It Was All Your Scheme Behind the Scenes — As a Leek, You Must Have the Awareness of a Leek
It Was All Your Scheme Behind the Scenes — As a Leek, You Must Have the Awareness of a Leek
Golden Ridge Ancient City.
The location of the Tang Family.
As the foremost clan of Golden Ridge Ancient City, the Tang Family’s branches spread across many domains of the Beyond.
But the Tang Family’s true ancestral ground was actually located within a Small World inside Golden Ridge Ancient City — a fact known to very few Cultivators.
The Tang Family had entered the Dao through commerce, and their web of connections was intricately tangled — something renowned throughout the Beyond.
Once, a prodigy of the Tang Family possessed a talent in the merchant’s path that could be called one in ten thousand ages.
It was he who developed an unremarkable little clan into what it was today — a power that even many Cults of Immortality dared not underestimate.
At this moment, within the Tang Family’s Small World.
The place appeared boundlessly vast, with countless living beings and Cultivators coming and going. Palaces and Godly Islands floated in the air, magnificent and ancient beyond measure.
Inside the most central, resplendent palace, a tall, vigorous old man radiating natural authority was slamming his hand upon the table before him.
A terrifying aura surged through the void, as if it would shatter everything.
He was none other than the current Patriarch of the Tang Family — Old Master Tang.
Upon the table lay the Photographic Stone that Yin Mei had delivered.
“How foolish! That Tang Tian spends all day causing me trouble! Can’t he give me a moment’s peace? Is he trying to anger me to death?”
Below him, the assembled Tang Family bigwigs were silent as cicadas in winter, none daring to speak.
When Old Master Tang was in a rage, whoever dared interrupt him — even the most favored descendant — would be punished with three months of confinement.
“Of all things, he just had to cause me trouble. Could it be that the Tang Family’s vast estate will one day fall into the hands of this unworthy descendant?”
Afterward, Old Master Tang gradually calmed down, a sharp gleam flickering in his eyes as he snorted coldly. “To dare scheme against my Tang Family.”
“Does this little girl of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan truly take this old man for blind?”
The moment these words fell, an uproar broke out among the Tang Family higher-ups below, all of them filled with righteous indignation.
Anyone with eyes could see this was a trap deliberately laid by Yin Mei.
But so what if they could see it?
The witness from that time had been dealt with the instant Yin Mei appeared — destroyed outright, body and evidence alike.
As for that Innkeeper Zhu, if he hadn’t been silenced, then Yin Mei had hidden him away somewhere.
Even if they wanted to trace the events of that day, they could find no one.
In a matter like this, they could only swallow their broken teeth down into their stomachs.
They were all shrewd old foxes, having navigated the Alliance of Thousand Merchants for so many years — how could they fail to see through something like this?
It was just that behind Yin Mei stood the Ancient Royal Families, and with no evidence in hand, they couldn’t make a fuss about it.
“It seems this matter is merely a petty tactic in the struggle between that little girl of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan and Tang Wan. Her sending this Photographic Stone over is simply a show of attitude.”
Old Master Tang snorted coldly, quickly discerning Yin Mei’s intent.
They naturally wouldn’t casually interfere in such petty squabbles — otherwise, it would no longer be a simple matter of a struggle between Yin Mei and Tang Wan.
Facing the Ancient Royal Families, even their Tang Family had to tread carefully.
“Father, so we just have to swallow this loss ourselves?”
The speaker was a middle-aged man named Tang Feng — the father of Tang Tian and Tang Wan.
Regarding the mess his son had caused, he was helpless, but there was nothing to be done. Tang Tian had been stupid and fallen into someone else’s scheme.
Who could he blame?
If Tang Tian’s thoughts had been a bit cleaner back then, how would so much trouble have arisen?
“What else? What can you do about it?”
“Let Tang Wan handle this matter herself. She’s the elder sister, and the other party came for her this time — surely you don’t still want to interfere?”
“We were in the wrong in this matter to begin with. If those old fossils of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan decide to make trouble, even I’d find it somewhat thorny.”
“Lately, I’ve sensed they have designs on my position. The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan has always intended to dominate the Merchant Alliance with one hand...”
Old Master Tang snorted coldly as he spoke.
Hearing this, the Tang Family higher-ups fell silent, knowing his words were not without reason.
That Gifted Lady of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan had already made her stance clear — she was coming for Tang Wan.
At this point, they naturally could not interfere, or the situation would escalate into a conflict between the Tang Family and the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan — a loss far outweighing any gain.
“Then what about the message Wan’er sent back? Are we just going to ignore it?”
“She said this matter wouldn’t be so simple...”
Tang Feng frowned, still asking somewhat unwillingly.
“How complicated could it be? At most, she just has to give up some of the interests in her hands. That girl Tang Wan is clever — what she means is that she wants the family to help her while not yielding a single bit of the interests in her own grasp.”
“Hmph, does this old man not know her?”
Old Master Tang waved his hand and declared outright, “She just wants to hold more power and have a greater say. This old man has watched her ambitions all these years.”
“Now the other party has already made their goal plain, yet she’s still thinking of taking advantage of the family?”
“But what if there’s deception involved, Father?”
Tang Feng frowned. He greatly trusted Tang Wan’s intuition.
But because of the Chu Hao affair back then, things had become very unpleasant between Old Master Tang and Tang Wan.
Even now, the Old Master felt Tang Wan’s heart still hung on Chu Hao, and had never granted her great power — precisely out of fear she would use it to help Chu Hao.
“You tell me — what deception could there be?”
Old Master Tang sneered, asking in return.
Tang Feng was left speechless.
Indeed — what deception could there be? Could Yin Mei possibly intend to harm Tang Wan?
Such a thing would only happen if Yin Mei had gone mad. After all, if anything happened to Tang Wan, she absolutely could not escape responsibility.
All harm and no benefit.
...
“The family actually doesn’t believe me this time? Why?”
“Yin Mei actually sent over a Photographic Stone? Could it be she truly has no other goal?”
Meanwhile, on the other side, upon learning the news sent back from the family, Tang Wan was momentarily stunned, unable to believe it.
If the family had dispatched experts over this time, she would have had much more confidence.
But they had not.
With just a single Photographic Stone, Yin Mei had kept the Tang Family from interfering.
“Did Yin Mei calculate all of this? Or is it merely coincidence?”
Tang Wan sighed.
That feeling of unease grew ever stronger.
She had used the Quill of Destiny to divine a reading for herself, but the result was a stretch of grey murk — the path ahead unreadable.
By all reason, she and Yin Mei had no grievances between them, so why would the other party suddenly scheme against her?
Tang Wan couldn’t figure it out either. Thinking it over and over, she felt the most likely possibility was that Yin Mei wanted to use this as leverage to extract interests from her hands.
“Could Yin Mei have even calculated that I would ask the family for help?”
Tang Wan’s heart grew more uneasy. Though many experts followed behind her, with masters hidden in the shadows, they gave her little sense of security.
“Forget it. I refuse to believe Yin Mei would dare do anything to me.”
Having already come this far, Tang Wan could only steel herself and press on.
Before long, upon reaching the ancient city ahead, Tang Wan headed straight for the agreed-upon location as arranged.
It was the city’s famous Sky View Pavilion — resplendent in gold and jade, with carved beams and painted rafters, ancient and venerable.
As its name implied, it carried the meaning of gazing at the sky in a single step.
Cloud patterns were carved upon its layered steps, spiritual qi wafted about, and treasure light surged.
From its highest point, one could overlook the entire city at a glance.
Moreover, should anything happen there, it would alarm the whole city at the first instant.
Bathed in the afterglow of dusk, it gained an extra touch of splendor.
“It seems I was overthinking. Negotiating in a place like this.”
“There shouldn’t be any problem.”
Thinking this, Tang Wan’s heart eased, and she soon followed the Sky View Pavilion’s attendants up toward the top floor, wanting to know just what trick Yin Mei was playing.
“Wan-guniang.”
At the top of the Sky View Pavilion, Yin Mei sat quietly in white robes, gently playing the qin, two maids behind her holding up her fox tails to keep them from dragging on the ground.
Her countenance was naturally bewitching, astonishingly beautiful.
Any man at this moment would be unable to look away.
She took the initiative to speak, gesturing for Tang Wan to sit.
“I know Wan-guniang must be puzzled. I had no choice but to resort to this poor strategy to invite you here.”
Yin Mei smiled, appearing poised and gracious.
“Let’s skip the nonsense between us.”
“I only want to ask you one thing — what exactly do you mean by all this?”
Tang Wan’s expression was ugly, bearing none of her usual gentle charm as she stared coldly at her and demanded,
“Where is my brother?”
“No need to rush, Wan-guniang. Tang Tian is doing just fine. But before that, you must first agree to one request of mine,” Yin Mei said with a smile.
“What request?”
Hearing this, Tang Wan’s heart eased somewhat, though she still asked coldly.
It seemed Yin Mei had no other goal — then had her earlier premonition of danger not come from Yin Mei after all?
“The interests of those several great ancient cities in your hands — you must yield them to me.”
Yin Mei’s expression was composed. “As you know, I’ve only recently taken power, and many fellows simply refuse to submit. I had no choice but to resort to this poor strategy.”
“For any offense given, I ask Wan-guniang’s forgiveness.”
“Hmph, I knew it. You’ve certainly schemed well.” Hearing this, Tang Wan instead set her heart at ease, and much of her earlier wariness dissipated.
What she had feared was Yin Mei making no demands — if she made no demands, that would be the real problem.
“I’ll agree to this request. But if you think you can monopolize power this way, I think you’re dreaming.”
“Since Wan-guniang has agreed, I can rest easy.”
“Then now, my second request is...” Yin Mei said with a smile.
“A second request? Aren’t you going too far?”
Tang Wan’s expression changed, seemingly somewhat angered. “Yin Mei, don’t go too far. One shouldn’t be so insatiably greedy.”
“It seems Wan-guniang doesn’t plan to save her brother? That’s fine — I’ll just keep him locked up a while longer. Your Tang Family wouldn’t dare do anything to me anyway.”
Yin Mei smiled, and imitating Gu Changge’s manner, picked up the wine cup by the table, brought it to her lips, then tilted her head back and drained it in one go.
Such an attitude showed she didn’t take Tang Wan seriously in the slightest.
“I’ll agree to the second condition.”
Tang Wan’s expression shifted between dark and light, but she finally gritted her teeth and agreed — though in her heart she once again breathed a sigh of relief, feeling considerably more at ease than before.
Compared to the worries she’d had before coming, this was hardly worth mentioning.
Though Yin Mei was somewhat greedy, in Tang Wan’s view, that was only normal.
Only, on her face she still had to display an appearance of unwillingness, anger, and helplessness against Yin Mei.
“Fine. I’ve now agreed to both conditions. Where is my brother?”
Tang Wan asked again, much more at ease by now. At the Sky View Pavilion, the slightest disturbance would be noticed by the entire city.
So she wasn’t worried Yin Mei would pull any tricks.
“One last condition...”
Yin Mei still smiled. “Don’t worry, this truly is the last one.”
“I must see my brother safe and sound first...”
Tang Wan frowned. This time, she didn’t agree outright, because she had already anticipated Yin Mei would raise further conditions.
With such a fine opportunity, how could Yin Mei possibly make only two demands?
But Tang Wan felt she couldn’t keep being led by the nose. What if, after she agreed, Yin Mei refused to release him?
Things like Dao Heart Oaths — she didn’t believe in them.
The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan was the craftiest of all, and even possessed a Secret Technique that could dispel the curse of a Dao Heart Oath.
“This...”
Hearing this, Yin Mei instead hesitated, putting on a somewhat troubled look.
“I understand. I, Tang Wan, swear upon my Dao Heart — the conditions I agree to with Yin Mei today, I will surely honor. Should I violate this oath, may heavenly lightning strike me down, may my body and soul be destroyed, may I die a wretched death.”
Seeing Yin Mei’s expression, Tang Wan sneered — how could she not understand? — and was most direct and decisive about it.
“Wan-jiejie is truly straightforward.”
“I like it.”
Hearing this, Yin Mei couldn’t help but laugh, even changing her form of address.
“Then come with me.”
With that, her figure moved, and she left the Sky View Pavilion directly with her maids.
At this point, Tang Wan no longer harbored doubts. After all, it was she who had proposed going to see Tang Tian — could Yin Mei have calculated even that?
She considered her own acting quite passable.
The words and expressions between them just now had perfectly matched all her pre-arrival deductions, and Yin Mei hadn’t looked at all like someone with ulterior motives.
Still, just in case, Tang Wan had the many experts behind her follow along — several Sacred Noble Realm experts and one Sacred Lord Realm expert hidden among them. Should anything happen, they could alert others at the first moment.
Tang Wan refused to believe that, being this vigilant, anything could still go wrong.
Then, closely following Yin Mei ahead, they soon left the Sky View Pavilion and headed toward a cluster of palaces and mansions.
Here, Tang Wan noticed Yin Mei’s figure descend into a courtyard — one most serene and elegant.
She didn’t hesitate long before following, while the large group of experts behind her was stopped outside by Yin Mei’s maids.
“Xiaojie...”
“Wait for me here.”
Tang Wan nodded calmly. Hidden in her sleeve was a Jade Talisman — should any danger arise, she could crush it to notify the experts outside.
Entering the courtyard.
The arrangements within surprised Tang Wan somewhat — it was unexpectedly refined. Whether the calligraphy and paintings or the ink bamboo, everything exuded an elegant, otherworldly air.
For a moment, she even wondered if she had come to the wrong place.
How could someone like Yin Mei have anything to do with elegant otherworldliness?
“Where is my brother?”
Seeing Yin Mei’s figure stop in the courtyard ahead, Tang Wan frowned and asked.
“Come with me. In any case, your brother hasn’t been mistreated during this time — we couldn’t very well let him come away short a catty or two.”
Yin Mei spoke casually and naturally, heading straight forward.
Tang Wan could tell there seemed to be a dungeon deep within this courtyard.
Her heart eased slightly, but she had only taken a few steps.
Tang Wan’s eyes abruptly widened. A terrifying chill suddenly swept through her entire body, making even her soul tremble.
Her scalp went utterly numb.
“How is this possible...”
At this moment, her mind roared. Almost instantly, she connected everything — cause and effect, all the myriad details.
Everything became crystal clear at once.
At the stone table, a young man was writing something with his head lowered, his manner natural and casual, transcendent and refined, exuding a sense of Dao and tranquility as if one with heaven and earth.
Yet within this atmosphere, Tang Wan felt not the slightest trace of peace — instead, her whole body went cold, even her hands and feet turning icy.
She recognized this white-robed young man before her.
It was none other than the one who had caused her backlash — Gu Changge!
How could he be here?
At this time, shouldn’t he be in the Vermilion Bird Empire, handling the affairs of the True Immortal Academy? How could he possibly appear here?
What was his relationship with Yin Mei?
Could it be that everything Yin Mei had done was arranged and directed by him from behind the scenes?
Too many questions surfaced in Tang Wan’s mind, filling her with dread.
She instinctively moved to crush the Jade Talisman in her sleeve.
But the white-robed young man before her suddenly raised his head, glanced at her, and said with casual ease,
“Oh? Wan-guniang has arrived?”
“Wait a moment. But before that, I advise you to put down the Jade Talisman in your hand — because the moment you crush it, your brother may lose his life.”
Gu Changge’s words carried little threat; they sounded more like a kindhearted reminder.
But Tang Wan felt her whole body turn cold, unable to even hold the Jade Talisman steady, as that terrifying sense of danger swept over her once more.
“Also, one more reminder — here, that Jade Talisman’s message can’t get out.”
Gu Changge finally set down his last stroke, putting away his brush with some satisfaction. Beside him, Yin Mei brought over tea and presented it before him.
“Gu Changge, why are you here?”
Tang Wan knew she had fallen into a trap. At this point, she instead calmed down, reasoning that Gu Changge couldn’t possibly be bold enough to kill her at a time like this.
“I’m here — does that matter?”
After finishing his tea, Gu Changge looked Tang Wan over carefully and smiled casually. “You really do look exactly alike.”
“What do you mean?”
Tang Wan was baffled by his words, completely unable to comprehend — what did he mean, looked exactly alike?
“You don’t need to understand.”
Gu Changge had no intention of explaining, smiling lightly. “You only need to know one thing — today, no one can save you.”
“Even if Chu Hao sprouted wings and flew here, it would be useless.”
At this moment, Tang Wan felt only a terrifying killing intent rushing at her, chilling her flesh. Did Gu Changge truly intend to kill her here?
She couldn’t believe it.
“Relax, I won’t kill you. Keeping you alive is still of use to me.”
Gu Changge smiled, seemingly sensing her fear, and waved his hand casually.
The space before them seemed to split away, as a vast and supreme aura transformed into hazy grey mist, enveloping all directions.
This sight made Tang Wan’s expression change drastically.
She knew this was a wondrous application of spatial divine ability, involving incomparably profound spatial laws — even those old monsters who had painstakingly studied this Dao could not reach such a level.
Gu Changge had casually waved his hand and carved out an independent space?
Such means set off stormy waves in her heart.
Unless she could break these laws, nothing that happened here would be detected by the outside world.
“So all of this was your scheme behind the scenes?”
“Why? How did you know?”
A bitter smile appeared at the corners of Tang Wan’s mouth. She truly had never imagined she would end up facing Gu Changge.
She had thought she was careful enough in helping Chu Hao.
Yet Gu Changge had still found out — and had struck long in advance.
“Know what? Your relationship with Chu Hao?”
“Or that you planned to join Chu Hao in dealing with me?”
Gu Changge smiled at ease, exuding indifference. “As a leek, one must have the awareness of a leek. Knowing too much is unnecessary.”
In his palm, pitch-black light emerged, finally condensing into a palm-sized Flask, wreathed in terrifying mist.
It was as if a billion demons danced in unison, bringing calamity upon all the heavens.
A single glance was enough to fill one with endless dread.