He paused here, seeing the great satisfaction on Elder Huang’s face, stroking his beard and smiling. Only then did he continue, “However, we must separate these two matters. Our primary objective for this journey is the Ye Gu Dan. This must absolutely not be lost. Secondly, the revenge for the Huang family must also be exacted. Elder Huang should already have a plan for this balancing act, yes?”

His words were extremely smooth, offending no one, yet they emphasized one crucial point: the Ye Gu Dan must absolutely not be lost! That was the most important thing.

Elder Huang pondered for a long moment and said, “It has currently been confirmed that the Ye Gu Dan is connected to the Jun and Tang families. If we take action now, press them for the whereabouts of the Ye Gu Dan, or discover who refined it, and then seize the formula, all problems will be solved. At that time, whether it is the Jun family, the Tang family, or the Dugu family, we can slaughter them without any reservations!”

“Elder Huang’s words are certainly correct. But before the matter of the Ye Gu Dan is settled, it is unwise to take action against the Jun or Tang families!” the Young Sect Master stated calmly.

“Naturally. However, relying solely on the current strength of our Huang family, it is utterly impossible to subtly extract the whereabouts of the Ye Gu Dan. We will likely need a few individuals among us to make a move; that is the surest path.” Elder Huang looked at the other purple-robed figures and smiled sinisterly.

The Young Sect Master nodded slightly.

Those figures simultaneously cupped their fists in salute: “For the Blood Sea, we shall not shrink from our duty!”

Elder Huang grunted, “There is no time to delay. We can act tonight.” His eyes rolled upward, and two sharp gazes shot out like twin arrows, laden with overwhelming killing intent,”

A dark, windy night—the perfect time for murder and arson!

Jun Moxie’s prediction had unfortunately come true, making Tang Yuan curse the boy for being a genuine crow’s beak! Whatever he said seemed to manifest, and always for the worse.

The Noble Hall was on high alert, every bush and tree a potential enemy. Countless masters soared high and whistled away, wave after wave, with barely any pause.

The commotion that night was exceptionally large.

Hai Chenfeng and Song Shang, two Tianxuan level masters, successively dealt with three or four waves of assailants. Not a single wave was easily handled. The two masters, having managed to fend them off, were already quite exhausted and just wanted to wash up and rest, when yet another group arrived. The two were furious! Did these bastards not even allow them to sleep?

So, the two masters pursued the intruders with a certain ferocity, their eyes red, chasing them until the enemy scattered like frightened birds, thoroughly venting the pent-up frustration in their hearts. Only then did they return smugly, but by the time they did, Tang Yuan’s part was already concluded.

The moment Hai Chenfeng and the other pursued the intruders, the window of Tang Yuan’s bedchamber suddenly opened without a sound. Two figures drifted in like wisps of cloud, without the slightest noise. The sleeping Tang Yuan was still snoring mightily, shaking the very heavens.

Gazing intently at this sleeping behemoth, the two figures exchanged glances and simultaneously shook their heads.

This fellow was just too massive! They had originally planned to abduct him and interrogate him slowly, but upon seeing a physique comparable to an elephant, both instinctively abandoned that notion.

Carrying such a large, fat man—forget flying away silently—it would be difficult even to exit the Noble Hall. The target was simply too large, offering nowhere to conceal it.

Besides, this was undoubtedly an endeavor that would severely test one’s strength. Furthermore, looking at the man’s layer of fat, it was disgusting just to look at, let alone carry him on one’s back. Better to question him right here, right now.

It must be said that being excessively fat was naturally not a good thing. But for someone as obese as Tang Yuan, in a situation like this, it turned out to be a blessing! A huge blessing! Had he been seized by these two, who knew what torments he would have suffered? Even if he confessed everything, he might not have returned alive.

Thus, one sees that where there is gain, there is loss; where there is loss, there is gain. Every single thing is predetermined. The two figures moved, drifting to the bedside, and reached out to pat Tang Yuan’s head. Tang Yuan rolled over. Amidst the rolling muscle, the snores continued.

The two stared at each other in astonishment. They never imagined this fellow possessed such a complete lack of vigilance! He didn't even wake up after his head was patted!

With two sharp slaps, they struck his cheeks, yet Young Master Tang continued to sleep soundly. One of them grew angry, grabbed the front collar of Tang Yuan’s nightclothes, and yanked him upright from the bed. His belly, smooth and supple, rolled effortlessly, covering his feet as well.

Tang Yuan hung there limply, his head askew, saliva dripping, yet the snoring never ceased.

“I give up,” one of the black-clad figures sighed heavily, both exasperated and amused. “I’ve lived for nearly two hundred years, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone sleep like this. Did this fellow not sleep in his previous life? To be tossed about like this and still not wake up! It’s simply unheard of!”

“Just give him a sharp shock; I guarantee he’ll wake up immediately!” the other suggested.

“No, that won’t do. That fat man’s howl would instantly shake the Nine Cities. The commotion would be too great, which would be detrimental.” The black-clad man holding Tang Yuan sighed and extended his other hand, pinching the fat man’s nose. He felt the touch to be greasy, like squeezing a section of untreated pig intestine.

The black-clad man forced down his disgust and continued pinching.

Tang Yuan suddenly felt his breath being cut off in his sleep—

Gasping for air a few times, he suddenly snorted violently, and only then did he groggily open his eyes. He immediately spat out a thick glob of phlegm, coughed, and spewed it out.

The black-clad man was holding his nose and never expected that this fatty, who was surely a young master from a prominent family, could be so lacking in decorum. He hadn't even thought to dodge and actually sprayed the man directly on the neck. The sensation was instantly slick and deeply repulsive, almost making him vomit.

Fumbling to wipe it off, he growled fiercely, fueled by extreme anger: “Fatty! Don’t move, you son of a bitch! If you move rashly, I’ll snap your thick neck!”

Tang Yuan finally realized the extreme danger he was in. His round little eyes widened, ready to cry out, but upon hearing the threat, he immediately choked it back, emitting a few sounds resembling a hen laying an egg, pitifully silent.

“I ask you, where is the Ye Gu Dan? Hand it over immediately, and I’ll spare your life!” the black-robed, masked man demanded fiercely. He was a man who had cultivated his temperament for many years and shouldn't have been so easily angered, but this time he had suffered a humiliating setback—being spat upon on the neck by such a weak and disgusting fat man who offered no resistance. The sheer revulsion he felt was indescribable.

“Ye... Ye Gu Dan?” Tang Yuan, still groggy, finally awoke fully. His eyes suddenly blinked, and he cried out mournfully, “Jun Moxie… you really are a crow’s beak!”

“Shut your mouth, are you tired of living?!” The black-robed, masked man nearly exploded, grabbing his fat flesh and twisting it fiercely, then using his hand to cover Tang Yuan’s mouth. Tang Yuan choked back a cry of pain, feeling agony throughout his body from the pinch.

“Ye Gu Dan! Where is it? Who refined that pill? Where is the formula? Fatty, if you don’t speak, I will drain every bit of fat from your body, piece by piece, to fuel my lamp!” the black-clad, masked man threatened viciously.

“I... I… I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.” A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him; Tang Yuan immediately decided to yield. “Hiss, but first, release my… nipples… Ah!” It turned out that the black-clad man’s grab and pinch had landed directly on his chest.

Hearing the last few words, the black-clad man was stunned, then burst into rage: “What nipples do you have, damn it!” He then realized the location of his grip and couldn't help but curse, quickly letting go. He felt his hand was suddenly very awkward. Damn it, his century-old reputation had been ruined by this fat man. He had grabbed a man’s that spot! This fatty was simply too grotesquely obese…

“You boy, speak quickly!” the old man roared in frustration.

“Who refined the Ye Gu Dan… I actually don’t know very clearly,” Tang Yuan said quickly while sucking in cold air. “As for the formula or anything else… I don’t know either; I’m just an attendant at the auction house.”

“Damn your mother! You dare toy with us!?” The black-clad, masked man became furious and clamped his hand around Tang Yuan’s neck.

Tang Yuan immediately turned pale, his eyes rolling, but this fellow respected his mother above all else. Though he had been prepared to submit, hearing this black-clad man curse his mother ignited his own fury. Forgetting his perilous situation, he struggled and cursed back: “I’ll… I’ll… I wasn't finished saying… you old bastard! How dare you… curse… my… old self!” Uh—mercy! As he could no longer breathe properly due to the pressure on his neck, Tang Yuan reverted to his original plan of yielding to the stronger opponent and immediately began to beg for mercy.

With two soft thuds, Tang Yuan’s mouth was covered again. This time, yellow-bean-sized beads of sweat dripped from his forehead because he had been struck hard twice more for that outburst.

“Continue speaking, confess honestly!” the black-clad, masked man snapped impatiently.

After suffering several painful lessons, Tang Yuan finally submitted and began to confess honestly, speaking quickly and urgently: “But the Ye Gu Dan is truly not with me. That precious medicinal pill is always kept at the Jun family residence. All the previous items were also… only secretly delivered just before the auction. After all, these things are far too valuable! Keeping them at the Noble Hall is too insecure. If they were lost, killing me wouldn’t be enough compensation!”

“The Jun family?” The two black-clad, masked men exchanged glances and nodded. What the fatty said was entirely reasonable and basically consistent with their own analysis.

“Where in the Jun family residence? You useless brat! The Jun family is huge, how are we supposed to find it? You’re completely useless; you might as well die!” The black-clad, masked man kept his voice low and pressed him fiercely.

“Don't kill me, I’ll tell you, that thing is at…” Tang Yuan said with an expression of utter panic, “…the Ya Xiang Small Pavilion.” “Spare… spare my life… I’ve told you everything, please don't kill me.”

“A cowardly wretch, the Ya Xiang Small Pavilion… isn’t that where Jun Moxie’s paramour, Guan Qinghan, lives?” The two black-clad men glanced at each other and nodded. It seemed they were quite knowledgeable about the Jun family.

“Yes, yes, yes, that’s the place,” Tang Yuan nodded his head like a chicken pecking rice.

“The Ya Xiang Small Pavilion. Now that we know that, we have confidence,” the two black-clad, masked men looked at the fatty with disdain: “They say fat people fear death the most, and it’s true!”