"Fatty Zhou has ambition?" Hearing Qin Cangjing's words, Shen Lang looked incredulous. "No way, I didn't notice anything ambitious about Fatty Zhou?"
Fatty Zhou was none other than Shen Lang's cousin, Zhou Jian. However, Zhou Jian had always given Shen Lang the impression of being lazy, uninterested in anything other than medicine, and completely unlike an ambitious person.
"Shen Lang, you don't know your supposed cousin well at all."
Qin Cangjing smiled upon hearing this and said, "Zhou Jian is the only male grandson of the Southern Zhou family. He has survived over a hundred assassination attempts since birth, including shootings, poisoning, and other unimaginable methods. Yet, Zhou Jian has survived every single time."
"Zhou Jian acts flippant and lecherous, but that's just on the surface. Others see him like a pig, but Fatty Zhou has another side to him: he is deeply calculating and ruthless."
"Although Fatty Zhou has not yet inherited the patriarch position, his influence within the Zhou family is greater than his father's. Seventy percent of the Zhou family members have chosen to pledge their loyalty to Fatty Zhou."
"It can be said that Fatty Zhou is currently the one in power in the Zhou family, and his father, the patriarch of the Zhou family, is more like his puppet, helping him conceal his strength."
"How are you so familiar with everything?" Shen Lang asked in surprise, hearing Qin Cangjing's words. "Zhou Jian is much younger than you, and you shouldn't have known anything about these matters over the years. Why do you know so much about Zhou Jian's affairs?"
"Shen Lang, I have many informants. Even if I didn't want to know, they would tell me what they know. This is the sorrow of being a child of a noble family. You might not want to band together, but others will always form alliances."
Speaking of this, Qin Cangjing continued, "You still don't know that Fatty Zhou is also very skilled in one area: fortune-telling. It's said that he once obtained a secret manual called 'Tui Bei Tu' left by Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang. It's said that his divinations are always accurate, and he has performed sixteen divinations in Nanling recently."
"Let me tell you another thing you don't know: the Rong family in the northwest is also making moves, and a major action is expected soon."
"Neither Zhou Jian nor Rong Haodong are to be trifled with. Over the years, one has been playing the pig to eat the tiger, and the other has been pretending to be a dissolute noble. However, both have great ambitions, and their ultimate goal is to destroy the five major families, further expand their family's influence, and change the existing order."
Qin Cangjing smiled and said, "The alliance between Zhou Jian and Rong Haodong is equivalent to the alliance between the Zhou family and the Rong family. They can already contend with the five major families. They are now just waiting for an opportunity: when the five major families fall into chaos and are severely weakened, they will strike and annihilate the five major families."
"Zhou Jian and Rong Haodong actually have such ambitions. I truly underestimated them. I always thought they were just decadent noble idlers living off their families. Now it seems, I am the clown."
"However..."
Shen Lang's tone changed at this point. He said to Qin Cangjing, "You know so much about Zhou Jian and Rong Haodong. Aren't you worried that if their plan succeeds, the Qin family will also suffer?"
"Shen Lang, ever since you entered Longdu, it was destined to become a dragon's pond and a tiger's den. You have now become the center of the vortex, and various forces are stirring. I cannot suppress them."
"However, no matter how much the situation in Longdu churns, I have my own trump cards. I can ensure the Qin family remains safe and sound amidst this turmoil."
Speaking of this, Qin Cangjing sighed, "If it weren't for the Qin family, I would never have stepped foot in Longdu in my life. But it's unavoidable, one is in the jianghu, and their body is not their own."
"Of course, your junior brother, Wo Long, also contributed to my return. If it weren't for him, I might not have made up my mind. Shen Lang, you have a good junior brother."
"Did Wo Long give you the Ming Hong Blade as well?"
Hearing Qin Cangjing's words, Shen Lang looked at the black blade in Qin Cangjing's hand and said, "The Ming Hong Blade is a divine weapon on par with the Xuanyuan Sword. Wo Long actually gave it to you, truly a good brother."
Qin Cangjing smiled slightly and did not reply. At this moment, Wang Yuyan, dressed in white, slowly walked over from a distance.
Seeing Wang Yuyan approaching, Shen Lang smiled and said, "Yuyan, you're back from your workout?"
Wang Yuyan was someone who particularly loved exercise and ran every day. Shen Lang had already gotten used to this.
After speaking, Shen Lang picked up a towel to wipe the sweat from Wang Yuyan's forehead and got her a bottle of water from the side.
"Thank you—"
Wang Yuyan said, took the bottle, and began to drink. Then she said, "I was running by the hotel entrance earlier and saw many suspicious people. They should be from the Kong family and the Qi family."
"It seems this place is no longer safe."
Shen Lang smiled upon hearing this. "If our every move isn't being monitored, it will be difficult for us to do anything next."
"Shen Lang, I have a courtyard house in the city center. It was where I used to practice martial arts and play the zither. Although I haven't been back for many years, the courtyard has always been taken care of. From today onwards, it's yours."
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Qin Cangjing took out a property deed and handed it to Shen Lang. The owner's name on it was Shen Lang's.
"A courtyard house of fifteen hundred square meters?"
When Shen Lang took the property deed and looked at the area, he asked Qin Cangjing, "How much would this cost?"
"You couldn't buy it no matter how much money you had, because its sale has been prohibited for many years."
Qin Cangjing looked at Shen Lang and said calmly, "I had this arranged before I came to Longdu. Please accept it. That place is very close to the Qin family, only a thirty-minute run away. More importantly, no one would dare to tamper with that place."
"Alright, in that case, I'll accept it."
Shen Lang smiled upon hearing this and said, "Let's not talk about money. Consider it a favor I owe you. If you ever need me to do anything in the future, just ask."
"Of course, there is something you need to do for me, and it's right now."
Qin Cangjing looked at Shen Lang and said calmly, "Accompany me to kill someone. We'll leave now."
"Kill someone?"
Shen Lang was shocked upon hearing Qin Cangjing's words. "With your abilities, who can't you kill? Why do you need my company?"
"Because this person is a bit special. She is the woman I love the most. I'm afraid I might not be able to bring myself to strike when the time comes, so I need you to deliver the final blow if I hesitate."
"Fine, I can only reluctantly agree."
Shen Lang sighed upon hearing Qin Cangjing's words and then agreed.
"Good brother, thank you."
Qin Cangjing patted Shen Lang's shoulder, a look of pain appearing on his face.