Chapter 215: This is Father’s Intention

Chapter 215: Chapter 215: This is Father’s Intention

The Purple Bamboo Peak’s Flying Ship slowly left the Great Xia Imperial City.

In one of the Flying Ship’s rooms, Ji Ming finally let out a sigh of relief. After nearly a decade of hardship, he had finally managed to leave the Great Xia Imperial City safely with his wife. He no longer had to live in constant fear.

"We’ve finally left safely. Do you regret it?"

Lady Ji couldn’t help but ask. If it hadn’t been for her family back then, her husband never would have ended up in such a state.

"What are you talking about?"

Ji Ming shook his head. Ultimately, what happened back then was because someone was targeting him. His wife’s family was just a convenient tool whose weakness had been exploited. What right did he have to speak of regret?

"This is my room!"

Seeing her parents looking like they were about to embrace and weep at any moment, Ji Suyao finally had to speak up. Ever since boarding the Flying Ship, they had been discussing how to repay her Senior Brother, with Ji Suyao only able to listen silently from the side. But the moment the ship set off, the two of them started ignoring her completely, leaving Ji Suyao feeling rather helpless.

She felt like a third wheel, but this was, inconveniently, her room—at least for the return journey.

"If you’re jealous, you can go find your Senior Brother right now."

A smile appeared on Ji Ming’s face. With his worries finally put to rest, he could now pay some attention to his daughter’s future. They would be parting ways soon, after all. If he could entrust her to someone trustworthy, his heart would be a little more at ease.

"I’m not talking to you anymore."

Ji Suyao pouted. If she could actually go find her Senior Brother, she would have gone long ago instead of just standing here. The problem was, she couldn’t.

"Alright, alright. Here are the Indenture Contracts we signed. Take them to your Senior Brother when you get back to Purple Cloud Valley."

Lady Ji took out two Jade Tokens. These were the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens they had both signed. The content of the Spirit Contract was effectively an Indenture Contract; upon signing, they would immediately lose twenty years of their freedom.

"Alright."

Ji Suyao put the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens away without a second thought. Her Senior Brother would never actually use them for anything; she was one hundred percent sure of that.

Ji Ming and Lady Ji exchanged a look, smiles spreading across their faces. Seeing this, Ji Suyao slumped helplessly onto the table. She was feeling more and more like a third wheel.

In another room, Lady Ye handed two Spirit Contract Jade Tokens to her own daughter.

"We’re staking twenty years of our freedom on your judgment, you know. If anything goes wrong, you’ll have to help us out. You can’t just forget about your parents now that you have your Senior Brother."

Lady Ye said this with a smile. Her daughter had been deeply smitten for a long time. She wasn’t actually stressing their loss of freedom, but merely teasing her.

It was one of her few pleasures. In the past, when her daughter was bound by an unfair marriage contract, they naturally had to be careful with their words and actions. But now, her daughter was free. She was even going to become a disciple of Peak Master Mo, and her Senior Brother was a Third Grade Spirit Chef. Of course, they could afford to joke around now.

"Of course I won’t forget you two."

Ye Linglong felt a little helpless, but it was all she could say. It was the only part of her mother’s speech she could safely respond to. As for her relationship with her Senior Brother, if she dared to even mention it, her mother would unleash a barrage of questions, trying to pry out every single word exchanged during their every encounter.

Compared to the lively atmosphere in his two junior sisters’ rooms, Liu Chen’s was quiet. He sat in his chair, gave a bored yawn, and then resumed using the Engraving Technique to inscribe his insights on Magic.

"We’ve arrived at Purple Bamboo Peak."

Two hours later, that announcement came from outside his door. Liu Chen waited a moment before pushing the door open and stepping out onto the deck. As the familiar scenery came into view, he was surprised to feel a wave of nostalgia.

Stepping off the Flying Ship, Liu Chen at once spotted Senior Brother Yang and Senior Brother Ren, who had already disembarked. If all went well, he could finalize the deal with Steward Lin tonight.

"How are things?"

Liu Chen couldn’t help but ask as he approached them. If his three senior brothers were all ready, he could go to Steward Lin right now and get things settled. As for when Steward Lin would have the positions ready, that was Steward Lin’s business.

"Here are the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens. Barring any surprises, they should be inside the auction house already."

Yang Haichen handed four Spirit Contract Jade Tokens to Liu Chen. He couldn’t take them out back at the inn, since there were too many prying eyes, but this was Purple Bamboo Peak, and most of the disciples had already dispersed.

"Same here."

Ren Xunchun also produced Spirit Contract Jade Tokens. He wasn’t sure exactly what stage the plan had reached, but he knew the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens had to be given to Junior Brother Liu first.

"Contact Senior Brother Xie as soon as possible. If everything goes smoothly, this should all be settled within a few days."

Liu Chen put away the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens. Just then, his two junior sisters slowly descended from the Flying Ship. On the deck above, their parents watched the scene quietly.

Once the two junior sisters had disembarked, Steward Lin piloted the Flying Ship and slowly departed. Non-members were forbidden from staying on Purple Bamboo Peak, so Steward Lin would be taking the parents to the Marketplace.

No one would dare to cause trouble for people personally escorted to the Marketplace by Steward Lin, no matter where they stayed. Besides, if everything went well, they would become members of Purple Bamboo Peak’s Hundred Affairs Hall by tomorrow morning at the latest.

"The moment I hear from Senior Brother Xie, I’ll contact you."

Yang Haichen nodded and headed straight down the peak. Ren Xunchun, having missed his chance to leave with him, just shrugged and walked helplessly toward a nearby bamboo grove.

"Back to the rear mountain first."

Liu Chen glanced at his two junior sisters, who looked like they wanted to say something, and headed directly for the rear mountain. Discussing things with his senior brothers here was fine, as it didn’t involve critical details. But if what he needed to discuss with his junior sisters was overheard, it could create trouble for Steward Lin. That would be repaying kindness with malice.

The rear mountain of Purple Bamboo Peak was supposed to be the residence of Mo Xuan and Bai Qiulan. Yet at this moment, a dozen or so guards dressed in black were standing watch near the Bamboo Garden.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Inside the Bamboo Garden, Mo Xuan sensed Liu Chen’s return and couldn’t help but glance at his own sister. ’He’s back a little faster than I expected,’ he thought. His sister had also brought seven juniors from the Mo Family’s younger generation, all with Cultivation at the Meridian Passage Peak.

And now, those juniors wanted to ambush Liu Chen. Just imagining the scene made Mo Xuan break out in a cold sweat for them.

"This was Father’s idea. He doesn’t trust the disciple you’ve chosen. These seven are the best of the Mo Family’s younger generation, all of whom hope to become your disciple."

Mo Jinyu spoke calmly. Beside her, Bai Qiulan looked like she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent. Since Mo Xuan had already tacitly agreed, there was no need for her to add anything. She just hoped these so-called juniors of the Mo Family would be able to pick themselves back up again afterward.

"Lan’er, bring Linglong and Suyao here."

In the end, Mo Xuan didn’t object. His father’s action felt more like a compromise—this was likely a show of force from the other branch families aimed at him. It seemed, however, that they had picked the wrong opponent.