Chapter 48: Cao Family Head

Some families rejoice, some families grieve.

Zhou Changkong, in order to uncover all the "traitors" of Lingfu Pavilion, especially to identify which Symbol Master is cooperating with the Cao family, chose to visit in person and meet the head of the Cao family.

The Cao family, with two Foundation Establishment practitioners, is the undisputed top clan in Nanshan Fang.

But in Zhou Changkong's eyes, they still carry little weight, merely country bumpkins.

Two Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivators dominate this remote place, and can wipe out the Luoxia Sect with a flick of a finger!

Even alone, he considers himself not inferior when facing the Cao family's two senior Foundation Establishment practitioners, believing he can easily subdue them and have them cooperate with his investigation.

After all, both are Foundation Establishment Initial Stage, yet there is a gap in strength! He, who hails from the Jie Dan Sect's Luoxia Sect, can outclass rural Foundation Establishment novices in duel prowess.

But the final outcome…

Zhou Changkong returned empty‑handed, even leaving the Cao family looking dejected.

The Cao family, of course, gave Zhou Changkong face, and, out of respect for the Luoxia Sect, did not publicize what actually happened.

However, since then Zhou Changkong has not troubled the Cao family again; to force them to reveal the true identity of the cooperating Symbol Master, he can only investigate covertly.

Even with covert investigation, the Cao family did not cooperate, yet clues were quickly uncovered.

The existence of the Lin family sisters was indeed unusually conspicuous.

Without serving anyone personally, the two outsider female Scattered Cultivators possessed no particular skill nor background, yet became honored guests of the Cao family and even had mysterious funding for business—far too suspicious.

Even Lin Zixi was cautious; she never disclosed to anyone that she had a Talisman Script supply relationship with the Cao family, and no one knew how she got linked with them, yet Zhou Changkong still marked her as the "white glove"—the deepest hidden traitor of Lingfu Pavilion! When Zhou Changkong was about to order his men to act against the Lin sisters, fortunately Lin Zixi was sharp and clever enough to sense something amiss, deducing that the chain reaction after Senior Bai Wuji's departure might implicate her.

After careful deliberation, she felt forced to burn her bridges, publicly broadcasting her close ties with the Cao family; the Cao family had promised to help resolve any trouble she faced.

It was the only way she could think of to break the deadlock.

Fortunately, this time she bet correctly.

As the top clan of Nanshan Fang, the Cao family even intends to swallow the other two families, creating a situation where they dominate the entire Nanshan Fang and turn it into their "private domain", thus they will not allow their reputation to be tarnished.

If they cannot even protect their own partners, how can they earn trust? Therefore, even when facing Lingfu Pavilion, they are reluctant to clash but have to step forward again.

…

"Cao Hao, do you really think I'm scared of you? Or do you think a mid‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivation is enough to challenge the Luoxia Sect?"

Zhou Changkong's eyes burned with anger as he stared at the middle‑aged male cultivator in front of him, appearing about forty.

The man was Cao Hao, the current head of the Cao family, who fifteen years ago became the second Cao family cultivator to successfully complete Foundation Establishment! He and Mu Renjie, the head of the Mu family, are the two least senior among the six major Foundation Establishment cultivators of Nanshan Fang.

Cao Hao entered Foundation Establishment about a year later than Mu Renjie.

Yet in Nanshan Fang no one knew that, despite being the least senior, Cao Hao later surpassed others, becoming the first mid‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in Nanshan Fang!

If Zhou Changkong hadn't come half a year ago, demanding retribution with overbearing arrogance, Cao Hao might not have revealed his true strength.

This is also why Zhou Changkong returned empty‑handed and no longer directly provokes the Cao family.

He is confident he can dominate among Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivators, even taking on two opponents, but he lacks confidence to fight against mid‑stage Foundation Establishment.

Moreover, Cao Hao, still young yet already mid‑stage, likely possesses exceptional talent and his own destiny.

"Zhou, the shopkeeper, calm down. Even if I, Cao, become arrogant, I would never dare oppose the Luoxia Sect," Cao Hao said with a faint smile. "It's just that the Lin sisters indeed possess our family's faith talisman; our family promised to help them when they encounter trouble. If we now ignore them and let you, Zhou, seize them, how can our family's face remain? How then can we establish ourselves in Nanshan Fang?"

Zhou Changkong snorted coldly, "All this talk, aren't you still planning to confront my Luoxia Sect?"

Cao Hao shook his head: "Not at all, it's not that serious. I know you, Zhou, want to locate that mysterious Symbol Master, but think—if that mysterious Symbol Master were so easy to find, why didn't our family look for him before? I'm certain Lin Zixi herself does not know the true identity of that mysterious Symbol Master. If she did, before he vanished he would have let her stay safely, not taken her away… or perhaps simply eliminated her? Clearly, he knows Lin Zixi cannot reveal his identity."

Zhou Changkong frowned upon hearing that.

He had to admit that Cao Hao's words made sense.

The Lin sisters were most likely kept in the dark, unaware of the mysterious Symbol Master's true identity.

Otherwise they wouldn't still be in Nanshan Fang, or even alive.

"If we capture them, hope will be greater," Zhou Changkong still refused to relent. This matter now is not only about uncovering the mysterious Symbol Master behind it, but also about his own face! The Cao family needs reputation and a foothold in Nanshan Fang—doesn't he need the same?

Even if he eventually leaves, for at least the next few years he still needs to get things done.

Cao Hao sighed and said, "How about this: we each take a step back. I will retrieve the Cao family's faith talisman, and from then on the Lin sisters will no longer be our honored guests. But you, Zhou, must assure me you will not act against the two Lin sisters again. Agreed?"

Zhou Changkong's eyes flickered, and he finally said 'Fine', agreeing.

…

Cao family Lingfu shop.

"Daoist Lin, there's no need to struggle pointlessly; hand over the faith talisman," the shopkeeper Cao Sheng said with some regret.

Lin Zixi naturally refused to hand it over.

Without the Cao family's faith talisman, she would instantly be reduced to her original state, and all the factions that had previously given her face would turn their backs.

Even petty people would add insult to injury…

But what else could she do?

If she doesn't hand it over, will the Cao family continue to help her? It would only make things uglier and cause the Cao family to despise her.

Having handed over the faith talisman, Lin Zixi asked wistfully, "Shopkeeper Cao, if trouble arises later, may I trouble you again…"

Cao Sheng caught the implication: Lin Zixi was asking whether the Cao family would no longer help her, and whether he personally would be willing to assist.

Unfortunately.

He actually still liked the young Lin Zixi and wanted to extend a helping hand.

But now, he no longer has the authority to intervene or decide.

"Daoist Lin, at this point stop entertaining other thoughts. The family head asked me to tell you, if you want to stay alive, leave Nanshan Fang quickly. Otherwise, if it's too late, you may not be able to leave…"

Cao Sheng advised.

The new shopkeeper of the Lingfu shop has an agreement with the family head not to act against the Lin sisters.

But if this person is petty and orders a move, it wouldn't be difficult.

That is all.

Lin Zixi left, dejected and lost.

……

……

Night.

In the Bing-level Cave Dwelling area, inside the cave dwelling of the Lin sisters.

Lin Ziyu gripped her sister's hand and said, "Let's leave Nanshan Fang."

Usually full of vigor, the lively Lin Zixi now seemed to have lost her spirit, murmuring, "If we leave Nanshan Fang, where would we go? Would we have to return to the Lin family to continue suffering? Moreover, the outside is now turbulent, the Lin family is also fraught with danger, and they have even sent people to contact us, wanting us to help establish a branch in Nanshan Fang, but we ended up giving them a harsh retort. How could we go back?"

Lin Ziyu said, "We still have savings; we can go to other cultivation market towns and immortal cities and start over!"

Lin Zixi shook her head. "Normally it would be fine. But now the situation is turbulent; we sisters are not outstanding in cultivation strength, and unless we follow a caravan away, it's extremely dangerous. Moreover, our meager savings aren't enough to buy a spot in a caravan, let alone settle in other market towns... So our best option is still to try to stay in Nanshan Fang. However, the Cao family definitely won't help us anymore; before Lingfu Pavilion takes action against us, we need to find a new backer."

"The Cao family is already the premier clan in Nanshan Fang, yet they dare not openly oppose Lingfu Pavilion—who could still make Lingfu Pavilion give them face?" Lin Ziyu frowned tightly.

Suddenly, the two sisters, as if sharing a tacit understanding, thought of something.

Afterward, both simultaneously turned their gaze to the neighboring cave dwelling.

From the outside, it's nearly impossible to find a backer that Lingfu Pavilion would fear.

But what if the two sisters directly 'join' Lingfu Pavilion? Let Lingfu Pavilion's people extend protection to them! (End of chapter)