Chapter 1430: Chapter 1431: Fox Borrows the Tiger’s Might
Utterly ruthless!
Throwing out five hundred thousand just like that—absolutely absurd. One quota costing five hundred thousand rare earths… doesn’t that mean the Fu Family alone, with their three quotas, has to cough up 1.5 million rare earth resources?
And if we tally up the resources from the other families, wouldn’t it likely amount to tens of millions?
In the System Mall, hiring an average temp worker only costs ten thousand rare earths. Yet this guy casually demands half a million in one go!
Unbelievable extravagance!
“And the rest of you? Are you all of the same opinion?”
Li Xiaobai turned to the other Family Heads and asked.
“Of course, of course. If Senior is dissatisfied, the price is negotiable!”
The group nodded eagerly, quickly adding polite comments. After all, they were seeking someone’s help; their attitude needed to be nothing but respectful!
“Approved!”
“One quota: five hundred thousand rare earths. Payment upfront, services later. How many quotas will you require?”
Li Xiaobai wasted no time, speaking decisively. This was a hefty fortune—he needed it in his hands as soon as possible for peace of mind!
“Uh… between us, we will need a total of ten quotas. Senior, might it be possible for you to… manipulate the process a little?”
“The rare earth resources aren’t an issue, but isn’t handing it all over outright a bit rash?”
The Family Heads exchanged awkward glances. This was no small amount—even for large, established families, losing such a fortune stung. None of them wanted to simply hand over the wealth only to gain nothing in return. Were they supposed to become textbook examples of “naïve rich fools”?
“A mere ten quotas? It’s a trivial matter. When the time comes, I’ll have them taken care of—you have nothing to worry about!”
“As for the payment method, of course, it wouldn’t be acceptable to hand it to me directly. That would indeed be careless. We need to find a secluded place to conduct this transaction privately.”
“Tomorrow, at this time, you all shall bring the resources to my inn. The rest, you can leave to me.”
Li Xiaobai waved his hand impatiently, clearly in no mood for further discussion.
“Understood, understood!”
“Thank you, Senior, for your assistance!”
Seeing Li Xiaobai’s abrupt manner, none of them dared to argue further and could only stick to his arrangements.
Following Li Xiaobai, they wound through the Baihe Family’s estate, taking a convoluted path until finally arriving at a warehouse.
The group couldn’t help but feel impressed. Though they themselves could use their cultivation to survey the entirety of the Baihe Family estate with precision, they wouldn’t pinpoint where someone might be hiding. Yet this expert from the Academy strode directly toward the warehouse without much hesitation, as if he’d been here dozens of times before.
“Are our family disciples being held inside this warehouse?”
They halted and turned to Li Xiaobai for confirmation.
“Open the door and see for yourselves.”
“Elder Bai-ge, since this matter has nothing to do with the Baihe Sect, please, go ahead.”
Li Xiaobai turned to Bai-ge with a smile.
“Understood!”
Bai-ge clenched his teeth, shooting a venomous glare at He Yannian before stepping toward the warehouse. Along the way, he’d already gathered the information he needed—the 150 or so young disciples were indeed inside the Baihe Family’s grounds. Whether or not the Baihe Family orchestrated this, their involvement was undeniable—they wouldn’t be able to clear their name even with an ocean’s worth of excuses.
At this point, the only strategy was to completely sever ties with the Baihe Family. He needed to prove to the Academy Elder that the Baihe Sect and the Baihe Family, though originating from the same source, were now entirely distinct entities and didn’t share any underhanded behavior. On matters of principle, the Baihe Sect was resolute and would never collude with the Baihe Family!
Only then could the Baihe Sect minimize the damage and salvage what remained of its reputation.
The warehouse door creaked open, and utter silence filled the air. Everyone stretched their necks and widened their eyes to peer inside.
The scene didn’t disappoint: a large group of young men and women lay sprawled on the ground silently, their breathing steady and faces calm. Nearby, stacks of neatly packed sacks formed small piles in one corner.
The captives had evidently been released by Baihe cultivators. Most likely, however, fearing that these cultivators might leak information to the wider world, the captors had subjected them to some other means, rendering them unconscious. That explained the peculiar scenario before them now.
“Holy crap, they’re really here!”
“You despicable Baihe Family! We treated you with respect, and this is how you repay us—with something this vile!”
“Kidnapping our disciples—such shameless behavior! As elders, you should have some self-respect. To stoop so low… where’s your dignity as powerful cultivators?”
“Hmph! I always suspected the Baihe Family had no moral compass, but I didn’t expect you to stoop to this level!”
“Let’s see how you explain yourselves. If not for the Academy Elder here today, we wouldn’t let this slide without a proper reckoning!”
The Family Heads, seeing their disciples unharmed, heaved sighs of relief even as they loudly berated He Yannian to maintain appearances.
Negotiations had, in truth, concluded back at the estate’s entrance. Terms were set: cede lands, pay reparations, relinquish authority. The Baihe Family had become a scapegoat and had no way to defend itself. As bitter as swallowing gall, they could only suffer in silence.
He Yannian wore a pained expression. After today, the Baihe Family would become the target of universal condemnation. Their estates and enterprises would quickly shrink, and before long, they would descend into an insignificant clan subject to anyone’s whims. And all of this stemmed from that cursed, mysterious individual. Why did the hostages have to end up on Baihe property?
“Take your people and check your disciples thoroughly for any problems. Their safety is the priority.”
Li Xiaobai spoke nonchalantly.
Bai-ge gestured, and an Immortal Crane flew in, carrying the unconscious disciples out. Under its ethereal qi, the younger ones began to awaken, one by one.
“Who am I?”
“Where am I?”
“What was I supposed to be doing?”
Having been knocked out twice in a row, the disciples were clearly dazed and disoriented.
Within a few breaths, however, they scanned their surroundings and quickly pieced things together.
“Family Head!”
“Thank you, Family Head, for saving us!”
“We disciples were searching for those black flames outside the city when we got ambushed. The next thing we knew, we were inside the Baihe Family estate. Those treacherous Baihe bastards even knocked us out again! Please, Family Head, do justice for us!”
Over 150 voices wailed in unified complaint.
Hearing this, He Yannian felt faint, his vision going dark and his head buzzing. It was over—completely over. Not even a sliver of a chance to explain remained.
“Rest assured. Return to the sect and claim proper compensation. This Family Head will see to it that justice is served for all of you!”
The Family Heads nodded firmly. The evidence was undeniable—as the victims themselves had testified, the Baihe Family was beyond absolution.
“Senior, fellow Taoists, there’s more to this than meets the eye. I, He, have my difficulties, and I suspect you may find it hard to believe. But the Baihe Family truly didn’t do this!”
He Yannian was on the verge of tears. He had handled matters with the local Family Heads, but he couldn’t get a read on Li Xiaobai’s intentions. He had no idea what sort of punishment might lie ahead.
“This matter doesn’t concern me,” Li Xiaobai replied coldly. “What I wish to know is about the Pure Land of Extreme Evil. Tell me—does this have any connection to the Baihe Family?”