Jun Xie, of course, had no idea he held such a heaven-defying treasure. He was currently troubled, wondering what excuse he could possibly offer the Tang family to explain how such an item ended up in his possession. If he didn't return it, what use was it to him? He wasn't even certain what the object actually was, let alone its true worth!

After agonizing over it for a long time and finding no solution, he casually rewrapped the Profound Elixir, placed it inside the Cold Jade Casket, then secured that within the Golden Sandalwood Casket. He weighed it in his hand for a moment before setting it down next to his pillow on the bed. He then nudged it further in, pulling a pillowcase over the top to conceal it.

This wasn't because Jun Xie suddenly realized the object's preciousness and sought to keep it close to his body; rather, he recalled hearing that the fragrance of golden sandalwood was exceedingly helpful for sleep...

In ancient times, a gentleman bought the box but returned the pearl, earning ridicule for a thousand years! Yet, one wonders if what Jun Xie did today might be considered...

Night had fallen, and the heavy rain was beginning to cease.

Old Master Tang Wanli’s white hair stood completely on end; he was truly furious, surging with uncontrolled rage!

He had stored up a bellyful of anger and sought trouble with the Li and Meng families. When he went to the Li family, he was politely shown the door with veiled hostility. Fuming, he stormed over to the Meng family to unleash his fury. He succeeded in his wish, throwing the entire Meng household into chaos, but as soon as he arrived, a torrential downpour began! Seeing he couldn't return home, Old Master Tang grew even more suffocated. He simply let loose a great tirade at the Meng residence, cursing every member of the Meng family until they were utterly disgraced.

Who knew that right in the midst of his venting, a servant came rushing back, terrified and out of breath, to report that their home had been burglarized. The news hit Old Master Tang like a thunderclap; all the blood rushed to his head—

He had come out to cause trouble for others, only to find his own home had been thoroughly ransacked! He had only just arrived to confront others, and immediately afterward, his own residence was turned upside down, thoroughly messed up by an inside collaboration! There was no need to ask what was lost; Old Master Tang already knew. It must be an item of crucial importance related to him. If it were anything else, the family would never have bothered him at such a critical juncture during such fierce weather! And as for his important belongings, in terms of sheer value, the foremost item was naturally that Profound Elixir!

Thinking of this, the Old Master, holding onto a sliver of hope, hastily inquired. As long as the Profound Elixir hadn't been stolen, everything else could be settled. Alas, his worst fear materialized: his very own Profound Elixir had indeed been stolen! Old Master Tang’s vision went black, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.

Since obtaining that item, Tang Wanli knew he had acquired a supreme treasure. With diligent practice by his descendants, should their Profound Qi cultivation reach the Earth Profound Realm, even if he had to sacrifice his reputation, he could certainly invite several Heaven Profound experts, or perhaps even Sovereign Divine Profound masters, to assist. Using that Profound Elixir, they could propel his descendants directly to the level of Heaven Profound experts!

Once they had even one Heaven Profound expert guarding them, the prestige of the Tang family would remain secure, at least for as long as that expert lived! He himself was already old, and even if he used the Profound Elixir to boost his own cultivation, he might not live much longer. Only by reaching the Sovereign Divine Profound Realm was there a possibility of extending his lifespan, a realm he utterly lacked the talent for, with no hope even with such a peerless treasure.

Who knew that plans are always slower than changing circumstances? Both of his sons were disappointing: one was useless, and the other, though talented, preferred scholarly pursuits over martial arts. His second son’s Profound Qi cultivation had stalled completely at the Ninth Level, failing even to break through to the Silver Rank. Although his career in the bureaucracy had been smooth—if not achieving a promotion three times a day, it was close—the feeling of having their family’s future wealth and survival dictated by others, without the backing of an absolute powerhouse, was profoundly unsettling.

Even though both civil and military officials were under the jurisdiction of His Majesty the Emperor, having one extra Heaven Profound expert in the family would force the Emperor to reconsider carefully before moving against them!

Having no other choice, Old Master Tang reluctantly placed his hopes on his grandsons. What brought him some small comfort was that his grandchildren’s generation did indeed contain a few promising individuals. Except for the eldest, Tang Yuan, who was somewhat dissolute, the other three grandsons were dedicated to strength and diligently practiced Profound Qi cultivation. This greatly comforted the Old Master’s aging heart, offering hope that within ten years, one of his grandsons might reach the Earth Profound Realm, and given his own relatively good health, he could buy the Tang family at least another decade.

If this Profound Elixir were used on a grandson, the results would likely be even better than using it on his sons. If all went smoothly, for at least a century, the Tang family would remain untouchable, whether in court or in seclusion. Who could have imagined that after waiting eagerly for so many years, painstakingly gathering the necessary auxiliary medicinal herbs, and watching his young grandsons successfully break through the Silver Rank, that the most crucial component would be stolen at this very juncture!

Meanwhile, Tang Yuan was basking in borrowed glory, clutching one-and-a-half million taels in bank notes, grabbing Meng Haizhou by the collar, demanding the immediate redemption of the ceremonial sword and the jade pendant. Meng Haizhou had nothing to produce! He bowed and scraped repeatedly, speaking gentle words, his face breaking out in beads of sweat from sheer panic.

With no solution in sight, Old Master Tang suddenly issued the command to return home immediately. He kicked the still-babbling fat man and rushed to leave in a frenzy. As he departed, Tang Yuan roared with fierce malice: If the sword and the jade were not delivered within three days, he would bring the matter before His Majesty the Emperor to seek justice. This threat terrified Meng Haizhou to the point of utter collapse.

Naturally, the price Tang Yuan paid for those extra words was two more savage kicks from Old Master Tang. He tumbled about like a rubber ball.

Rushing back home, Old Master Tang unleashed his thunderous fury. All of the Tang family’s elite guards were dispatched, conducting a large-scale, conspicuous search! Regarding the sixteen corpses killed within the manor and the six who inexplicably died near the street corner, Old Master Tang commanded they be preserved carefully. Besides daily identification attempts, detailed drawings were made and widely distributed via official warrants from the Ministry of Justice, offering a bounty of one hundred thousand taels of silver for information on the origins of these individuals!

As for the few servants who managed to flee his household, the bounty was doubled, swearing to find the mastermind behind the intrusion!

Within a single day, the Imperial Capital was shaken.

And three days later, the entire realm was in turmoil!

Simultaneously, the Li family, headed by Li Youran, showed no outward movement, adopting the posture of mere spectators. However, behind the scenes, their actions were equally swift and decisive. Li Youran subjected everyone who knew about the incident to intense, secret interrogations. Any hint of suspicion was met with brutal torture, employing every imaginable cruelty—preferring to kill a thousand innocents rather than let one enemy slip away! They were determined to wrench out the identity of whoever dared to oppose them! In just two days, several people had already died under the excruciating pain of torture! At the same time, the Li family's clandestine forces began a comprehensive sweep, infiltrating everywhere to gather intelligence.

The various prominent families within the Imperial Capital vaguely sensed that this undercurrent was extraordinarily unusual. While they strictly guarded themselves and sought to remain uninvolved in this great maelstrom, they simultaneously dispatched agents everywhere to discreetly inquire: What exactly has happened to the Tang family?

In an instant, the entire Imperial Capital was churning with surging currents and surging hidden tides. The dungeons of the Ministry of Justice suddenly overflowed! The entirety of the Tang family’s vast power was mobilized, directly creating an earthquake within the capital, causing everyone to fear for their own safety.

With no news forthcoming, Old Master Tang Wanli was consumed by anxiety, raging daily. Li Youran maintained his outward veneer of gentle refinement, but the ice in his eyes seemed to conceal two venomous cobras, ready to strike—for whomever they fixed their gaze upon, the consequence was a swift death, or worse, the annihilation of their entire clan!

Yet, Jun Xie, the one who truly gained the great benefit, remained blissfully unaware, enjoying his leisurely life at home. That night, sleeping with the golden sandalwood casket nearby, he sighed contentedly, marveling at how truly miraculous it was for sleep.

Even more strangely, his mind kept wandering, wondering why he was suddenly thinking of his brother’s widowed wife-to-be...