That morning.
Someone came to visit Ian Song that morning, and the visitor was no ordinary person—he was a senior member of the Feng Family, a super-clan that could rival the Wards.
"Young Master Chu! I've come today mainly to apologize to you!"
Elder Damon Feng of the Feng Family spoke with utmost sincerity.
"Apologize?" Ian was a little confused.
"Does Young Master Chu remember Brandon Feng?" Damon Feng asked with a smile.
Ian immediately understood. "So Elder, you came to apologize for him? But he already died by my hand. As they say, a dead man pays no debts. If you hadn't mentioned it, I'd have forgotten already!"
"Young Master Chu is truly magnanimous!"
Damon Feng quickly flattered him, then his face grew serious. "Young Master Chu may have forgotten, but our Feng Family dares not!"
As he spoke, Damon Feng presented a Storage Spirit Ring with both hands. "Young Master Chu, this is the gambling stake Brandon Feng lost to you that day. The Feng Family doesn't have that much gold on hand, so we've converted it into other valuables. Please don't mind!"
Ian took the Storage Spirit Ring and probed it with his divine sense, discovering it was packed with high-grade cultivation resources—far beyond the value of thirty billion taels of gold, maybe even a hundred billion.
As the saying goes, only a fool passes up free benefits. Ian grinned and pocketed the ring, saying, "Elder, you really know how to do things!"
"Haha, as long as Young Master Chu is satisfied!"
After a brief chat, Damon Feng took his leave without raising any conditions or requests.
Ian wasn't surprised at all.
If someone made demands right at the first meeting, it would seem too desperate and would only put him off. So not mentioning anything and just showing their face was the smartest move.
Sure enough, over the next few days, major powers kept coming to visit Ian, trying every trick to send him benefits—even beauties. He accepted the resources but turned down the women.
"Young Master, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
After three straight days, the pretty young girl looked completely sick and frail.
"Don't!"
Ian raised his hand. "Miss Sunny, please don't address me like that. The three days are up—you're free now. Go on back!"
"...You...!"
The pretty girl froze, anger burning inside but unable to vent it. "Fine, Evan Chu, since that's how it is, I'll just say it straight...!"
"Save it—I don't want to hear it. Goodbye!"
Ian cut her off and vanished in a flash.
"Jerk!"
Sunny stomped her feet in anger, over and over.
She was unwilling to give up. She still wanted to talk to Ian about becoming Princess Myra's personal bodyguard, but Ian refused to see her at all.
Helpless, she could only leave.
She returned to the Myriad-Phenomena Palace.
The pretty girl was summoned before Princess Myra. Seeing her pale face, Myra immediately realized her maid must have suffered another big loss at Evan Chu's hands.
"Tell me, what exactly happened these past few days?" Princess Myra asked gently.
Hearing Princess Myra's words, all the grievances the girl had suffered over the past days burst out and she started sobbing.
Myra couldn't help but smile and sigh, then comforted her softly: "Alright, don't cry. Just tell me what happened. If Evan Chu went too far, I'll stand up for you!"
"Okay!"
The girl wiped her tears and recounted everything that had happened.
After listening, Princess Myra couldn't help but laugh even more. "So basically, for three days, you did nothing but have diarrhea?"
The girl fumed, "Princess, it's all Evan Chu's fault! If he hadn't forced me to drink that bowl of porridge, I wouldn't have...!"
"Enough!"
Princess Myra waved her hand. "You completely spun your own cocoon. That little bit of cunning is nothing in front of Evan Chu. He probably made you serve the porridge just to dig a pit for you, and you jumped right in. You tried to scheme against him and ended up schemed against!"
Sunny whispered, "Princess, I know I was wrong. But I'm still your maid, and he toyed with me like that. Please stand up for me!"
"You have some nerve," Princess Myra said, rolling her eyes. "If you hadn't put anything in the porridge, how could he have set you up?"
Seeing Princess Myra had no intention of backing her up, Sunny grew anxious. "So all my suffering these days was for nothing?"
Princess Myra shook her head, exasperated. "What else could it be? If word gets out, it'll just make you look brainless!"
Sunny hung her head even lower.
Feeling sorry for her, Princess Myra comforted her softly: "Alright, treat these two incidents as lessons. Go back and rest up, and don't be so foolish next time!"
"I understand."
"Sigh."
Watching Sunny leave, Princess Myra let out a gentle sigh. Then her eyes lit up with curiosity. "Evan Chu, no matter what, Sunny is my maid. Toying with her like that is really giving me no face. If you become my personal bodyguard, that's one thing. If not, I'll have to let you taste my power someday!"
"Kid Chu, hurry up and come with me—the patriarch wants to see you!"
Drake Ward burst into Ian's courtyard, looking flustered and urgent.
"The patriarch came to Dragonskull City?"
Ian feigned surprise.
Drake Ward snorted, "With all the trouble you cause, how could he not come? But you, kid—you really made the Ward Family proud this time!"
Soon after, Ian met the Ward Patriarch in another mansion, accompanied by Elder Shan, Elder Ming, and two Demigod elders.
"Greetings, Patriarch and Elders!"
Ian stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Hmph! Do you even acknowledge me as Patriarch and the elders?"
The Ward Patriarch snorted coldly, his tone unfriendly.
But Ian wasn't intimidated. First, his strength was more than enough; second, he guessed the Patriarch was just putting on a show of authority, not really looking for trouble.
Sure enough, the Ward Patriarch soon dropped his stern act and praised Ian at length.
Suddenly, the Patriarch changed the topic: "Evan, why did you turn down Princess Myra's offer? Don't you realize this is a golden chance to soar straight to the top? How could you refuse!"
He looked genuinely pained as he spoke.
"It's nothing. I just don't want to lose my freedom," Ian replied seriously.
"You're being foolish!"
The Patriarch earnestly advised, "Do you know how rare this chance is? Compared to that bit of freedom you'd lose, you'd gain so much more. Princess Myra is the Central Emperor's most beloved daughter. If she favors you, forget Sovereign-grade scriptures—you might even get a shot at Immortal Canon training!"
"I still don't want to!" Ian insisted stubbornly.
"Kid, how can you be so ungrateful?" one of the Demigod elders couldn't help but interject.
The Patriarch waved his hand and continued, "Evan, you're one of us now. Even for the family's sake, you should accept Princess Myra's offer. Don't worry—if you agree, the clan will treat you well. We'll name you the next heir, the future Patriarch!"