Mountain refuge.
When the anxious Zui’Er finally saw Zhao Ya safe and sound, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Did the young lady and the Patriarch leave already?"
Zhao Ya nodded, "Yes, they’ve all left safely."
Upon hearing this, Zui’Er lowered her head and said sadly, "I really don’t know if I’ll be able to see them again after this departure."
Zhao Ya reached out and gently rubbed Zui’Er’s little head, softly comforting her.
"Don’t worry, you’ll see them again."
After a brief rest in the refuge, Zhao Ya instructed Zui’Er to stay there obediently and not go anywhere until he returned, then he prepared to leave.
Seeing this, Zui’Er couldn’t help but panic, "Ya, where are you going?"
"I need to make a trip back to Wuxiang City to handle some matters."
"But...," Zui’Er’s face was full of worry.
Zhao Ya smiled, "Don’t worry, with my current strength, if I really can’t win, I can still escape, and few can stop me. Besides, I’m not actually going back to fight with real weapons; I have my own ways."
Despite his words, Zui’Er was still somewhat uneasy, but dared not say anything more. She could only watch Zhao Ya’s departing figure, silently praying in her heart for Ya’s safety.
Wuxiang City.
After a tumultuous night, the Inner City finally began to regain peace.
At this moment, Hong Shouchang stood above the ruins of his own home, his expression so dark it seemed to drip water.
He never would have imagined that the Song Family would have such a trick up their sleeve while their three-way coalition was attacking the Song family’s stronghold to seize the Meat Field.
The Song Family unexpectedly took the opportunity to send people to defeat the guards left by the Hong family and set fire to the manor.
Although when Hong Shouchang returned he commanded his men to desperately fight the fire, it was too late. The large Hong Manor was mostly consumed by the flames.
Such a huge loss made Hong Shouchang’s heart bleed.
The only consolation was that the Yang family was not spared either and, due to delayed rescue efforts, suffered even greater losses.
"Did you search?" Hong Shouchang asked.
"We’ve already searched, there are no signs of them in the city, they probably left Wuxiang City overnight; should we send someone to chase them?" Hong Xu said.
"Chase what?" Hong Shouchang suddenly erupted in anger, loudly questioning, "Can you guarantee to deal with the Song family’s Black Armor army outside the city?"
"Your son was wrong!" Hong Xu hastily bowed his head to admit his mistake.
"Hmph, think before you speak next time!"
"Understood!"
Hong Xu dared not retort because he knew his father was furious and slightly careless words could make him a scapegoat for his father’s anger.
"Have the people from Cyan Bamboo Ridge been settled?"
"Yes, they’re settled, living in one of our family’s courtyards."
"Keep a close watch, give them whatever they want, just don’t let them escape."
"I understand."
At the Song Family’s central courtyard, the Hong and Yang families nearly came to blows over the Exotic Beast Meat Field.
After all, after such efforts and so many deaths, everyone wanted to seize the Meat Field.
Eventually, Second Village Chief Zhan Feng from Cyan Bamboo Ridge intervened, stating the Meat Field belonged to all three families, and he would temporarily safeguard it.
Though unwilling, the Hong and Yang families had no choice but to agree due to Zhan Feng’s strength.
At this moment, Hong Shouchang feared most that those from Cyan Bamboo Ridge would take the Meat Field and run away, leaving him with nothing.
Yang Sansi’s thoughts were quite similar to Hong Shouchang’s; he also sent people to the Hong family’s courtyard under the guise of serving but in reality to monitor them.
Zhan Feng was naturally aware of this, but he didn’t care.
After all, now that the Meat Field was in his hands, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to take it out.
Zhan Feng took out the Meat Field from the bag and carefully examined it.
This Exotic Beast Meat Field was entirely white and spherical; upon closer observation, one could see many grain-sized particles within.
These were the eggs of the Exotic Beasts.
In simple terms, this Meat Field was like an incubator, and with the right environment and catalyst, it could nurture Exotic Beasts.
Zhan Feng’s eyes were full of greed.
Although only one Exotic Beast Meat Field was obtained and the breeding technique was not found, the value of this meat egg alone was worth it.
Because Exotic Beast Dried Meat is crucial for Martial Dao training, controlling this is akin to mastering an endless source of wealth.
This was the reason the Hong and Yang families went to such lengths to destroy the Song Family.
Even Zhan Feng couldn’t help but hesitate in his heart.
Should he take this and flee far away?
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
Because he alone couldn’t create the environment needed to incubate this Meat Field, which required a lot of money.
Zhan Feng circled around the Meat Field, occasionally reaching out to touch it.
Meanwhile, Fu Tingfang was somewhat lost in thought.
The battle last night left her deeply defeated, leaving her still a bit downcast.
She never expected that Zhao Ya, whom she had been longing to kill, had become so formidable. If it weren’t for Zhan Feng arriving in time, she’d have been dead long ago.
The feeling of being left far behind made her, who prided herself as a Celestial Beauty, feel deeply despaired.
Diao Ruhai saw through Fu Tingfang’s thoughts but didn’t know how to console her.
In fact, even he still had lingering fears.
Closing his eyes, he kept recalling that blade momentum engulfing him like a storm.
Diao Ruhai secretly decided that once he returned to the mountain, he would minimize the times he ventured out, staying as low-profile as possible.