Chapter 1374 — Showing No Mercy

Jumping at every shadow like that—looks like Wei Zhao had everything arranged down to the last detail, and all my fretting was for nothing! An elder of the Dark Night Palace, no less, and I am no match for that little guard of Wei Zhao's!

"Yes!" Shadow Thirteen answered. "Please rest assured, Elder Li. But our Shadow Group can only gather information—when sudden trouble breaks out, we are powerless to act..."

Shadow Thirteen was one of Elder Li's most trusted confidants, so he did not scruple to speak his mind.

"That... I can only press the Grand Elder again. But this time you have brought me good news—it seems the backing behind this Wei Zhao is powerful indeed!" Elder Li exclaimed. "If he is truly so formidable, then I trust the Grand Elder will not be unreasonable..."

Shadow Thirteen did not dare say more about the inner affairs of the Dark Night Palace. He listened in silence, then hung up.

As for Elder Li, he set off once more for the Grand Elder's residence.

"Why have you come back again?" Seeing Elder Li return so soon after leaving, the Grand Elder was instantly irritated. Was this man ever going to give it a rest? Her expression turned cold and dark.

"Grand Elder, I have something important to report!" Elder Li said hurriedly.

"If it is still about that little brat Gu Mengyao, then save your breath. I must cultivate," the Grand Elder said, cutting him off with some impatience.

"This... it concerns the little miss, only..." Elder Li faltered at once. A single sentence from the Grand Elder had sealed off everything he had meant to say.

"Only what? There is no 'only.' Whether she lives or dies has little to do with me." The Grand Elder waved a hand, ready to send him away.

"Grand Elder, at least hear me out. This is how it stands—that Jin Wudi has been beaten to death!" Seeing no room for maneuver in her words, Elder Li could only steel himself and go on. "The one who beat Jin Wudi to death is Wei Zhao's underling..."

"What are you trying to tell me? That Wei Zhao's underling is very formidable?" The Grand Elder frowned. "What is so remarkable about killing a first-rate Earth Rank fighter? Could you or I not kill one?"

"Grand Elder, this guard at the little miss's side is no weakling. If one careless punch from an underling can kill a first-rate Earth Rank fighter, then what rank must the underling himself be? And according to my investigation, Wei Zhao is only of the Mystic Rank. So why would this underling be willing to serve a Mystic Rank fighter as his subordinate?" Elder Li reasoned. "This Wei Zhao must have some force behind him. He might even be the young master of some family or sect..."

"At the level of the ancient sects and ancient families, is there any younger generation I do not know? And you think I need your analysis?" The Grand Elder gave a cold snort. "Do not imagine I cannot see through you. All of this is simply to make me believe Wei Zhao has a powerful background, so that the Dark Night Palace will take him in. But to my eyes, Wei Zhao is nothing but a rogue cultivator, and his paltry strength does not even enter the Dark Night Palace's eyes!"

"This..." Elder Li was somewhat embarrassed. That had indeed been his intent, but to have it seen through left him with little face. "Even so, to possess such strength in the mortal world is no small thing. As the saying goes, one more friend is one more road. A talent like this—rogue cultivator or not—is worth our recruiting! He has already shown such a gift for cultivation. If another sect beats us to him..."

"Hmph. A mere mortal rogue cultivator is not worth the Dark Night Palace's recruiting. Though this Gu Pengzhan is impressive enough—wherever did he find such a guard?" the Grand Elder said mildly. "Still, look into Wei Zhao's origins. If he is truly worth recruiting, then there is no harm in granting him a few benefits. Whatever terms Gu Pengzhan can offer, the Dark Night Palace can offer just the same!"

"Ah? Grand Elder, you mean... poach him?" Elder Li was dumbstruck.

"Did you not tell me that this man has promise and is worth recruiting?" the Grand Elder said blandly.

"But... what of the little miss?" Elder Li was taken aback, feeling he had rather overreached and dropped a stone on his own foot. Now it had come to this: the Grand Elder had taken notice of Wei Zhao and wanted him recruited into the Dark Night Palace. Then what would become of Gu Mengyao's safety?

"Do you want to recruit talent, or do you want to fret over the safety of one little brat?" The Grand Elder was somewhat angered. "Enough. Get out. A man like you, worrying over this and that every day, head turned by tender personal feelings—you never give a thought to the Dark Night Palace's future. All you care about is one little brat! If that little brat could raise the Dark Night Palace to the rank of a first-rate ancient sect, I would serve as her slave myself. Otherwise, there is nothing to discuss!"

"Then I shall take my leave..." Elder Li sighed, helpless, yet not daring to say more. The Grand Elder was an extremist: if it was for the good of the Dark Night Palace, if it could advance the Dark Night Palace, she would stake her very life on it; but anything of no benefit to the Dark Night Palace—she would not yield on it even if beaten to death.

And Elder Li also feared that if he said too much, the Grand Elder would insist on recruiting Wei Zhao into the Dark Night Palace. If that happened, where in the world would Gu Pengzhan find another guard so formidable? So it was best that Elder Li leave first, and he turned and departed from the Grand Elder's residence.

In the Xiao family villa, Pi Zhishan sat gravely in the master's seat of the living room sofa. Seated beside him were Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben, while Xiao Wangba and Xiao Wangdao stood respectfully to one side.

By now Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben had also learned of what had happened earlier, and both were greatly shaken. They had assumed that with Jin Wudi taking the field, Wei Zhao's whole family was certain to die. Yet in the blink of an eye, it was Jin Wudi whose death was certain—and even the eldest young master of the Pi family had bowed his head. Was the Xiao family not now in dire peril?

"Young Master Pi, you cannot abandon the Xiao family now. This time we offended the Gu family precisely to help the Pi family win that property. Now that trouble has come, you cannot simply wash your hands of us!" What Xiao Ji feared most now was that the Pi family would let go all at once. They were a hidden family—they could simply up and walk away, and could Wei Zhao really come after them?

But the Xiao family was different. The Xiao family had to stay here and make its way. Unless they moved to another city and lived under a false name, giving up all claim to the title of an aristocratic family, Wei Zhao would always be able to find them, should he want his revenge.

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