Chapter 3339 — Preparing to Set Out

"Let me have a word with You Panhu, then come find me at my villa. I have something I need you for," Wei Zhao said.

"Yes, Mr. Lin!" Yu Dake was both startled and delighted. Being able to attach himself to Wei Zhao was exactly what he wanted—who wouldn't want to follow someone of such formidable strength? Given Yu Dake's own aptitude and the You family's resources, advancing any further would be extremely difficult, so following Wei Zhao was a shortcut worth taking.

After hanging up, Wei Zhao dialed You Panhu directly.

"Ah, isn't this Leader Wei Zhao? What business do you have with me?" Though You Panhu harbored no fondness for Wei Zhao, he absolutely did not dare say so aloud. By now he had not the slightest thought of seeking revenge against Wei Zhao. When the gap in strength between two people was so vast—when even You Panhu's backers could do nothing to Wei Zhao—what thoughts could he possibly still harbor? Clearly none. He did not wish to die, nor to drag the hidden You family down with him.

"I want a person from you," Wei Zhao said.

"Ah?!" You Panhu was startled, and said with a bitter face, "Leader Wei Zhao, what person do you want? Don't wrong me—how would I dare seize anyone of yours..."

You Panhu had clearly misunderstood, thinking Wei Zhao meant he had kidnapped Wei Zhao's friend. In the past, in his ignorance, he and Kang Jingming had dared to abduct Guan Xin—but now, how would he dare? Even if someone fed him a hundred Qi-Gathering Pills to raise him to the peak of the late Heaven rank, he still would not dare make trouble before Wei Zhao.

An expert at the peak of the late Heaven rank could be killed at a word in Wei Zhao's hands.

"Enough of that useless talk. There's a man named Yu Dake, correct?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Ah? Yu Dake? Seems there is..." You Panhu was taken aback, then thought it over and said, "Leader Wei Zhao, you mean this person? Has he offended you? This man is merely a guest retainer of our You family, not one of us! I'll go punish him right now!"

"I didn't ask you to punish him. I have some other business with him." Wei Zhao cut You Panhu off, then said, "He's worked at your house for many years, hasn't he? Give him something nice, and send him to come find me."

"Fine, no problem!" You Panhu agreed at once. Though it was no easy matter for a guest retainer to leave a family—let alone be given traveling funds on top of it, a treatment reserved for those who had rendered great service—Wei Zhao had spoken, and You Panhu agreed without a second thought. To him this was a small matter; the real trouble would be if someone of the You family had truly provoked Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao wasted no more words on You Panhu. He hung up and waited for Yu Dake to arrive.

Yu Dake was not slow. That, of course, was also helped by the fact that the hidden You family was not far from Wei Zhao's villa.

"Yu Dake? Why is it you?" Shen Yushu was watching television in the living room. When someone knocked, she went to answer and was rather surprised to see Yu Dake.

"Hello, Xiaoshu. Mr. Wei Zhao asked me to come. Is he in?" Yu Dake asked politely.

"Oh, Arrow-Brand Bro is in the bedroom. I'll go call him for you..." But before Shen Yushu could finish, Wei Zhao pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Yu Dake, you're here. Sit down and let's talk," Wei Zhao said, gesturing for him to take a seat.

"Yes, Mr. Lin. Might I ask why you've called me here...?" Yu Dake was actually rather puzzled. What could Wei Zhao want with him so suddenly?

"It's like this: I'm planning a trip to the Hakunamata Desert—put plainly, to search for that energy stone you gave me." Wei Zhao did not beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly. "I've never been there, but you have, once. So if we go together, having you as a guide will make things much easier."

"Of course, no problem at all!" Yu Dake agreed almost without thinking. He had always been grateful to Wei Zhao and had worried that he would never have a chance to repay him. Now that Wei Zhao needed his help, how could he decline?

"Heh, good that it's no problem." Wei Zhao nodded. "Then get yourself ready. We set out tomorrow."

"That works, but... may I bring one more person along?" Yu Dake hesitated. He knew it was not quite proper to make requests of Wei Zhao—after all, the man was asking him to guide the way to treasure; what did bringing another person mean? Did he intend to claim a share? But that truly was not what Yu Dake had in mind. He had his own thoughts and purposes, so he still ventured to ask.

"Oh? Bring whom?" Wei Zhao frowned slightly. He did not refuse outright, but his tone had cooled somewhat. He did not want too many people knowing about his trip to the Hakunamata Desert, yet Yu Dake was, after all, connected to him through Yu Xiaoke, so Wei Zhao did not want to embarrass him too badly.

Yu Dake was not without tact. Seeing Wei Zhao's displeasure, he grew somewhat awkward, rubbed his hands together, and said cautiously, "Actually, I was hoping to bring my younger sister, Xiaoke. If it's too much trouble, then never mind..."

"Xiaoke?" Wei Zhao paused briefly, then smiled. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Of course she can come. But what use is there in bringing her?"

"It's like this: our family has an inherited secret art, you see. My family... used to live in the Hakunamata Desert, and that secret art is hidden there in the desert. The reason I want Xiaoke to come is because of that secret manual!" Yu Dake held nothing back and stated his purpose plainly.

"Oh? Xiaoke's strength is rather lacking. Will she be all right coming with us? How about we retrieve the secret art first and give it to her afterward?" Truthfully, Wei Zhao was worried that Yu Xiaoke, being weak, might run into danger.

"That's not impossible, but according to some information passed down in my family, if one cultivates the first level of that secret art's mental method within our family home, it's easier to get started. After that, it doesn't matter." Yu Dake said.

"I see." Wei Zhao did not doubt this. After all, the cultivation of many mental methods and oral formulas requires a matching environment—take the Ice Palace's mental methods, for instance: if you sent Bing Tang to cultivate at Flame Mountain, she would likely never achieve anything in a lifetime. So Wei Zhao agreed: "Then bring her along. Now, you go to the Songshan City orphanage and get Xiaoke ready, then come to my villa gate first thing tomorrow morning. Be there on time."