184: Chapter 184 Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for us?

The ancestor of the Zeng Family was once a Disciple of a major power.

They were aware of this.

However, they all scoffed at this.

This information was spread by the Disciples of the Zeng Family themselves, and there was no obvious evidence. The Zeng Family did possess a few powerful Origin Weapons, but these did not prove anything.

But looking at it now, this does not seem to be just a rumor.

"I, as a Junior, do not think so."

Cen Ziqian spoke up at this moment.

"How so?"

Han Tai's gaze fell upon Cen Ziqian, glancing at Cen Dechang beside him as well.

Cen Dechang, however, appeared to be resting with his eyes closed.

"If the Zeng Family truly had some immense backing, why would they come to Dongchuan City to develop?"

Cen Ziqian said.

Dongchuan City cannot be considered a very prosperous city; it can only be described as a small to medium-sized city.

If the ancestor of the Zeng Family were truly a Disciple of a major power, would he care for Dongchuan City?

He did not think so.

"Furthermore, even if the ancestors of the Zeng Family were Disciples of a major power, nearly two hundred years have passed, and that ancestor has been dead for nearly two hundred years; any ties would have long since faded."

Cen Ziqian said coldly.

The Zeng Family has also been in Dongchuan City for nearly two hundred years.

In two hundred years, even if their ancestors were truly Disciples of a major power, they have been dead for two hundred years; some connections would likely have long been severed.

Even whether this so-called major power truly exists is an unknown matter.

Over these years, everyone has more or less figured out the Zeng Family's background.

"Nephew is right."

Wu Dahai nodded and said.

He felt that what Cen Ziqian said made a lot of sense.

"This person is likely someone the Zeng Family paid to hire."

Cen Ziqian continued.

Although they had not yet found out Lin Ming's identity, this person was nine times out of ten a master hired by the Zeng Family with money.

Most of the Zeng Family's experts had already been dealt with by them in secret.

"Hiring someone with our money?"

Yu Hanpeng sneered.

They had long since considered the Zeng Family's wealth as their own.

"If you ask me, it shouldn't be so troublesome. Using my method, the Zeng Family would have been finished long ago."

Wu Dahai said with a displeased expression.

Breaking down the opponent's psychological defenses step by step, eroding the Zeng Family bit by bit—

In his view, this was just a hassle.

A quick victory—that was his own idea.

"It's not too late now."

Han Tai said.

"There are plenty of ways to deal with the Zeng Family."

Han Tai said coldly.

"Then let's do it."

Cen Dechang, who had been keeping his eyes closed, opened them and said.

It is time to close the net, lest there be complications.

Seeing this, the others nodded one after another.

Dongchuan City is their Dongchuan City; it is not something just anyone can lay a finger on.

...

"The taste is not bad."

Lin Ming sat at a small street stall, eating a baked pancake sold by an elderly couple, and nodded.

It was just a dough pancake sprinkled with something resembling sesame seeds, baked golden and crispy, served with a bowl of fresh soup containing a little minced meat.

It looked extremely simple, but it was a delicacy.

At this moment, several people walked up to the stall, and one young man sat directly opposite Lin Ming.

The people eating nearby saw this scene and subconsciously paid and left the stall.

Lin Ming simply ignored these people and continued eating on his own.

"You are the person the Zeng Family hired, right?"

Wu Jinfan looked at Lin Ming in front of him and said.

From the moment he sat down until now, this guy hadn't even looked at him, which made Wu Jinfan feel somewhat displeased.

In normal times, he would have flipped the table long ago.

"Who are you?"

Lin Ming glanced at Wu Jinfan, picked up a spoon, took a sip of soup, and said.

"Wu Family, Wu Jinfan."

Wu Jinfan said.

"Never heard of it."

Lin Ming said.

"How much money did the Zeng Family give you? I will give you double. Leave Dongchuan immediately; some matters are not for you to meddle in."

Wu Jinfan said.

"Ten thousand High Grade Origin Stone."

Lin Ming said.

"Are you insisting on going against us?"

Wu Jinfan's expression darkened instantly.

Ten thousand High Grade Origin Stone?

How is this any different from robbery?

He did not believe the Zeng Family would pay this price.

"Poor bastard."

Lin Ming said this lightly.

Afterward, he placed the meal money on the table, turned around, and left.

"You are courting death."

Wu Jinfan could no longer hold back.

He stood up with an angry expression.

Suddenly, an arm pressed onto Wu Jinfan's shoulder, stopping all his subsequent actions.

After seeing who it was, Wu Jinfan dared not do anything and could only stop his actions.

"Friend, you need to consider this carefully; do not throw your life away because of this."

That person looked at Lin Ming's back and said in a flat tone.

Even so, a strong sense of threat could be heard in his words.

But Lin Ming did not care about this.

...

"Old Madam Zeng, our caravan returning from Pingxia City has been robbed by mountain bandits."

"Old Madam Zeng, our caravan returning from Ling'an City was detained by the City Guard this morning."

"Mother, our shops..."

In the Zeng Family's council hall, a group of Zeng Family members and a few non-Zeng Family members gathered here, reporting to Old Madam Zeng.

Without exception, all of them were about the Zeng Family's industries being targeted—either robbed, detained, or sealed off.

There is no need to think; someone is definitely targeting the Zeng Family.

"They finally could not help but make a move."

Old Madam Zeng sneered.

Wan Ying's rescue made these guys unable to wait any longer, acting so quickly.

"Mother, the situation is very unfavorable for us now."

Zeng An said in a deep voice.

Those capable of such a feat could not possibly be just one family; I fear it is multiple families joining forces.

"It seems they all want to eat the meat of my Zeng Family."

Old Madam Zeng said.

This meat of the Zeng Family has already been targeted by them all.

"Everything is my fault."

In the crowd, a relatively young-looking man said with a hint of bitterness.

"It is not your fault; if you want to blame someone, blame the fact that my Zeng Family's strength is too weak."

Old Madam Zeng shook her head and said.

In nearly three hundred years of development, the people of the Zeng Family have made significant achievements in business; it can be said that the richest in Dongchuan City is now their Zeng Family.

But although they have made achievements in business, they have made no progress on the Dao of cultivation.

In these nearly three hundred years, the strongest person to appear in their Zeng Family was merely a Late Stage Spirit Platform cultivator.

For the sake of safety, the Zeng Family also spent a large amount of money to hire some Spirit Treasury Realm experts to garrison their family and protect them.

But these so-called retainers never stayed long; they all left for various reasons.

Old Madam Zeng naturally realized that something was wrong. After investigating in secret, she learned that all the retainers of the Zeng Family had been threatened by certain people and had no choice but to leave the Zeng Family.