Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2213 141: Decisiveness (Part 3)

"Rest assured, Mr. Taiyi, the tasks you have assigned will be handled without any errors."

Wang Ba gave a slight nod of his head:

"Let it be so."

Tenth Son of Yin then shifted his attention toward Wan Haisheng and signaled with a nod:

"Young Master Haisheng, after you."

Upon receiving the nod from Tenth Son of Yin, Wan Haisheng appeared to let out a breath of relief. His eyes darted subtly between Wang Ba and Tenth Son of Yin before he once again extended his hand in a gesture of invitation, his smile widening.

Wang Ba, however, did not move immediately. He scanned the gathered Wan Family cultivators until his gaze landed on a tall cultivator within the group who looked visibly distressed.

At that moment, a faint, mocking grin emerged on Wang Ba’s otherwise stoic face.

It was the exact same expression the tall cultivator had worn previously.

Then, with a sudden flash of movement, he took to the sky and flew toward the distance.

The tall cultivator in the crowd stood there, his face as cold and hard as iron.

Wan Haisheng, who had been watching the interaction thoughtfully, quickly rose into the air as well. As he soared past the tall cultivator, he slowed down momentarily and spoke in a detached tone:

"I have warned you many times not to pull such stunts at the trade fair! Today, you have finally stumbled. Follow us... and make sure you show more sincerity later."

The tall cultivator looked up sharply, his eyes a swirling mess of fury, frustration, resentment, and confusion.

Unable to contain himself, he sent a voice transmission:

"Second Brother."

"Is he truly from the Yin Family of Baiqu? Looking at the core members of the Yin Family, is there even such a person? That Tenth Son of Yin is the direct descendant of the Clan Chief, Yin Fu, and holds a high rank, yet he treats this man with such reverence..."

Wan Haisheng’s face remained composed, though a chilly light flickered in the depths of his eyes:

"He is likely a Guest Official of the Yin Family. Given the extreme care the Yin Family is showing—even the Ninth Ancestor of the Yin Family sent a personal missive to our own Ancestor—he must possess some extraordinary traits... Do not expect the family to bail you out of every mess you create. After all the resources the family has invested in you, you understand what must be done later, don't you?"

With those words finished, he sped off into the distance.

The tall cultivator’s complexion shifted rapidly upon hearing this.

A savage glint flashed in his eyes.

He then flew swiftly in the direction the group had gone.

A short time later.

The tall cultivator arrived at a temporary imperial palace located on the outskirts of She Mansion.

From within the palace walls, the muffled sounds of dance music could be heard.

However, the voices of Wan Haisheng and the cultivators from the Baiqu Yin Family reached his ears immediately:

"...Fellow Daoist Taiyi, do you find these compensations to be satisfactory?"

"Haha, Second Young Master Wan, if I may be so bold—while Mr. Taiyi is a man of grace, since a misunderstanding has occurred, why not have the person responsible come forward and explain themselves in person?"

"Well... Tenth Son of Yin, please be patient for a moment. My brother will arrive shortly. Truly, it is a misfortune for our clan; my brother has always been headstrong and often defies the Ancestor. Were it not for his past contributions and hard work, he would have been struck from the family registers long ago..."

As the tall cultivator listened to the conversation, he realized they had already detected his presence. A surge of anger instantly boiled up in his chest.

Recalling Wan Haisheng’s earlier commands, he marched into the hall and raised his voice:

"Wan Haiteng unintentionally offended Mr. Taiyi and has come to offer his apologies!"

The sudden shout was startling, causing the dancers and musicians to halt their performance.

Every eye in the hall turned toward the tall cultivator.

Wan Haisheng remained expressionless, while 'Mr. Taiyi' watched him with a faint, knowing smile.

Tenth Son of Yin gave a sudden, short laugh and remarked:

"As far as apologies go, I don't see any real sincerity here."

Wan Haisheng’s face darkened slightly at the comment. He turned his gaze toward the tall cultivator:

"Haiteng..."

The tall cultivator clenched his teeth. Flipping his palms over, he presented the oilcloth umbrella from his waist with both hands.

Wan Haisheng looked on with dissatisfaction:

"Get closer!"

Though the tall cultivator looked humiliated, he did not dare to protest. Holding the oilcloth umbrella high above his head with both hands, he walked toward Wang Ba.

With his head bowed low, he spoke in a heavy voice:

"Wan Haiteng had eyes but failed to recognize a True Man. I have offended you, sir; please show mercy and forgive me!"

Sitting in the primary seat of the palace, Wang Ba looked down at the tall cultivator who had been so arrogant before but was now bending his back in submission. He couldn't help but lift an eyebrow.

Through his conversations with Tenth Son of Yin, he had learned that because the Qingluo Wan Family only possessed a single Crossing Tribulation cultivator, their power was vastly inferior to the Yin Family of Baiqu. This forced them to act with extreme humility before the Yin Family. Seeing it in person, however, truly highlighted the status gap created by a difference in raw strength.

His eyes shifted slightly. Under Wan Haisheng’s hopeful gaze, he reached out and took the oilcloth umbrella.

A look of joy crossed Wan Haisheng’s face, and he began to speak.

But suddenly, Wang Ba set the umbrella down, looked at the tall cultivator, and said in a level voice:

"The mid-grade Innate Dao Treasure currently in your possession—I find myself interested in that as well. Would you be willing to part with it?"

The tall cultivator kept his head down, his frame trembling slightly.

Wan Haisheng was stunned for a moment but quickly added his pressure:

"Mr. Taiyi has made a request! Why haven't you produced it yet?"

Such a spineless display caused a flicker of contempt to appear in Tenth Son of Yin’s eyes.

"Yes."

The tall cultivator spoke slowly.

He then pulled the Dao Treasure—the one Wang Ba had originally given to Deng Yingjue—out from his sleeve.

In the next instant, he snapped his head up, his face twisted with a mixture of fury and insanity as he glared at Wang Ba:

"You have pushed me too far! I'll kill you!"

Simultaneous with his roar, the mid-grade Innate Dao Treasure in his grip flared with light. His Seventh Tier Dao Domain erupted and merged with the treasure, launching a sudden strike at the seemingly defenseless Wang Ba!

A terrifying radiance exploded, instantly obliterating the temporary imperial palace!

In a heartbeat, the cups, tables, pillars, and the very roof were reduced to nothing but drifting ash.