“Mother, how is the situation at the second branch?” Xiao Muhong asked anxiously as soon as Liu Xian returned.
“Xiao Jingting and Xiao Qingyan are completely at odds with each other. Xiao Jinfeng is entirely on Xiao Jingting’s side, but Xiao Jinfeng isn’t valued much either, so which side he takes doesn’t have much influence on Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu.”
“I see.”
“Today’s drama really fired me up. That idiot Xiao Jingting must have known I schemed against him before. He deliberately gave him problematic farmland, then exposed it in front of Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu. Wang Lu’s eyes looked like she wanted to skin me alive.” That little brat even took the opportunity to extort her for two thousand taels of silver. Liu Xian didn’t particularly mind the money, but the loss of face was huge.
Liu Xian clutched her handkerchief. Wang Lu would definitely hold a grudge this time. That woman was also ruthless and vicious – who knows how she’d torment her in the future. How detestable! When that little hussy fell off the cliff, why didn’t she just die? Truly, disasters last a thousand years.
“I should have eliminated the roots from the beginning and killed Xiao Jingting,” Xiao Muhong said coldly.
Xiao Muhong had seen Xiao Jingting several times recently and felt this person seemed completely transformed. Xiao Muhong felt that the greatest threat to him now wasn’t Xiao Qingyan, but Xiao Jingting.
Liu Xian nodded. “Yes! What a pity. If only I hadn’t underestimated that boy back then and had kept a closer eye on him.”
That fellow Xiao Jingting was even willing to sell heavenly treasures. If she had watched him closely and intercepted those items, her own son might have already reached the fifth layer of Qi Refinement… What’s done is done, and regret comes too late. At least the items didn’t fall into Xiao Qingyan’s hands.
“Mother, today Xiao Jingting spent over a hundred thousand to buy a magical artifact. They say the main function of that artifact is to play dead – when encountering danger, just hide in the spirit tower and everything will be fine.” Xiao Muhong was both jealous and disdainful.
Liu Xian ground her teeth. “That boy used to love nothing more than fooling around in powder rooms. Now somehow he’s actually become ambitious.”
Xiao Muhong nodded. “Yes! After Xiao Jingting became ambitious, he seems to have much more cunning than before.”
“Where’s your wife?” Liu Xian asked.
“She’s cultivating,” Xiao Muhong replied. Before Xiao Jingting returned, he and Sun Miaomiao had always gotten along well, but ever since Xiao Jingting came back, Xiao Muhong always felt the relationship between him and Sun Miaomiao had suddenly grown much more distant.
Xiao Jingting looked at the land deeds and spirit tower before him. “Parents’ hearts, oh, but they’re biased beyond measure.” Fortunately, the original wasn’t the least favored one.
Xu Mu’an nodded. “Yes!” Xiao Jingting received ten acres of superior farmland, twenty acres of medium farmland, and thirty acres of inferior farmland – sixty acres total. Xiao Jinfeng received half of what Xiao Jingting got, while Xiao Qingyan received twice as much as Xiao Jingting.
Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu were both spiritual plant masters. If they fully tended to the spiritual fields, the annual harvest would certainly be substantial. However, at their level of strength, the resources they needed basically couldn’t be bought with money anymore.
People in this world could cultivate and had much better physical constitution than those on Earth, but their lifespans were about the same. Qi Refinement ninth layer cultivators could live at most just over a hundred years, while those who reached Foundation Establishment could live to two hundred.
To live longer, some talented cultivators wouldn’t be content with mediocrity. Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu were naturally no exception. Much of the time, both were out seeking opportunities.
Most of the farmland in Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu’s possession was leased out, but with their abilities, they could probably get good harvests just by casually casting a few spells on the fields.
“Good thing Second Brother doesn’t mind,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xu Mu’an lowered his head, thinking: Whether Xiao Jinfeng truly doesn’t mind or is just disheartened – that’s hard to say.
“How is Xiao Fan?”
“Little Flower Chicken got a bit injured, so Xiao Fan is feeling sad and keeping him company,” Xu Mu’an said.
Xiao Jingting shook his head. “Xiao Fan and that Yuerong kid are incompatible. When those two are together, trouble will break out sooner or later.”
Xu Mu’an nodded. “Now that we have the land deeds, let’s move out quickly.”
“I was thinking the same thing. We need to get working quickly – ten thousand taels a month is no joke.” Leaving those two little rascals at the Xiao family was like leaving two time bombs at home.
Xiao Jingting played with the spirit tower in his hands, looking at Xu Mu’an. “Mu’an, do you think I was right or wrong to buy this spirit tower?”
Xu Mu’an nodded. “Of course you were right.”
“How so?” Xiao Jingting asked.
“It can serve as a cover! High-level magical artifacts can have many undeveloped functions. It wouldn’t be strange if your farming is better than others,” Xu Mu’an said.
Xiao Jingting looked at Xu Mu’an, thinking privately: Xu Mu’an is indeed quick-witted. His jade pendant space absolutely cannot be exposed. Xiao Jingting estimated that his ability to survive the disaster and transmigrate into this body was mostly due to that jade pendant, which must have other functions he didn’t know about yet.
The spiritual spring in the jade pendant space was the key to his ability to grow spiritual plants well, but he could attribute this to the spirit tower.
“Wife, you’re really smart,” Xiao Jingting said.
Xu Mu’an smiled faintly. “By the way, I’ve dealt with many of those books in your room. Some of them were actually rare editions, so I finally sold them for some money – six hundred taels total. Though it’s little compared to ten thousand taels, it’s better than nothing.”
Xiao Jingting: “Thank you for your hard work… I appreciate you taking care of this…” Xiao Jingting was very clear that the books Xu Mu’an had disposed of were the original’s collection of erotic pictures. Damn it, erotic pictures were actually that valuable, and there were even rare editions of erotic pictures – what a ridiculous world.
“I’ve sorted out some useful books for you. You can read them when you have time,” Xu Mu’an said.
Xiao Jingting nodded. “Good.”
In Xiao Qingyan’s courtyard, Xiao Yuerong was throwing a tantrum.
“I won’t accept it! I won’t accept it! You said you’d properly teach that brat a lesson, but that brat still got off scot-free.” Xiao Yuerong rolled on the ground in frustration.
Zheng Pei’er looked at the relentless Xiao Yuerong, feeling gloomy. Thinking of the scene where Xiao Jingting mercilessly insulted her, Zheng Pei’er felt angry. Xiao Qingyan only cared about heavenly treasures and didn’t speak up for her when she was humiliated.
“Mother, buy me a flying bird. That little fool has one and looks so impressive riding it. I can’t be worse than a fool!” Xiao Yuerong got up and said.
Zheng Pei’er nodded. “Fine, fine, I’ll get you one.”
“I really don’t know what Third Uncle likes about that fool. Mother, do you know? That little fool likes eating garlic and stinky tofu. His whole body stinks, yet he still pounces on me to bite.” Xiao Yuerong rubbed his chubby arms in disgust.
Zheng Pei’er narrowed her eyes. Xiao Jingting was indeed too strange. Before, he didn’t care about that fool son at all, but now he protected him like a treasure. That Xiao Xiaofan was one thing, but Xiao Xiaodong seemed rather precocious and had entered the second layer of Qi Refinement even before her own eldest son Xiao Yuefeng. He might be a threat to her son in the future.
After dismissing Xiao Yuerong, Zheng Pei’er went inside to see Xiao Qingyan.
Xiao Qingyan was drinking gloomily.
“What’s wrong with you? Your face looks terrible. Father and Mother still favor you most. The farmland they gave your two younger brothers combined doesn’t match what they gave you.”
“Father and Mother gave me more, but they also gave Second Brother quite a bit!”
Previously, Father’s pocket money for Second Brother was just a fraction of his own. Xiao Jingting was one thing, but Xiao Jinfeng also got quite a bit of farmland. Though compared to his own, that little bit wasn’t much, but what was Xiao Jinfeng anyway? Now he was opposing him at every turn. Thinking about missing out on a high-level spiritual plant that might have helped him leap to the next level, Xiao Qingyan felt particularly uncomfortable.
Wang Lu sat at her dressing table and sighed lightly.
Xiao Linfeng looked at Wang Lu. “What’s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?”
“I didn’t expect Second and Third sons have also reached the fifth layer,” Wang Lu said.
Xiao Linfeng looked at Wang Lu and smiled. “Isn’t it good that our sons are promising? Do you hope your sons are useless?”
Wang Lu smiled bitterly. “Of course I hope my sons are promising. It’s just that instead of uniting against external enemies, the three brothers can’t stand each other and might end up fighting among themselves.”
Hearing this, Xiao Linfeng sighed. “Before, Second and Eldest had a better relationship, but Second’s relationship with Third was quite strained. This time when they returned, Second and Third’s relationship has become very close, but with Eldest…”
Wang Lu nodded. After returning, Wang Lu had thoroughly investigated what happened at home.
“When Second was expelled from the mercenary group and wrongly accused, Eldest didn’t help. Second probably resented Eldest because of this,” Wang Lu said.
Xiao Linfeng sighed helplessly. “Though Eldest’s actions were inappropriate, Second is also holding grudges. Other matters aside, he actually sold heavenly treasures instead of giving them to his own brothers.”
“What’s sold is sold – probably can’t get it back. Third’s situation wasn’t good at that time either. If he hadn’t sold it, he might have offended the Marquis family. It’s all that bitch Liu Xian’s fault. She acted submissive in front of me, but as soon as something happened to me, she revealed her true colors. The farmland she gave Third was remote and far away, and there were even demonic beasts. If Third hadn’t been lucky, he might have lost his life.” Wang Lu gritted her teeth.
Xiao Linfeng’s expression also darkened. Though he and his eldest brother Xiao Chengfeng had never gotten along very well, he always felt they could maintain appearances. After this incident, learning about Xiao Chengfeng’s actions, Xiao Linfeng felt completely disillusioned.
“Third was thrown out penniless, Second was disgraced and expelled from home – all thanks to your dear elder brother and sister-in-law. I suspect even Eldest being ostracized at the academy has your brother and sister-in-law’s handiwork behind it.” Wang Lu said angrily.
Xiao Linfeng nodded. “Elder Brother and Sister-in-law really went too far.”
Xiao Xiaofan was excitedly rolling around on the bed. Xiao Xiaodong looked at the excited Xiao Xiaofan and curled his lip. “What’s got you so happy?”
“Big Brother, we can move out soon!” Xiao Xiaofan said exuberantly.
Xiao Xiaodong nodded. “Yes.” If they moved out, Xiao Xiaofan wouldn’t have to eat so much garlic every day due to lack of security.
Xiao Xiaodong scratched his head in distress. Why was there only one bed in the room? Why did he have to sleep with Xiao Xiaofan? This bastard loved stealing blankets, liked putting his stinky feet near his mouth, loved grinding his teeth, and if that wasn’t enough, he also liked eating smelly things, making the whole blanket stink. It was really annoying.
“Big Brother, aren’t you going to sleep next to me?” Xiao Xiaofan asked.
Xiao Xiaodong shook his head. “I’ll sleep on my side, you sleep on yours.”
Xiao Xiaofan didn’t insist and soon started snoring softly.
Xiao Xiaodong irritably moved Xiao Xiaofan’s foot away from his face, thinking: This stinky kid has such peace of mind, falling asleep and snoring in no time.
