Urban Seduction: Housewives Club Chapter 2136 - 457: A Family Affair 4

The summer break was bustling with activity, especially now that the college entrance exams had wrapped up, sending tourism into its yearly surge.

Ever since the spiritual recovery, the planet's land area had ballooned a hundred times over, yet the perils lurking in the Yangtze River had surged even more dramatically.

To prioritize safety, the expansive city of Tianhai operated just one active wharf. As a result, the vicinity overflowed with crowds—a vast human tide even more packed than a railway hub during the historic Spring Festival travels of old.

Certain folks lingered for boats bound for remote regions, while others tagged along with tour parties venturing into the stream to catch sight of the "oceanic" expanses along the widened channel.

Though the Yangtze brimmed with hazards, outings with leading tour outfits were usually secure; these groups drew support from mighty powers, equipped with fortified ships and robust cannons that repelled both river creatures and buccaneers. Whispers even hinted that some maintained hidden links to the pirates.

Wang Yue turned up disguised as "Wang Tiezhu." His plain, unremarkable looks let him fade into the masses, utterly unremarkable.

He showed up ahead of schedule and kept out of sight for a single purpose: scouting. An attack from the Zhang Ancestor held no terror for him, yet he had zero desire to stumble straight into a trap.

In truth, even if Zhang Jianyuan's pact with the Kong family stood alone, nothing confirmed the Ancestor lacked his own formidable allies.

For Wang Yue, who stood at the late phase of the Mortal Shedding Realm, covering thirty miles felt like a mere hop. He scarcely needed to stir; one pass of his spiritual sense laid bare the entire meeting area.

Barring the foes stationing a Transcendence Realm expert, their Qi signatures couldn't evade his notice.

Such a Transcendence figure seemed improbable—if the Zhangs held that kind of support, they'd have struck right after he halted Jianyuan two evenings back.

He held out until close to nine. At the set location, just a lone pulse of Mortal Shedding Realm aura registered. No trace appeared of any True Return or Tianyuan cultivator. Clearly, the Zhang Ancestor had journeyed solo.

"The old guy actually has some sincerity," Wang Yue thought, a subtle grin forming as he eased soundlessly into the river. His chosen vantage in a remote nook ensured no one spotted his plunge.

In the Mortal Shedding Realm, landscapes seldom blocked progress except when soaring aloft. His pace beneath the surface lagged a touch behind land speed, but it remained blisteringly quick.

Encased in a personal Qi shield, his attire stayed bone-dry, untouched by the water.

Within moments, Wang Yue hit the rendezvous. True to his hunch, the river's threats kept the shore distant from the central dock barren. Alone on the strand stood the Zhang Ancestor. No other presence stirred within twenty miles.

Any clash that erupted would spare innocents. Still, Wang Yue figured no brawl would ignite; else the elder wouldn't have appeared unaccompanied.

Right at nine sharp, Wang Yue's face contorted, shifting back to the stern youth clad in black. He vaulted from the depths and alighted without a sound facing the Ancestor.

The Zhang Ancestor’s eyes tightened. He recognized this lad outmatched him, but now grasped he'd misjudged the gap.

The youth had hovered in the water scant feet distant, yet the Ancestor caught no whiff until the sudden emergence.

Had it been a kill strike, the elder probably wouldn't have endured even one hit.

Gazing upon the young man who had driven the Zhang family to the edge of ruin—forcing the Clan Head to bolt—a swirl of tangled feelings passed through the Ancestor’s gaze, fading into a heavy sigh. "You are punctual, Excellency."

"Nine o’clock means nine o’clock. Speak—how do you want to settle this?" Wang Yue replied coolly. Aware that Jianyuan and the Kong family orchestrated the real mess, he felt scant grudge against the Zhang clan's other members.

Otherwise, the senior wouldn't lounge there so at ease.

The Ancestor eyed Wang Yue and inquired, "Before we begin, may I ask your true age?"

Though warriors could temper their years, and ancient powerhouses often looked teenaged, vibe and "aura" resisted easy imitation. To the Ancestor, this figure radiated a fresh, lively youthfulness.

"Under thirty," Wang Yue answered. He skipped mentioning fifteen—unwilling to jolt the elder into shock. The veteran had suffered sufficiently.

"Under thirty... and already at such a level. Compared to you, I’ve spent my long years living like a dog," the Ancestor smiled bitterly, his final traces of resentment dissolving.

Against a peer in years, he might have resisted, but this freakish aptitude left the Zhang family powerless to rival. Worse yet, a prodigy sans an obvious sect loomed even more daunting.

"Let’s skip the small talk," Wang Yue said with a touch of irritation. "How does this end?"

"I should be asking you that," the Ancestor replied helplessly. "What will it take for you to let the Zhang family go?"

"That’s a tough one. As for resources, I doubt your family has anything left worth taking," Wang Yue said, pretending strain. His demands were set, but he valued that bit of mental edge. No political whiz, he still knew to blend "the stick" with "the carrot."

The Ancestor flinched. True enough—Jianyuan had drained them dry. He cursed his own over-trust in that wretch.

Witnessing the elder's woe, Wang Yue sighed to himself. The Ancestor wasn't inherently vile; he served mainly as a "tool" for the clan's endurance. Righteous clan paths made him noble; crooked ones pulled him astray. Leadership decided it all.

Wang Yue had no plans to hand the looted goods back to the broader clan. Leaving them with Zhang Hong ensured smart use for building strength.

"I don’t particularly want anyone’s life, either," Wang Yue went on. "The people I wanted to deal with have already left the Zhang family."

Clarity struck the Ancestor. Those maimed juniors were mere cover; the fellow's prime mark had ever been Zhang Jianyuan. "But if not lives or resources, I truly don’t know what else the Zhang family has to offer."

Judging the squeeze ample, Wang Yue grinned. "Benefits don’t always have to be taken. We could always... cooperate."

"Cooperate? How?" The Ancestor asked, his pulse quickening with astonishment and eagerness. Teaming with such a genius spelled fortune for the Zhangs. At his stage and span, Transcendence beckoned surely. Just one such expert could lift a house to the Capital Kongs' heights.

Wang Yue responded, "Simple. I appoint a representative to take over as Clan Head. You will support him with everything you have. If the family encounters trouble, he can contact me for assistance."

The Ancestor’s spirits plunged. An outsider on the throne—would it truly stay the Zhangs? With Wang Yue's shield, none would sabotage the newcomer.

"What do you think, Senior?" Wang Yue asked, eyeing the elder's fluctuating look.

"I cannot accept those terms," the Ancestor said gravely, shifting into combat pose. "This is no different from destroying us. I would rather lead the clan in one final, glorious battle than see us replaced."

Wang Yue chuckled. "Don’t you want to know who my representative is first?"

The Ancestor blinked, his determination cracking. "Who?"

"Zhang Hong," Wang Yue said simply.

"Zhang Hong?" The Ancestor froze. "Which Zhang Hong?"

"The one your family used as a sacrificial pawn and then cast out," Wang Yue replied.

Shame surged through the Ancestor. He'd held Zhang Hong in high regard, viewing him as potential fourth Mortal Shedding talent until his advance halted. Ignorant of Jianyuan’s deliberate crushing of the man.

When the "betrayal" unfolded, he'd deemed it too risky to meddle, fearing added turmoil.

Now, that shame flipped to elation. Zhang Hong carried the bloodline. By heritage, he tied equally near to the Ancestor as Jianyuan. Elevating Zhang Hong to Clan Head fit ideally—he brought skill, lineage, and above all, endorsement from a prodigy like Wang Yue. All upside, no drawback.