Flame City, Lee Family—the same antique study as always.
The butler hurried in, his face still tinged with anger.
"What's the matter, Butler?" Martin Lee asked in a deep voice.
"Master, we've received word—the assassination failed," the butler said bitterly.
Martin Lee's brows furrowed. "How exactly did it fail?"
The butler replied, "He wouldn't give specifics, just said the assassination failed. Master, I think that man didn't really care about your orders—he must've just gone through the motions!"
Martin Lee's frown deepened. Xiangshan's cultivation had already reached the peak of Innate Eighth Layer, and his combat strength rivaled most Innate Ninth Layer experts. By rights, failure was impossible. Unless the Zhao Family hired an Innate Ninth Layer to secretly protect that little thief? But Innate Ninth Layer experts are hardly easy to recruit.
"Master, what should we do next? Should we keep sending people to assassinate him?" the butler asked.
Martin Lee waved his hand. "If even Xiangshan failed, sending more people won't help!"
"Are we really just going to let him go?" the butler said, unwilling to accept it.
Martin Lee thought for a moment, then handed a jade bottle to the butler. "Of course not. Go to Southridge City yourself, find a way to poison that little thief. This bottle holds a legendary toxin—even an Innate Ninth-Layer expert would die from it. But you must keep this trip absolutely secret. No one from the Zhao Family can find out!"
………
Three days later, Ian returned to Southridge City from the primeval forest.
All together, the round trip took three days. Even though he didn’t find any treasures, the journey was still worthwhile.
After saying goodbye to Grace Jing and the others, Ian caught a ride to the Fu Family estate.
He’d been away from Xiang City for four days already. He planned to drop by the Fu Family to say farewell, then head back—after all, the college entrance exams were just a few days away.
"Ian, how did it go?" Cliff Fu greeted him warmly.
Ian gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Pretty much a wasted trip! By the way, I came to say goodbye—I'm heading back to Xiang City."
"Why not stay a couple more days?" Cliff tried to persuade him.
Ian said, "Nah, I’m still a student, and the entrance exams are coming up. If I don’t get back to school soon, I’ll be in trouble!"
"Young man, you can leave if you want, but at least stay for dinner. I've already ordered a banquet!" Damian Foster strode in, beaming.
It was hard to refuse such hospitality, so Ian nodded. "In that case, I’ll gladly accept!"
At the table, Damian Foster raised his glass to Ian. "Young man, this toast is for you—thank you for saving my life!"
"You’re too kind, Uncle Damian!" Ian quickly raised his glass in response.
"I'll drink first to show my respect!" Damian Foster said with a hearty laugh.
Ian vaguely felt Damian Foster was being a little too enthusiastic. Was he about to bring up recruiting him again?
"Come, young man, let me pour you a drink!" Damian picked up a silver wine jug, refilled Ian’s glass, then poured one for himself. "After all that’s happened, I’ve decided to let Cliff take over the family."
"Congratulations, Cliff!" Ian smiled at Cliff Fu.
"Dad, is that really okay?" Cliff was stunned, looking nervously at Damian Foster.
"Why wouldn’t it be?" Damian waved his hand. "Power corrupts, son. I’ve spent my whole life fighting for the Foster Family, and in the end, both my brothers betrayed me over the patriarch’s seat." His tone grew sorrowful. "I don’t want to be head of the family anymore. Might as well step down and enjoy a few peaceful days!"
At this, Damian Foster looked at Ian again. "Young man, I'm shamelessly inviting you once more to join the Foster Family. With you and Cliff working together, I believe our family could reach new heights!"
Just as I thought, he wants to recruit me again. Ian couldn't help but look a little troubled.
Cliff saw his expression and immediately understood. "Dad, everyone has their own path. Don't push Ian. Besides, we're close friends—if I ever need help, Ian would never just stand by and do nothing!"
Damian Foster was silent for a moment, then raised his glass again. "You're right, Cliff. I was being selfish. Young man, I hope you’re not offended. Here, let me toast you once more!"
Hearing that, Ian breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for understanding, Uncle Damian." With that, Ian downed his drink in one go.
"Here, have some food. My chef’s skills aren’t half bad." Damian Foster said, placing a rib on Ian’s plate.
"Thank you, Uncle."
Ian smiled at Damian Foster, then picked up his chopsticks, about to grab a rib from the bowl. Just then, a stabbing pain shot through his stomach, and a visible black haze spread across his face.
"Clatter!"
His chopsticks fell to the floor.
"I've been poisoned!"
Ian realized it instantly. Instead of using Radiance of Life to purge the toxin, he forced it down with his true essence, temporarily suppressing the poison. Furious, he glared at Cliff and Damian Foster: "You poisoned me?"
Seeing Ian's face darken with black haze, Cliff was shocked. He quickly caught Ian as he nearly collapsed, then yelled at Damian Foster, "Dad, did you poison Ian?"
Damian Foster nodded calmly. "That's right. I did."
"Why would you do that?" Cliff cried, grief and rage in his voice.
"Ugh!"
Just then, Ian coughed up a mouthful of foul, black blood.
Seeing this, Damian Foster's face grew cold and contemptuous. "Ungrateful brat. You refused my offer again and again—so I have no choice but to kill you!"
Cliff stared at Damian Foster in disbelief, eyes full of disappointment. "You're really going to poison him just because of that? Dad, you’ve let me down. He’s our savior!"
Damian Foster, scolded by his son, was clearly displeased. He snorted, "What do you know? This kid offended the Lee Family. They want him dead—and in return, they've promised me benefits I can't refuse. So he has to die!"
"Ugh!" Ian spat out another mouthful of black blood.
"Ian, hang in there! I’ll make my dad give me the antidote!" Cliff panicked, shouting at Damian Foster, "Dad, give me the antidote—now!"
"There is no antidote!" Damian Foster shook his head. "And even if there was, I wouldn’t give it to you!"
Just then, footsteps echoed through the hall. A gaunt old man in a red Tang suit strode in.
As soon as Damian Foster saw him, he quickly stood up and bowed. "Greetings, Elder Lee!"
"No need for formalities."
Elder Lee waved a hand, his sharp gaze landing on Ian. "You little thief, no matter how talented you are, you still end up dying at the hands of my Lee Family!"
"I wouldn’t be so sure!"
Just when everyone thought Ian was done for, he suddenly stood up. The black haze on his face faded away in an instant.