Chapter 1640 — A Surprise for You

"You... don't force yourself..." Tang Yun was still a little worried.

"I won't." Wei Zhao waved a hand. "When do we leave?"

"Probably within the next few days," Tang Yun said.

"Then that's fine, I'll make it in time!" Wei Zhao nodded. The real reason he had agreed was to seek a chance at recovery. Several times before—in the Ice Palace, at the resort—he had strangely stumbled upon the opening he needed for a breakthrough. Perhaps this time too, something unexpected might turn up...

And so the matter was settled. Wei Zhao went back to his room and continued condensing energy spheres. This time... he was only a hair's breadth away... He meant to bring his strength back up a little before going to the Hidden Tang family, so he did not dare slacken for even a moment, and drove himself all the harder.

Over at the Zhao family, when they heard that Wei Zhao had also crossed the Hidden Yu family, they were naturally delighted. This time they need not rush to the fore themselves. Who knew whether the Hidden Yu family would make a move?

Zhao Guangyin took the phone Zhao Qitan handed him and put it away. He mused for a moment, then said, "By the way, why don't we spread the word that Wei Zhao has been struck by the Five-Step Qi-Dispersing Powder? Then we'll see—if any of Wei Zhao's enemies go after him, so much the better. We won't have to lift a finger; let them go make trouble for Wei Zhao!"

"That's hard to say. What we know, how could the other hidden clans not know? It's only those ordinary clans that are still in the dark—but they're about to hold the Clan Assembly, so who among them has the mind to deal with Wei Zhao?" Zhao Qitan said, naturally unwilling to stir up trouble for Wei Zhao.

"Even so, what if there's one that doesn't know?" Chief Zhu was still unwilling to let it go. "I'll put the word out. I hear the Hidden Pi family's relations with Wei Zhao are none too good, and in this trial, they say, the Hidden Pi family's juniors were cleared out in the very first round of screening. They likely don't know how formidable Wei Zhao is. Maybe this time it's they who'll play the fool!"

"Right!" Zhao Guangyin nodded. "The Hidden Pi family is a suitable choice. Very well, spread the news and see how they react."

Zhao Qitan did not wish it so, but there was nothing he could do. There was little he could help with; he had already done all he could.

After the Zhao family council ended, Zhao Qitan told Wei Zhao what had been discussed, and also told him of the efforts he had made in vain: "Chief Wei Zhao, I've done all I could. But my standing in the family is still not equal to Zhao Qibing's, so... I could only keep the Zhao family from acting for now. As for whether the Hidden Yu family and the Hidden Pi family will make a move, that is beyond my power to stop..."

"Heh, it's fine. This is already very good." Wei Zhao nodded. He wasn't worried about the Yu family for the moment—with Yu Bing maneuvering on his behalf, the Hidden Yu family would not likely move against him just yet. Their own internal strife wasn't even resolved; who had the mind to trouble him?

Chief Yu had kept the Qi-Gathering Pill for himself. If that ever came to light, it would certainly stir up a storm inside the Hidden Yu family. But Wei Zhao had overlooked one thing: Yu Bing could not contact the Hidden Yu family for the time being.

So that matter was destined to stay hidden for now. Fortunately, the Yu family's old ancestor had already gotten to the bottom of things and had no intention, for the moment, of making trouble for Wei Zhao—letting him escape this calamity. Otherwise Wei Zhao would have had no choice but to stake everything on his top-grade energy spheres.

But often, a trump card used too many times is no trump card at all. His energy spheres could, on rare occasions, turn the tide in a single stroke; yet as he used them more and more, many came to know of this trump card of his, and then he could no longer treat it as one. People would guard against it. So the fewer times he used this move, the better.

At least until he found a new trump card to replace it, he had best use it sparingly. At present, the only one who had truly seen through this move was that little girl Bing Tang; even Zhang Naipao and Feng Nitian, who had been on the receiving end of it, did not understand it. It was exactly as the old saying went: they would not even know how they died.

"Chief, rest and recover, then... As for the antidote to the Five-Step Qi-Dispersing Powder, the Medicine King may have some on hand, but I have no way to ask him for it. I have no proper excuse, and it would only rouse suspicion..." Zhao Qitan said apologetically.

"It doesn't matter. You've done very well." Through this probing, Wei Zhao had come to know something of Zhao Qitan's character; the man's loyalty was quite sound. Once he had resolved to follow him, he would not turn coat. This was precisely the sort of underling Wei Zhao needed.

Like those now gathered around Wei Zhao, who would not betray him under any circumstances—only such people would Wei Zhao cultivate with all his heart. So he had already decided: if he succeeded in breaking through to the Earth rank, he would raise Zhao Qitan to the Earth rank as well, which would give him more competitive edge over Zhao Qibing within the Hidden Zhao family.

"Ah, Chief, take care of yourself," Zhao Qitan said.

"In these days, do your best to win over the Zhao family's people and cultivate some trusted followers. I'll give you a surprise," Wei Zhao told him. To his own people, Wei Zhao was always generous with a taste of sweetness.

"A surprise? Good!" Zhao Qitan did not know what the surprise was, but anything that could surprise him had to be something big, so he agreed at once, delighted. As for what it was, he did not press; if Wei Zhao was not telling him now, he would know in time.

After hanging up with Zhao Qitan, Wei Zhao decided to accompany Tang Yun home for a visit. He wanted to see that birthday banquet invitation with his own eyes, and to see whether he could find some clue in it. To be honest, he found the whole business very strange: the Hidden Tang family, who had never kept in touch with Tang Yun's family, had suddenly sent an invitation—what did that mean?

Granted, inviting the Tang family's collateral juniors to join in the celebration of an eightieth birthday was a reason that could hold. But what of the seventieth? What of the seventy-fifth?

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