143: Wanyao City

The maidservant was named Qingyuan. She wore a dark green dress, possessed a graceful figure, and her expression carried a hint of cold glamour, which instantly softened into charm when she looked at Bai Xiaofeng.

She was no ordinary maidservant; she was a guard maidservant Bai Xiaofeng had purchased for a hefty sum at an underground auction a few days prior. Her strength as a Three-Star Dou Ling was sufficient for her to swagger among Bai Xiaofeng's flock of beauties.

Bai Xiaofeng wrapped his arm around her waist, his finger lightly tilting up her chin, and he laughed proudly.

"Qingyuan, tell me, isn't this Young Master currently enjoying limitless glory?"

Qingyuan's red lips curved slightly, a trace of hidden meaning flashing in her eyes before she said sweetly.

"Ninth Young Master, you are now the most sought-after person in Heavenly Serpent City. Even Third Young Master and Fifth Younger Sister cannot compare to you."

"Hahaha!"

Bai Xiaofeng burst into laughter, his hand stroking her waist.

"Of course! With Master Jiang here, what could I possibly lack?"

Qingyuan nestled into his arms, her fingertip tracing light circles on his chest, her tone carrying a hint of probing.

"But is Master Jiang truly worthy of such trust from you?"

Bai Xiaofeng's smile faded slightly, and he frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Qingyuan blinked innocently.

"This servant only feels that his speed in refining pills is a little too fast."

"Fast? That is Master Jiang's ability! Others can only envy it!"

Bai Xiaofeng scoffed.

Qingyuan lowered her gaze and said no more, though a trace of coldness flashed in her eyes.

Bai Xiaofeng did not know that Qingyuan was actually a pawn Bai Qingshuang had placed beside him.

Fifth Younger Sister Bai Qingshuang had long sensed that something was amiss with Jiang Donghua, but she did not act rashly.

Instead, she chose to have Qingyuan lie in wait beside Bai Xiaofeng, ready to strike when the opportunity arose.

Hongyu and Bi Yao stood in a corner of the courtyard, looking toward Bai Xiaofeng’s bedchamber. Hearing the bursts of sweet laughter and gasps coming from within, the two exchanged a look, both wearing bitter smiles.

"This new woman, she really is something!"

Hongyu bit her lip, her tone sour, yet she dared not continue speaking.

Bi Yao sighed softly and whispered.

"Forget it, let's not ask for trouble. She is a Three-Star Dou Ling; if we really upset her, she could kill us with a single slap."

Hongyu clenched her sleeve tightly, a flash of unwillingness in her eyes, but in the end, she let go dejectedly.

The gap in strength was too vast.

The two of them were nothing more than playthings. By Bai Xiaofeng's side, they could originally rely on their beauty and obedience to win some favor.

But ever since Qingyuan arrived, Bai Xiaofeng had treated them almost like air.

"Heh, men."

Hongyu gave a self-mocking smile.

"When they have someone stronger, who remembers the old ones?"

Bi Yao was silent for a moment, then suddenly lowered her voice.

"What do you think Qingyuan's background really is?"

Hongyu shook her head.

"Who knows? She's definitely not an ordinary maidservant. Ninth Young Master listens to her every word, even letting her interfere with Master Jiang's affairs!"

Inside the hall, Bai Xiaofeng sat half-dressed, leaning languidly on the soft couch, while Qingyuan straddled his waist, her fingertip lightly tracing his chest, her red lips hooked slightly, her eyes seductive.

"Ninth Young Master, your energy is truly abundant~"

She laughed sweetly, her tone sugary yet carrying a hint of probing.

Bai Xiaofeng smiled smugly, his hand rubbing her waist.

"Of course! With Master Jiang here, what could I possibly lack?"

Qingyuan's eyes flickered. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"But Master Jiang is refining pills so frantically, won't there be some kind of problem?"

Bai Xiaofeng frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Qingyuan blinked innocently.

"This servant only feels that his speed in refining pills is a little too fast, and also, are the pills he refines truly without issue?"

Bai Xiaofeng's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly scoffed again.

"What do you know? How can Master Jiang's abilities be something you can speculate about?"

"Why are you always doubting Master Jiang?"

A trace of coldness flashed in Qingyuan's eyes, but her face remained sweetly smiling.

"This servant spoke out of turn~"

She said no more, only leaning down to kiss his lips, but her fingertip quietly slid towards the back of his neck, and a strand of hidden force silently seeped in.

In the courtyard, Hongyu and Bi Yao stood beneath the corridor. Listening to the bursts of flirtatious laughter coming from the bedchamber, a layer of gloom settled upon their pretty faces.

"Sister, we must start planning for ourselves."

Bi Yao gently tugged at Hongyu's sleeve, keeping her voice extremely low.

Hongyu bit her red lips, a flicker of unwillingness in her eyes.

"That's right, we are nothing more than Ninth Young Master's playthings. Now that he has a new favorite, we don't even count as playthings anymore."

The two exchanged glances, seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

In this dog-eat-dog Bai Family, they knew all too well what fate awaited maidservants who lost their backing.

"I heard Master Jiang is currently riding a wave of popularity; even Ninth Young Master has to heed his moods."

Bi Yao's eyes darted around.

Hongyu's eyes lit up.

"Are you suggesting?"

"If we could cling to Master Jiang, that high branch!"

Bi Yao smiled meaningfully.

Hongyu, however, frowned.

"But Master Jiang spends all his time in seclusion refining pills. Even Ninth Young Master rarely gets to see him."

The two couldn't help but whisper to each other, and finally, these two women reached a conclusion.

What cat doesn't steal fish?

Jiang Donghua finally stopped his continuous, frantic pill refinement of over ten days. He was like a sharp sword that had been unsheathed for too long—its edge was fierce, but it showed signs of exhaustion. Pushing open the stone door of the secret chamber, his steps were slightly unsteady, and the bloodshot lines in his eyes indicated mental exhaustion.

Red Silk stood leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her red lips were slightly curled, and her tone was lazy with a hint of playful reproach.

"Oh, you finally decided to stop? I thought you were going to refine yourself into medicinal dregs."

Jiang Donghua glanced at her, didn't reply, and walked straight to the stone bed in the corner of the secret chamber, collapsing heavily onto it.

"Tsk, why work yourself so hard?"

Red Silk pouted, but still stepped closer, looking down at his exhausted face.

Jiang Donghua closed his eyes, his voice low.

"If I don't work hard, how can I get that idiot to take the bait?"

Red Silk lightly snorted. A wisp of silver-white Lightning Light gathered on her fingertip. With a gentle flick, the Lightning Light transformed into tiny electrical currents that moved around Jiang Donghua's temples, helping him relieve fatigue.

"You certainly calculate deeply, but don't drag yourself down with it."

Jiang Donghua's lips curved slightly, and he did not refute her.

Red Silk stared at his profile, sighing inwardly. This guy was becoming more and more inscrutable.

These past few days, she had personally witnessed Jiang Donghua's terrifying pill refinement success rate: seven finished pills out of ten batches, and five of those were high-grade!

Such talent was considered top-tier even across the entire Black-Corner Region!

Red Silk's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and the desire for conquest in her heart grew stronger.

"A man like this must be mine!"

She was no saint. Since she had set her sights on him, she would never let go easily.

Thinking this, she leaned down, her red lips close to Jiang Donghua's ear, her breath fragrant like orchids.

"Junior Brother, if you work this hard, your Senior Sister will feel heartache~"

Jiang Donghua still had his eyes closed, but the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.

"If Senior Sister feels heartache, why not help me massage my shoulders?"

Red Silk let out a light snort, yet she truly reached out and pressed his shoulders, Lightning Light circulating on her fingertips, helping to soothe his tight muscles.

"Hmph, you got off cheap."

Jiang Donghua did not open his eyes, but his mind was crystal clear. How could he not know Red Silk's intentions?

However, he did not dislike this feeling.

Deep within the Bai Family mansion, inside a secluded pavilion.

Bai Qingshuang wore a plain white dress, her fingertips lightly tapping the table. A rare smile appeared between her brows. She raised her eyes to look at Third Brother Bai Wuchen across from her, her voice cool yet carrying a hint of amusement.

"Third Brother, it seems our guess was correct. That Master Jiang is, after all, still human, not a monster."

Bai Wuchen sneered, his folding fan snapping shut with a 'shua' sound, cold light flickering in his eyes.

"Hmph, refining pills frantically for over ten consecutive days would exhaust even a Fifth-Grade Alchemist! The fact that he finally stopped today proves that his limit is right here!"

Bai Qingshuang nodded lightly, her fingertip tracing the rim of the teacup thoughtfully.

"Qingyuan has already tested Ninth Brother. His trust in Master Jiang is nearly blind, but this is actually better."

Bai Wuchen narrowed his eyes, his tone sinister.

"What is Fifth Younger Sister suggesting?"

Bai Qingshuang's lips curved slightly, a flash of calculation in her eyes.

"Since he trusts Master Jiang so much, then we will let him see with his own eyes just how unreliable the pillar he relies on truly is!"

Bai Wuchen let out a cold snort, stood up, and paced with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Recently, quite a few of the people under us have begun to waver. Some have even secretly gone to curry favor with Old Ninth!"

Bai Qingshuang's gaze turned cold. She applied slight pressure with her fingertip, and the teacup cracked with a 'kacha' sound.

"A single fire spirit pill can make Dou Ling Experts flock to it. Heh, how ironic."

Killing intent in Bai Wuchen's eyes grew stronger.

"We can't delay any longer; we must deal with Jiang Donghua as soon as possible! Otherwise, in a few days, even our trusted confidants might turn against us!"

Bai Qingshuang pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.

"Third Brother, since our goals align, why don't we join forces?"

Bai Wuchen paused, looked at her sideways, and a cold smile slowly formed on his lips.

"It's rare for Fifth Younger Sister to actively propose cooperation."

Bai Qingshuang chuckled, her tone indifferent yet subtly sharp.

"With profit at stake, why cling to past grievances? Let's deal with Ninth Brother first, then discuss other matters."

Bai Wuchen was silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Good! Then let's join forces and make sure his Master Jiang disappears completely!"

The alliance between Bai Qingshuang and Bai Wuchen had just been finalized, but a hint of unease lingered in both their hearts.

"Eldest Brother's side is too quiet."

Bai Qingshuang tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her brows slightly furrowed.

Bai Wuchen snorted coldly, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

"Bai Wuya has always been unfathomable. In the past ten-odd days, Ninth Brother has caused such a stir, yet he has shown no reaction?"

Bai Qingshuang pondered for a moment, then whispered.

"Could it be that he's truly in a death seclusion, attempting to break through to Dou Wang?"

Bai Wuchen shook his head, his gaze gloomy.

"Impossible! Even if he's attempting to break through to Dou Wang, he couldn't be completely unaware of the outside world! What's more, with his personality, he would never let Ninth Brother expand his influence like this!"

The two exchanged glances, both seeing deep apprehension in the other's eyes.

What exactly was Bai Wuya plotting?

Inside a dimly lit stone chamber, Bai Wuya sat cross-legged, his Dou Qi like an abyss or a sea, subtly showing signs of a breakthrough.

However, his eyes remained open, a cold and profound light flickering within them.

"Ninth Brother, Jiang Donghua, heh."

He slowly raised his hand, and a pitch-black jade slip appeared in his palm. Strange runes were carved on the jade slip, with faint traces of blood-red flowing within them.

"You think I've done nothing?"

A cold smile played on his lips. He lightly tapped his fingertip, and a hoarse voice came from the jade slip.

"Eldest Young Master, everything is ready."

Bai Wuya spoke indifferently.

"Keep watching. Let them fight first. When the time is ripe, we'll cast the net."

The jade slip's light flickered, then fell silent.

Bai Wuya slowly closed his eyes, and the Dou Qi around him surged again, as if everything that had just happened had not occurred.

He was not unaware; he was merely waiting for the most opportune moment to suppress all competitors in one fell swoop!

Bai Qingshuang and Bai Wuchen ultimately couldn't guess Eldest Brother's intentions, finally concluding:

"Perhaps Eldest Brother is truly putting all his effort into breaking through to Dou Wang!"

Bai Wuchen gritted his teeth.

Bai Qingshuang's eyes flickered, and she whispered.

"If he truly succeeds, we siblings will likely never have a chance to rise again!"

A cold light flashed in Bai Wuchen's eyes.

"Therefore, we must deal with Ninth Brother and Jiang Donghua before he emerges from seclusion! Otherwise, we won't even have the qualifications to contend!"

Bai Qingshuang slowly nodded, her fingertips tightening slightly.

"Since that's the case, let's act quickly!"

Bai Qingshuang tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her brows tightly furrowed, a cold light flickering in her eyes.

"Directly killing Ninth Brother is too risky."

She said in a low voice, a hint of unwillingness in her tone.

Bai Wuchen snorted coldly, his folding fan snapping shut with a 'thwack', a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Although Father has been in seclusion for many years, if Ninth Brother suddenly dies, he will definitely emerge to investigate thoroughly! At that time, none of us will escape!"

Bai Qingshuang was silent for a moment, then her red lips parted, her voice cold.

"But if we don't act and let Ninth Brother continue to grow stronger, we will eventually be trampled under his feet!"

The two exchanged glances, both seeing deep apprehension and helplessness in the other's eyes.

Bai Wuchen stood up, walked with his hands behind his back, his tone gloomy.

"Since we can't kill Ninth Brother, then let's get rid of Jiang Donghua first! Without the Alchemist's support, Ninth Brother's influence will naturally crumble!"

Bai Qingshuang sneered, lightly caressing the rim of her teacup with her fingertips.

"Third Brother, you're thinking too simply."

Bai Wuchen frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Bai Qingshuang looked up, a hint of sarcasm flashing in her eyes.

"Since that Jiang Donghua entered Ninth Brother's mansion, he has never stepped out of his secret chamber! Our people simply can't find an opportunity to act!"

Bai Wuchen's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth.

"Are we just going to let him continue refining pills, allowing Ninth Brother's influence to grow stronger and stronger?"

Bai Qingshuang's eyes flickered slightly, and she whispered.

"Perhaps we can dismantle them from within."

Bai Qingshuang lightly swiped her finger, and a hidden communication jade slip appeared in her palm. She whispered.

"Qing'er has successfully approached Ninth Brother and can even influence his decisions."

A hint of surprise flashed in Bai Wuchen's eyes.

"You mean to have Qing'er sow discord between Ninth Brother and Jiang Donghua?"

Bai Qingshuang's lips curved slightly, her tone cold.

"Exactly. As long as Ninth Brother becomes suspicious of Jiang Donghua, or even actively distances himself from him, our opportunity will arise."

Bai Wuchen pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"That's a plan, but Jiang Donghua is as cunning as a fox; he might not fall for it."

Bai Qingshuang sneered.

"The human heart is unpredictable, especially for an arrogant person like Ninth Brother. With a little guidance, he will naturally fall into the trap!"

Just as the two were discussing, a confidant hurried in and reported in a low voice.

"Fifth Young Lady, Third Young Master, we just received information that Red Silk and Bi Yao, the maids by Ninth Young Master's side, seem to be intentionally getting close to Jiang Donghua!"

Bai Qingshuang's eyes narrowed, a hint of playfulness flashing within them.

"Oh? Those two little maids, they have some ideas."

Bai Wuchen snorted coldly.

"They're just two ants; what kind of waves can they stir up?"

Bai Qingshuang chuckled, lightly tapping the table with her fingertips.

"Third Brother, sometimes, even an ant can be the last straw that breaks the camel's back."

She looked at her confidant and commanded coldly.

"Keep a close eye on them. If necessary, give them a push."

Bai Xiaofeng leaned lazily on the soft couch, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his brows slightly furrowed, clearly deep in thought.

"Tsk, Master Jiang is rarely resting today. Tomorrow, I'll have to take him out for a stroll, but this guy looks so ascetic, he doesn't even glance at women. Where should I take him?"

He turned to look at Qing'er beside him, a hint of irritation and helplessness in his eyes.

"Qing'er, tell me, what would someone like Master Jiang like?"

Qing'er's red lips curved slightly, a hint of undetectable coldness flashing in her eyes, but it quickly transformed into a charming smile. She leaned in gently and spoke softly.

"Why bother, Ninth Young Master? Since Master Jiang is an Alchemist, he is naturally interested in rare medicinal ingredients and ancient Pill Formulas. Why not take him to Myriad Medicine City to have a look? I heard a new batch of rare goods just arrived recently~"

Bai Xiaofeng's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh sharply.

"That's right! How could I not have thought of that!"

He laughed as he pinched Qing'er's cheek, saying proudly.

"You're still the smartest! That Myriad Medicine City is the largest medicinal ingredient trading place in the Black-Corner Region. Master Jiang will definitely be delighted to see it!"

Qing'er lowered her eyes obediently, but a cold smile subtly curved on her lips.

The opportunity had arrived!

In the dead of night, Qing'er lightly tapped her fingertip, and a hidden communication talisman quietly flew out, landing in Bai Qingshuang's hand.

"Tomorrow, Bai Xiaofeng will take Jiang Donghua to Myriad Medicine City."

Bai Qingshuang's eyes turned cold, and a wisp of ghostly fire ignited on her fingertip, burning the communication talisman to ashes.

"Myriad Medicine City, heh, Heaven is truly helping me!"

She turned to look at a figure in the shadows and commanded coldly.

"Notify Third Brother. Tomorrow, proceed as planned."

The next morning, Bai Xiaofeng, uncharacteristically, rose early, eagerly leading several guards to wait outside the secret chamber for Jiang Donghua.

Jiang Donghua pushed open the door and emerged, his expression still indifferent, but with slightly less fatigue in his eyes.

Bai Xiaofeng greeted him with a beaming smile.

"Master Jiang, it's a rare day off today. Why don't you come out with this Young Master for a walk? I'll take you to an interesting place!"

Jiang Donghua glanced at him indifferently, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Oh? Where is Ninth Young Master taking me?"

Bai Xiaofeng smiled mysteriously.

"Myriad Medicine City! I heard a new batch of rare medicinal ingredients has recently arrived, and there are even fragments of ancient Pill Formulas. You'll definitely be interested!"

Jiang Donghua's eyes flickered slightly. After pondering for a moment, he slowly nodded.

"Very well."

Bai Xiaofeng was overjoyed and immediately ordered his servants to prepare the carriage, thinking to himself.

"Now Master Jiang will definitely be even more satisfied with me!"