Watching Yan Mengchu leave, Zhou Shu shook his head. As he expected, Yan Mengchu was a coward and timid person. He dared to come here to cause trouble, most likely at the instigation of others.
He bowed to Shen Bailie and said, "This time, it's all thanks to Deacon Shen."
Shen Bailie chuckled. "It's the same for you. I haven't thanked you properly for what happened last time. Steward Yuan also said that he would take better care of your affairs. But in my opinion, this matter with the Yan family shop is not over yet. There will probably be more trouble."
Zhou Shu had left a good impression on them during the incident with the evil cultivator, and they also had a good impression of Zhou Shu.
Zhou Shu's expression was respectful. "Deacon Shen is absolutely right."
Shen Bailie stroked his long beard and spoke earnestly. "But the Yan family's affairs should be left to the Yan family to resolve. You, a casual cultivator, don't need to worry about so much. Practice well and don't let Manager Yuan down. Manager Yuan is kind of hoping you'll join the Tianliu Sect. As for that Liuchu Sect, well, it does have a long reach, but it's not qualified enough to cause trouble in Qingxia Market."
Zhou Shu nodded repeatedly. "Deacon is right, I understand. It's just that I saw that the Liuchu Sect was so arrogant and bullied the people in our market, so I came to report it to the deacon."
Shen Bailie nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, I'll take my leave."
He left with the cultivators from the market. Zhou Shu thought for a moment, then turned and left.
The onlookers talked for a while and gradually dispersed.
In front of a forest, a gray-robed cultivator stared at the other cultivators with an angry look on his face.
"Who is that guy? How does he know we are from Liuchu Sect?"
The others looked at the gray-clothed cultivator in fear and said nothing.
After a long wait, the anger on the gray-robed cultivator's face gradually faded, replaced by an expressionless indifference. "I think someone among you must have leaked the information. Tell me who it was, and I promise I won't kill you."
After a while, a cultivator hesitated for a long time, hesitating, "I think I've seen that guy before. He went to Yujiazhuang to fetch spiritual spring water."
"So, he's seen you too?"
The gray-robed cultivator let out a long sigh, as if understanding something, a rather eerie smile on his face. "I was wondering. How could the pre-arranged arrangements fail? So this is the problem. Haha, the Yan family shop we've secured is gone just like that. What a pity."
The cultivator's face turned pale, and he held it in for a long time. "It seems... Master Hu, spare me... Ah..."
The gray-robed cultivator sighed softly and slowly walked over to the cultivator. "I remember clearly telling you that disciples from Yujiazhuang cannot sign up for this mission at the Qingxia Market. Do you remember? Do you remember?"
His voice suddenly rose an octave.
The cultivator trembled like a sieve, unable to speak.
"Just for a reward of twenty low-grade spirit stones, you've caused the failure of a crucial mission... I promise not to beat you to death, but I will chop you to death."
The gray-robed cultivator slowly pulled a long sword from his sleeve. The emerald blade was etched with three blood-stained grooves, gleaming with a chilling cold light.
With his life on the line, the cultivator suddenly stopped trembling and, with incredible swiftness, flung out two talismans, one aimed at the gray-robed cultivator and the other at himself. He ducked and leaped forward like a cheetah.
Simultaneously, three massive fireballs pelted down upon the gray-robed cultivator.
The nearby cultivators cried out in surprise and dodged. They knew the cultivator was truly powerful. The cultivator had unleashed a continuous stream of fire talismans, a genuine second-level talisman, a Qi Refining Realm's ultimate life-saving technique, one that everyone would avoid.
A sudden flash of cold light.
The three fireballs, along with the cultivator's body, split in two.
"Let's go back."
The gray-robed cultivator patted his sleeves and turned to leave.
The other cultivators hurriedly followed, not daring to breathe.
Zhou Shu circled the market, passed through the maze, and entered the Yan family shop through the back door.
Yan Yue and Yang Mei were in the back hall, clearly waiting for a long time. Upon seeing Zhou Shu, they greeted him with excitement.
"Junior Brother, thank you so much for this time,"
Yan Yue thanked him earnestly, her eyes slightly red.
"Senior Sister, there's no need to be polite with me."
Zhou Shu waved his hand, speaking seriously. "What's going on between Yan Mengchu and you? Tell me. This matter is likely not over yet. He has the Yan family's Patriarch's Order and will definitely come to cause trouble for the Yan family shop again. You and I are closely connected now, and the shop cannot be harmed. We share the fate and we must work together to find a solution."
He and Yang Mei had overheard the argument outside the shop, and he had a rough idea of what was going on. He immediately came up with a temporary solution: ask Yang Mei to delay while he reported the matter to the familiar market management. However, he didn't know the details of the matter, and he needed to clarify them before he could prescribe the right solution.
"We share the good and the bad... I get it,"
Yan Yue muttered. This was her family matter, one she had never shared with anyone, but after hearing Zhou Shu's words, she suddenly felt the urge to unburden herself.
The two exchanged glances, nodded, and then looked at Yang Mei beside them.
This matter had nothing to do with Yang Mei, and they didn't want to involve her.
Yang Mei blinked, clearly understanding something. "Why are you all looking at me? I'm not leaving, I want to hear it too."
Zhou Shu smiled. "Be good, Junior Sister, go play up front for a while. I'll treat you to spiritual food next time." "I
was going to treat you anyway, huh."
"Three meals in a row," Zhou Shu raised the price.
Yang Mei hesitated for a moment, then shook her head firmly. "No, five, no, not even eight! I can come up with a plan, I can help!"
Zhou Shu and Yan Yue exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.
Yang Mei had been through life and death together. Though young, she was truly trustworthy.
Zhou Shu nodded and said gently, "If you really want to hear it, then we can go together, but no matter what you hear, don't tell anyone."
"I won't tell anyone, not even if I have to pay you ten meals!" Yang Mei clapped her hands and laughed, her eyes curved into crescents.
The three of them entered the secret room of the Yan family shop.
Yan Yue recounted the various disputes within the Yan family, and the grudges between Yan Yue and Yan Mengchu.
Zhou Shu nodded slightly, "Yan Yue, your second uncle wouldn't do such a thing. It was most likely instigated by the Liuchu Sect. I think the family head order was also found by the Liuchu Sect for him, and his goal was to take over your Yan family shop."
Yang Mei clenched her fists in anger, "Yan Mengchu, and the Liuchu Sect, are both despicable!"
Yan Yue nodded, "I think so too. Yan Mengchu bullies the weak and fears the strong. He used to be so weak at the mention of the Heyin Sect, and this time he came to provoke them. Someone must have been giving him advice. By the way, Junior Brother, how did you know those people were from the Liuchu Sect?"
She was a little confused.
Zhou Shu smiled, "The last time I went to Yujiazhuang to fetch spiritual spring water, I saw one of them wearing the clothes of Liuchu Sect. Last time they robbed the Yu family's spiritual spring, and this time they came to rob the Yan family's shop. It's really despicable."
Yan Yue seemed to be thinking about something, "I don't know where this sect came from... Alas, Yan Mengchu is hanging out with them, I'm afraid he must be thinking about the Yan family day and night."
Zhou Shu thought for a while, "Actually, this matter is easy to solve. It depends on what you think, Senior Sister Yan."
"What?" Yan Yue was a little confused.
Zhou Shu said lightly, "In my opinion, it's very simple. Senior Sister Yan, you give up the Yan family shop and open a new shop in someone else's name. Everything will continue as usual. If he wants to use the family head's order to pressure you, just give him the Yan family shop."
Yan Yue thought for a moment, "No, our Yan family only has this one shop. If we give it to him, he will definitely squander it all, and the whole Yan family will have a hard time."
"Is it better now?"
Zhou Shu smiled intentionally or unintentionally, "In fact, a better solution is for you, senior sister, to take your family and withdraw from the Yan family."
"Ah! Withdraw from the Yan family?"
Yan Yue was a little shocked, and Yang Mei also widened her eyes.
Zhou Shu nodded, "Yan Mengchu has now colluded with the Liuchu Sect and has the family head order in hand. You and your father can't compete with him. As long as you stay in the Yan family, you will be suppressed by him. Nothing you do will go smoothly and troubles will come to you every day. Instead of this, it is better to just leave the Yan family and be your own person. There will be no constraints and burdens, and the results will be better. Senior sister, think about it carefully."
After listening to him, Yan Yue shook her head heavily, "I'm sorry, junior brother, I can't do it."
Yan Yue felt that Zhou Shu's words made sense, but she couldn't quit the Yan family and give up the goal she had been working hard for all her life.