1150 Regrets

Xue Wuhen frowned and hesitation could be seen on her face. However, she recalled that she had Han Qingwu who came a few days ago, so she shook her head and said, "Although I may be able to ascend and become an immortal, I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, Daoist Tang. I prefer freedom than becoming an immortal."

"I understand." Tang Xiu nodded. "I'm a man who advocates freedom myself. Then let's drop the topic. But there's something else I hope Chateau Master Xue can comply."

"Please do say," replied Xue Wuhen.

"Since you have no intention to strive outside, I ask your Floating Snow Chateau to cease some activities outside! You still can run your industries, but I ask you to cease your information gathering activities."

It was an issue that Xue Wuhen never cared about, so she directly nodded. "It shall be done as you request it, Daoist Tang. I can also hand over the intel network under the Floating Snow Chateau if you need it, and my people will disappear right away in this field, whereas all the intel operatives will be handed over to you."

"There's no need for that." Tang Xiu shook his head.

At the side, a seven-color butterfly suddenly flew from a distance and landed on Gu Xiaoxue's shoulder. During Tang Xiu's conversation, her expression turned a bit strange and she transmitted her voice, "There's an old friend of yours in the Floating Snow Chateau, Grand Master."

"Who is it?" asked Tang Xiu back with a transmitted voice.

"Han Qingwu," replied Gu Xiaoxue. "She's in that three-story pavilion."

Tang Xiu furrowed his brows and directly cupped his fists toward Xue Wuhen. "Well, since Chateau Master Xue has found someone else to follow, then I won't stay here for long. Farewell."

Having said that, he quickly made a seal and broke the array lightning-fast. Then, he grabbed Gu Xiaoxue and soared into the sky and disappeared into the woods.

Xue Wuhen's eyes flickered. She wasn't surprised to see how easy it was for Tang Xiu to crack her array. But Tang Xiu finding out that Han Qingwu was staying in her place was greatly out of her expectation.

After a short while, she returned to the three-story attic and looked at Han Qingwu, who was looking upward at the sky, saying, "He seems to know that that you're here. Also, he also looked upset. I suppose he thought that I lied to him."

"Come again?" Han Qingwu's heart tightened and she asked quickly.

"He asked me whether I've pledged allegiance to some other forces. I told him no. He then finally learned that you're here, which I think is what made him upset."

A pang of pain gnawed Han Qingwu's heart after hearing it. He knows I'm here, yet he doesn't even want to see me at all and just left in a rush. Is he really avoiding me?

Xue Wuhen, who could see Han Qingwu's complexion turn pale and looked to be in pain, asked with concern, "Are you alright, Daoist Han?"

"I'm… fine." Han Qingwu bit her lips then shook her head. "He… what exactly does he want from you?"

"He wants me to pledge allegiance to him with great conditions and benefits. But I declined his offer," answered Xue Wuhen.

Han Qingwu suddenly turned around and her eyes intensely stared at Xue Wuhen with complicated expressions. "I won't feel sorry for you even if you refuse all the people in the world. But turning him down is the stupidest thing you've ever done in your life. Do you know how many people wanted to follow him then, yet none of them interested him in the slightest?"

Xue Wuhen's expression changed and she asked, "Daoist Han, you said that your power is under him, then are you willing to follow him if he asks you to?"

Han Qingwu fell into silence. She shifted back her vision through the window at the night sky veiled by darkness. After a long time, she literally blurted out the raging bitterness inside her, "Let alone following him, even becoming his slave or servant is something I dare not dream of. So much so that being able to look at him from afar makes me… feel… it's enough…"

Xue Wuhen's pupils shrunk and only then did huge regret gnawed her heart. However, she then thought that she still had Han Qingwu around and shook her head, contrary to her feelings. "Well, it's an honor for me to be able to practice under your guidance, though I dare not to have such extravagant hopes of reaching further…."

"You don't understand." Han Qingwu sighed. "He…"

"He? What about him?" asked Xue Wuhen.

"He has already started a plan, and maybe it won't take long for him to leave this place," said Han Qingwu. "I'll also leave after he leaves. We… I'm afraid we won't be able to see each other again at that time."

"Where are you going, Daoist Han?" Xue Wuhen hastily asked, "And he… where is he going?"

Han Qingwu shook her head and said, "There are some things you don't need to ask. And neither can I tell you anything no matter how adamant you're to learn it. He still has a lot of important things to do. Lots of them. And I can't disclose any plans or anything else about him."

Xue Wuhen was silent for a while, then slowly asked, "So, do you like him?"

Han Qingwu turned back and her eyes pierced through her veil at Xue Wuhen's face. She shook her head and said, "The word 'like' can never describe my feelings for him. It's more precise to call it an unforgettable love—the love that has been carved deep into the bones and etched eternally into the soul! Haih, forget it. I'm tired. I'm leaving to have some rest."

After that, she disappeared.

Love? The kind of unforgettable loved that had been carved deep into the bones and etched into the soul eternally?

Xue Wuhen was shaken to the core. Never once had she ever imagined that such a peerless beauty who possessed terrifying power like Han Qingwu turned out to be afraid to approach him. What exactly happened between them? Why would Han Qingwu dare not approach him even though her love for him was so deep and unforgettable?

Wait…

Suddenly, Xue Wuhen recalled something. Tang Xiu previously said that he can help me to ascend and become an immortal. Could it be that the meaning of him leaving that Han Qingwu just said… is that he's going to ascend to the Immortal World?

****

In mid-air.

Tang Xiu was flying side by side with Gu Xiaoxue and there were some traces of regret on his face. Yet, the decision had more or less been determined since Xue Wuhen was related to Han Qingwu and he didn't want to bother himself with her anymore.

"So, what are we going to do next, Grand Master?" asked Gu Xiaoxue softly.

"Sigh, the chief purpose we visited the Floating Snow Chateau failed, so I can only step back and find other families." Tang Xiu sighed and went on, "As for the Zhus… they can become the first affluent family in He Province, but it's likely they are very closely related to some families in the capital. Unless Zhu Xinghe can leave them, his family will never work for us."

"Your analysis is on the mark, Grand Master." Gu Xiaoxue nodded and said, "But we can give it a try, however. After all, as the first family in He Province, his family has long been rooted deep here. That will save us lots of effort if we can use them."

Tang Xiu gave it a thought and felt that it was a sound idea. Close and a lot of connections with those in Beijing could be expected if one could develop smoothly within a province. If he could use them and make them wholeheartedly pledge their allegiance to him, not only could it save a lot of financial and other resources, including intelligence manpower, he could also expect some surprise aftermath later.

"Alright, let's go visit Zhu Xinghe again."

****

At the Zhu Family's residence manor.

Zhu Xinghe was still staying in his room but no longer reading a book. He silently looked out of the window while thinking deeply about something.

"Umm?"

Suddenly, his expression slightly changed because he clearly saw two figures dashing in the sky not far away and appeared in front of him in just one-plus seconds.

"You are…"

It was a handsome man and a beautiful woman. A heaven-made match.

The moment Zhu Xinghe saw this pair of man and woman before him, the two idioms instantly appeared in his mind.

Tang Xiu and Gu Xiaoxu immediately entered the room behind Zhu Xinghe. Tang Xiu himself directly pulled a chair, took a seat and smilingly said, "Well, aren't you a forgetful person, Patriarch Zhu? We just met yesterday, yet you have already forgotten me today."

Zhu Xinghe was shaken inwardly. He turned to look at Tang Xiu's handsome face and murmured, "Yesterday….? It turns out… that the person is you… Tang Xiu."

"Ah, I didn't Patriarch Zhu knew me! It's really an honor!" Tang Xiu smiled.

"Your famous name precedes you, Mr. Tang," saluted Zhu Xinghe hurriedly. "Besides, I already memorized your face in mind a long time ago, so why I can instantly recognize you."

"If so, our next chat will be much easier then," said Tang Xiu with a smile. "Anyway, you should already know that I'm the owner of Magnificent Tang Corp. and the fact that I am also hailed as a young Divine Doctor, as well as the scion of House Tang from Beijing."

"Yeah, I already know all these," said Zhu Xinghe.

"Well, I still don't know which family in Beijing your Zhu Family is closely related to, though." Tang Xiu smiled.

Zhu Xinghe's expression slightly changed and numerous thoughts inundated his mind instantly. Still, he respectfully replied, "It's the Bai Family of Beijing."

Tang Xiu's brows raised and he lightly smiled. "Ah, it turns out to be Bai Tao's family, eh? Anyhow, there's something I'd like to ask you about, Patriarch Zhu. If I request you to give up the cooperation with the Bais and then turn to House Tang, are you willing to do that?"

Zhu Xinghe forced a smile and said, "My family would suffer heavy blows if I did that, Mr. Tang. I'm afraid that House Bai won't be able to accommodate my family anymore."

"What if I can help you solve these problems?" asked Tang Xiu smilingly.

"If Mr. Tang really can help solve it, then I'm sure there will be no issues," replied Zhu Xinghe decisively. "Who doesn't know that House Tang is the most powerful family in entire China nowadays? It would simply be a great blessing if the Zhus could be on good terms with House Tang."

Tang Xiu took out a book and threw it to Zhu Xinghe, saying, "Since you're willing to be under my flag, then I naturally won't be stingy toward you. A cultivation art is written in this book, and I'll also give you a bottle of pills. With your current strength and added with the effect you'll obtain from cultivation and these pills, you can definitely reach the Qi Refining Stage and enter the cultivation world in a short time. Later on, as long as you're loyal to me and continue to fulfill the tasks I'll give you, you'll also be able to get more rewards and higher levels of cultivation art."

Cultivation art? As in the path to becoming a cultivator?!!

It was a dream that had once occupied Zhu Xinghe's mind. To become a cultivator! Especially after he witnessed Xue Wuhen's power, which caused his obsession to obtain a cultivation art. It was unfortunate that there were only a handful of cultivators in China. Even though he had invested huge capital in this endeavor, he still hadn't been able to obtain any of these cultivation arts and thus, his dream of becoming a genuine cultivator was barred.

But at this moment, his dream was about to come true, stirring his soul and making him excited.