The City’s Strongest Son-in-law Chapter 1232 - 1231: Value of Use

"Understood." Wang Junyi readily agreed.

Having been thoroughly beaten by Su Changfeng, these individuals were already grievously wounded. Even if Wang Junyi were to intervene, they would be incapable of putting up any resistance.

Su Changfeng turned his back, the sounds of their pained cries echoing behind him.

Wang Junyi, being no fool, understood that Su Changfeng wished to conceal his true identity, hence why he didn't hesitate to eliminate even his own loyal subordinates.

With matters concluded, Wang Junyi respectfully approached and stood behind Su Changfeng. While he had harbored resentment towards Su Changfeng previously – a natural reaction for any man whose woman was taken – his perspective had shifted. Facing such overwhelming power, a mere woman seemed utterly trivial.

Wang Junyi might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he grasped a fundamental truth: if he could attain greater strength, countless other women would be within his reach in the future. Why cling to Shen Rushuang?

"The matter of my true identity is irrelevant to you. Likewise, my current level of strength is far beyond your comprehension, so there's no need for you to know that either for now. Everything that transpired here must be kept in absolute secrecy. Not a word to anyone, not even your father. Should you betray this trust, the City Lord Mansion will face my wrath, and I won't be as lenient then," Su Changfeng stated calmly.

Wang Junyi readily concurred, nodding his head vigorously. He had no cause to doubt Su Changfeng's declaration. The City Lord Mansion was a mere speck in the grand scheme of things; how could someone as formidable as Su Changfeng even cast a second glance its way?

"Master, should I not be kneeling to serve you tea or something similar?" Wang Junyi inquired, scratching his head.

"Shed all those unnecessary formalities," Su Changfeng replied, turning around. He produced a Red Fruit from his robes and offered it to Wang Junyi, saying, "Consume this."

"Master, what… what is this?" Wang Junyi gazed at the Red Fruit with bewilderment.

Su Changfeng himself was uncertain of its precise nature, but he was confident that ingesting it would significantly boost one's power in a concise timeframe.

Indeed, such items existed on the Tianyuan Continent, though they were exceedingly rare. The environmental conditions necessary for their growth were highly peculiar, accessible only to Seventh-rank Experts, and even then, finding one was not guaranteed.

These remarkable artifacts were known as Fate Fruits, blessings that could be encountered but not actively sought. A persistent legend circulated on the Tianyuan Continent: powerful Primordial Masters often surmounted their cultivation bottlenecks only after consuming a Fate Fruit. Consequently, the value of a Fate Fruit on the Tianyuan Continent surpassed the wildest imaginations of ordinary individuals.

Swiftly, Wang Junyi accepted the fruit and consumed it. It was sweet, remarkably juicy, and surprisingly pleasurable to the taste.

Su Changfeng imparted further guidance: "For the present, our association must remain undisclosed. You will continue to act as you always have, maintaining an antagonistic stance towards me. Remember, you must never reveal this."

Wang Junyi nodded earnestly, patting his chest as a sign of his solemn commitment.

"Very well, you may depart now," Su Changfeng instructed.

"Master, I shall not leave until you do. Regardless of what transpires, you are my master now," Wang Junyi declared.

Su Changfeng responded with an exasperated kick, stating, "Must you chatter so incessantly? I told you to leave, so be gone already!"

A yelp escaped Wang Junyi, but he dared not defy Su Changfeng's command again, retreating with his tail tucked between his legs.

Observing Wang Junyi's retreating form, Su Changfeng acknowledged that securing the man's genuine loyalty would not be an immediate task. However, he was certain that upon awakening the next day and discovering his enhanced strength, Wang Junyi's utter devotion would be assured. Once a subordinate was truly subdued, future endeavors would undoubtedly proceed with far greater ease.

Word of Wang Junyi's return to the city quickly disseminated among the three great families.

"Miss, Wang Junyi has returned, but there is still no trace of Su Changfeng. Assuming no unforeseen events occurred, that fellow is likely deceased," a maid reported urgently to Shen Rushuang upon receiving the news.

Shen Rushuang received this intelligence without surprise. Wang Junyi had led over a dozen Second-Rank Experts against Su Changfeng; under such circumstances, Su Changfeng's demise was almost a certainty.

"He brought this upon himself; it has no bearing on us. This also confirms he is not from a prominent clan, otherwise, Wang Junyi would not have been able to dispatch him so easily," Shen Rushuang mused aloud.

"Miss, you do not intend to intervene?" the maid inquired.

"Intervene? Why would I? Am I expected to stand against Wang Junyi for a complete nobody? He is of no consequence to me. My objectives have been met, and I have gleaned all the information I desired. Even if he is dead, I shall simply use the pretext of observing a mourning period for his spirit tablet for three years. This way, Wang Junyi will have no grounds for protest," Shen Rushuang replied.

Upon hearing this, the maid suddenly grasped the situation. Indeed, Su Changfeng had become utterly useless to them. Moreover, he had deliberately sought out his own demise this time. Whether such a wastrel lived or died, what consequence would it bear?

At this juncture, the other two prominent families also received the intelligence almost simultaneously. When word reached them of Su Changfeng's demise, they were filled with immense satisfaction. However, their glee was short-lived as a subsequent report arrived.

Mere moments after Wang Junyi's return to the city, Su Changfeng himself emerged from outside the city gates, perfectly unharmed.

"How is this possible? That insignificant wretch actually returned completely unscathed?" Patriarch Li exclaimed, his face contorted in disbelief, utterly unable to reconcile this turn of events.

Every soul in Tianshui City was aware of the profound animosity Wang Junyi harbored for Su Changfeng. For many years, Wang Junyi had harbored affections for Shen Rushuang, and the news of her impending marriage had triggered his considerable fury. The bitter resentment of seeing his intended woman snatched away was palpable—yet he had failed to eliminate Su Changfeng? What kind of bizarre development was this?

"Are you quite certain? Could you have been mistaken?" Patriarch Li pressed for clarification.

"There is no room for error, sir. The individual was indeed Su Changfeng," the messenger affirmed.

Patriarch Li drew a sharp breath and reiterated his bewilderment, "What in the heavens is transpiring? Could Wang Junyi possibly be so magnanimous as to spare his life?"

Meanwhile, an identical scene was unfolding within the Wu Family's estate.

Upon receiving the news, Patriarch Wu's initial conviction was that the intelligence was flawed. Yet, following repeated confirmations that the returning individual was unmistakably Su Changfeng, who appeared utterly unscathed,

"Patriarch, there is something deeply peculiar at play," a servant standing nearby ventured to say.

"Oh?" Patriarch Wu regarded his subordinate with a gaze laden with suspicion.

"When Wang Junyi returned, he was alone. Yet, he had departed with a retinue—over a dozen experts of the Second Rank. However, all of those individuals have now vanished," the servant elaborated.

"That is accurate; he did indeed take others with him," Patriarch Wu mused, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"Patriarch, do you surmise... do you suspect they might have met their end at Su Changfeng's hands?" the servant inquired tentatively.

Patriarch Wu waved a dismissive hand, instantly brushing aside the notion. "Utterly inconceivable. Su Changfeng is nothing more than a pampered weakling. How could he possibly contend with such a formidable force of Second-Rank Experts?"

"Could it be that their excursion beyond the city was merely a facade, and from the outset, Wang Junyi had no intention of having them confront Su Changfeng, but rather dispatched them on a different mission?" The servant pondered aloud, a frown creasing his forehead.

Patriarch Wu actually found this speculation to hold a degree of plausibility. However, considering Wang Junyi's notoriously simple intellect and brute-force approach, what intricate stratagems could he possibly devise?

...