Chapter 28: The Ruthless One with a Thousand Guards

Heng De rubbed his hands excitedly: "My son, speak up!"

Heng Xian squinted his eyes: "You arrange manpower, establish a bank and a pawnshop.

The bank will specialize in lending spiritual crystals, the pawnshop will specialize in pawning valuable items!

Understanding investment, money making money is the hard truth!"

Heng De raised his thumb: "My son… you're truly a great talent!"

…

From the next day onward, the Heng family's alchemy shop's popularity reached an unprecedented height.

Not only in this city, cultivators from other cities also rushed over upon hearing the news, and the crowds flowed nonstop each day!

In contrast, the nine families such as Ye, Xiao, Li and others saw their major shops become deserted, with only a handful of customers.

Truly, it's the saying 'thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river'!

The key nine great elders, such as Ye Xuan, Xue Hao, were helpless!

They could never have imagined anything better than Heng Xian's method!

If you think of causing trouble, the Heng family isn't stupid!

And so half a month passed.

The nine families really couldn't cope any longer!

Moreover, after these days of fermentation, everyone began to understand Heng Xian's tactics; the more they pondered, the more shocking they found them!

This maneuver…

It's literally a damn god‑like, money‑circling prodigy!

Why didn't we think of this before?

Old Mo of the Pill Refining Alliance even personally approached Heng Xian several times about the alchemy formula, but they never reached an agreement!

…

City Lord's Mansion.

'Hall of Governance'!

City Lord Ye Baili gathered with a group of Ye family elders.

However, the discussion was not about the alchemy shop!

Ye Baili wore a mysterious smile on his face: "Just now, Xiao Yao broke through the second level of Qi condensation!"

"Good!" a group of Ye family elders clapped and cheered.

"That's not all!" Ye Baili said calmly: "Princess Seventh, has finally decided that Xiao Yao will be her Prince Consort!"

"Marvelous!" the excitement among the Ye family elders was beyond words.

Although the Ye family is strong, they are still far from the Chu Kingdom's royal clan!

The reason the royal princesses favor a small southern family like the Ye is, first, there are many royal princesses, and second, there must be a royal expert who recognized Ye Xiao Yao's future potential!

In comparison, the Heng family's modest wealth seemed insignificant!

Ye Xuan sighed at this moment: "But, Father! The Heng family's little mongrel tactics have captured almost half of the city's spiritual crystals; if this continues, the Heng family will surely rise!"

Ye Baili patted the armrest: "A Cai?"

A Cai flashed in from outside, his whole body covered in scars, as if he had aged a dozen years.

The Ye family elders were startled: "A Cai, what happened to you?"

A Cai's face was plaintive: "My men and the experts from the Xiao and Li families attempted to assassinate that little mongrel eighteen times, all failed!"

"Why is that?" the Ye people were surprised.

A Cai's complexion turned pale, stumbling: "He seems to anticipate our tactics, evading us each time ahead of us,

and then he cruelly sets a trap for us; my men… cannot kill him!"

He said this while lying on the ground, crying bitterly.

"This…" the Ye elders looked at the City Lord.

The City Lord was silent for a moment, then said to Ye Xuan: "You personally lead five Qi‑condensation‑realm practitioners, and also rally the Xiao, Li, and Xue families to act together,

no more covert actions; strike openly, just like assassinating Heng De, and afterwards you can walk away cleanly!"

"Yes!"

…

The Heng family's inevitable route to the Return Origin Hall.

In a narrow alley, more than twenty men in black stood, each exuding overwhelming aura.

Among them, six wore no masks; they were unmistakably Ye Xuan, Xiao Feng, Xue Hao, and A Cai—the three 'old assassins'.

"Rumor has it he'll pass here in a moment; you've tried to assassinate him eighteen times—how many people does he have with him each day?" Ye Xuan asked.

A Cai replied: "We haven't seen him for a few days; a few days ago, sometimes he was alone, sometimes he had a few maidservants with him."

The Fat One and the Thin One immediately nodded: "Exactly!"

Xue Hao said coldly: "The numbers aren't many, but this kid has a cleverness ordinary people lack, even if he can't cultivate,

we mustn't be careless; later we'll act together, aiming for a one‑hit kill!"

Ye Xuan nodded: "Brother Xue is right! Calculating the time, it's about now—prepare!"

A group immediately put on masks, squinting toward the Heng family's direction.

After waiting half a incense stick's time, Heng Xian indeed arrived.

Only…

Ye Xuan and the others suddenly widened their eyes, their bodies trembling slightly.

They saw Heng Xian seated on a luxurious waist‑high throne, with four hundred Heng family masters clearing the way ahead.

Two hundred Heng family masters guarded each side.

At the rear, at least four hundred Heng family masters followed.

The massive guard formation, with dazzling spirit blades and swords, was bright enough to blind a man's eyes!

Ye Xuan's body trembled violently, his face swollen bright red, and at last he could no longer bear it, shouting, "Damn it! Didn't you say you'd only bring a few maids?"

How scared of death are you to go out with over a thousand guards? This isn't even an assassination!

Xue Hao also shouted, "That damn little mongrel, too hard to handle, should've been killed long ago!"

The three "old assassins" A Cai showed a hint of fear in their eyes.

It was their first time feeling fear toward the person about to be assassinated!

Ye Xuan turned his head, surprised, and said, "Huh? You… are scared?"

A Cai trembled, "I… I have an ominous premonition!"

As the words fell, a foul stench hit the nose.

On the walls at both sides, a dozen or so Heng family masters of the Condensing Qi realm appeared, holding pans of excrement, and wildly splashed it down.

And that wasn't all; ahead, Heng Xian's five hundred guards charged forward with swords drawn.

Damn!

Run!

Ye Xuan and his group frantically dodged the feces, scattering and fled.

Where are you going?

The Heng family masters gave chase.

Both sides chased from midair to the ground, then from the ground back to midair.

In the city, a bizarre scene unfolded: foul‑smelling men in black sprinted ahead while Heng family elites pursued them with all their might.

Heng Xian, after swallowing a fragrant, potent pill, withdrew his gaze, waved his hand, and leisurely led the large force to the Return Origin Hall,

There, as soon as they lowered their waists and entered, a petite figure leapt forward from inside.

In a flash, the two collided head‑on, and the petite figure's lips were pressed against Heng Xian's mouth.

It made a clacking sound, a bit painful to the teeth.

Heng Xian stepped back, looked at Xie Lingyu, and asked, "Are you crazy?"

Xie Lingyu covered her lips, her face flushed, "I… I thought you had just arrived at the doorway, and I came out to greet you, got a bit… excited!"

Heng Xian touched his lips, "Huh? Did you eat… mint candy? Who invented it?"

Xie Lingyu, a little embarrassed, "What's mint candy? I just ate some cooling herb, the kind that makes your breath fragrant!"

"Interesting, let me smell it," Heng Xian said, surprised.

Xie Lingyu leaned in, still a bit red, dimples showing, then opened her small mouth at Heng Xian's nose and exhaled.

The two were extremely close, their mouths almost touching.

Kong San Ye and a group of his men hurriedly turned away.

Clang!

At that moment, a sound of something shattering came from the doorway.

Heng Xian looked on in surprise and saw Heng Ruzhe, Heng Yin, Heng Xu and a group arriving.

Heng Ruzhe's face turned pale, and the pill bottle in his hand fell to the ground.

"Cousin brother, cousin sister, you're here?" Xie Lingyu turned back, smiling.

"What are you doing?!" Heng Ruzhe's face was full of anger.

Heng Yin, Heng Xu, Heng Chong and the others also wore cold, grim expressions.

Xie Lingyu, surprised, said, "We weren't doing anything!"

Heng Ruzhe, his anger flaring, "You were literally kissing!"

"I…" Xie Lingyu opened her mouth, not knowing how to explain.

Heng Yin first looked at Xie Lingyu, then coldly stared at Heng Xian: "Heng Xian! You have done something for the family, but you must understand your position,"

"You are always just a merchant who only knows how to make money; before cultivators, you are nothing,"

"No matter how hard you try, you are merely a fleeting illusion."

"We are the true future of the Heng family!"

Heng Xu also said coldly, "You will always remain that uncultivable scoundrel!"

Heng Xian, astonished, "Damn! Did I take the wrong pill? The trash‑cultivator mockery has gone too far!"

Heng Yin said in a deep voice, "Hmph! Cousin Lingyu, you are the fiancée personally appointed by grandfather and father for Ruzhe!"

"How could you be disrespectful to her? Have you swallowed a bear's heart and a leopard's gall?"

"Just because you earned some money for the family, do you think you can do whatever you please?"

Heng Ruzhe's voice trembled, "Even if you earn more money for the family, today I will turn my sword against you, to discipline you, you brat!"

He said this while advancing step by step toward Heng Xian.

Xie Lingyu suddenly stepped forward, blocking in front of Heng Xian, her expression solemn, and said,

"Have you misunderstood something? Since when did I become Heng Ruzhe's fiancée? Who decided that? Did I agree?"

(End of chapter)