been used, its mass was complete, and it contained a full one hundred units of Dao Yuan energy.

For Jiang Wang, as long as he absorbed this Dao Yuan Stone, he would almost immediately meet the standards for Foundation Building!

He finally understood why Fang Heling could have built his foundation so quickly, and even nearly completed the Minor Circulation of Zhou Tian.

But Jiang Wang just gently closed the box, “Perhaps it’s true, as you say, my bow is worthless.”

He pushed the brocade box back as well, “But Fang Heling, he’s not worthy.”

He was the one who was provoked, he was the one who was forced to fight. Where did the logic come from that he had to apologize? He lost, he collapsed, who was to blame? Did that mean the weak were naturally righteous, and that he was justified simply because he was weak?

Dao Yuan Stones were important, but principles were more important.

“Not for yourself, at least think about your sister.” Fang Zehou said slowly, “She’s still studying in private school, right?”

At this time, Jiang An’an was still eating with both hands, burying her head in the food, grease covering her mouth. She had no idea what the adults were talking about.

Jiang Wang’s gaze suddenly tightened, and he felt a clear and unreserved murderous intent for the first time.

Fang Zehou forced himself to meet his eyes, and he even had the urge to jump out of the window and escape. It was only now that he realized that the young man before him was completely different from his son. He was not a weak seedling raised in a greenhouse, but a young beast that had already experienced the wind and rain, struggling to survive!

“Hahahaha.” Jiang Wang suddenly laughed a few times, got up, and picked up Jiang An’an. “We’re not eating anymore, let’s go home.”

No matter what he thought in his heart, he would not show off his bravery in front of Jiang An’an, and would not put Jiang An’an in danger.

“Ugh… ugh…” Jiang An’an struggled to swallow the meat in her mouth. She was already in Jiang Wang’s arms, but her eyes were still fixed on the dishes on the table.

“I… beg you!” Behind him, Fang Zehou said.

But Jiang Wang had already carried his sister out the door, without stopping.