Zhou Cen’s words had, as expected, piqued Ye Kunlun’s interest.
Having cultivated in Kunlun for ten years, Ye Kunlun was certainly not ignorant of luck.
Ye Kunlun regarded Zhou Cen, who appeared so confident, with amusement. He chuckled, “If I’m not mistaken, the luck you speak of is Zhou Lie’s luck, isn’t it?”
Zhou Cen hadn’t expected Ye Kunlun to be so perceptive and guess it so quickly.
He was not surprised in the least. If Ye Kunlun were ignorant of luck, the transaction would have made him uneasy.
He nodded and replied with a smile, “The luck I refer to is precisely the portion belonging to Zhou Lie within the Zhou family. Are you interested?”
Ye Kunlun gently stroked the ring on his finger, gazed at Zhou Cen, and his smile faded as he asked, “What do you need me to do?”
Zhou Cen breathed a sigh of relief and then recounted Zhou Lie’s plan to relocate the ancestral graves to Ye Kunlun, omitting no detail.
“Without the Immortal Master from Qintian Tower, I would naturally have a way to stop Zhou Lie.”
Zhou Cen’s brow furrowed with a hint of fierceness. “But with the Immortal Master from Qintian Tower present, I am still at a disadvantage in a power struggle with him, which is why I wish to make this transaction with you.”
“You wish for me to deal with the Immortal Master from Qintian Tower for you?” Ye Kunlun’s lips curved upwards as he smiled at Zhou Cen.
Under Ye Kunlun’s steady gaze, Zhou Cen felt a chilling sensation.
“It is merely a transaction. As long as Zhou Lie’s grave relocation can be prevented, dealing with the Immortal Master from Qintian Tower is up to you.”
Zhou Cen suppressed the chill in his heart and spoke with forced bravery.
“As expected of the Zhou family patriarch, you possess a certain amount of courage.” Ye Kunlun laughed.
Then, he shifted his tone, saying, “However, Zhou Lie’s luck alone is insufficient. I require you to offer another third of the Zhou family’s luck in exchange!”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Cen’s expression soured.
Zhou Lie’s lineage had already claimed half of the Zhou family’s luck. If Ye Kunlun were to take another third of the remaining half, their Zhou family would struggle to survive a century before its luck dissipated.
Sensing Zhou Cen’s predicament, Ye Kunlun sipped his tea, unhurried, waiting for his answer.
“Is there no room for negotiation?” Zhou Cen asked.
Ye Kunlun looked up at him, a hint of sarcasm in his eyes, “Do you believe you are in a position to negotiate with me?”
Zhou Cen gritted his teeth. As long as he could secure his own lineage, there would be other ways to strengthen the family’s luck.
“Fine, I agree!”
Ye Kunlun put down his teacup and said with a smile, “Patriarch Zhou shows great spirit.”
Zhou Cen forced a wry smile, “At this point, I have no other choice.”
“Oh, right. You mentioned that after Zhou Lie returned to the Zhou family, he would find a way to help me expel the Burning Heart Poison from my body,” Zhou Cen reminded Ye Kunlun.
“No rush,” Ye Kunlun replied.
Zhou Cen’s expression shifted, becoming somewhat nervous. “You… you aren’t planning to trick me, are you?”
Ye Kunlun chuckled and looked deeply at Zhou Cen, “Since you are making a deal with me, I will make a deal with you as well. Are you interested in obtaining the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture?”
*Whoosh—*
Zhou Cen sprang up from his chair, startled, and looked at Ye Kunlun incredulously, believing he had misheard.
“You… you said the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture?” Zhou Cen whispered.
Ye Kunlun calmly nodded. “Yes, the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture. It seems Patriarch Zhou isn’t very interested.”
Zhou Cen’s heart began to pound faster. Ye Kunlun’s words sounded utterly audacious.
Everyone knew that Mount Tai Prefecture was a land of sages, one of the places with the most abundant luck in Huaxia.
If they could obtain even a tenth of Mount Tai Prefecture’s luck, the Zhou family’s prosperity would be secured for hundreds of years.
“Does… Sir have a plan?” Zhou Cen’s eyes revealed a flicker of ambition as he tentatively inquired.
If Ye Kunlun truly had a way to acquire the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture, he wouldn't mind a share of it.
“Currently, there is no concrete plan. However, I can tell you that the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture can expel the Burning Heart Poison from your body,” Ye Kunlun said, smiling at Zhou Cen, further tempting him. “It can also transform the Burning Heart Poison into pure power, extending your lifespan.”
Zhou Cen was indeed moved.
“Sir, how shall we conduct this transaction?” Zhou Cen asked.
Ye Kunlun replied with a smile, “I shall borrow the Zhou family’s luck when the time comes.”
Zhou Cen frowned, having never heard of luck being borrowed before.
However, he knew that with Ye Kunlun’s abilities, if he said it, he surely had a way.
“Sir,” Zhou Cen said, a hint of worry in his voice, “borrowing our Zhou family’s luck, will it not have any adverse effects on our family?”
Ye Kunlun simply smiled without answering.
“Very well, I agree, Sir!” Zhou Cen no longer hesitated and agreed immediately.
Ye Kunlun then spoke, “This is the cycle of time and karma. If you truly obtain the luck of Mount Tai Prefecture and lose the luck of the Zhou family, it is also a form of karma.”
With that, Ye Kunlun stood up.
“Tomorrow, I will personally visit Zhou Lie.”
He then departed.
After Ye Kunlun left, the old man in coarse cloth appeared. “Patriarch, is it not too risky to trade the Zhou family’s luck with him? Although this person is young, his schemes run deep. I fear it may be detrimental to the Zhou family.”
“No matter how deep his schemes may be, he is merely a young man in his early twenties,” Zhou Cen said, his expression turning grim. “Moreover, to claim the Zhou family’s luck requires my consent as patriarch. I doubt he would dare to act rashly.”
“What concerns me more now is his identity. After all, he is targeting Mount Tai Prefecture, a land of sages. He dares to scheme against a sacred land; he is truly formidable.”
The thought of Ye Kunlun’s gaze made Zhou Cen’s heart clench.
The old man in coarse cloth replied, “Then let us observe the situation.”
***
The Zhou Residence.
“Ah Kun pays his respects to Great Uncle.”
Zhou Lingkun arrived at Zhou Lie’s residence and respectfully bowed to him.
“Mm.”
Zhou Lie sat in his chair, looking at Zhou Lingkun, whose complexion was not good. “What is it? Your aura is so unstable. Are you injured?”
Zhou Lingkun nodded. “I encountered some trouble a couple of days ago, but it has been resolved. Great Uncle need not worry.”
Zhou Lie hummed in acknowledgment. “Among the younger generation of the Zhou family, you are the one I have the highest hopes for. This time, I invited Immortal Master Xu precisely because he is willing to take you as a registered disciple, giving you a chance to enter Qintian Tower in the future.”
Zhou Lingkun’s face lit up upon hearing this. “Thank you, Great Uncle.”
“You work for me within the Zhou family, so naturally, as your Great Uncle, I will treat you like my own grandson,” Zhou Lie said, his demeanor stern and unsmiling. “Besides, the current you is no longer the original Zhou Lingkun, is that not so?”
Clearly, Zhou Lie was aware of Zhou Lingkun’s situation.
“Great Uncle, Ye Kunlun is already aware of this matter,” Zhou Lingkun said, knowing he couldn’t hide it from Zhou Lie. “This person is meticulous in his thinking and terrifyingly powerful. I didn’t expect him to investigate the Zhou family so quickly, and he has likely already discovered your involvement.”
Zhou Lie waved his hand dismissively, appearing unconcerned. “There are no secrets that can be kept forever in this world. The moment I called Ye Yuansen and Nalan Hongyu, I knew he would eventually find out.”
“Aren’t you worried?” Zhou Lingkun asked.
Zhou Lie looked at Zhou Lingkun, his presence exuding authority without anger. “Worried? Would an elephant worry about an ant?”