Chapter 3150 — Kang Jingming's Scheme

"Why not?" Ancestor Xuanchen had no interest in the hacker's name; he simply wanted to know whether the person could be persuaded to come out of retirement.

"Because she is the woman of that madman who destroyed the Center back then and killed my senior brother, Dr. Benjamin the First..." Benjamin II's account was muddled, yet Ancestor Xuanchen understood him well enough, and a sudden shock struck his heart!

That madman of years past—of course he knew of him. This man whom people called "Mad Yang" was one of the Twin Vajras who had swept across the ancient strata in those days. A person like that, Ancestor Xuanchen would never provoke if he could possibly avoid it!

The man had vanished, true, but Ancestor Xuanchen still could not make enemies of his kin. If that madman were to pop up again one day, the Five Luminaries Sect might well become the Sect of No One.

So after hearing Benjamin II out, Ancestor Xuanchen dropped the matter outright and asked no further questions about it. Instead he said, "Then what are we to do now? Are we simply to give up?"

"My advice is that you settle this through industrial espionage. So long as you obtain the other side's research data, I am confident I can reproduce it," said Benjamin II.

"Obtain the research data?" Ancestor Xuanchen was briefly taken aback. Suppressing his displeasure, he said, "If I get the data, I can produce it myself. What would I still need you for?"

"You mustn't put it that way. I guarantee you that even if you get the data, you won't be able to produce it. Many of the components on this circuit board are non-standard specifications. Even if you obtain the core data, we could only substitute other existing electronic components, because you simply cannot buy the electronic parts used in this cauldron!" said Benjamin II. "Of course, if you think your Xuandan Sect has the wherewithal, you are welcome to cut us out and go it alone!"

"This..." Only then did Ancestor Xuanchen understand why Benjamin II was so utterly confident. Benjamin II had banked on the fact that the Five Luminaries Sect had no technical talent in this field, and that even with the production data in hand, they could never manufacture it.

"Quite apart from anything else, consider the heat tolerance of this circuit board and these components. Most components on the market today would be ruled out. So the Center's fifty percent share of the profits is no outrageous demand," Benjamin II reminded him.

"Very well. I will do what I can," Ancestor Xuanchen said, and hung up in helplessness.

It seemed he had imagined it all too simple. Ancestor Xuanchen relayed Benjamin II's words to Kang Jingming. Kang Jingming's expression, too, turned shifting and uncertain—but very quickly, he made up his mind.

"Father-in-law, why don't we go straight after Wei Zhao's company or the secular Liu family? Get our hands on their production data and then counterfeit the product ourselves?" Kang Jingming suggested.

"Are you confident? At the very least we cannot seize it openly—it must be done in secret! You may bribe their employees, but you must never resort to threats. Otherwise, the Cultivators' Chamber of Commerce is not so easy to deal with." Ancestor Xuanchen hesitated a moment, then decided to adopt this method as well. The Five Luminaries Sect was, after all, truly poor now; all their funds were tied up in a mountain of first-grade pills too costly to discard, and the little money that had come back in had gone to buy two first-grade automatic cauldrons. This left Ancestor Xuanchen with no choice but to cast about for other ideas.

"I know. I've done plenty of this sort of thing before," Kang Jingming said with a nod. "But we must work from two directions at once—the secular Liu family on one side, and Lai the Fatso's Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals on the other! Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals is easy enough. A cousin of mine is a vice president there. He's not exactly easy to handle, but with the right approach, no fortress is impregnable! The secular Liu family, though—we'll have to find a point of entry. I've never had much dealings with them, so I don't know their weaknesses!"

"Oh? And how do you plan to handle Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals?" Ancestor Xuanchen nodded and asked.

"The honey trap!" A venomous glint flashed through Kang Jingming's eyes. "This cousin of mine has a peculiar quirk—he has a powerful urge to protect any woman I've had my fill of. So long as she plays the pitiful creature before him, his protective instincts can be roused. And if they truly end up in bed together, then the Xuandan Sect can step in and make trouble—spring a badger game on him! Such things can never be explained clearly; even if Leader Bai wants to interfere, he would have no grounds! We pressure him first. If he refuses, we ruin his reputation and destroy his whole family! In his terror, he will very likely get the data for us!"

"Kang Jingming, what do you mean by that? You're not suggesting my daughter go?" Ancestor Xuanchen raged. "Do you have a death wish, boy?"

"Er... Father-in-law, you misunderstand me. I meant Little Peach Blossom, not Little Eleven..." Kang Jingming was startled and realized he had phrased it in a way that invited misunderstanding. No wonder Ancestor Xuanchen was so furious!

"Oh, Little Peach Blossom. That will do." Ancestor Xuanchen nodded. An ordinary maidservant was beneath his notice; whether she lived or died was of little concern to him. "But what if Little Peach Blossom is unwilling to go?"

"Heh heh, impossible!" Kang Jingming said with confidence. "True, my looks cannot compare with Pan An's, but I am still a first-rate handsome man, dashing and elegant. The women who fall for me are always utterly besotted, dying and reviving for me. If I send Little Peach Blossom, she cannot possibly refuse. To make a sacrifice for me—I dare say she would do it gladly!"

Kang Jingming was not boasting, either—Little Fen had been just such a case, had she not? She had pined for him endlessly, to the point of losing her mind.

"Very well, then this matter is in your hands!" Ancestor Xuanchen nodded. "But mark my words: playacting is one thing, but if anything actually happens between you and Little Peach Blossom, then don't call me Father-in-law anymore!"

"Rest assured, Father-in-law. With Little Peach Blossom's looks—miles below Little Eleven's—how could I possibly take a fancy to her? Absolutely impossible!" Kang Jingming said.

"Mm. As for the secular Liu family, I will look into them for you and put together some reference material. Then you can figure out how to strike!" Ancestor Xuanchen said with a nod.

"Yes!" Kang Jingming went off to find Little Peach Blossom. Since the last time he and Little Peach Blossom had parted, he had not spoken a single word to her. And now, returning once more to Little Peach Blossom's domain, he left her somewhat taken aback!