Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 2136 - 457: A Family Affair 4

The summer vacation buzzed with energy, as the college entrance exams had just wrapped up, sending tourism soaring to its annual peak.

Following the spiritual recovery, the globe's land area had ballooned a hundred times over, though the threats lurking in the Yangtze River had surged even higher.

For protection, the sprawling city of Tianhai operated just one active dock. As a result, the place overflowed with crowds—a dense throng of people more packed than a railway hub during ancient Spring Festival migrations.

A few awaited boats bound for far-off regions, while others joined guided excursions venturing into the river to behold the grand, ocean-like expanses of the widened channel.

Though the Yangtze brimmed with hazards, journeys with top tour companies were usually secure; these groups drew support from mighty organizations, featuring fortified ships and potent cannons that warded off water creatures and marauders alike. Rumors swirled that some even maintained secret pacts with those very pirates.

Wang Yue showed up disguised as “Wang Tiezhu.” His plain, unremarkable looks allowed him to melt seamlessly into the masses, utterly unnoticeable.

He'd arrived ahead of time and kept out of sight solely for scouting. An attack from the Zhang Ancestor didn't worry him, but he refused to stumble into a trap without caution.

After all, even if Zhang Jianyuan's scheming with the Kong family was his lone venture, nothing assured that the Ancestor lacked formidable allies of his own.

To Wang Yue, who stood at the late Mortal Shedding Realm, a span of thirty miles felt like nothing at all. He barely had to stir; just extending his spiritual sense gave him a vivid view of the meeting area.

Barring the presence of a Transcendence Realm expert from the foes, no Qi signatures could evade his detection.

Such a Transcendence figure seemed improbable—if the Zhangs possessed that kind of support, they would've struck right after he captured Jianyuan those two nights prior.

He lingered until almost nine. At the agreed location, he picked up just one pulse of Mortal Shedding Realm power. No traces of True Return or Tianyuan cultivators appeared nearby. Evidently, the Zhang Ancestor had arrived by himself.

“The elder shows real honesty,” Wang Yue thought, a subtle grin forming as he eased silently into the river. He'd picked a remote vantage for watching, ensuring his dive went unseen.

At the Mortal Shedding Realm, landscapes seldom hindered movement, save for soaring through the air. His pace beneath the surface lagged a touch behind land speed, yet he zipped along with remarkable swiftness.

Shielded by a personal Qi shield, not even a splash dampened his attire.

Soon enough, Wang Yue arrived at the spot. True to his guess, the river's perils kept the shore distant from the primary pier utterly empty. Solely the Zhang Ancestor waited on the sand. No other presence stirred within twenty miles around.

Should combat erupt, no innocents would get caught in the crossfire. Still, Wang Yue figured no clash would happen; else, the veteran wouldn't have ventured alone.

Right at nine sharp, the lines on Wang Yue's face adjusted, reshaping into the stern youth clad in black. He surged from the depths and touched down without a sound in front of the Ancestor.

The Zhang Ancestor's eyes narrowed sharply. He knew this young fighter outmatched him, but now he grasped the full extent of his underestimation.

The lad had lurked in the water just steps away, yet the Ancestor detected nothing until his sudden emergence.

Had this been a killing blow, the elder probably couldn't have withstood even one assault.

Gazing at the youth who'd driven the Zhang family to the edge of ruin—forcing the Clan Head to escape—a swirl of mixed feelings flickered in the Ancestor's gaze, fading into a heavy breath. “You keep good time, Excellency.”

“Nine means nine. Out with it—how do we resolve this?” Wang Yue responded flatly. Aware that Jianyuan and the Kong family orchestrated the real turmoil, he felt scant grudge against the broader Zhang lineage.

If animosity burned in him, the old timer wouldn't stand so at ease.

The Ancestor eyed Wang Yue and inquired, “Before we proceed, might I learn your actual age?”

Though cultivators could temper their years, and ancient powerhouses often looked youthful, their vibe and presence were tougher to mimic. To the Ancestor, this figure radiated true, lively youthfulness.

“Below thirty,” Wang Yue answered. He skipped mentioning fifteen—no need to shock the veteran into collapse. The man had endured plenty already.

“Below thirty... and reached this height already. Next to you, my endless days feel like a dog's life,” the Ancestor said with a wry grin, his lingering resentment dissolving away.

Had the foe matched his years, resistance might've been possible, but this freakish prodigy was beyond the Zhang family's reach. Moreover, a prodigy sans an obvious sect affiliation proved even more daunting.

“Enough chit-chat,” Wang Yue urged, a trace of irritation slipping in. “How does this wrap up?”

“That's for you to say,” the Ancestor answered wearily. “What would it require to spare the Zhang family?”

“Tricky question. On resources, I suspect your house holds nothing valuable anymore,” Wang Yue remarked, pretending reluctance. He'd prepared his demands, but grasped the edge from some mental bargaining. No political whiz, he still knew to mix threats with incentives.

The Ancestor grimaced. Spot on—Jianyuan had drained them dry. He cursed his own blind faith in that scoundrel.

Noting the elder's pain, Wang Yue exhaled softly inside. The Ancestor wasn't inherently wicked; he served more as a “pawn” dedicated to the clan's endurance. Virtue from the clan made him noble; corruption turned him foul. It hinged on the guiding hand.

Wang Yue planned no handover of the pilfered assets to the whole clan. Leaving them with Zhang Hong ensured smart use for strengthening control.

“I hold no desire for lives, either,” Wang Yue went on. “Those I aimed to handle have already fled the Zhang family.”

Clarity dawned on the Ancestor. The maimed juniors were mere pretexts; this powerhouse's main mark was always Zhang Jianyuan. “Yet without lives or resources, I genuinely can't fathom what the Zhang family brings to the table.”

Feeling the leverage had built enough, Wang Yue grinned. “Gains needn't always involve seizure. We might... join forces instead.”

“Join forces? In what way?” The Ancestor probed, his pulse quickening with surprise and optimism. Partnering with such a standout would uplift the Zhangs greatly. At his stage and strength, ascending to Transcendence seemed assured. One Transcendence powerhouse could hoist a lineage to the Capital's Kong tier.

Wang Yue stated, “Straightforward. I designate a proxy to claim Clan Head. You'll back him fully. Should the family face peril, he reaches out to me for aid.”

The Ancestor's spirits dropped. An external ruler would erode the Zhang essence. Backed by Wang Yue, no one would challenge the newcomer.

“Your thoughts, Senior?” Wang Yue questioned, observing the elder's changing face.

“Those conditions are unacceptable,” the Ancestor declared sternly, shifting into combat ready. “It's tantamount to our downfall. I'd sooner guide the clan in a last, honorable stand than witness our overthrow.”

Wang Yue laughed lightly. “Care to hear who my proxy is before deciding?”

The Ancestor paused, his determination wavering. “Who?”

“Zhang Hong,” Wang Yue stated plainly.

“Zhang Hong?” The Ancestor stiffened. “Which one?”

“The one your kin sacrificed as bait and then discarded,” Wang Yue explained.

Shame flooded the Ancestor. He'd once rated Zhang Hong highly, seeing potential for a fourth Mortal Shedding member before his growth halted. Unaware of Jianyuan's deliberate sabotage.

When the “betrayal” struck, he'd deemed it too risky to step in without sparking further chaos.

Now, shame morphed into delight. Zhang Hong carried the bloodline. By descent, he matched Jianyuan's closeness to the Ancestor. Installing Zhang Hong as head was ideal—he possessed the skill, the heritage, and crucially, support from a prodigy like Wang Yue. Pure upside, zero downside.