Everyone immediately perked up, listening intently.
"The first matter, two tenths of the Su Family's power should be liquidated for wealth and brought under the control of the Guardian Hall. Let the four families split the remaining eight tenths of the power, but set an assessment. If they do not meet the standards when due, strip and reclaim it."
"The second matter, after selecting from the wealth, hand it over to Fang Che. Follow his actions during this plot of the Yixin Sect to see what they are truly after, and then try to get some clues from Fang Che."
"The third matter, give secret missions to the talented individuals across various regions. By any means necessary, thwart Fang Che at all costs. Do not allow him to come in first and make it difficult for his comrades at the Martial Arts Academy."
"The fourth matter, search with all our might for the whereabouts of these few people from the Yixin Sect. Apart from the master of Fang Che, the others, once found, must be killed without mercy!"
Someone immediately asked from below, "Why should Fang Che's master be excluded?"
"Idiot! If we touch one, we'll scare off the other. How are we supposed to fish? They are out in the open, do they still need to be pulled out?!"
Chen Ru Hai scolded without any courtesy.
All understood immediately.
They couldn't help but admire him.
Despite Chen Palace Master having a rough appearance, not sweating the small stuff, and having feet smelly enough to rival a latrine, the man genuinely had some real skills.
Such clarity of thought was truly shocking.
Across from him, the middle-aged man hosting the meeting wore a face of utter despondency, as if he owed an eternal debt he could never repay in a hundred lifetimes.
He waved his hand and with a voice heavy with a despair greater than heartbreak, spoke softly, "The Hall Master has already ordered it, so let's do it that way, everyone can disperse now."
As soon as he spoke, Chen Ru Hai immediately took his foot down, his face constipated as he put on his boots, rolling his eyes and saying, "Fan Tiantiao, can you not speak with that tone that sounds like a corpse that hasn't been buried?"
"It's a habit, I can't help it," Fan Tiantiao sighed with sorrow, the wrinkles on his face deepening.
As the two of them started speaking, everyone else immediately slipped out.
Mainly because when these two talked together, it created a feeling as if one were in two different worlds, a sense of fragmentation that was maddening.
And the irony was that one of these men was the Hall Master, and the other the Vice Hall Master.
Moreover, each had been summoned from different places to work together, which resulted in this mismatched partnership.
Mutual disdain!
Neither could stand the sight of the other.
"Are you not leaving? Do you have something to say?"
Chen Ru Hai rolled his eyes.
"That Fang Che, he must have someone by his side. I will request from the Dark Hall to send someone to infiltrate!"
Fan Tiantiao uttered each word.
Listening to that distressful, sorrow-filled voice and seeing that face which seemed to have never unwrinkled since birth, Chen Ru Hai felt inexplicably uncomfortable. With a wave of his hand and turning his face away, he said, "Then, arrange it yourself."
"I will arrange, of course."
Fan Tiantiao hissed, "If there happens to be any discovery, he will be killed immediately. Then all your fishing plans will also be ruined."
"Ruined then ruined, you make the decision."
Chen Ru Hai left with a whoosh.
From behind came Fan Tiantiao's cold, hoarse voice, strangled as if his throat were completely broken, "If you take off your shoes again during a meeting, I'll find you for a night-long chat!"
Bang!
Chen Ru Hai disappeared.
He immediately sent a report upon returning to his study: "I've accepted the transfer here, but I request the immediate transfer of Fan Tiantiao!"
Fan Tiantiao, still in the Guardian Hall, pondered with a furrowed brow for a long while before finally, with a frown, slowly staggered out.
Then a message was sent to the Dark Hall.
"Here is an easy mission, suitable to be discretionarily assigned to those geniuses in key training, to be used as a drill."
...
When Fang Che received the message agreeing to let him 'guard' the assets on behalf of the Guardian Hall, he wasn't surprised and silently nodded.
With such great commotion and such an enigmatic unfolding, if the Guardian Hall still didn't know about his relation to the Yixin Sect and thus didn't strengthen their guard and take action against him, all of them would have to be brain-dead.
Because on him, there was a clear thread.
"If they still have the brains to plant someone by my side, all the better."
Fang Che thought to himself.
His current strength offered no room for reckless actions.
Too weak, completely lacking the capability to deceive others. Once discovered, he would surely be doomed.
Ever since he chose this path, Fang Che had not regarded life and death with concern, but to die now would be far too regrettable.
Meanwhile, Sun Yuan was growing increasingly worried.
"Che'er, this matter... It may attract trouble by putting us in the line of fire. And now the Guardian Hall has agreed so readily, which clearly indicates they are watching you. That's a bit of an oversight."
Firmly, Fang Che said, "So what if someone has their eye on me? I can't ignore brotherly loyalty. No matter what, I must safeguard the wealth of Brother Su Yue."
"Alas... I can't tell if you're truly naive or just pretending."
Sun Yuan sighed helplessly.
"But after this, you must be prepared to begin the indoctrination of doctrines."
Fang Che nodded.
All of this was within his expectations.
Since coming forward, whether it was the Yixin Sect or people from the Guardian Hall, as long as they weren't foolish, they would have a brainstorm.
And their guesses and thoughts, Fang Che could mostly predict. Therefore, he was utterly confident that things would proceed exactly as he envisioned.
The biggest drawback was... his identity becoming 'semi-revealed' in the eyes of some.
Yet even this level of exposure was something Fang Che wanted.
The Su Family wealth was something the Yixin Sect couldn't take away. As long as he stepped forward, they would have to act. And their methods would undeniably involve eradicating the Su Family entirely.
The Su Family sought refuge with the Yixin Sect and became traitors to the continent. Such a family, Fang Che had never intended to let go.
I planned to kill you, annihilate your family's elites, devour your wealth, use your name for my fame, wipe out your entire family, and have the force you sought refuge with personally destroy your household!
Su Yue, do you have any regrets about using and framing a child back then?
"Does this settle your mind?"
Fang Che asked himself.
A barely detectable sense of persistence quietly dissipated.
...
After the Guardian Hall audited the Su Family's assets, they began to liquidate them.
Fang Zhenghang of the Fang Family personally took action, purchasing at a high price the street that originally belonged to the Su Family, ideally located adjacent to the Fang Family's sphere of influence. He also acquired two teahouses, two grain shops, a pawnshop, an gambling den, and a brothel.
"As long as the price is right, your nephew said the money could be refunded."
Thinking of the words his sister Fang Qianyi had told him before he left made Fang Zhenghang full of confidence.
With this assurance, he had the courage to outbid other families, no matter how high their offers.
"Fang Zhenghang! Does your Fang Family have that much money?"
Wei Junping, the head of the Wei Family, grew faint with anger and stood up to curse publicly.
"Our Fang Family has accumulated wealth over generations…" Fang Zhenghang began, but was simultaneously cut off by a collective 'tch' from the other three family heads.
Everyone knew what was going on, but within the Guardian Hall, such things couldn't be openly discussed.
Eventually, the Fang Family emerged overwhelmingly victorious.
Upon exiting the Guardian Hall.
"With a grim expression, Wei Junping said, "Fang Zhenghang, not all of the Su family's people may be dead. When they come back, let's see how your Fang Family pays this debt!"
Fang Zhenghang spoke calmly: "We have already paid in full now, why would we need to repay later?"
The other family heads left with a flick of their sleeves.
Fang Zhenghang returned to the Fang Family. An hour later, Fang Qianyi came over and delivered a chest full of silver notes and golden bills.
It was the very price that the Fang Family had just paid out.
Fang Zhenghang's face was heavy, looking at the chest without much joy.
He said softly, "Sister, you must keep a close watch; the child must not be led astray."
Fang Qianyi sighed, "I understand that."
Fang Zhenghang patted the chest and said, "I need to inform you of something. Starting today, the power of inheritance for the Fang Family in Bibo City includes a share for Fang Che! Che's treatment shall be equivalent to that of a direct heir!"
Fang Qianyi was greatly surprised and said, "Brother, Che is a relative by marriage; wouldn't this cause internal strife within the Fang Family?"
"We can't let the child feel disheartened."
Fang Zhenghang said, "Although Che is a relative by marriage, your brother, I am the Family Head!"
He spoke decisively, "I have already added this to the family rules; there's no need to discuss it further."
Fang Qianyi wanted to say more but could only sigh in resignation.
She knew her brother's temperament; once he made a decision, it was not open to change.
"Moreover, Che's nominal rights are just to safeguard the Su Family's properties. If one day someone from the Su Family comes forward, or if that Su Yue indeed returns, then the Fang Family will not renege on the deal!"
Fang Zhenghang said with a warm smile, "This is something your brother can still decide. And with these resources, we can develop over the next few years, which should be enough to compensate."
"…Thank you, brother."
Fang Zhenghang's eyes smiled, "I'm relieved that Che has made such a decision."
He said solemnly, "The child is good, but now he's caught in a whirlwind; he must not take the wrong path."
"Yes."
...
At this moment, Fang Che was following Sun Yuan to a secret location.
Fang Che had been knocked unconscious by Sun Yuan and brought here.
He had no idea what this place was.
When he woke up, he was in an eerie underground space.
The atmosphere was shrouded in an indescribable chill, as if it were the Underworld itself.
On both sides, there were eight peculiarly shaped stone sculptures, all resembling the forms of demons.
At the center of the altar was a fearsome centipede.
A centipede with a human head, its body covered in terrifying, strange tentacles.
The centipede's eyes seemed to flicker with a sinister green light.
The range encompassed by the green light was precisely where Fang Che was standing.
Within a three-foot radius, the light shone green.
Beneath the altar stood four people rigidly.
One in the center, one on each side, and two on one side.
Sun Yuan stepped forward, taking a position beside one of them.
Thus, they formed a pattern with one person in the center and two on each side.
"Che, this is your Yixin Sect initiation baptism ceremony. After today, you truly belong to the Yixin Sect!" Sun Yuan said softly.
Fang Che's heart chilled.
Was this the initiation ceremony of the Wei Wo Zheng Sect?
The infamous ceremony that all moles, no matter how cunning or resourceful, could never bypass?!
...
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