The five billion taels of silver that Zi Wenchang spent, when converted into low-grade spirit stones, amounted to five million low-grade spirit stones.
This was no small sum; it was enough for all the cultivators in the Zi family to cultivate for three years.
And how could Zi Wenchang possibly have so many low-grade spirit stones?
Therefore, it was clear where these five million low-grade spirit stones came from.
As a result, Zi Wenchang, who had already been expelled from the Zi family and was repenting in the ancestral hall, was dragged out of the ancestral hall by Zi Linling.
Beside Zi Linling, Zi Jitian and the four elders sat with darkened expressions.
"Second Uncle, what explanation do you have?"
Zi Linling's voice was sharp.
In fact, she had known about the Zi family's deficit for a long time and naturally knew that the money had fallen into the hands of Zi Wenchang's family.
This was why she had instructed the people at Shuiyue Trading Company to release news about the Muscle-Reforming Pill.
Perhaps Zi Wenchang was cold-blooded enough to let Zi Jinling's tendons be severed, but what about Madam Wang?
Given Madam Wang's fondness for Zi Jinling, would she stand by and watch her daughter become a cripple?
Would she let the opportunity to help Zi Jinling recover slip away so quietly?
No!
As a mother who doted on her daughter excessively, Madam Wang would go to any lengths to obtain the Muscle-Reforming Pill.
Zi Linling's original instructions to Qingyu were: "The Muscle-Reforming Pill must fall into the hands of the Zi family."
Qingyu, not understanding at the time, received a telepathic message from Ye Lingyuan on her way to Shuiyue Trading Company.
Therefore, when Qingyu arrived at Shuiyue Trading Company, her message changed to: "Miss Zi San said that the Muscle-Reforming Pill must fall into the hands of the Zi family's Second Master or Second Mistress."
Thus, the shopkeeper of Shuiyue Trading Company found his proprietor and reported the matter verbatim.
Without a word, the proprietor immediately instructed the shopkeeper to proceed as Zi Linling had requested.
And to carry out Zi Linling's instructions perfectly, under the proprietor's orders, the shopkeeper used some special channels to specifically "leak" the news about the Muscle-Reforming Pill to Madam Wang's ears.
Of course, Zi Wenchang did not receive the news because he was detained by Zi Jitian in the ancestral hall.
Zi Wenchang was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed heartily: "Explanation? Why should I explain? I took this money, so what?"
Before Linling could speak, Zi Jitian was already enraged.
He fiercely smashed the table beside him and roared: "Rebellious son, you still haven't repented even at this point!"
"Repent? Hahaha..."
Zi Wenchang laughed hysterically.
He knew that he was completely finished.
He had originally intended to use that money to make a comeback, but he hated that foolish Madam Wang for spending it so openly.
With such a large sum of money, it was obvious to anyone that he had embezzled it.
Therefore, what else could he do but throw caution to the wind?
"Repent? My dear father, since I was young, in your eyes, have I ever surpassed my elder brother by even a fraction? Elder brother is your child, and I am also your child, but have you ever looked at me more?"
"Elder brother is indeed outstanding, but have you ever seen that I am also striving hard, hoping to become the person you like?"
"But you? You don't care when I'm injured, you don't care when I'm bullied, you don't care when I nearly die."
"My dear father! My dad! Have you ever cared about my yearning for fatherly love in my eyes? Have you ever cared about my look of disappointment yet full of hope?"
"No! You never cared, because in your eyes, I will always be inferior to other people's children!"
Zi Wenchang became more agitated as he spoke, and tears streamed down the face of the seven-foot man.
All along, the joys and sorrows of life, the pain in his heart, only he understood; no one could empathize with him.
The anger in Zi Jitian's eyes gradually turned into shock, then into grief and guilt, and finally, only heartfelt pain remained.
He never knew that Zi Wenchang's thoughts were like this.
But this was not his true intention.
He simply felt that Zi Wenchang's aptitude was mediocre and unsuitable for the schemes and struggles within the family.
Therefore, he and Zi Guochang were willing to shield Zi Wenchang, trading for his lifelong peace and safety.
They never imagined that their love would be so misunderstood by Zi Wenchang.
"Rebellious son! You may not understand my good intentions, but do you know that the peaceful life you are disappointed with was exchanged for by your elder brother avoiding how many hidden dangers and overt attacks?"
"Therefore, this is not an excuse for your filial impiety, betrayal of the family, embezzlement, or unscrupulous behavior!"
Zi Linling rubbed her throbbing temples and shook her head helplessly, thinking: "Those who are hateful must have their pitiable aspects! Those who do not know gratitude will never understand the true feelings behind the truth."
Zi Wenchang started to laugh maniacally again.
"Don't put it so nicely! Moreover, I don't need a reason! What you are unwilling to give me, I will fight and snatch; I have done nothing wrong by taking back what is mine!"
"Since I have done nothing wrong, why should I repent? Why should I repent? Why should I repent?"
"You rebellious son! Cough, cough!"
Zi Jitian was so angered that his lungs felt like they would explode, and he began to cough violently.
But Zi Wenchang ignored him, instead casting a resentful gaze at Zi Linling.
"And you! You are a harbinger of doom; whoever gets involved with you brings bad luck! Hahaha! Your parents were cursed by you and disappeared without a trace, their whereabouts unknown, and our family has been cursed by you to this state!"
"Why? Why can you, a harbinger of doom, sit in the position of family head, while I, the victim, must become a prisoner?"
"A harbinger of doom, truly tough-lived! Poison, cannot kill! Fire, cannot burn, and even tormenting you in various ways cannot kill you! You have caused so many people to wish they were dead, why don't you die yourself?"
"Hahaha! I forgot, you won't live much longer either. You killed the Palace Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace, and the Hundred Flowers Palace people will not let you go! You captured people from the Imperial Zi family, and the Imperial Zi family will not let you go either!"
"Stinky girl, you wait, your fate will surely be worse than mine! Hahahah... The Imperial Zi family will not let you go, nor will they let your father go! By the way, I heard that your good father is currently deep in the Demon Abyss, tirelessly slaying demonic creatures!"
As soon as Zi Wenchang finished his last sentence, he felt his neck tighten, and a suffocating sensation washed over him.
"What, did, you, say?"
Zi Linling, who had been lazily sitting in the family head's seat, suddenly stood up. She strode to Zi Wenchang in three steps, grabbed his neck, and asked with murderous intent: "You just said... my father is in the Demon Abyss?"
"What else do you know? Speak!"