Invincible Dad-Chapter 772: Murder for Treasure_1

After confirming the important intelligence with Xu Lai, Sikong Jiu didn’t stay long before leaving.

"I need to go back and carefully think about how to deal with Great Emperor Yuan Ying of the Tian Gui Tribe," the young man said.

Although this particular Great Emperor had been dead for nearly an entire cycle, the title of the Immortal Domain’s First Emperor was a thorn that remained stuck in Sikong Jiu’s heart. The contingency plans he left behind could not be underestimated.

But no matter how nice Sikong Jiu sounds, I know the boy is clearly looking for an escape route, trying to find a way to stay out of the conflict between Emperors, Xu Lai thought. Everyone in the world hustles for their own benefit, after all. It goes without saying that we don’t fully trust each other, and I certainly wouldn’t blindly risk my life for him. The only reason we aren’t in conflict and get along so harmoniously is the current absence of any clashing interests.

Xu Lai went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for his wife and daughter, squinting as he multitasked.

The list of one hundred Emperors for the one hundred eras was determined in the previous cycle. That information is engraved in the Cloud Water Rust Characters. I still need to continue my research on Cloud Water Rust! I have to figure out the hidden message in the characters on the No Righteous Sword as soon as possible. Gu Yan brought this sword from The Other Shore. It’s incredibly significant and might contain useful information.

"Brother-in-law, that smells so good!"

Ten minutes later, his sister-in-law’s voice sounded from outside the kitchen. She sniffed the air, drool nearly escaping the corner of her mouth.

Xu Lai glanced at the disheveled, just-woken-up Ruan Lan and frowned. "Get dressed properly."

Ruan Lan casually pulled up her shoulder strap, her lips curving into a smile. "What, can’t resist the charm of your beautiful, youthful sister-in-law?"

"I have a fear of heights, so I can’t stand looking at airstrips."

"..."

Ruan Lan glared. "You rotten brother-in-law! I’m going to beat you to death one of these days, hmph!"

Xu Lai ignored her. Ruan Lan, however, leaned against the doorframe, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

Finally, she bit her lip and whispered, "Brother-in-law, the Hua Country Martial Dao Association has recently asked me to create quite a few formations. They seem to be..."

"Going to war with the Moon Clan."

Without turning his head, Xu Lai had already guessed what she wanted to say. No wonder she was studying the Formation Chessboard day and night while I was away in the Immortal Domain. She wanted to do her part.

"Although Chairman Gao and the others haven’t asked me to go to Chang’an City, I think that I..." Ruan Lan stammered.

"If you want to go, then go," Xu Lai said lightly. "In cultivation, you must follow your heart. Do what you believe is right. The only outcomes are success or failure, life or death."

Ruan Lan said nothing, her gaze fixed on Xu Lai’s back as she became lost in thought for a moment.

When she snapped out of it, her cheeks flushed, and she muttered to herself, "What a show-off. Of course this fairy is going. This will be my first battle to make a name for myself in the Immortal Domain!"

Xu Lai pursed his lips.

Ruan Lan says one thing but means another. She clearly can’t bear to see so many innocent people get hurt, yet she still has to find an excuse for herself.

However, even though the Spiritual Energy on Earth was resurgent and a large number of Martial Artists were progressing by leaps and bounds, the experts of the Moon Clan still appeared to be the stronger side on paper.

The Moon also harbored many secrets. If it revealed all its trump cards, Earth would be completely outmatched.

"Brother-in-law, if the situation gets dire, will you help?" Ruan Lan asked hopefully.

"We’ll see."

Xu Lai didn’t give a definite answer. If a power emerged that was beyond Earth’s ability to handle, he would certainly intervene.

"That’s good enough."

Ruan Lan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as my damn brother-in-law is willing to help, there’s no problem that can’t be solved!

After breakfast, Ruan Lan hurried off to the Martial Dao Association. Since Xu Lai was home, she no longer needed to act as her niece’s guardian.

However, Xu Yiyi clearly wanted to join the fun as well, and Xu Lai simply waved his hand to grant her permission.

"Don’t worry, Daddy, I’ll keep it a secret from Mommy!" Yiyi’s little face was full of adorable seriousness.

"Good." Xu Lai nodded. "This is our little secret. Pinky promise."

"Pinky promise."

"???"

On the second-floor staircase, large question marks seemed to appear on Ruan Tang’s forehead.

After her daughter left, she asked directly, "Xu Lai, what were you two plotting behind my back just now?"

"A secret." Xu Lai would never sell out his daughter.

"Is that so?" Ruan Tang walked over to Xu Lai with a gentle smile. "Mr. Xu, would you be so kind as to tell me this secret?"

"...It’s nothing major. Our daughter just wants to go out and get some experience. It’s not dangerous."

"Is that all?"

"That’s all," Xu Lai said with a straight face. He wasn’t lying. Isn’t participating in a battle between the cultivators of two stars a form of experience? And as for whether it’s dangerous... I don’t think it is.

Ruan Tang remained skeptical. "Then why hide it from me?"

"A father and daughter should have their little secrets. It’s like the sense of ceremony that couples have for anniversaries."

"..."

Ruan Tang fell into thought. It sounded reasonable at first, but on further reflection, it felt like Xu Lai hadn’t really said anything at all.

She didn’t press the issue, though. Since Xu Lai said Yiyi wouldn’t be in danger, then she wouldn’t be. Ruan Tang trusted every word her husband said.

Stroking her belly, Ruan Tang said softly, "I’m not going to the company today. Why don’t you take me for a walk?"

"Well..." Xu Lai hesitated.

"You have something to do?"

"I was planning to study the Cloud Water Rust Characters."

"I see." Ruan Tang’s smile bloomed like a flower. "Then you’d better do a good job of keeping me company. If you make me happy, I’ll help you with your research."

That day, the No Righteous Sword had emitted a golden light so blinding that not even Xu Lai and Taotie could see the Cloud Water Rust Characters clearly, yet Ruan Tang had been able to transcribe them onto paper. Furthermore, it was Ruan Tang who had deciphered the coordinates hidden in the third character.

In this field, Ruan Tang was undoubtedly one of the foremost experts in the Immortal Domain. Even Xu Lai didn’t dare to underestimate her abilities.

"Let’s go, then." Xu Lai took Ruan Tang’s hand.

For their walk, the couple chose a nearby hill instead of the seaside. The weather was lovely and perfect for a climb.

Xu Lai and Ruan Tang strolled slowly up the mountain trail, watching as yellowed leaves, colored by the season, fluttered to the ground on the breeze. Without them even realizing it, autumn had arrived.

"The Spiritual Energy is so rich," Ruan Tang remarked suddenly. "Xu Lai, is there a treasure nearby? I hear Ruan Lan talking about things like that all the time."

Xu Lai spread his Divine Sense, and his expression grew strange. "It’s a Seven-star Grass, a spirit plant that only grows in places with dense Spiritual Energy. This one is already three hundred years old."

"Oh, really?" Ruan Tang tilted her head.

Although she was at the Golden Core Realm, she had never truly dedicated herself to cultivation, nor had she ever really stepped into the Cultivation World, much less hunted for treasure.

Xu Lai couldn’t help but squeeze his beloved wife’s tender hand, smiling as his eyes crinkled. "Come on, I’ll take you to go kill people and steal their treasure!"

"Stealing treasure is fine, but let’s skip the killing."

For some unknown reason, deep in the forest, the various martial artists and demonic beasts caught in a standoff all shivered at once.