Chapter 39: Very well, very well indeed. Your strategy of using a borrowed blade to strike down an enemy is nothing short of perfection.

"The secret realm of Guiyun City is about to open. Elder Cao has taken a fancy to a treasure within it and sent me back to retrieve it for him," Zhou Hao said, his tone indifferent.

Zhou Huaian, however, was ecstatic upon hearing this. "The legendary secret realm—does it truly exist?"

"Hao'er, do not worry. Your father will certainly help you fulfill Elder Cao's mission!"

Watching Zhou Huaian’s excitement, Zhou Hao waved his hand with a smile. "Father, there is no need to trouble yourself too much. With me here, no one would dare touch that treasure."

"After all, I am a member of the Blood Demon Sect."

At the mention of the Blood Demon Sect, Zhou Yu's eyes filled with gloom. Their Zhou family was a vassal to the second-tier Blood Demon Sect, which granted the family only one spot to join the sect every twenty years. Because his elder brother was favored by Zhou Huaian, he had naturally joined the sect and become a person of status, while Zhou Yu was left behind in Guiyun City to endure his father’s constant lectures. This left Zhou Yu feeling deeply resentful.

He immediately brought up the earlier topic: "Brother, you said just now that you have a way to help our Zhou family turn the tide. Is that true?"

Zhou Yu asked, but before Zhou Hao could reply, Zhou Huaian rebuked him unhappily: "How can you be so insensible? Your brother has just returned; can you not let him rest?"

"I..." Zhou Yu wanted to argue, but Zhou Hao interrupted him with a smile. "Father, my younger brother is just eager to improve. Why must you suppress him?"

"Sigh, I am not suppressing him. If he were even a tenth as capable as you, I wouldn't have to worry so much!"

"How am I inferior to Brother?" Zhou Yu muttered unhappily.

However, everyone present possessed formidable cultivation. Even though his voice was quiet, both Zhou Huaian and Zhou Hao heard him. Before Zhou Yu’s words had even faded, Zhou Huaian struck him across the face. "You dare talk back? If it weren't for a useless person like you, would our Zhou family be in such a sorry state as it is now?"

"I..." Zhou Yu’s eyes reddened. A wave of grievance surged within him. What had he done wrong? Why did his father treat him this way?

Just as Zhou Yu was about to leave in anger, Zhou Hao waved his hand. "Enough. What a small matter to make such a fuss over. I heard some things outside; it’s just that the Wu family cannot satisfy Nalan Yanran’s appetite, right?"

"Yes, the divine artifact in Nalan Yanran's possession..."

At this moment, to ensure Zhou Hao understood the situation, Zhou Huaian recounted everything he knew. When Zhou Hao heard that the divine artifact could increase a cultivator's strength fivefold, his eyes lit up. "Are you certain that the artifact can quintuple a cultivator's strength?"

"Absolutely certain. Many people in Chang'an City witnessed it!"

Upon hearing the confirmation, a look of greed appeared on Zhou Hao’s face. "That is truly a fine treasure! If I possess this artifact, I might be able to become a core disciple in the upcoming sect grand competition!"

"Nalan Yanran is already planning to mortgage the artifact to the Wu family. Brother, you are overthinking this," Zhou Yu reminded him in a jealous tone.

Noting the jealousy in Zhou Yu's words, Zhou Hao smiled playfully. "Second brother, you are still too naive."

"Since the Divine Emperor Shenxiao has ordered Shen Lang and Zhao An to collect taxes in their respective cities, it implies they are in competition. If we tell the Zhao clan behind Zhao An that the Wu family intends to help Shen Lang, do you think they will increase their stakes? At that point, with the meager resources of the Wu family, what qualifications would they have to compete for the artifact?"

*Hiss...*

As the saying goes, a single word can awaken the dreamer. Once Zhou Hao’s playful remark landed, not only was Zhou Yu stunned, but even Zhou Huaian couldn't stop praising him. "As expected of Hao'er, this strategy of borrowing a knife to kill is truly perfect! Although the Wu family is one of the eight major civilian families, their financial power cannot compare to the Zhao clan, let alone our Zhou family. By then, Nalan Yanran will surely choose to cooperate with us again. And you, Hao'er, can completely control that artifact and dominate the Blood Demon Sect!"

Hearing that the artifact was intended for Zhou Hao rather than the candidate trials, Zhou Yu became anxious. "Father, if the artifact goes to Brother, what about the candidate trials? That is for the future throne of the Great Qin Empire!"

"You know nothing!" Zhou Huaian looked at Zhou Yu with disappointment. "The Great Qin Empire is only a first-tier power, and that Divine Emperor Shenxiao is only at the Soul Formation stage. How can they compare to the Blood Demon Sect?"

"But..." Zhou Yu tried to speak again, but Zhou Huaian kicked him out before he could finish. "There are no 'buts.' Get to the City Lord’s mansion and wait. Once Nalan Yanran has a change of heart, bring them back to the Zhou family immediately!"

...

Zhou Yu left the house in a foul mood. Meanwhile, Zhou Huaian took out a communication token and contacted Zhao Tianba.

Soon, Zhao Tianba, who was preparing to spend the night with a beauty, saw the token light up and felt a sense of doubt. "That old thing Zhou Huaian, why is he sending me a message all of a sudden?"

Confused, Zhao Tianba was about to refuse, but the beauty in the room narrowed her eyes. "Lord Zhao, for Zhou Huaian to send you a message at this time, it must be important. You should answer it. I will go take a bath and then come back to serve you properly!"

"Very well, very well!"

Watching the beauty leave with a charming expression, Zhao Tianba activated the token. "Zhou Huaian, you still have the nerve to send me a message?"

Sensing the dissatisfaction in Zhao Tianba’s tone, Zhou Huaian gritted his teeth. "Lord Zhao, we were both mistaken. Shen Lang is not the strategist for the Divine Emperor Shenxiao; he is merely a puppet!"

"Oh?" Zhao Tianba narrowed his eyes. "A puppet? Whose puppet is he?"

"Nalan Yanran..." Zhou Huaian immediately poured out everything he had observed about Nalan Yanran’s behavior at his home.

The more Zhao Tianba listened, the more shocked he became. He couldn't help but curse, "I said as much—how could a piece of trash suddenly become so capable? So it was all Nalan Yanran's doing! But why are you telling me this?"

"Because we in the Zhou family know what can be gained from the final candidate trials, and so does the Wu family! I am only reminding you, Lord Zhao, that the Wu family is prepared to offer thirty million spirit stones to help Shen Lang. If Zhao An offers less and ends up losing, the losses will be immense!"

As the token went dark again, Zhao Tianba realized the gravity of the situation. He shouted toward the door, "Bring He Xiufi to see me! Quickly!"