Chapter 116 : Chapter 116
Chapter 116. Opportunity
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room immediately turned subtle.
Xiao Han’s smile froze. Huo Gang’s brow lifted, his face carrying a distinctly amused look. Yuan Danqing raised her teacup and took a sip, acting as if she had heard nothing at all.
After saying that, Zhao Yan did not wait for Xu Yuan to respond. He simply waved a hand and went on.
“But I do not care whether you fought your way up to the six-meridian level or merely drifted there by chance. Since you have taken Xue Zhan’s post, do not disgrace his name or drag everyone down.”
His tone was calm, yet it carried a pressure that allowed no argument.
Xu Yuan glanced at Zhao Yan and replied evenly, “I can only do my utmost.”
Seeing this, Zhao Yan said no more and gestured for the others to sit.
He walked to the seat of honor, took a map from his robes, and spread it across the table.
“I trust all of you already understand the current situation in the Level Three zone.” Zhao Yan pointed to several marked locations on the map. “The Bai Family has repeatedly pushed the line with these probing provocations, and we have already answered them in kind. On top of that, because of what happened with the medicinal fields earlier, we took the opportunity to seize several more streets from them.”
His finger swept across the map, drawing out two dividing lines. “At the beginning of last month, the division of territory between our Shangyang Residence and the Bai Family was still six to four. Now it has become seven to three.”
Xu Yuan’s gaze settled on the map. That winding boundary had been pushed a great deal farther west.
“What comes next,” Zhao Yan said in a low voice, “is to press the advantage in one breath and drive the Bai Family completely out of Yiquan Prefecture City.”
When those words fell, the room went silent.
He had spoken plainly, but everyone present understood the weight behind them.
Zhao Yan gave them little time to digest it. He reached into his robes, took out several bamboo slips, and set them on the table.
“The usual rule. Draw lots. Whoever gets picked takes the lead.”
Xiao Han leaned toward Xu Yuan and whispered, “Each offensive mission rotates between two wards, one leading and one supporting. It alternates every time. If you draw the lead, you head the assault.”
Xu Yuan nodded, his eyes falling on the bamboo slips.
One after another, they stepped forward and each drew one.
Xu Yuan picked up and glanced at the marking. Before he could react, Xiao Han let out a bitter laugh beside him. “Well... our luck really is something.”
He raised the bamboo slip in his hand. On it were written the words “lead assault.”
Xu Yuan lowered his gaze to his own slip. It read “support assault.”
Two days later, Changlin Ward and Qingyun Ward would head to the front together.
Xu Yuan lifted his eyes and looked around at the others.
Huo Gang leaned back in his chair and said in an indifferent tone, “You two will have to work hard. I’ll cover you from the rear when the time comes, so do not worry.”
That was what he said, but the slight curl at the corner of his mouth made it obvious that he was taking some pleasure in their misfortune.
Yuan Danqing lowered her eyes slightly, her thoughts unreadable.
The Bai Family’s repeated attempts to test the boundaries had already put all the ward masters on guard.
Moreover, Shangyang Residence has taken no small number of advantages over the past few months. By past experience, it was about time for the Bai Family to strike back.
At a time like this, drawing the role of vanguard was certainly no lucky draw.
Xiao Han had clearly thought of that as well. His expression turned a little sour, but he could only accept it.
Zhao Yan gathered up the remaining slips. His gaze swept once over Xu Yuan and Xiao Han, his tone still as flat as ever.
“Then in two days, the two of you will go first.”
“Yes,” they answered in unison.
Zhao Yan said nothing more and rose to leave.
When he reached the door, his steps paused for a moment. Without turning back, he said, “The Bai Family has suffered quite a few losses lately, but the more desperate they become, the easier it is for them to lash out recklessly. Be careful.”
The words had barely fallen when the door closed behind him.
As the Chief Overseer, he commanded the overall situation. All he needed to do was grasp the general direction and issue an order. The concrete details would naturally be handled by those beneath him.
His visit today had only been to let the ward masters see his face and understand where they were supposed to direct their efforts next.
After Zhao Yan left, Xu Yuan had no desire to remain any longer. He cupped his hands toward the others in farewell and took his leave.
Once Xu Yuan was gone, Xiao Han was also about to rise when Huo Gang suddenly spoke.
“I ask you, what is there to talk about with some mud-legged nobody?”
Xiao Han’s movement halted, and he turned to look at him.
Still reclining in his chair, Huo Gang spoke in a casual tone. “With that spare time, you would be better off cultivating. Wouldn’t it be better to take another step forward?”
Xiao Han frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
Yuan Danqing, who had remained silent until now, set down her tea bowl and said coldly, “The Eldest Miss is coming back.”
At those words, Xiao Han’s expression changed slightly.
“So soon? Then this time... is she returning because she plans to...”
Yuan Danqing nodded, her voice as cool as ever.
“That is right. The Fifth Young Miss already told me. This is a rare opportunity. If we do not want to be trapped to death within the Meridian Opening Realm, then we have no choice but to fight for it.”
Xiao Han fell silent for a moment.
The Meridian Opening Realm had nine levels, and each meridian was a mountain of its own.
Anyone who had managed to reach the six-meridian level would naturally want to go one step farther.
And even if they could pass the seven-meridian threshold, what about the extraordinary meridians beyond that? What about becoming an Organ-Nourishing Grandmaster?
Now that an opportunity had appeared before them, of course they had to seize it.
Huo Gang curled his lip, his tone full of disdain.
“The Bai Family now is nothing more than an old dog struggling on its deathbed. It will not be able to jump around for much longer. We should take advantage of this moment to earn more battle merit and improve our strength. That is what really matters.”
Yuan Danqing said nothing, but from her expression, she clearly agreed.
After hearing that, Xiao Han bared his teeth in a grin and countered, “You are telling me this so easily. Aren’t you afraid I will become your competitor?”
“First, I do not care.” Huo Gang’s face showed open arrogance, and he let out a light laugh.
“Second, even if we said nothing, you would learn of it soon enough anyway... As for that Xu Yuan, who knows how many twists and turns he will have to go through before hearing any of this. That is the difference.”
Xiao Han said nothing. He only looked at him quietly.
Under that stare, Huo Gang grew slightly uncomfortable and frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Xiao Han smiled. “Workshop Master Huo, you seem to bear him some hostility.”
Huo Gang’s expression stiffened, and he did not answer.
Xiao Han looked at him thoughtfully, then suddenly seemed to remember something. Realization dawned on his face.
“I remember now. That Yang Cang is one of the Third Young Master’s people too, is he not?”
Huo Gang’s expression darkened slightly. He gave a cold snort. “Drop the sarcasm. Was anything I said wrong?”
“You and I both know what that stance art is like. For someone born a menial servant to climb this far, who knows how much of his potential he has already burned through? If you ask me, he will not go far.”
Though they all cultivated the same Jade Platform Stance Art, there were still differences between one person and another.
With backgrounds like theirs, they had been nurtured from childhood with all kinds of medicinal treasures and personally instructed by their elders.
The drain on their potential was nowhere near as severe as it was for those martial trainees and servants.
Hearing that, Xiao Han merely shrugged. “Whether he goes far or not has nothing to do with me.”
“I never waste time. I have my own affairs to attend to.”
With that, he ignored the two of them, rose, and pushed the door open as he left.
Back where he sat, Huo Gang stared at that departing figure, a trace of disdain rising to his face as he muttered under his breath,
“What are you so smug about? Is it not only because your dead father still holds a bit of old sentiment with the Family Head?”
Yuan Danqing spoke faintly, “Workshop Master Huo, mind your words.”
She paused, then cast him a glance. “You would do better to spend more thought on your own affairs.”
Having said that, she too rose gracefully and departed.
Left alone in the private room, Huo Gang looked out at the street scene beyond the window, his expression shifting unpredictably.
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