Getting Stronger By Fighting-Chapter 503: Battle of Wits_1

It was for this reason that he had engaged in such a battle of wits and strength with Wang Zhan. It had even reached the point where, when a conflict of interest arose, so many complications had suddenly erupted. This was because while Qin Ying might treat Wang Zhan kindly and devote her whole heart to him, her choices would never reflect those of the powerful figures behind her.

Therefore, even though the Old Man had met Wang Zhan only because he was invited by Qin Ying and had accompanied her, the Old Man still quietly implemented his own little plan after Qin Ying’s departure, bringing Wang Zhan from the peaceful and comfortable Chu State back to the perilous Quan State.

Of course, Qin Ying might not have known, or perhaps she did. If she did hand Wang Zhan over to him, it was simply because she trusted her clan members.

As for Wang Zhan, if Qin Ying was unaware of this, it would suffice to prove her trust in her clansmen—that they would never persecute Wang Zhan. In this way, Wang Zhan would have enough justification. Alternatively, if Qin Ying was aware, it would still prove her belief that Wang Zhan, being a stand-up man, could find a suitable solution for himself. Therefore, Wang Zhan could not afford to be petty.

Thus, the sixty-forty split of the profits was Wang Zhan’s method and his stance. Although, from a superficial perspective, it seemed he received less, only he knew how significant an impact the advantage of a dominant position could have compared to this trifling immediate gain. Never mind the distant future; in the near future alone, if Wang Zhan were to fail due to the Old Man’s schemes, based on this gesture alone, Wang Zhan would at least still have the strength to counter-attack or another chance to gather his forces for a comeback. And the Qín Family would definitely develop a strong sense of goodwill towards Wang Zhan, compensating him adequately in the future rather than trying to annihilate him. This was an incredibly worthwhile deal.

After all, for a Martial Artist, entering a mountain of treasures and leaving empty-handed, or gaining nothing at all, meant they had already lost from the moment they set foot inside. A true Martial Artist knows how to utilize all available resources; securing benefits is of the utmost importance.

However, the Old Man had absolutely no idea that Wang Zhan would be so straightforward as to generously offer him forty percent of the profits, rather than complaining about it being too little. He just felt somewhat flattered.

It should be understood that this entire affair was spearheaded by Wang Zhan from beginning to end; the Old Man had merely been a bystander, completely uninformed. Therefore, from his standpoint, it looked as if this young man before him was insistently trying to hand him money. It was so straightforward that any other major faction, finding themselves in his shoes, would only curse their luck for not having such a daughter capable of winning hearts! Because that was a beast with a Spatial-type bloodline talent! The Human Race Federation had long heard the rumors but, after such a long period of knowing of its existence yet being unable to obtain it, they could only vaguely sense the presence of this formidable beast.

Of course, if the Old Man didn’t have such a thick hide, he wouldn’t have put up such a contrary front earlier. So, refusing was out of the question. For this very reason, the Old Man no longer dwelled on what Wang Zhan had said earlier about Qin Ying, that slip of a girl, being his woman. So what if she was? When a daughter grows up, she can’t stay at home forever. It was time to marry her off and let her start a family. As for these trivial benefits...

The Old Man suddenly broke into a broad smile. But then, he felt that something wasn’t quite right. Marrying off his daughter shouldn’t be such a joyous occasion. So, he forced himself to adopt a somber expression, then harrumphed at Wang Zhan, "Kid, you’re perceptive. But since you’re so generous, I naturally can’t be petty. Rest assured, when I go back, I’ll tell them this is the dowry you’ve prepared to win over that little lass. What do you think..."

Unexpectedly, while this garrulous Old Man was chattering away, Wang Zhan’s expression suddenly froze. Then, he felt a chill run down his spine, his thoughts spinning out of control.

Dowry?

What marriage? What dowry?!

He had only been making a gesture to show these people that he didn’t want to owe them anything or take advantage of them. This Old Man was simply too much. He himself had clearly taken a huge step back, yet the Old Man was pushing for more. It was unbearable, even for Wang Zhan.

Didn’t the old fellow realize that if word about this dowry got out, while things on his home front wouldn’t immediately collapse, it would definitely invite trouble and cause long-lasting unrest?

Consequently, Wang Zhan became extremely serious. Indeed, an old fox one cannot afford to underestimate. A casual remark had struck his Achilles’ heel!

However, Wang Zhan couldn’t possibly say something like, "What dowry? I’m not even thinking of marrying a girl from your family, alright?" After all, that was something only a man with several screws loose could say. Therefore, he could only discreetly, politely, and without embarrassment, nod his head from time to time, to prove that he was still listening—and indeed, still alive.

Little did he know, the Old Man, that fox, how could he fail to see through Wang Zhan’s ploy? He just chuckled. "What? Has life outside been too smooth for too long? Do you really intend for my girl to endure hardships by your side?"

What does a deadly blow look like? Undoubtedly, this was it.

Then, Wang Zhan’s expression froze solid on the spot. After a moment of stunned silence, he could only force a laugh and say, "Haha, haha, Honorable Grand-uncle, how could I possibly do such a thing! Impossible, absolutely impossible."

The Old Man gave a knowing chuckle. In his heart, he knew full well what Wang Zhan was up to. However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t toy with this kid a bit, especially since the kid was acting so arrogantly and willfully, as if nobody else mattered!

Of course, given that this youngster was no simple character, the Grand-uncle chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, relax! Where we are, we don’t have all those messy Federation rules. You can marry as many as you like, as long as you can support them."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhan was stunned for a moment. Why does that sound a bit off?

So, he cautiously asked the Old Man, "Er, Grand-uncle, is the place you live really that wonderful? When you’re free sometime, could you take me to visit?"

Of course, Wang Zhan certainly wasn’t thinking of Yao Yao, Qin Ying, Xu Yuyu, the Ouyang Sisters, and so on—that whole mess of complicated relationships. He was just purely curious!

So, the Old Man didn’t expose his intentions. He just looked with a half-smile at this kid before him, who didn’t even bat an eye while lying. Then he smiled faintly and said, "Alright, stop pretending. Tell me, who’s going to watch that little fellow—you or me? But let me be clear upfront, my mental energy might not be a match for yours. So if you really want me to watch that little fellow, you might have to take the lead. At worst, I’ll avenge you later and find you a good resting place."

At this moment, the Old Man’s eyes were filled with depth and amusement. How could he not know this kid Wang Zhan’s capabilities? It was just that this kid was somewhat inscrutable, so there were some aspects he himself couldn’t quite figure out. This was an excellent opportunity for Wang Zhan to reveal his hand—not to be missed!

Wang Zhan knew he couldn’t fool many people, especially not this old antique before him with his sharp, penetrating eyes. Therefore, Wang Zhan immediately spoke with righteous conviction, volunteering himself, "Heh, for this little matter, how could I dare trouble you, Elder Sir! I can handle it. Besides, I, this youngster, don’t have much real ability. I’m only fit to serve as your assistant. What if something goes wrong later..."

Regardless of how the Old Man reacted, Wang Zhan directly summoned his clone, letting it appear blatantly before the Old Man’s eyes, without any attempt at concealment. So much so that a sharp glint flashed in the Old Man’s eyes! He tried to discern some unusual clues from Wang Zhan’s clone.

But evidently, this attempt of his was doomed to be futile, yielding no results. After all, this was Wang Zhan’s only clone, and also the only one that had ever appeared in the Federation. As for the other two clones, ultimately, they were merely minor followers under Wang Zhan’s command...

It was fortunate the Old Man hadn’t considered this aspect. But the moment Wang Zhan’s thoughts reached this point, the Old Man immediately questioned him, his gaze sharp as a torch, "Since you still have a clone here, who is the one currently serving your sentence for you in the Federation?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Wang Zhan’s heart skipped a beat. At the same time, he was acutely aware that this matter absolutely could not be revealed. After all, although Wang Zhan despised the giant snake’s clones, in reality, as long as the conditions were met, he too could achieve such a marvel. If he were to stuff a few more innocent spirits into his domain, perhaps one day he too could be like the giant snake. With a wave of his hand, it would be the imposing sight of thirty-three, sixty-six, or even hundreds or thousands of clones!

Wang Zhan didn’t even need to think hard to understand the enormous threat posed by such a cloning ability. Once it entered the Old Man’s line of sight, the tremendous threat it would pose to the existing Martial Artist system of the Federation, and its own enormous potential for a certain kind of breakthrough, would immediately thrust it into the eye of the storm, impossible to conceal. At the same time, it would also make Wang Zhan uncontrollably the center of attention once more.

However, it was the kind of fame that makes one the target of public criticism!