Chapter 14: Kneel Down and Apologize

"Could you do me a favor, Pavilion Master? For all business dealings between the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion and the Shi family, refuse to cooperate unless Shi Muyao is involved," Mo Qianqian said, his tone flat.

Hearing this, the Pavilion Master was taken aback. Previously, when this man helped the Shi family, the Pavilion Master had been somewhat puzzled. He had even guessed that this person wanted to support the Shi family, using them as a stepping stone. It was incredibly easy for a Spirit Master to manipulate a family from behind the scenes.

Now, it seemed the man didn’t value the Shi family at all. Instead, his focus was entirely on Shi Muyao. The Pavilion Master wondered why a Spirit Master would want to help her. Had he taken a liking to her? But Shi Muyao currently had a husband, Mo Qianqian. If a Spirit Master had his eyes on her, Mo Qianqian wouldn’t stand a chance of staying by her side, right? If that wasn’t the case, then what could be the reason?

Unable to figure it out, but knowing that the other party valued Shi Muyao, the Pavilion Master decisively said, "Rest assured, sir. I will issue the orders immediately."

"Mhm." Mo Qianqian gave a faint nod and left the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion.

Returning to the Shi family estate, Mo Qianqian took out an elixir. This time, he wasn’t in a rush to refine it to a higher quality. Instead, he took out a First-Grade lower-level elixir, swallowed it, and began to refine it. At the First Realm Third Layer, he probably couldn’t refine a First-Grade Superior Elixir yet.

Meanwhile, at the Patriarch’s compound in the Shi family estate.

Patriarch Shi was currently discussing matters with Shi Gong and his daughter, Shi Yan. At that moment, a young man rushed in. "Grandpa, something terrible has happened!"

The young man was Shishan, one of Patriarch Shi’s grandsons.

"Speak slowly. With such panic, how can you ever achieve anything great?" Patriarch Shi rebuked.

"Grandpa, the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion has canceled their medicinal materials business with our Shi family!" Shishan reported.

"What?" The expressions of Patriarch Shi, Shi Yan, and her father changed drastically.

After obtaining three times their usual quota from the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion, the Shi family had heavily increased their investment in their medicinal gathering teams. Just moments ago, they had been discussing how to expand their material acquisition. And now, they were being told that the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion had canceled their cooperation?

"The Wanling Pavilion Master also said they will only cooperate with Shi Muyao," Shishan continued reporting. "If anyone else is in charge of the medicinal materials, the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion will refuse all cooperation."

"What!" Shi Yan and her father looked utterly grim.

The Wanling Pavilion Master’s words meant that the Shi family’s medicinal materials business would have to fall into Shi Muyao’s hands.

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and call Shi Muyao over!" Patriarch Shi urged. At the same time, he breathed a slight sigh of relief inward. The Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion only wanted to cooperate with Shi Muyao; they weren’t completely severing ties. Their Shi family could still be saved.

"Just what did Shi Muyao do behind our backs?!" Shi Yan’s father, Shi Gong, clenched his fists in anger.

A hint of murderous intent flashed through Shi Yan’s eyes. Even after what happened to Kong Mingcheng, the Pavilion Master had doubled his cooperation with the Shi family. Now, he was demanding to only work with Shi Muyao. Could it be that something was going on between Shi Muyao and the Pavilion Master?

Maintaining her composure, Shi Yan reminded Patriarch Shi, "Grandpa, Shi Muyao is completely unfamiliar with the medicinal materials business. Moreover, she has harbored a grudge against the family these past two years, not to mention her feud with Cousin Yunhai. If we really hand the medicinal materials over to her, I’m afraid..."

Patriarch Shi frowned and said, "Don’t worry. The medicinal materials business is the core of the Shi family, so naturally, I won’t hand it over to her. We will just have her be the face of it. The business will still be managed by you."

Shi Yan and her father both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Over at Shi Muyao’s courtyard.

As Mo Qianqian walked into the room, he saw Shi Muyao emerging from another room with a face full of joy.

"You broke through?" Mo Qianqian asked in surprise, sensing a slight change in her aura.

"Yes, I’ve stepped into the Spirit Vein Realm Fourth Level!" Shi Muyao said happily. "Now that I’m stronger, my status in the Shi family will rise. If I can just break through another level or two, Grandpa will definitely value me!"

"Congratulations," Mo Qianqian said.

"Don’t worry," Shi Muyao added. "The fact that I can cultivate again is all thanks to you. In the future, I’ll make sure you live a good life in the Shi family."

Mo Qianqian was rendered speechless. The way she said that... why did it feel like she was treating him like a kept man?

"Shi Muyao!"

Right at that moment, a shout rang out. A young man threw the door open and strode in.

Seeing this, Shi Muyao flared up. Displeased, she snapped, "Shishan, who gave you permission to barge in?"

"Oh, who do you think you are?" Shishan’s gaze swept over Mo Qianqian and Shi Muyao with disdain. "Shi Muyao, Grandpa has issued an urgent summons. He wants you to go see him at once!"

"Grandpa’s urgent summons?" Hearing this, Shi Muyao felt a jolt of urgency. She didn’t bother arguing with Shishan any further and immediately prepared to leave.

However, Mo Qianqian, standing next to her, stopped her. He turned to Shishan and asked, "What is it about?"

"Mo Qianqian, you’re nothing but a dog of the Shi family! Do you think you have the right to speak here?" Shishan cursed.

Mo Qianqian’s eyes narrowed, and he was just about to step forward when Shi Muyao, afraid he would ruthlessly strike again, hastily blocked him.

"Shishan, Mo Qianqian is my husband. Watch your mouth!" Shi Muyao scolded angrily. She then added, "I’ll go with you right now!"

"Hold on!" Mo Qianqian interjected. "If I’m not mistaken, Patriarch Shi wants her to go over because the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion cut off their medicinal materials business with the Shi family and will now only cooperate with her, right?"

Shishan’s expression shifted. How did Mo Qianqian know about this news so quickly?

"The Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion cut off the Shi family’s medicinal materials business again and will only cooperate with me?" Shi Muyao didn’t quite understand.

"The Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion only values you. That means, if you aren’t leading the Shi family’s medicinal materials business, the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion won’t do business with the Shi family," Mo Qianqian sneered. "Right now, the entire Shi family is begging for your help. They’re the ones in a rush, not you. Since the medicinal materials business has nothing to do with you anyway, you don’t need to go."

"Mo Qianqian, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?!" Shishan flew into a rage, glaring at Shi Muyao. "Shi Muyao, do you dare disobey Grandpa’s orders? Are you going or not?"

"I won’t go unless you explain everything clearly!" Shi Muyao gritted her teeth. When it came to the medicinal materials business, it was impossible for her not to harbor grievances against the family.

"That’s right, so what if it is?" Shishan bellowed. "Shi Muyao, I don’t know what methods you used to bewitch the Wanling Pavilion Master, but you’re a member of the Shi family, which means you have to contribute to the Shi family! Before Grandpa gets furious, you’d better hurry up and come with me to see him!"