Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 617 - 597: Jade Cong

Gao Tianfeng had long known from Zhao Cong that Tong Tianxia, Chen Shouhu, Wang Boxiong, and others had been in contact secretly, even though every time they reported to the higher-ups, it was under the guise of work.

Zhao Cong privately complained to her, saying, "It’s just a piece of jade, why keep an eye on the Zhao Family? My dad was furious, what does it have to do with the Zhao Family?"

Gao Tianfeng asked carefully and found out the reason.

Years ago, Wang Boxiong’s father found a peculiar jade artifact while farming, it was a jade cong.

His father, being honest, handed it over to the local museum.

He received a certificate of honor and ten thousand yuan, and was overjoyed.

Later, the museum said that the item was sent to Xiong City and would be exhibited within a few days, inviting him over with all expenses covered, and reporters would interview him, with a chance to be on TV.

His father was very happy and prepared for six months.

Then there was no more news.

No one ever contacted his father again.

Feeling perplexed, his father searched online for the news, saved money, and went to Xiong City Museum to inquire about the jade artifact.

Ultimately, he found nothing.

Later, someone who couldn’t stand it revealed to him that the jade artifact had been taken away.

Upon hearing that name, his father was silent for an entire day.

The next day, it seemed as if his vitality had been drained, his whole being collapsed.

That year, on the day the results of the high school entrance exams were released, Wang Boxiong ran home smiling, intending to tell his father that he had achieved first place in the school and would be attending a prestigious high school, hoping this good news would revive his father.

Entering the door, he saw his father in eternal slumber.

After enrolling at Yunhua Martial Arts Academy in Xiong City, Wang Boxiong persistently investigated the jade artifact, quickly coming to the notice of the Zhao Family.

They sent people to warn Wang Boxiong, who was still a student at the time.

Since then, Wang Boxiong had kept a low profile.

Until he was promoted to Grandmaster, collecting relevant evidence, which was discovered by the Zhao Family.

Now that Wang Boxiong’s status had changed, it was difficult for the Zhao Family to warn him directly, making Zhao Cong feel very passive.

Gao Tianfeng sighed softly.

On Zhao Cong’s eighteenth birthday, he received a gift from his father, an ancient jade cong.

That day was also the memorial of Wang Boxiong’s father.

Gao Tianfeng stared at the names of Chen Shouhu and Wang Boxiong for a long time and crossed them out.

These two were not people she could afford to offend.

Finally, she turned her gaze to Zhou Leng on the list and made a phone call.

Not long after, Rao Mingxian entered the room, smiling, "Sister Tianfeng, calling me so late, is it urgent?"

Gao Tianfeng smiled, looking Rao Mingxian up and down, and said, "I heard you have a good relationship with Zhou Leng?"

"We got along well back in the day, but then we lost touch," Rao Mingxian casually sat on the sofa.

Gao Tianfeng looked at Rao Mingxian; the Rao Family had managed Rucheng for years, though it had declined, it still carried some clout. Moreover, he seemed to be rather valued by Mrs. Xiyang.

Nowadays, on this vast land, aside from the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Worship Sect, Mrs. Xiyang held the highest status.

Despite being related to the Zhao Family, she made every effort to win him over.

Gao Tianfeng smiled and said, "It’s like this, I may have some misunderstandings with Zhou Leng, could you help me arrange for us to meet and clear it up?"

Rao Mingxian remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he sneered. She had just sent out an assassination list, and he received it immediately, clearly revenge for Gao Tianlong, can she really let Zhou Leng off?

Rao Mingxian shrugged and said, "I wanted to ask about it after hearing his situation, contacted him, but couldn’t reach him, unfortunately. Also, his current status is very sensitive, I wouldn’t want to be targeted by the Five Clans at once. If the Five Clans want him, the Demon Worship Sect will hand me over right away."

"Of course I understand the importance of Zhou Leng, so I wanted to ask what he really means?"

"His martial path is severed, I’m afraid he doesn’t mean much anymore." Rao Mingxian looked deeply at Gao Tianfeng.

Gao Tianfeng instantly realized her urgency had been detected by Rao Mingxian.

"I heard rumors saying Mrs. Xiyang wants to bring Zhou Leng into the Demon Worship Sect?" Gao Tianfeng asked.

"Who did you hear that from?" Rao Mingxian had been in the Demon Worship Sect for years, leaving no trace behind.

Gao Tianfeng smiled, "Seems true. Since Mrs. Xiyang has such a request, you and I should cooperate and lure Zhou Leng into the Demon Worship Sect." She similarly looked deeply at Rao Mingxian.

Rao Mingxian felt a jolt inside; this Gao Tianfeng was far more difficult to deal with than Gao Tianlong.

"Of course, I’ll try my best to find him and invite him to join the Sect." Rao Mingxian said.

"How about giving a rough schedule, when you meet him, call me along."

"Good, I’ll go ask Mrs. Xiyang for instructions, as long as she orders, I’ll fully support you."

"Rao Mingxian, I heard from Zhao He earlier, you are always a person of the Zhao Family, is that right?" Gao Tianfeng showed a gentle smile.

Rao Mingxian said seriously, "I was born a Zhao Family person, and I’ll die a Zhao Family ghost! But... you know, I still have to listen to Mrs. Xiyang, both sides are grandpas, as their grandson, I can’t offend either."

He looked pained.

"Then you ask Mrs. Xiyang, we’ll conspire to frame Zhou Leng, make him cooperate with Demon Worship Sect people, then expose intelligence, forcing him to join the Demon Worship Sect. You’ll definitely convey this, right?"

Rao Mingxian said helplessly, "Of course."

Even if he doesn’t say it, Gao Tianfeng has ways to get the word to Mrs. Xiyang, and Mrs. Xiyang has always been trying to recruit Zhou Leng into the sect.

"Alright, I’ll wait for your reply."

A few days later, Rao Mingxian met Gao Tianfeng again and said, "As long as Zhou Leng can be brought into the sect without harming him, I will do my best to assist you. However, Mrs. Xiyang said if Zhou Leng gets hurt and refuses to join the Demon Worship Sect, then you, Gao Tianfeng, should commit suicide to apologize. That’s the lady’s exact words."

Gao Tianfeng smiled and said, "Of course."

She gritted her teeth and finally decided to bring Zhou Leng into the Demon Worship Sect; the revenge ends here.

Nowadays, except for Zhao He, no one can completely suppress Mrs. Xiyang.

She knows very well, despite being Zhao He’s niece and all the pampering, when it comes to the Zhao Family’s interests, she is nothing.

After discussing the collaboration details, Gao Tianfeng sent Zhou Leng away and sat alone in her office, crossing her legs.

"Aren’t you a national hero, Zhou Leng? Then I’ll force you into the Demon Worship Sect. Can’t kill you, but ruining your reputation among the Human Race, ruining your life, that counts as a kind of kill. When demons eventually descend upon Blue Star, we’ll all be demons, and there will still be opportunities..."

Gao Tianfeng thought to herself when she received a call from Zhao Cong’s driver, feeling slightly annoyed. Zhao Cong’s status was rising, and he cared less and less about her, even having the driver contact her.

The driver was a trusted aide of the Zhao Family, also a member of the Demon Worship Sect, and had signed a demon contract.

Although she could understand Zhao Cong’s caution, her heart was full of anger.

Absent-mindedly listening, she still praised the driver with various compliments.

After hanging up, Gao Tianfeng smiled slightly.

Zhou Leng’s mine has now been transferred to the Rucheng branch of Pioneer Company, and they are currently undergoing renovation. It won’t be long before it becomes privatized.

The Zhao Family’s overseas company will take a stake here, and she represents the overseas company responsible for the upcoming acquisition.

Gao Tianfeng thought about the tremendous wealth that would legally and compliantly end up in her pocket, even getting just a bit would secure her latter half of life.

The reason Zhao Cong is eager to secure it is that the mine has produced two pieces of spiritual mist jade continuously in recent days.

This implies that this rich mine likely contains extremely precious Jade Kings.

Gao Tianfeng rushed to Guoyun Exploration Company, directing the management to reform according to her will, seizing the opportunity to dispose of bad assets and firmly secure the quality assets.

While solving personnel layoffs, she suddenly discovered a familiar name.

Li Linhan.

She had looked into it; this person had a very good relationship with Zhou Leng, akin to family even though they weren’t related.

Gao Tianfeng smiled, picked up a pen, and circled Li Linhan’s name.

Three days later, Li Linhan packed up his things and left the place where he had been working, feeling desolate.

That night, he gathered his comrades and got thoroughly drunk.

The next day, after waking up, he was disheartened for a long time.

But come evening, he figured it out.

Li Yuanhe’s career is now successful and doesn’t need him, and Zhou Leng... well, even though Zhou Leng can no longer practice martial arts, the wealth he accumulated and his current status far exceed previous expectations.

Both children no longer needed his care.

Jobs didn’t really matter, but a person has to have something to do; otherwise, once they idle, their spirit collapses.

He’s too old to deliver meals, so he can only rely on connections with old comrades to join the Martial Arts Delivery Company and run deliveries.

After finishing company matters, Gao Tianfeng didn’t feel at ease and informed Zhao Cong before bringing a load of local specialties to Xiong City Zhao Palace.

She separately delivered specialties to Patriarch Zhao He, Madam Zhao, and the Elder Lady, offering massages and foot baths, then returned to Rucheng the next day.

Upon arriving back in Rucheng, she heard from Zhao Cong that Li Shenkong had also returned to Rucheng and was staying in Rucheng, saying that many of his comrades had perished and his mindset was somewhat off.

Gao Tianfeng immediately became spirited, went to Li Shenkong’s residence, and chatted with him, easing his mood.

She occasionally noticed Li Shenkong looking at her with a strange, somewhat indifferent look but thought it was because he was too heartbroken and didn’t pay much attention to it.

After all, she knew Li Shenkong’s nature inside out; he spent most of his time on martial arts cultivation, knowing little about other things—a typical martial arts fanatic.

The Li Family initially groomed him to be a patriarch but had no interest in other things; he never passed math and never spoke English, his mind filled with swordsmanship and martial arts, his thoughts extremely pure.

Shortly after Gao Tianfeng left, Chen Shouhu came.

Chen Shouhu and Li Shenkong had known each other since they were small, and Xu Ming was their former superior. Back then, the Li Clan entrusted Chen Shouhu to look after him.

Knowing that with Xu Ming’s continuous incidents, Li Shenkong was unsettled, Chen Shouhu came to visit despite his busy schedule.

In the living room, the TV quietly played "Journey to the West," just at the part where the masters and their disciples arrive at Huangfeng Ridge.

Sitting on the sofa, the two chatted for a while, and then Li Shenkong suddenly said, "Brother Hu, there really aren’t many people I know; among those, only ten or so I’m familiar with. Only five or six are really trustworthy. You’re one of them. Both my dad and grandpa have praised you, and my dad said if I ever run into serious trouble, I should look for you first."

"You ran into trouble?" Chen Shouhu asked.

Li Shenkong fell silent for a long time and said, "Brother Cong Zhao, what kind of person is he really? How much of those Zhao Family rumors are true, and how much are false?"

"In your eyes, what kind of person is Zhao Cong?"

Li Shenkong gazed blankly forward and slowly spoke.

"He’s particularly steady. I remember the first time I saw him; he was in a suit. I thought he was an elder at first, but later I learned we were of the same generation."

"He treats us kids very well, smiles broadly, and even plays with us, unlike the stern elders."

"I clearly remember, at home, I was strictly restricted from eating junk food, but he secretly gave me snacks and winked at me."