74: Chapter 74 Is Father really going to give both my sister and me to that guy as compensation?

When Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu heard the words "another account," the cold sweat that had just stopped on their backs broke out once again.

"Old fox!" This thought surged in both of their minds simultaneously.

First, he forced everyone to swear a Dao Heart oath, locking away the monumental secret of the "Medium Grade True Artifact."

With that done, the only bargaining chip they had to threaten Jiang Feng with was gone!

And now he wanted to discuss compensation?

Wasn't this just being fish on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered?

Without the leverage of the True Artifact, what could they use to fight a faction that possessed a Medium Grade True Artifact and had a temperamental Old Ancestor standing behind them?

Follow in the footsteps of the He Family?

At the thought of the He Family and the death of the He Family's Old Ancestor, both men couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.

Even though both of their families were stronger than the He Family, they dared not gamble.

Qixia Alchemy Pavilion had a mysterious Old Ancestor, two women at the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, and a lethal weapon: the Medium Grade True Artifact.

Against these, neither Family had any certainty.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao stood to the side, his expression solemn and silent.

This matter was indeed the fault of the Zhou and Zhu families, and also due to his own improper arrangements as the commander.

Reasonably and rightfully, it was not excessive for Jiang Feng to demand an explanation.

However, he also had a string pulled tight in his heart.

He was already prepared; if Jiang Feng really was blind and dared to bring up the bastardly words of using his daughters as compensation again, then today he would have to completely tear off the mask.

Even if it meant being targeted by that mysterious Old Ancestor, he would make this arrogant brat pay the price!

Jiang Feng ignored the differing thoughts of Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao and Patriarch Qin Hai.

He merely looked down from a height at the two Foundation Establishment Mid-stage Immortal Masters at his feet, hooking the corners of his mouth in an amused way.

"The two Clan Leaders, have you thought about what you will use to compensate me?"

"Second... Second Master Jiang, you... you say it. As long as our two families can provide it, we will definitely comply!" Clan Leader Zhou spoke first, his posture extremely low.

Clan Leader Zhu also nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, we will listen to whatever Second Master Jiang arranges!"

"Easy to say."

Jiang Feng paced back and forth, unhurried, his gaze sweeping over the two men, as if he were sizing up two fat pigs waiting to be slaughtered.

"I am a person who doesn't like killing and fighting; after all, harmony brings wealth."

Hearing this, the two men, Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu, did not breathe a sigh of relief; instead, their hearts jumped into their throats.

Sure enough, the next moment, Jiang Feng's words were like a basin of ice water poured over their heads.

"How about this, I don't want your lives, I just want a little bit of your industry."

Jiang Feng held up two fingers.

"Starting from today, 20% of the annual revenue from all the Spiritual Artifact shops owned by the Zhou Family within Huoyang Commandery will be given to my Qixia Alchemy Pavilion."

Clan Leader Zhou's face twitched violently, and his heart felt as if it had been stabbed with a knife.

The Spiritual Artifact shops were one of the lifelines of his Zhou Family; 20% of the annual revenue was like cutting off his own flesh!

Jiang Feng ignored him and turned to Clan Leader Zhu.

"And the Zhu Family, your Family's Talisman business is quite good. Likewise, 20% of the annual revenue, delivered to my residence."

Clan Leader Zhu's face instantly flushed purple-red.

How was this "a little bit of industry"?!

This was clearly two blood-sucking pipelines, wanting to leech off their two families year-round!

But did they dare to say the word 'no'?

The two looked at each other and saw endless bitterness and despair in each other's eyes.

They had dug this pit themselves, so they had to fill it even if they were crying.

Compared to being exterminated, cutting flesh and letting blood at least meant they could survive.

"Fine... We agree!"

The two men almost gritted their teeth, squeezing these words out from between their teeth.

"Very good." Jiang Feng nodded with satisfaction.

Having dealt with these two culprits, he slowly turned around to look at Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao, who had been silent all along.

The atmosphere in the hall tightened once again.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Jiang Feng and Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao.

The sisters Huangfu Yunni and Huangfu Yunshang were even more nervous, clenching their palms, wanting to know how Jiang Feng would attack their father.

However, Jiang Feng said nothing.

He merely cast a meaningful glance at the twin sisters standing behind Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao.

His gaze paused for a moment on Huangfu Yunni, who was dressed in fire-red, and then lingered on Huangfu Yunshang, who was dressed in snow-white.

That look carried no aggression, yet it seemed to possess a strange penetrating power, making the two sisters' hearts skip a beat inexplicably.

Then, he withdrew his gaze just like that.

"Alright, the matter is resolved."

Jiang Feng supported Yao Shifei and nodded to Yuan Chu.

"Let's go home."

After saying this, the three of them walked out of the Commandery Lord's Mansion's council hall swaggeringly under the complex gazes of everyone.

Not until their figures completely disappeared did the oppressive atmosphere in the hall suddenly relax.

Clan Leader Zhou and Clan Leader Zhu then stood up, brushed off the dust, and tried to regain a bit of the dignity of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao, on the other hand, had his brows tightly locked, his mind constantly replaying Jiang Feng's final look.

What did it mean?

What was his meaning?

He didn't make any demands of him, but instead specifically looked at his daughters?

Was this a hint? Or a warning?

This Foundation Establishment Great Circle Commandery Lord felt his thoughts were in total disarray.

...

That night, in the backyard of the Commandery Lord's Mansion.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao thought and thought, and eventually called his two daughters into his study.

"Ni'er, Shang'er."

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao looked at his daughters, whom he was so proud of, and spoke after careful consideration: "What... do you think of that Jiang Feng?"

Huangfu Yunni curled her lips, looking indignant: "Arrogant, overbearing, and conceited! Father, how can you tolerate him being so presumptuous? And you actually gave him a share of the Zhou and Zhu families' industries?"

"Ni'er, be quiet!" Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao scolded.

Beside her, Huangfu Yunshang tugged on her sister's sleeve, then bowed gracefully to Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao and said softly: "Father, daughter thinks that this person, Jiang Feng, is extraordinary."

"Oh?" Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao became interested. "Shang'er, tell me about it."

Huangfu Yunshang's eyes were clear, yet they revealed a depth that belied her age.

"Father, don't you find it strange?"

"From beginning to end, he, a Qi Refining Stage 6, was able to toy with the three Clan Leaders of the Qin, Zhou, and Zhu families, and even you, a Foundation Establishment Great Circle Commandery Lord, in the palm of his hand."

"He first used the name of the Old Ancestor to intimidate Patriarch Qin Hai, then used the matter of Black Mountain to suppress the entire scene, and finally used the Dao Heart oath to lock everyone's mouths. Step by step, interlocking, he ultimately obtained 20% of the annual revenue of the two major families without a single drop of blood shed."

"Such intelligence, such methods, daughter... feels inferior."

Listening to his younger daughter's analysis, Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao also fell into deep thought.

Indeed, setting aside that mysterious background, the strategic ability displayed by Jiang Feng himself really didn't look like that of a Cultivator who only knew how to Cultivate.

Huangfu Yunshang paused, then threw out a viewpoint that made Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao even more tempted.

"Father, aren't you always worried about the tangled forces in Huoyang Commandery and the difficulty in collecting taxes?"

"Think about it, if you could get his help, with his methods, integrating the forces of Huoyang Commandery and making those families who feign compliance behave obediently, wouldn't it be easy?"

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao's eyes lit up instantly!

That's right!

How could he not have thought of this point!

He himself was a hard-working Cultivator who was not good at these schemes and calculations, which led to the declining prestige of the Commandery Lord's Mansion.

But this Jiang Feng was simply a Genius at playing with people's hearts!

If he could tie him to the war chariot of the Commandery Lord's Mansion...

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao's breathing became a bit rapid. He looked at his younger daughter and asked eagerly: "Shang'er, in your opinion, how should we win him over?"

Huangfu Yunshang's pretty face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito: "Daughter does not know... I just feel that the look he gave us at the end today, perhaps... has a deeper meaning."

This was already an explicit hint.

Commandery Lord Huangfu Hao understood instantly.

Yes, besides interests, what could consolidate a relationship better than a marriage alliance?

Only...

He looked at Huangfu Yunni, who was still sulking on the side, and then looked at Huangfu Yunshang, who had a blushing face, and felt troubled in his heart.

And Huangfu Yunni was also stunned when she heard her sister's words.

In her mind, Jiang Feng's face involuntarily appeared, carrying a few parts of cynicism, yet making people unable to see through him.

Immediately after, an extremely absurd thought emerged from the bottom of her heart, making her entire face instantly flush red.

Could it be... that Father really wants to trade both of us sisters to that guy?