"F-Father."

Wang Weiyang called out cautiously.

Wang Xiong rubbed his brow, his mood at an absolute low.

Although Wang Lie had poor talent, he was still a second-layer Qi Gathering cultivator-a existence that held absolute dominance over ordinary mortals.

He usually handled a fair share of the family's mundane affairs.

But now, his whereabouts were unknown, his life or death uncertain.

"Uncle might just be imprisoned by the Yang family. It might not necessarily be..."

"Hmph!"

Wang Xiong snorted coldly. "Have you ever met Yang Guanfeng?"

"Uh... No, Father, I haven't."

"Heh, that man is a vicious wolf who devours people without spitting out the bones! Falling into his hands, how could there be any lease on life left!"

Wang Xiong's eyes flashed with a fierce light, having clearly crossed paths with Yang Guanfeng in the past.

Wang Weiyang shivered slightly at those words. "Then what do we do now? Will the Yang family come to demand an explanation and hold us accountable?"

Hearing his son say something so utterly lacking in judgment, Wang Xiong felt a pang of deep disappointment.

How could the Yang family possibly come forward to demand an explanation? Wouldn't that just give the Wang family a chance to bite back and make false accusations?

Now that three days had passed without a single stir, it was glaringly obvious. The Yang family had killed the man and intended to act as though nothing had happened. Meanwhile, the Wang family had to swallow their grievances; they couldn't show the slightest dissatisfaction, let alone utter a single question.

"Sigh... The Yang family won't come. This time, we're the ones who suffered a silent loss at their hands."

Wang Xiong let out a helpless sigh. "Until your younger brother returns from his sect to visit, do not leave Baishi Town. Just stay home and cultivate properly. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Father."

After Wang Weiyang withdrew, a profound weariness surfaced on Wang Xiong's face.

He was not like Yang Guanfeng, who had a powerful and reliable expert like Elder Yu to assist him.

The Wang family's current foundation was supported entirely by his shoulders alone.

Now that he had lost a capable hand, he could not help but feel deeply agitated.

However, after a brief moment of lament, a touch of solace returned to his expression.

Fortunately, both of his sons possessed cultivation talent.

His younger son had even caught the eye of a sect and had been secretly taken up the mountain to cultivate. It could be said that his future prospects were boundless.

"When one's strength is inferior, one must temporarily endure and yield."

As the Patriarch of a family, Wang Xiong certainly did not lack composure and patience.

On the fourth day after Wang Lie's death, the Yang family's fourth shop in Baishi Town opened for business.

To everyone's surprise, Wang Xiong personally arrived to deliver his congratulations. He and the elderly cultivator of the Yang family spoke with great warmth, appearing like old friends who regretted not meeting sooner.

To outsiders, it seemed the Wang family had reached some form of alliance or cooperation with the Yang family.

But the true, bitter reality of the matter was known only to the few individuals involved.

Little Pine Mountain, Yang Family Courtyard.

The current scale of the Yang family's estate had already expanded several times over compared to their days in Liuye Town.

Serving as the transit node between the two towns, the Yang family had not only continued their original shop businesses but had also cleared thousands of acres of farmland. They had even established a tavern and a courier station to provide food and rest for passing merchant caravans.

This series of operations caused their daily revenue to surge by forty percent, making their livelihood far more prosperous than before.

While overseeing agriculture and commerce, Yang Xiaolei also began training Clan Soldiers under Yang Guanfeng's direction.

In the future, the Yang family's domain and population would only grow larger. It was impossible to rely on the family's cultivators to step forward for every minor disturbance.

Cultivators were the family's ultimate deterrent. Unless a major crisis threatened the very survival of the clan, they could not easily waste their energy on trivial matters.

Meanwhile, Yang Guanfeng had informed Elder Yu about Wang Lie's trespass into the Restricted Grounds.

Elder Yu harbored no objections regarding how the matter was handled, but he was also somewhat uncertain about Chen Yang's true nature.

"It just so happens that the opening of the Fish Ridge River Market is around the corner. I will make a trip there to commission a Formation Master. We need to re-arrange a mid-stage Qi Gathering defensive formation for the Restricted Grounds, and I can use the opportunity to inquire about the origins of this stone," Elder Yu suggested.

Yang Guanfeng nodded. "That sounds excellent."

The two then began taking stock inside the Restricted Grounds' treasure vault.

Ever since he began following Yang Guanfeng, Elder Yu would travel to the Immortal Market at Fish Ridge River once every year.

This was to procure resources necessary for cultivation and to liquidate certain items for Spirit Crystals to pay the dynasty's annual taxes.

After taking stock, the Yang family currently possessed a total of seventeen Spirit Crystals, twenty-three Qi Gathering-level talismans, eight Qi Gathering-level healing pills, one damaged Spirit Weapon, and a smattering of various raw materials.

These assets had been gathered bit by bit by Yang Guanfeng and Elder Yu over many years of hard wandering.

Compared to other small families, the Yang family's greatest fortune was the presence of Elder Yu himself.

He had once been a sect cultivator. He was widely traveled, knowledgeable, and still retained several of his former sect's cultivation methods and dao arts within his mind.

Otherwise, given the Yang family's meager finances, even selling everything they owned would not have sufficed to purchase a cultivation manual capable of reaching the Condensed Origin realm.

To invite a proper Formation Master, one needed to present at least twenty Spirit Crystals.

The two calculated their options and set aside a pile of miscellaneous goods, estimating they could fetch around fifteen Spirit Crystals at the market.

"As for the remaining funds, Elder Yu, you may allocate them as you see fit."

"Rest assured, Patriarch. I will not let our family suffer a loss."

Elder Yu secured the bundle tightly around his waist and departed for the Fish Ridge River that very day.

After three days of continuous travel, the familiar, rushing waters came into view. He sighed with emotion. "Old friend, we meet again."

He recalled how he had once taken a massive, drunken gulp from this very river in his youth. Every time he arrived here, a touch of nostalgia invariably gripped his heart.

Following the Fish Ridge River further west lay Wangyue City.

It was the only true city in the region, governing eight surrounding towns, including Liuye Town and Baishi Town.

Wangyue City was not particularly grand. Its City Lord was a cultivator at the late-stage Condensed Origin realm.

Furthermore, he was the true master operating behind the scenes of the Fish Ridge River Market.

The market itself was situated on a small island in the center of the river, opening once every quarter. Cultivators from all across the Wangyue City region would gather there to trade.

Those with sufficient profound techniques could choose to tread across the water on foot, while others took boats.

Given his advanced years, Elder Yu naturally opted for a vessel.

"Elder Yu, you've arrived as well."

As a regular customer, he was recognized the moment he stepped onto the deck.

The one greeting him was a cultivator from the Southern Mountain Li Family, named Li Cheng.

The Li Family's scale was considerably larger than the Yang family's. Their Patriarch had already reached the Qi Gathering Perfection realm, and a conservative estimate placed the number of cultivators in their clan at ten or more.

"Young Master Li, long time no see," Elder Yu replied, returning the greeting politely.

Although both shared the same cultivation at the sixth layer of Qi Gathering, the youth before him was far younger. Reaching the late stage of Qi Gathering in the future was a mathematical certainty for him.

"It has indeed been a while. I heard that your Yang family has also moved out of your town?"

The Yang family's relocation had taken place over three months ago. The neighboring factions had all caught wind of it; it was no longer a secret.

"Indeed," Elder Yu nodded. "It is thanks to the blessings of our ancestors. A child in the family possesses decent aptitude and fortunately managed to break through to the Qi Gathering realm."

"So that is why. Then moving out was the correct choice. Otherwise, the town taxes are simply too high to endure. It is quite similar to my Li family's situation in the early days."

Li Cheng nodded in understanding, then changed the subject. "Might I ask what Elder Yu intends to purchase during this trip?"

Faced with Li Cheng's casual probing, Elder Yu chose not to deliberately hide his intentions.

"Well, following our relocation, a few issues cropped up with our defensive arrays. I am hoping to invite a Formation Master to re-arrange a proper structure."

"Oh? You are also here to seek a Formation Master? Then it seems we can travel together."

Upon further conversation, Elder Yu learned that Li Cheng's journey was because the Li family had recently established a new detached courtyard, and he had been tasked with hiring someone to construct a late-stage Qi Gathering protective formation.