Chapter 3909: Dark Current

At Jiuxian Market in the Tianchen Sea Domain, the streets were bustling with crowds and the clamor of carts and horses.

Inside a secluded manor, a curvaceous young woman in a white dress was leisurely sipping tea and chatting with a middle-aged man in a golden robe.

“Uncle, our Bai family is currently being suppressed by the Wang family, and our development is faltering. You must help us,” the young woman in the white dress pleaded. Her name was Bai Jiangxue, and she was a True Immortal at the Mid-stage realm.

Over one hundred thousand years ago, a war severely weakened the Xia family, allowing the Wang family to rise abruptly and become the preeminent power in the White Deer Archipelago, significantly impacting the Bai family’s interests.

Word had spread that True Immortal Taihao was a True Spirit and highly skilled in artifact refining. Consequently, True Immortal cultivators in the White Deer Archipelago were eager to befriend the Wang family’s True Immortals.

The Wang family sold various cultivation resources, including immortal artifacts, pills, medicines, talismans, and wine, needed by True Immortal cultivators at White Deer Market. Although the Bai family also offered these products, True Immortal Taihao’s renowned reputation and superior artifact refining skills made the difference. With many True Immortal rogue cultivators actively promoting them, the Wang family’s immortal artifacts became highly sought after, boosting sales for their other goods as well.

The Wang family’s products sold exceptionally well, which, in turn, severely impacted the Bai family’s ability to sell their own goods, significantly harming their interests.

It was fine if their goods didn’t sell well at White Deer Market; the Bai family had planned to sell them to the Nine Cauldrons Commerce Guild. However, to their surprise, the Wang family also had a substantial partnership with the Nine Cauldrons Commerce Guild. Consequently, the Guild refused to acquire the Bai family’s products, citing that they had already purchased a sufficient quantity.

And that wasn’t all. As the Wang family’s strength continued to grow, their influence within the White Deer Archipelago expanded significantly. Many smaller and medium-sized powers began to show them great deference, which intensely infuriated the Bai family.

The Bai family tried to use the patrol inspectors to cause trouble for the Wang family, hoping to at least levy more cultivation resources from them. However, they found no fault in the Wang family’s conduct, leaving them no legitimate way to harass them.

Left with no alternative, the Bai family had no choice but to seek assistance from the Meng family, given their intermarriage.

“The Wang family’s clan rules are very strict; they follow all regulations and haven’t violated any orders from the Nine Immortals Sect. I can’t help you, even if I wanted to. Even if Fellow Daoist Jiang were to speak up and command the Wang family to defer to yours, do you truly believe your Bai family could issue orders to them? Ultimately, in the cultivation world, strength speaks loudest,” the elderly man in the golden robe said, a hint of helplessness in his voice. He was Meng Tianfeng, a True Immortal at the Mid-stage realm.

The Bai family served as an extension of the Meng family’s influence. While the harm to the Bai family’s interests indirectly affected the Meng family, fortunately, the impact was not significant.

Since the Wang family’s actions aligned perfectly with the regulations of the Nine Immortals Sect, the Meng family found it difficult to unjustly accuse them.

“Isn’t Yu Die under Senior Jin’s tutelage? Please ask for her help. The Wang family controls Haoyang City and has been transporting large quantities of Profound Water Jade Frost, developing more and more prosperous. By rights of seniority, shouldn’t Haoyang City belong to the Meng family? Who are the Wang family anyway? When the Meng family was shedding blood for the Nine Immortals Sect, the Wang family hadn’t even been established!” Bai Jiangxue urged.

“Of course I wish I could. But the Wang family is overflowing with experts. Not to mention the Green Lotus Immortal Couple, even cultivators like Green Lotus Sword Venerable, Hegemon Blade True Monarch, Purple Cloud True Immortal, and Mad Blade True Monarch are formidable; they’ve each opened at least four orifices. Plus, they have Immortal-Slaying Cannons defending the city.” Meng Tianfeng’s face was filled with envy.

If all these experts of the Wang family were to perish, he could certainly find a way to take control of Haoyang City. But without a major war, causing their demise was simply too difficult.

“What if we spread rumors that they’ve discovered Cangli Island and obtained the Heavenly Fate Jade Book? The Haoyue Alliance would surely dispatch experts to deal with them.” Bai Jiangxue suggested.

Meng Tianfeng rolled his eyes and snapped, “Do you think the higher-ups of the Haoyue Alliance are imbeciles? You just casually spread a rumor, and they’ll launch a major war? Even if the Haoyue Alliance genuinely wanted to deal with the Wang family, they would wipe out your Bai family first, rest assured! If an opportunity arises, I will find a way to weaken the Wang family’s strength. There will always be an opportunity.”

All nine major powers in the Tianchen Sea Domain were searching for Cangli Island, and minor rumors had long circulated about a certain power obtaining the Heavenly Fate Jade Book. However, these were all later confirmed to be false.

During the last major war, the Haoyue Alliance was no match for the Nine Immortals Sect and suffered significant losses. It was inconceivable that they would act against the Wang family based on unconfirmed rumors, as such a move would undoubtedly trigger a full-scale war. If a major war were indeed to break out, the Bai family would suffer, and the Meng family might even become entangled. The Meng family would never engage in actions that harm others without benefiting themselves.

Bai Jiangxue offered an awkward smile and quickly changed the subject. “Where is Cousin Zisen?” she asked. “I haven’t seen him in ages.”

“The Nine Cauldrons Commerce Guild is holding an auction, and he went to attend it,” Meng Tianfeng replied.

After chatting for a while, Bai Jiangxue took her leave. Not long after she departed, a tall young man in a green robe entered. He had a well-defined, handsome face.

“How did it go, Zisen? Did you manage to bid successfully for any Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits?” Meng Tianfeng asked casually.

The Nine Glazed Immortal Fruit was the primary ingredient for refining the Nine Glazed Pill, which could help him open his fifth aperture. He had already failed twice in this endeavor.

“No, I didn’t get any. The Wang family outbid me,” Meng Zisen sighed.

“What? I heard there were several Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits. You didn’t manage to acquire even one?” Meng Tianfeng said with a frown.

Meng Zisen shook his head vigorously. “None,” he replied. “I don’t know what treasures the Wang family offered, but all three Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits were successfully acquired by them.”

Just thinking about it made him furious.

The Meng family had deployed numerous people to collect Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits. After much effort, the Nine Cauldrons Commerce Guild finally held an auction featuring them, only for a Wang family cultivator to successfully bid for them all.

“Are you certain it was a Wang family cultivator who acquired them?” Meng Tianfeng asked.

“Absolutely. It was Wang Ruixue. She frequently transports goods to Jiuxian Market, so I couldn’t possibly be mistaken. After the auction, I approached her and even offered a high price for the Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits, but she simply refused.”

“The Bai family just had the patrol inspectors harass the Wang family. It would be surprising if she agreed,” Meng Tianfeng said dismissively.

“Father, are we simply going to sit by and let the Wang family take away those three Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits?” Meng Zisen asked, his brow furrowed.

A cold glint flashed across Meng Tianfeng’s face. “Since they refuse to show proper respect, don’t blame us for being impolite,” he said. “I will handle this matter. You may go and rest.”

Meng Zisen nodded and departed.

Meng Tianfeng retrieved a golden, shimmering magic disk, injected a spell into it, and said, “Tianting, we’ve encountered a problem, and we require your assistance.”

The Meng family had strategically placed some True Immortal clan members in the shadows. These individuals had left the Meng family long ago to pursue their own paths, maintaining no overt connection to the main family. Their primary role was to handle matters that the Meng family found inconvenient to address openly.

“Who are we dealing with this time?” a husky male voice transmitted from the golden magic disk.

“Wang Ruixue of the Green Lotus Wang family. Their trade caravan acquired three Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits, which are vital for our family. Take your people to ambush and eliminate them. Do it cleanly, prioritize your own safety, and act within your capabilities,” Meng Tianfeng instructed. The Meng family’s Nine Glazed Immortal Fruit trees had only just begun to bear fruit, and their existing stock had long been depleted; otherwise, they wouldn’t have resorted to such a drastic measure.

“Understood. I’ll take people to handle it immediately. Once it’s done, I’ll contact you using the Immortal Transmission Mirror. I will ensure we obtain those Nine Glazed Immortal Fruits,” the husky male voice transmitted from the magic disk.

“Good, be extra careful. The strength of the Wang family’s cultivators should not be underestimated.” Meng Tianfeng cautioned him before putting away the golden magic disk.

“Wang family, you brought this upon yourselves. First you troubled the Bai family, and now you want to cross our Meng family. You truly don’t know your own limitations,” Meng Tianfeng muttered to himself, his face grim with murderous intent.

While he couldn’t harm True Immortal Taihao, dealing with Wang Ruixue and her companions would pose no problem.