The Zhang Ancestor was a staunch clan loyalist. As long as it benefited the family, he couldnât care less about his own pride.
Without missing a beat and completely unfazed by the sudden reversal, he changed his tune immediately. "If it is Zhang Hong, I give my absolute support."
He then added, asking with extreme caution, "Beyond that, Excellency, do you have any other conditions?"
It wasnât that he was a glutton for punishment or eager to shower Wang Yue with more gifts; he just didnât feel at peace. The way this was being handled didnât seem like a move against the Zhang family at allâit felt like a massive favor. How could such a good deal exist in this world?
"No more. I have no designs on the Zhang family," Wang Yue shook his head and said indifferently. "Donât overthink it. This is entirely for Zhang Hongâs sake. As long as your clan cooperates with him fully, you wonât be lacking in benefits in the future."
This wasnât an empty boast. While the Zhang familyâs overall strength was currently superior to the three Jinling families and their influence was on a different level, the Jinling trio had Wang Yue.
Before long, even the sacred martial grounds wouldnât be able to look down on them, let alone a mere local clan like the Zhangs.
The more indifferent Wang Yue seemed toward the Zhang family, the happier the Ancestor became. At the same time, his curiosity regarding the relationship between Wang Yue and Zhang Hong piqued. He couldnât help but ask, "Since you support Zhang Hong so fervently, might I ask what your relationship is?"
"Nothing significant. I just find him agreeable to the eye," Wang Yue replied. "No need for further questions. Iâll have him contact you shortly. Farewell."
"Wait!" Seeing Wang Yue turn to leave, the Ancestor finally blurted out the question that had been eating at him. "May I ask... where do you come from?"
Wang Yue paused for a heartbeat, then leaped into the surging waters of the Yangtze, leaving only two words echoing behind him:
"Jinling."
The Ancestorâs heart jolted. He gave a bitter laugh. So he really is from Jinling. It seems the Zhang family truly kicked a steel plate this time.
Simultaneously, his hope for the return of the Second Ancestor vanished. While he didnât know the full story, he could piece together the basics: Zhang Jianyuan must have hidden something massive from everyone.
This young powerhouse had initially hated the entire Zhang family because of Jianyuan, but after capturing Zhang Lingtian two nights ago and uncovering the truth, his attitude had softened.
Since the Second Ancestor had disappeared before that shift, he had likely met the same fate as the Third Ancestorâdeath.
Thinking of how strong the Zhang family had been just recently with three Mortal Shedding masters, only to be reduced to just himself, the Ancestor let out a long, weary sigh.
With two masters lost and the Clan Head fleeing, the Zhangs would likely fall to the bottom of the "Four Great Families of Tianhai" rankings.
Yet, after the sigh came a spark of hope. With Zhang Hong at the helm and a fathomless powerhouse backing him, the future Zhang family might actually become stronger than ever before.
Since he didnât have Zhang Hongâs contact details, the Ancestor could only wait. Fortunately, he didnât have to wait long; within a short while, Zhang Hong arrived from the direction of the wharf.
On the other side, Wang Yue met up with Li Yingying.
"Yingying, Iâm heading back to Jinling. Are you coming with me?" Wang Yue asked.
Li Yingying shook her head. "No, Iâm staying here to wait for my Master."
Wang Yue frowned slightly. "Has she still not shown up?"
Yingyingâs eyes darted away, and she shook her head again. "No, not a word."
"Alright then," Wang Yue sighed. "Since your Master is presumably nearby, and with your brother and Zhang Hong here, Iâm not worried about your safety. Come find me when you return to Jinling."
"Mhm." Li Yingying nodded and pulled a thin manual from her small bag, handing it to him. "This is the Su Nu Gong (Plain Maiden Technique) manual you wanted."
Wang Yue took it, looking surprised. "I thought you said you couldnât teach me without your Masterâs permission?"
"She taught it to me, so itâs mine now. Iâll teach whoever I want," Yingying said, trying to sound casual. However, her acting was poor; her nervousness was written all over her face.
Wang Yue understood immediately. It was obvious that Yu Suxin had already met with Yingying but simply didnât know how to face him, so sheâd told the girl to lie.
He leaned in close to Yingyingâs ear and whispered, "Help me thank your Master. Also, tell her this: that day we dual-cultivated, I wasnât just doing it to save her and heal her wounds. Mostly, it was because I wanted to enjoy her. If sheâs willing, she can be mine forever."
"Shameless!" Even though she knew his intentions, hearing him admit it so bluntly made Yingying snap at him. Then she asked, "And... what if sheâs not willing?"
"If sheâs not willing, Iâll find her, catch her, tie her up, and use her as my âmeat toiletâ every single day until sheâs completely conquered," Wang Yue said, putting on a mock-ferocious expression. "Bottom line: sheâs destined to be my woman in this lifetime!"
Yingyingâs face turned bright red. Her mind involuntarily flashed back to the images of him pinning her Master in his arms, forcing her into various lewd positions and plowing her relentlessly.
Back then, she truly thought her Master was being "broken," and she was sure Suxin must hate Wang Yue. But when her Master finally resurfaced yesterday, although she acted like nothing had happened and refused to mention that night, her reaction spoke volumes.
When Yingying mentioned Wang Yue wanted the manual, Suxin had pretended not to care and told her to teach him whatever she wantedâbut forbade her from mentioning that she was there.
That was when Yingying realized Wang Yue was right. Her Master likely had "fallen," but was too embarrassed to see him.
This thought made Yingying feel a strange sense of yearning. She had tasted euphoria herselfâthe feeling of being teased to heaven by her brother-in-law on that bus was something she still fantasized about.
But that level of pleasure clearly wasnât enough to make a powerhouse like her Master "fall." There was only one answer: during the process of being "broken" by him, her Master must have experienced a pleasure thousands of times more intense than what she felt on the bus.
Recalling the sight of her brother-in-lawâs terrifyingly large cock and imagining it inside her, Yingying felt a flicker of fearâbut now, it had transformed into a deep, aching hunger.
However, she decided she wanted to help her Master and her brother-in-law settle things between them first. She wouldnât return to Jinling now; when she did, it would be as a pair of Master and Disciple.