Chapter 2417 — Xiao Shu's Excuse

But the ways of the world are always so hard to foresee. Even as Kang Jinglong sighed inwardly at his younger brother's good fortune, he also breathed a little easier. His status as the Kang family's future young heir was secure, and the family might well rise to even greater glory through Kang Jingming!

"Fine by me!" You Panhu nodded as well. In the old days, when he was still a son of the You family, he had never really courted any women — they had always thrown themselves at him. So his experience in that regard was rather thin, and with a chance to make contact with Kang Jingming, he could not possibly let it slip by...

And so, back in their corner, these two villains of the closest stripe reached a preliminary accord. They exchanged a look and shared a sly, ugly grin. One had to admit that, now that the rivalry between them was gone, Kang Jinglong had started down the sleazy path too.

At school, in a secluded corner, a Mercedes-Benz R350 — a luxury MPV — was parked. Shen Yushu pulled the door open with great trepidation and climbed inside.

"You've come?" An old man in the vehicle looked at Shen Yushu and spoke. "Why isn't Wei Zhao dead yet? Didn't you lift a hand against him?"

"I..." Shen Yushu let out a helpless sigh. "It isn't that I didn't try. Wei Zhao is simply too formidable — the Resting Grass had no effect on him at all..."

"Impossible!" The old man slammed his hand on the armrest box between the seats, flying into a rage. "This Resting Grass was given to us by the Xuan Dan Sect for the hidden Yu family! It works on any cultivator **. How could it possibly have no effect on Wei Zhao? I say you've developed feelings for him and don't want to do the deed!"

This old man was none other than Yu Yi — a favorite in the confidence of the Yu family's ancestral elder, and the very same mysterious elder who had appeared at the mall and the teahouse. And that young girl, naturally, was Shen Yushu.

"It really had no effect..." Shen Yushu said carefully. "Wei Zhao is too powerful — the Resting Grass truly did nothing to him... And I very nearly gave myself away... So let's not move against Wei Zhao. If we stir up something we can't put down, and Wei Zhao turns his wrath on the Yu family..."

"The Yu family has... backing. Why should we fear him?" Yu Yi gave a cold sniff.

"Wei Zhao crippled Elder Bi of the hidden Zhao family in a single move. I believe you would last two, at most." Though her voice trembled a little, Shen Yushu said her piece.

"..." At the mention of Elder Bi, Yu Yi fell somewhat silent. He was only an early-stage Heaven-rank cultivator, and could be said to be a hair's breadth from Elder Bi's level. Though the gap between the Earth rank and the Heaven rank was not considered great, it was by no means small either. So Yu Yi was wary.

He had heard, moreover, that the Yu family's ancestral elder himself had spoken of Wei Zhao's astonishing exploits at the Clan Assembly. Even the ancestral elder was not confident of beating Wei Zhao outright and would need several Heaven-rank cultivators to gang up on him. So naturally, Yu Yi was no match either!

If Heaven-rank cultivators really could have settled Wei Zhao, the Yu family would never have risked exposure by activating a pawn like Shen Yushu — they would simply have sent Yu Yi directly. But the ancestral elder did not dare. Elder Bi was the precedent!

He himself would not have dared to claim he could cripple Elder Bi in a single move, yet Wei Zhao had done it. Did that not mean Wei Zhao was even a step above the old ancestral elder himself?

"Are you speaking up for him?" Though Yu Yi was wary at heart, he also knew there seemed to be a great deal of unspoken, ambiguous tension between Shen Yushu and Wei Zhao. Naturally, he would not take her words at face value so easily.

"I have a recording here. Listen to it yourself..." Shen Yushu did not argue much further. Instead, she took out her phone and pulled up a recording, which began to play...

"Oh?" Yu Yi started slightly, then nodded and listened to the recording on Shen Yushu's phone.

"Xiao Shu, what are you doing? It's the middle of the night — why aren't you asleep? What are you doing in my room? What's that on the floor? A knife? Don't tell me you're here to kill me?" From Shen Yushu's phone came Wei Zhao's voice.

"I... I... Yes, what am I doing? Oh... I know! Xiao Shu was sleepwalking... Just now, Xiao Shu was dreaming, dreaming that there was a little monster in Brother Jianpai's room, so Xiao Shu ran over to help Brother Jianpai fight the monster..." That was Shen Yushu's voice.

"Sleepwalking? You have that problem too?" Wei Zhao's voice.

"Oh, yes, Xiao Shu seems to have a little problem. Her body's had a bit of trouble since she was small. Brother Jianpai, won't you take a look for me? Aren't you a miracle doctor?" Shen Yushu's voice.

"All right, Xiao Shu, you're not ill. And your sleep should be very sound — theoretically, sleepwalking shouldn't be possible for you. What's more, the chicken-leg rice we had tonight contained a drug called Resting Grass. This herb calms the spirit and quietens the heart. Once you've taken it, never mind sleepwalking — you might not even be able to get up to use the toilet. It's not impossible you'd wet the bed outright!" Wei Zhao's voice.

"Ah... what Resting Grass..." Shen Yushu's voice.

"You don't know it?" Wei Zhao's voice.

"I... Xiao Shu doesn't know anything..." Shen Yushu's voice.

"Xiao Shu, do you suspect you're ill?" Wei Zhao's voice.

"Maybe I am... Brother Jianpai, have you just woken up? Did I wake you?" Shen Yushu's voice.

There was no more — Shen Yushu had cut it off. But this recording was already enough to prove that Wei Zhao had not been affected by the Resting Grass. More than that, he had already begun to suspect Shen Yushu.

After hearing the recording, Yu Yi's expression was noticeably darker than before. He had harbored some doubts about Shen Yushu's words, but now his doubts were gone. He could recognize Wei Zhao's voice, and since Wei Zhao could name the Resting Grass outright, he clearly had his guard up. It seemed Wei Zhao was not only formidable as a **, but outstanding in the medical arts as well.

"I told you, Wei Zhao isn't so easy to deal with. I nearly exposed myself. If we provoke him and he storms the Yu family, who can bear that responsibility?" Shen Yushu asked. "Even if the Yu family has someone behind it, what good is revenge against Wei Zhao once all of you are dead?"

"This is a grave matter. I must consult the head of the family..." Yu Yi was silent for a moment, then pushed the car door open and stepped out, whereupon he dialed the Yu family's ancestral elder.

Only when she saw Yu Yi go off to make his call did Shen Yushu let out a long breath of relief. Her heart still pounding, she thought to herself: Brother Jianpai, this is all the time Xiao Shu can buy for you. I hope you'll train hard as soon as you can...

Yu Yi was on the phone for a full twenty minutes before he pushed the car door open and got back in.