Chapter 581: Yao Qinglong Returns to the Country
As the four SUVs left, Tang Xiu instructed Chi Nan to order all the staff in the backyard to leave and told that no one was allowed to come, as he then went alone and opened the container truck by himself.
Inside the container truck were 88 black suitcases, each of them filled with medicinal herbs. According to the prescription made by Tang Xiu back then, there were a total of 88 kinds of precious herbs. Tang Xiu opened one of the suitcases and examined the properties and age of the herbs before he stored the suitcases inside his interspatial ring one by one. A regretful look appeared on his face after he put away all the suitcases.
These rare herbs collected by Li Juren were required to refine the Marrow Purifying Pill and were definitely enough to concoct more than 100 Marrow Purifying Pills. Although the rare herbs required to refine the Life Essence Pill had also been collected, among the three most important herbs needed, only the five-hundred years old Fleece-Flower Root had been collected; the Blood Droplet Seed and the Millennium Snow Lotus were still missing.
"According to the ratio to concoct the Marrow Purifying Pill, these herbs sent by Li Juren would be enough to produce hundreds of Life Essence Pills. Unfortunately, the Millennium Snow Lotus and Blood Droplet Seed were not collected. I'm afraid that refining the Life Essence Pill will be very difficult."
Tang Xiu suppressed his regret. He knew that a man must not be greedy, and getting a lot of medicinal herbs to refine the Marrow Purifying Pill and Life Essence Pill was already a big harvest. The Millennium Snow Lotus and Blood Droplet Seed were medicinal herbs that were something that may come by with luck and couldn't be sought. Tang Xiu himself had actually obtained the Millennium Snow Lotus before, but it had been used by Ji Chimei to refine a medicine pill already.
Haste will only make waste! Tang Xiu knew perfectly well about this truth. He then turned his head to look at Chi Nan after closing the container truck's door. There was surprised look on her face.
"You will also have your own interspatial ring in the future if you can reach a level I'm satisfied with. All right, I have other things to tend to, so I'll go back."
After dropping these words, Tang Xiu then headed to his car and drove away.
While watching the leaving car quietly, Chi Nan's face was full of anticipation. She wished to have a lot of cultivation resources and more so own her own interspatial ring. There was one thing she realized. If she owned an interspatial ring, it would be much easier to do things regardless of whatever she did and wherever she went.
"The most important priority for me now is getting money." Chi Nan clenched her fist with a firm expression.
Twelve in the dead of the night.
As Tang Xiu arrived back at the Bluestar Villa Complex, he found that Kang Xia was not resting in his bedroom, but sat quietly on the bed while reading financial statements instead. The newly listed healthcare products had produced very good results, and the returned capital also made the financial situation of the Magnificent Tang Corporation ampler.
However, she also knew that Tang Xiu had a big plan. In particular, the internal purchase of the Star City's New City, the construction of the company headquarters in Shanghai along with its relocation, the construction of the plants and factories along with the equipment that came in line with them, and so on, all of which could be put simply that there were many places of the money to be allocated to.
"You're not asleep yet?" Asked Tang Xiu with a smile after taking off his coat and hanging it.
Kang Xia closed the financial statements report and chuckled, "Ah, you've come back. Anyways, I'm preparing to return to Star City tomorrow, and there's already a big pile of issues waiting for me to address there."
"Have you reserved the flight ticket?" Asked Tang Xiu. "I'll drive you over to the airport."
"I already booked the flight!" Kang Xia still replied softly despite feeling unwilling inside.
This night, the two fell into a frenzied state, pressing against each other, and then falling asleep while embracing each other after the desperate fight.
In the next morning, Tang Xiu sent Kang Xia to the Shanghai Airport and then returned to Bluestar Villa Complex. On the way there, Tang Xiu received a call from Yang Le. Back then, he dragged him to Jingmen Island since he needed him to deal with some matters. Since the matter was relatively easy to resolve whereas the matter with the Tang Family took more time, Yang Le thus had nothing to do and spent some time in Jingmen Island before returning to Shanghai with Han Qingwu.
After returning home and entering the living room, Tang Xiu saw Yang Le and Dai Xinyue looking at each other in consternation. He let out a faint smile and said, "You two should already be acquainted with each other, right?"
"No, we aren't!"
Dai Xinyue and Yang Le spoke in unison. The two immediately glared at each other and flung their faces at the same time.
Tang Xiu was stumped for words. He couldn't help but force a smile and ask, "What's wrong? Is there some misunderstanding or something between the two of you?"
Dai Xinyue stood up and said, "Master, this guy is a scumbag, he…"
"Don't listen to this girl's gibberish, Tang Xiu! It's just a misunderstanding, really!" Yang Le also hastily got up and exasperatedly said. "Who would have known that she was relieving herself in the toilet? I was a bit hurried to answer the call of nature when I came to your place here… so I just…"
Tang Xiu was instantly aware of the matter and laughed, "Okay, okay. It's a misunderstanding and since you two have said it, then forget it. Anyways, Yang Le, you called me and said that there are important things so you needed to find me. What is it, exactly?"
"Brother Tang, tell her to leave. I don't trust this girl." Yang Le pointed to Dai Xinyue.
Again, Tang Xiu was stumped for words.
"Who the hell cares about you, huh?" Dai Xinyue snappily glared at Yang Le and scornfully said, "Master, I'm going out with Auntie Zhang to buy some groceries. Do you have anything you need to buy?"
"No." Tang Xiu shook his head.
As Dai Xinyue and the housekeeper Zhang Xinlan left, Yang Le came to Tang Xiu's side and spoke in a low voice, "My Eldest Senior Brother has returned to China and is now in Shanghai."
"Yao Qinglong?" Tang Xiu's brows creased as he asked.
"Yeah, it's him." Yang Le nodded. "I just received his summons, saying that he has come to Shanghai and wants to meet with me."
"The Yao Family is almost finished, and the rest of their members who escaped death by a hairbreadth have also left Beijing hurriedly to hide through various means. For Yao Qinglong to come to Shanghai and not appear in Beijing, what does he want to do?"
"I'm also curious about that." Yang Le shook his head. "Therefore, I didn't flatly refuse him after he contacted me and came to find you to discuss it. I always had a nagging feeling that he's up to no good given that he looked for me all of a sudden like this."
"Go see him and find out what his real intention is." Tang Xiu pondered for a moment and seriously said, "I remember you saying he's very ambitious. Considering he has been abroad for so many years, no one knows how big his energy at present. Though I'm not afraid of him, I fear troublesome matters. He's a risky variable, thus I must employ every possible means to remove him."
After hesitating for a moment, Yang Le replied in a low voice, "If… if he really wants to be your enemy, can you promise me one thing?"
"Tell me!" Said Tang Xiu calmly.
"Though when all is said and done, he's still my Eldest Senior Brother. Can you spare him at the last moment?" Asked Yang Le.
Tang Xiu answered, "Sparing his life is not out of the possibility. You tell me, do you think it's better to make him a living dead? Or do you want him to meet his demise early and be reincarnated earlier?"
"This…" Yang Le was silent for a while, before he reluctantly nodded and said, "Treat it as I didn't say anything, then. I'll help you figure out the true purpose of his return to the country, whereas you'll solve the problem yourself. I'm afraid that I must go abroad tomorrow and will only come back after some time."
"Copy that!" Tang Xiu nodded. He knew Yang Le's character. He was sandwiched between him and his Eldest Senior Brother, and it was very hard for him to act. The reason for his trip abroad was probably to avoid suspicion.
****
At noon, Yang Le met his Eldest Senior Brother—Yao Qinglong in a café. What made him surprised was that Yao Qinglong not only not felt pained due to what happened to the Yao Family, but looked overjoyed instead, even the smiling expression on his face was very rich.
"What exactly do you want from me?"
Yang Le sat on the chair across him wearing his ever present frivolous appearance.
"What do you wanna drink?" Asked Yao Qinglong with a smile.
"Seeing you makes me don't have the taste to drink anything." Yang Le waved his hand. "If you want fart then burst it out quickly, don't waste my time."
Yao Qinglong seemed accustomed to Yang Le's attitude and only smiling lightly in response. "Junior Brother, though Master has passed away, we're still martial bothers after all. I just wanted to see you and talk about the old days. This should be ok, no?"
"You're a cunning schemer, and you think what you can get from others." Yang Le spoke with a despising expression. "I'm afraid that you and I have fallen short of treating each other like that. Now, are you gonna spit it out or not? If you won't, then I'll leave."
"Alright, still throwing tantrums eh, brat. I'm already accustomed to it. OK, OK, then I'll tell you something important. I got a business deal that I need your help with. I'll give you a commission of 100 million after the deal is successful."
"100 million, eh? What a great deal!" Yang Le revealed a surprised look, as his eyes searched Yao Qinglong.
"It is a big deal, indeed. Some people have paid quite a high price for the formulas of several products of the Magnificent Tang Corporation. Many people are paying attention to this company and many already attacked it, and yet all of them eventually ended up in failure. I took over the deal, so I came to Shanghai directly to find you after returning to the country. Moreover, Second and Third have already agreed and are now on the way to Shanghai as well."
The Magnificent Tang Corporation?
Yang secretly sighed inwardly and somewhat felt contempt as well as sympathized with Yao Qinglong. What he despised was that Yao Qinglong actually didn't bother and ignore the kinship affection even though the members of his Yao Family had partly dispersed and partly died with their lives hung by a thread at present, whereas the sympathy he had for him was because he was targeting the Magnificent Tang Corporation. Others didn't know the details about this company, but he was crystal clear about it. With those fearful stratagems Tang Xiu possessed as well as those non-human guys from the Everlasting Feast Hall, Yao Qinglong and the other disciples of the Thief Branch would never have their wishes come true!
Yang Le fell into silence for a while, before he slowly said, "I have a problem. Are you a member of the Yao Family? According to the news I heard, the Yao Family is in a disastrous state and their people are kinda falling from the clouds, as many of them are in peril and danger. You are a member of the Yao Family, yet you don't even seem to care about them?"
Yao Qinglong's eyes squinted. A killing intent flickered in his eyes as he indifferently said, "This big enmity must be avenged, that's for sure. But how much do you think the odds of me winning are? I know what you are implying; you think that I have a cold heart, right? Hmph… 10 years are never too long for a man to take his revenge. The weak me paying off old scores with a very strong hated enemy is akin to pitting a rock against a boulder—it will only cause my own destruction. Ultimately, not only revenge will be an impossibility, I'll even throw myself onto the gallows instead."
Chapter 582: Scheming Each Other
The words spoken by Yao Qinglong was reasonable and Yang Le approved them as well. However, he was crystal clear that Yao Qinglong would only bring about his own decimation if he wanted to take revenge on Tang Xiu. Prior to this, he used to have a similar feeling of affection to him as someone from the same root. But after the death of their Master, Yao Qinglong had treated him by hook or by crook and even wanted his life, before he eventually escaped him, causing all the friendship and affection to dry up.
"Did you forget what I told you before, Qinglong? We are no longer martial brothers. You can do what you want as you have the freedom to do so, but that will have no relationship with me whatsoever. If you have nothing else to say, then I will take my leave." Then he stood up from the chair, ready to leave.
Curling up his mouth, Yao Qinglong said, "You know, Junior Brother, it seems like the fortune our Master sent to you before his death is more than I imagined. Even 100 million is not enough to move you."
With a drastic change in expression, Yang Le angrily said, "All the things left behind by Master were acquired by myself—my own abilities. You don't need to concern yourself with your trifling skills."
The expression on Yao Qinglong's face changed into that of indifference as he replied lightly, "That Old Geezer calculated that we could never obtain them, so he left that kind of training to you, huh? Hmph… He's dead already, and his things must be equally divided. Of course, I'll never mention it again if you help me snatch the Magnificent Tang Corporation's products' formulas this time. I will even give some compensation to Second and Third Brothers so as to make them give up. How about it?"
"Keep dreaming!" Yang Le scornfully rebuked loudly. "I, Yang Le, may be afraid of anything else, but not threats. I used to see us as martial bothers before; I even let go of the matter of you trying to kill me. But don't blame me for being ruthless and forget the past friendship if you dare to strike at me again!"
Yao Qinglong couldn't help but burst into laughter, "What the hell are you talking about, Junior Brother? How could I, your Senior Brother, scheme to murder you?! I won't force you to do something if you really don't want to. Anyhow, you can go deal with your things! When the Second and Third arrive, we'll straightly head to Bluestar Villa to have a drink with you."
While clenching his fists, killing intent flashed out of Yang Le's eyes. Since Yao Qinglong knew where he lived, it meant that they had investigated him. It was clearly a threat. They were highly likely to point their blades at him if he didn't help them.
"Look at your face, Junior Brother. You seem like you don't welcome us, hmm?" Yao Qinglong smilingly said. "I think you should sit still and continue chatting with me if you don't want us to do so. Maybe you'll change your mind after a while!"
"I will never change my mind—not a chance!" Yang Le said coldly. "Of course, visit me if you want, and I'll welcome you warmly. I only wish that you won't die."
Having said that, he turned around and walked outside the café, as Yao Qinglong's smiling face froze.
Bam…
Yao Qinglong slapped the table as he watched Yang Le's back disappear. Killing intent surged inside him. Brat, you have no idea of death or danger, eh? Then I'll make you suffer, and we'll see whether you can continue to persist in the face of death.
****
Japan, on the summit of Fujiyama.
Kuwako Yamamoto was sitting cross-legged under a cherry tree while embracing a katana. She was wearing a black exercise suit and let the drizzle wet her hair.
Whoosh…
A ghostly figure silently appeared in front of her and then knelt on her knee. The figure was a woman with white hair in front of her forehead, as she reported respectfully, "Young Lady, the item has been obtained and is on the way here. It will be delivered tomorrow morning at the latest."
Kuwako suddenly opened her eyes with a pleasantly surprised look in her eyes, as she then replied in satisfaction, "They did a good job. That item doesn't have much use for me, but for… all right, tell them to not leave any trace."
"Understood!"
The woman in ninja attire replied. Her body swayed and disappeared from the spot.
A smile finally appeared on Kuwako's face as she spoke, "Hanako, help me reserve a flight ticket to China, Shanghai. Also, inform my father that I'm going to China to continue negotiating the cooperation issues with the Magnificent Tang Corporation."
"Affirmative!" A voice came from behind the tree, as calmness followed shortly after.
****
Shanghai, Bluestar Villa Complex.
When Yang Le returned, he found that he was being tailed. He didn't head straight to Tang Xiu's place but returned to Villa #11. He then walked to his bedroom's window and observed the situation outside before taking out his mobile to call Tang Xiu.
"Are you back already?" Tang Xiu's voice was heard from the mobile phone.
"Tang Xiu, I need your help," said Yang Le.
"Tell me! What is it?" Asked Tang Xiu.
"I'm afraid that Yao Qinglong, Du Yanghe, and Qiu Jian are going to attack me tonight. I hope you can kill them for me," said Yang Le.
"Why do they want to kill you?" Tang Xiu raised his brows. "Also, how come they know that you live here?"
"Yao Qinglong must have sent some people to investigate my whereabouts. I always move covertly in Shanghai, but I've been staying here for too long, and investigating it would be easy given their abilities. Anyhow, I also have found out Yao Qinglong's purpose in seeking me. They want my help in stealing the formulas of the several products belonging to the Magnificent Tang Corporation. I flatly rejected," said Yang Le.
"I see!" Tang Xiu immediately hung up after saying that.
Originally, he wasn't in a rush to remove Yao Qinglong. He had never seen Yao Qinglong's Dao abilities, though the man was a disciple of Thief Branch. Given that he actually wanted to attack the Magnificent Tang Corporation to steal their products' formulas, that was something that could not be forgiven. Those formulas were the capital he relied on to make money, and his loss would be too great if Yao Qinglong were to steal them.
"You refused the path to heaven, and to the gate of hell shall you be thrown on your own accord!"
Tang Xiu sneered and then contacted Chi Nan. Though his strength was very formidable, some fish may escape if too many people came from the other party. Therefore, he needed the experts from the Everlasting Feast Hall to lay out an inescapable net. Even if the other party sent a lot of masters, they must never be allowed to return!
****
In the previous café.
Yao Qinglong had not left yet, and sat quietly on the chair while savoring his coffee. He was silently thinking of something. The reason he first straightly headed to Shanghai after returning to China was not that he didn't care about the present situation the Yao Family was in, but because he didn't want to expose himself.
The Yao Family was very important. But that was because the previous Yao Family who could bring him some benefits. As of now, the Yao Family was akin to a stray dog, and the entire foundation of the family was likely stolen by others. From the intelligence he gathered, he was aware of the fact that it may not take long before Beijing would no longer have a Yao Family.
All of this was not important to him, however. What was more important was the formulas of those several products belonging to the Magnificent Tang Corporation. His return this time was with this difficult mission at hand.
"Senior Brother! (Senior Brother!)"
Two voices came from a distance, as Du Yanghe and Qiu Jian appeared in front of Yao Qinglong with smiling faces. Though these three martial brothers each had his own ax to grind and had their own schemes in mind, yet they seemingly got along with each other harmoniously on the surface.
Yao Qinglong got up and hugged them both as he motioned for them to sit on the other side of the sofa. Then he laughed and said, "You two came fast."
"Senior Brother, you summoned us, so it's natural for us to seize the time and catch up," said Du Yanghe smilingly. "Anyhow, what about that brat, Yang Le? Didn't you say that you were going to see him in advance?"
"That brat didn't want to be associated with us. He simply flung his face away and left." Yang Le sneered.
"He's just refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, I think." Du Yanghe scornfully murmured. "Senior Brother, I'll kill him today as long as you command it. Besides, that brat must have taken all the fortunes our Master left behind. We weren't able to kill him last time, so I haven't vented out the bottled up anger inside me."
"Let's look for him. If he doesn't take out all the fortunes left by Master, then let's just kill him." Qiu Jian echoed. "I refuse to believe that he would rather keep all the wealth and doesn't give a damn care to his own life, no?"
"Don't worry. It's not suitable for us to act in broad daylight now. Besides, I've already sent people to find his tracks. I'm sure that he just wants to escape now, and can't shake off my informers," said Yao Qinglong with a chuckle. "Anyhow, I'll tell you the main purpose for your coming here. I need to get the formulas of the products of the Magnificent Tang Corporation. I'll give each one of you 100 million yuan if you help me get them."
Du Yanghe and Qiu Jian exchanged looks. Shocked expressions appeared on their faces. What shocked them the most was not because they had to steal the formulas of the Magnificent Tang Corporation's products, but the compensation promised by Yao Qinglong.
100 million?
Even if they were both disciples of Thief Branch and also possessed good abilities and had their own businesses, the total wealth they had in hands was probably less than 100 million yuan.
"What a big deal, Senior Brother!" Du Yanghe exclaimed.
"A great deal indeed," said Yao Qinglong with a chuckle. "The buyer is willing to pay 400 million yuan, and I originally intended to divide it equally between the four of us. But that brat, Yang Le, turned out to reject me."
"It must be because the fortune left by Master is quite a lot!" Du Yanghe scornfully commented. "Else he would never ignore or be moved by this amount of money! Senior Brother, we must kill Yang Le to get the fortune left by Master. 40% will be yours, and we'll take 30% each at that time."
Yao Qinglong secretly jeered at him, yet he let out a satisfied smile on the surface, saying, "Well, since you agreed with the share, then welcome aboard. If Yang Le is willing to help me steal those products' formulas, however, we must not attack him before the operation is over. We'll only kill him after."
"No problem!" Du Yanghe and Qiu Jian were as though seeing a huge fortune waving to them as they nodded in contentment.
They had long coveted the wealth left by their Master, but their strength was unfortunately under Yang Le's. Eventually, they weren't able to see even the shadow of a dime from that wealth. As long as they were able to kill Yang Le and get that wealth, they were pretty sure that even a 30% share would be equal to the pay promised by Yao Qinglong.