Chapter 98

"What method?"

Upon hearing that her skin could be further repaired, Ye Qinglian's eyes lit up.

"Piaohua Palace has a top-notch cultivation technique. Not only does it allow for incredibly fast cultivation, but it also has beautifying and nourishing effects. If you switch to this technique, your skin will be even more delicate and smooth than before the injury in less than a month," Zhong Wen said truthfully. "However, this technique is only passed down to disciples of our sect. If you want to learn it, you must join Piaohua Palace."

"Is there really such a miraculous technique?" Ye Qinglian asked, half-believing, half-doubting.

"Palace Master Lin Zhiyun cultivates this technique," Zhong Wen casually threw out the bait.

Thinking of Lin Zhiyun's skin, which was so soft it seemed to be able to hold water, Ye Qinglian began to believe Zhong Wen's words.

"Of course, Qinglian, you already have the beauty of a celestial being. Whether or not you cultivate this technique isn't really important," Zhong Wen said with a grin. "I just mentioned it in passing. It's getting late, I'll go prepare lunch. You rest well."

With that, he picked up the basin and turned to leave.

"Wait." Ye Qinglian's voice came from behind.

"What's wrong?" Zhong Wen turned around, feigning confusion.

"If I want to join Piaohua Palace..." Ye Qinglian stammered, "I wonder if Palace Master Lin would be willing to accept me."

"Palace Master is the most compassionate person. I don't think there will be any major issues. However, on Nangong's side..." Zhong Wen paused, "I think there's some misunderstanding between you. It's best to clear it up as soon as possible."

"You're right." Ye Qinglian nodded, then shook her head, "But Miss Nangong is very averse to me. It might be hard to change her mind in a short time."

"As long as your heart is sincere, there's no knot that can't be untied." Zhong Wen gently consoled her.

"I'll give it a try."

*****************************************************************

"Yue'er, this time I really owe it to you." In the spacious and enclosed unicorn carriage, Shangguan Tong looked at his beautiful daughter and smiled, "That little girl from back then can now stand on her own. In the future, I can rest assured in handing over the business to you and enjoy my retirement."

As the leader of Shengyu Trading Company, one of the three major trading companies in the empire, Shangguan Tong was just over fifty, exuding a sense of vigor and competence, looking imposing even without anger.

"Father is still in his prime, don't think about shirking your responsibilities," Shangguan Yue'er pouted, "I can't manage such a big mess."

"Only you would call Shengyu Trading Company a mess." Shangguan Tong laughed heartily, "There are many people in the empire who covet your father's position."

"Then let them manage it." Shangguan Yue'er pouted, "Anyway, after defeating the Silver Ring Trading Company, I plan to take a good rest and travel with Yiru to find delicious food."

The stunning young lady wore a confident expression, as if the Silver Ring Trading Company could be crushed with a wave of her hand.

"The young lady's demeanor is quite like the family head from back then," the white-haired, gray-clothed old man sitting opposite chuckled, "It seems the Silver Ring Trading Company won't last much longer."

"Old Feng, you're teasing me again." Shangguan Yue'er was very close to the old man, pouting and acting coquettish.

Her beauty was already striking, and now with the coquettish demeanor, the white-clothed man beside her was completely captivated, unable to control himself.

As they were chatting, a suffocating pressure suddenly descended from the sky, instantly filling the entire carriage, making it hard to breathe. People like Shangguan Yue'er, with lower cultivation, almost couldn't breathe, their faces showing signs of pain. Outside the carriage, the sound of someone falling and the painful neighing of the unicorn could be heard, and the carriage came to a stop.

"Spirit Venerable!" The white-haired old man's face changed, his figure flashing as he appeared in the sky outside the carriage, emitting a storm-like aura, also a Spirit Venerable.

Shangguan Yue'er and the others felt their bodies relax, the suffocating feeling instantly disappearing.

"Hehehe, Old Feng, it's been over ten years, how have you been?" A hoarse voice came from the sky.

"Who else could it be, but the old monster Krong?" Spirit Venerable Feng sneered, "A Spirit Venerable, an old monster, actually bullying juniors with your cultivation. You're really getting worse with age."

A gaunt figure appeared opposite Spirit Venerable Feng, floating in the air, wearing a soil-yellow robe, with prominent cheekbones and sunken cheeks, looking almost like a corpse, but with eyes full of ferocity.

"I just came to catch up, I have no interest in those juniors below." Spirit Venerable Krong grinned, revealing half of his teeth, adding to the eerie and terrifying atmosphere.

"Let's change the place." Spirit Venerable Feng said solemnly, worried that the battle between Spirit Venerables would affect Shangguan Tong and the others in the carriage.

Spirit Venerable Krong chuckled, and the two figures flashed and disappeared, quickly vanishing from sight.

"This is the power of a Spirit Venerable?" Shangguan Yue'er gazed at the spot where the two had disappeared, lost in thought. "No wonder some say that all below a Spirit Venerable are mere ants. Even a Heaven Wheel expert has no resistance against a Spirit Venerable."

The feeling of life and death being controlled by others reminded her of the situation she faced with Wu Qi in Fufeng City.

If one day I can cultivate to that level...

This was the first time the young lady had the desire to cultivate seriously.

"Old He, go check on the driver," Shangguan Tong turned to a red-clothed giant in the carriage and instructed.

Old He pulled back the curtain, only to see the driver's body curled on the ground, eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth, unconscious. The two unicorns were kneeling, trembling, unable to stand.

Just as Old He was about to turn around, his eyes suddenly focused, noticing three figures standing in front of the carriage.

All three were dressed in white, with white headbands, pale faces, standing out in the sunlight.

"Upon hearing that the head of the Shangguan family has arrived, I have come to pay a visit. Please come out and meet me," the middle white-clothed man said coldly.

"Who are you..." Sensing the hostility, Old He straightened his body, adopting a defensive stance.

"I am Bai Wuchang." The white-clothed man's voice was icy and ghostly, as if he had no human emotions. "These are my two younger brothers, Bai Ritian and Bai Shisan. Please have the head of the Shangguan family come out for a chat."

"You are from the Bai family!" Old He's face changed. "Who sent you?"

"Please have the head of the Shangguan family come out for a chat." Bai Wuchang repeated his words coldly, without answering.

"Let's go out." Shangguan Tong sighed, lifting the curtain and stepping out, standing beside Old He, followed by Shangguan Yue'er and three other guards.

"Bai Wuchang greets the head of the Shangguan family." Bai Wuchang finally stopped repeating himself, but his tone remained cold.

"I've heard that the Bai family gives their opponents a choice before killing them." Shangguan Tong said calmly, "Do I have such an honor?"

Bai Wuchang's voice was like a cold wind, chilling to the bone: "I have been commissioned to borrow the head of the Shangguan family. If Miss Shangguan agrees to marry my younger brother, I will leave and abandon this commission."

As he spoke, he pointed to Bai Shisan standing on the right. The two looked very similar, both with pale and eerie faces, but Bai Shisan appeared slightly younger.

Shangguan Yue'er's eyes widened, her face showing a hint of anger.

"It seems I have no choice." Shangguan Tong shook his head helplessly, turning to the guards behind him, "I'll trouble you all."

"Old Liu, Old Li, let's go!" Old He was already rubbing his hands, "Xiao Liu, you focus on protecting the head and the young lady."

"I've heard that the head of the Shangguan family has four Heaven Wheel guards, highly skilled and powerful." Bai Wuchang looked at Old He and said slowly, "You must be 'Shadowless Fist' Huo Tongtian, and those two must be 'Jade Green Saber' Liu Bowei and 'Seven Absolute Divine Sword' Li Tao."

"You've done your research well. Knowing we have four of us, you still dare to come and seek death. It seems the Bai family isn't very smart!" Huo Tongtian laughed, suddenly punching towards Bai Wuchang's face.

Bai Wuchang's foot touched the ground, quickly retreating three feet, thinking he had dodged the punch. However, a powerful and invisible force suddenly hit his chest, making him stagger several meters back, barely stopping.

Huo Tongtian's famous 'Shadowless Fist' technique, which manifested as invisible and formless spirit energy, was impossible to guard against.

At this moment, Liu Bowei and Li Tao also engaged Bai Ritian and Bai Shisan, six Heaven Wheel experts fighting in pairs, making it difficult to determine a winner for the time being.

"Something's not right." Shangguan Yue'er frowned, instructing the white-clothed young man guarding Shangguan Tong, "They know Father has four Heaven Wheel guards but only sent three to assassinate him. There must be a problem. Brother Liu, be careful."

"Miss is right." The young man, Liu Chengfeng, nodded, a metal folding fan appearing in his right hand, also a fan expert.

"Perhaps it's because our Shengyu Trading Company has been making too many moves recently, making the Xiao family and the Silver Ring Trading Company feel uneasy." Shangguan Tong had his hands behind his back, his face calm, "These two families want to take action against me but are afraid to send their own experts. Finding a Spirit Venerable and three Heaven Wheel experts is already quite difficult."

"Father, don't be careless. The Xiao family isn't that simple." Shangguan Yue'er said seriously.

"Having Xiao Liu here, even if they have more tricks up their sleeve, I won't..." His words were cut off.

He was shocked to see Liu Chengfeng turn the metal fan and stab it into his chest. The fan, covered with the powerful spirit energy unique to a Heaven Wheel expert, easily broke through Shangguan Tong's protective spirit energy and wreaked havoc inside his body.

"Liu Chengfeng, what are you doing!" Shangguan Yue'er was horrified, striking Liu Chengfeng with a palm, but he easily deflected it with his left hand.

Then, a powerful and gentle force from Liu Chengfeng's palm pushed Shangguan Yue'er to the ground. Though she wasn't injured, she felt dizzy and struggled to get up.

"Xiao Liu... why, why?" Shangguan Tong's face showed surprise for the first time, never expecting his most