Chapter 3474 — Sowing Discord

"That may be so, but some things simply refuse to develop the way you want them to! Wei Zhao actually has map fragments in his possession—and more than one!" said Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Ah! Now I remember. Back at the Yu family's auction in the mortal world, Wei Zhao did seem to get his hands on a fragment. I overlooked it at the time, but now that you mention it, it's coming back to me..." Kang Jingming had a vague recollection, though he had never imagined it was a fragment of the Cloud-Tier Island map.

"Indeed. This is a rather thorny problem," said Ancestor Xuanchen. "Unless we can get Chief Bai's side to refuse to issue Wei Zhao a letter of recommendation—then Wei Zhao would have no chance to take part in the Heaven-Tier trials. But there's no way Chief Bai would refuse to issue one..."

"What if we made Chief Bai dislike or even detest Wei Zhao?" Kang Jingming thought for a moment. "Is there any way we could sow discord between them?"

"Sowing discord? Excellent!" Ancestor Xuanchen slapped his thigh, struck by a sudden inspiration, and laughed heartily. "Zhaoming, you truly are my prized disciple. This suggestion of yours is excellent!"

"Oh? Father-in-law, you've already thought of a way to sow discord?" Kang Jingming asked hastily.

"Precisely!" Ancestor Xuanchen nodded. "Go and rest for now. You've had more than enough exhaustion from refining pills these past days. Gather your strength and prepare for the Heaven-Tier trials! I'll take care of the arrangements on my end."

"Very well, then I'll go rest first." Kang Jingming had indeed been utterly worn out lately—dead tired, and after all that effort he had refined an ultimate Qi Gathering Pill only to fail to trap Wei Zhao with it!

After Kang Jingming had left, Ancestor Xuanchen picked up the phone, hesitated for a moment, and dialed a number. Once the call connected, he gave a series of low-voiced instructions to the person on the other end.

The person on the other end was clearly agitated, wanting to refuse Ancestor Xuanchen's proposal, but Ancestor Xuanchen said, "It must be done this way. Do you hear me? Otherwise you know the consequences—your parents and family will all be finished along with you!"

The other end clearly fell silent after hearing those words, tacitly acquiescing to the proposal...

Meanwhile, Wei Zhao called Chief Bai again and explained the matter of the recommendation letter to him.

"I'm aware of this matter. I'll write you a letter here. When the time comes, just give it to Xuanchen," Chief Bai agreed without a moment's thought. "By the way, Weituo mentioned just now that Meiyue and the others want to invite you over for dinner tonight, as thanks for saving them in Southeast Asia!"

"No thanks are necessary, but dinner is no problem—it works out well, since I need to come pick up the letter anyway!" Wei Zhao laughed. "I'll head over tonight, then!"

"Good, see you tonight!" said Chief Bai.

That evening, Wei Zhao arrived at Chief Bai's home, where waves of fragrance were already drifting from the kitchen. Bai Weituo, wearing an apron, was busy at work in the kitchen with Guan Xin! What Wei Zhao hadn't expected was that Bai Weituo actually knew his way around a stove.

Guan Xin smiled at Wei Zhao. With the matter resolved, her mood had improved considerably. Hearing that Wei Zhao was coming to dinner tonight, she had insisted on cooking herself, with Bai Weituo as her helper.

"Chief, Meiyue is in my bedroom. She says she wants to thank you in person, and she bought you a little gift online..." Bai Weituo said.

"You two really are too polite," Wei Zhao said with a wry smile. "Why buy gifts? I don't lack for anything!"

"Just a token of our feelings, haha!" Bai Weituo had been happy lately too. The business in Southeast Asia had clearly helped him win He Meiyue's heart. Although He Meiyue had not yet consented to that final line of defense, the two of them were already sleeping together.

Wei Zhao nodded and walked toward Bai Weituo's bedroom.

"Wei Zhao, you're here!" He Meiyue waited until Wei Zhao came in, then casually shut the bedroom door and said with some shyness, "About Southeast Asia—I really do have to thank you... I... I've actually always liked you, been grateful to you..."

"Ah?" Wei Zhao was momentarily taken aback, unable to understand what He Meiyue was playing at. "He Meiyue, don't joke around..."

"I'm not joking. I like you. Even though I can't be with you, but... but we can do it in secret..." With that, He Meiyue tore open the pajamas she was wearing—and beneath them, she was wearing nothing at all!

This turn of events left Wei Zhao utterly stunned. He stared at He Meiyue in bewilderment, truly unable to understand what on earth had gotten into her.

"It's fine... I'll be going now..." Wei Zhao had no intention of taking advantage of He Meiyue. He hurriedly turned his head away, preparing to retreat—but to his surprise, He Meiyue lunged straight at him and threw her arms around him!

By all rights, Wei Zhao was a peak late-stage Heaven-Tier expert, close to the Great Perfection realm, and escaping should have been as easy as turning his hand. But he had no guard up against He Meiyue, and he was thoroughly stunned besides.

Now, held tightly in He Meiyue's embrace, Wei Zhao wanted to push her away, but she clung on for dear life and refused to let go. Just as Wei Zhao was about to force her off, He Meiyue suddenly cried out at the top of her lungs: "Help! Help!"

Wei Zhao frowned. Everything about this reeked of something strange. He might be a Heaven-Tier expert, but pushing her away without hurting her was no easy task.

The moment He Meiyue screamed, the bedroom door was flung open, and Bai Weituo came charging in like his hair was on fire—with a cleaver still in his hand!

But at the sight before him, the cleaver dropped to the floor with a loud clatter...

Chief Bai and Guan Xin walked in after him, and they too were somewhat aghast at the scene.

"Weituo... Wei Zhao was going to... to do that to me..." He Meiyue "wrested" herself free from Wei Zhao's embrace, ran over to Bai Weituo's side, threw herself into his arms, and began to sob!

"What?!" Although Bai Weituo didn't believe Wei Zhao would do anything to He Meiyue, seeing her nearly stripped bare, he was too shocked to collect his thoughts for a moment.

Chief Bai turned his head away. He Meiyue's clothes were in disarray, and he could hardly look at her. But he was baffled—Wei Zhao was going to assault He Meiyue? How could that possibly be?

Guan Xin was equally astonished. Wei Zhao... did he really need to assault He Meiyue? He'd have been better off assaulting her—at least then they could have played a little nurse-costume cosplay...

"What exactly is going on here?" Chief Bai's expression was rather grim. Whatever the cause—whether it was Wei Zhao or He Meiyue—this was a disgrace upon the household, and he had to get to the bottom of it! (To be continued...)