Chapter 78: Treasures

Shen Ming gave a slight nod. The fact that Nie Li had exposed the Sacred Family's Scarlet Flame Burst Sigil as plagiarism had greatly damaged their reputation. They definitely needed to teach him a lesson. This Genius Battle was initiated by the Sacred Family. Neither the Kongming Family nor the Wind Snow Family would show up. With Shen Ning and Shen Xiao present, victory was practically guaranteed. Adding Shen Fei to the mix wouldn't hurt.

"This Genius Battle concerns our Sacred Family's face," Shen Ming said in a deep voice. "We will even open a betting pool. The heads of various families will place their bets." His gaze swept over Shen Ning and Shen Xiao. "This matter is of utmost importance. There cannot be the slightest mistake. The Family Head will be emerging from seclusion soon. You two know the consequences!"

Shen Ning and Shen Xiao exchanged a look of apprehension and hastily bowed. "Yes, Overseer Elder. We will do our utmost!"

Shen Fei cast an arrogant glance over Shen Ning and Shen Xiao. Though they were displeased with him, as members of a branch family of the Sacred Family, they dared not voice their anger. Their cultivation was far superior to his, yet they received such unfair treatment. How could they feel balanced about that?

"Recently, with the protection of the Alchemist Association, the Tian Hen Family doesn't even take us seriously. Once the Family Head emerges, they'll be taught a lesson sooner or later!" Shen Ming thought. The cultivation of the Sacred Family's head, Shen Hong, had already reached the peak of a Black Gold Spirit Master. He wondered if this time he would successfully advance to Legendary.

Once Shen Hong advanced to Legendary, the Sacred Family's status in the City of Radiance would instantly change dramatically. They could even influence some of the city's decisions. Even the City Lord would have to consider their views. When that happened, what waves could the Tian Hen Family possibly make?

"I hear the Tian Hen Family has been aggressively recruiting expert commoners lately, spending tens of millions of Demon Spirit Coins. I wonder where that money came from. It must have something to do with the Alchemist Association! Has the Alchemist Association decided to fully back the Tian Hen Family?" Shen Ming speculated. The Alchemist Association had repeatedly opposed the Sacred Family, protected the Tian Hen Family, and even been secretly investigating them. Had they discovered something?

The Sacred Family's dealings with the Dark Guild must absolutely not be exposed! Shen Ming was very careful in his actions and hadn't left any clues for the Alchemist Association to catch. All these matters would have to be reported to the Family Head once he emerged from seclusion.

Regardless of whether the Tian Hen Family had the Alchemist Association's protection, this time they had to give the Tian Hen Family a severe warning. Otherwise, where would the Sacred Family's authority be?

***

Tian Hen Family territory.

Nie Li had been in closed-door cultivation, continuously fusing the Demon Spirits he had purchased. He created a god-tier growth potential Wind Snow Demon Spirit for Ye Ziyun, a god-tier growth potential Wind Thunder Demon Spirit for Xiao Ning'er, and three more god-tier growth potential Demon Spirits—one of the Divine Movement type, one of the Sacred Fire type, and one of the Sacred Healing type—for Wei Nan, Zhu Xiangjun, and Zhang Ming respectively.

Although buying Demon Spirits, the Nightmare Demon Pot, and contributing to the family had cost a lot of money, the funds in Nie Li's possession were still increasing, having reached an astonishing sum of over two billion Demon Spirit Coins. As time passed, this amount would continue to grow. Nie Li felt a strange distress of having money he couldn't spend.

***

Tian Hen Family Treasury.

Recently, Nie Li had been focused on fusing Demon Spirits and improving his cultivation, leaving him no opportunity to visit the Tian Hen Family Treasury. Finally, led by Nie Hai, he entered a secret passage behind the Family Head's mansion, passed through layers of stringent defenses, and arrived at the family treasury.

Nie Hai felt a bit awkward as he pointed to the stone chamber ahead. "This is the Tian Hen Family's treasury!"

Hearing Nie Hai's words, Nie Li's gaze swept across the entire stone chamber. The walls were lined with over a thousand hooks, but only a mere one or two hundred items hung from them. Nie Li shot a strange look at Nie Hai and didn't hesitate to deliver a verbal blow. "Family Head, are you sure this is the Tian Hen Family's treasury?"

"Of course!" Nie Hai's cheeks flushed slightly as he nodded.

"The Tian Hen Family's treasury only has this much stuff?" Nie Li looked Nie Hai up and down. "Family Head, you haven't emptied the treasury of all its contents, have you?"

"Of course not!" Nie Hai's face instantly reddened. "Every item in this treasury is registered. To remove anything requires the unanimous consent of all family elders. All these years, the Tian Hen Family has been struggling. To ensure the family's development, we had to select some treasures and sell them for money. That's how the Tian Hen Family has managed to survive until now!"

"I was just saying, Family Head. Why are you getting so excited?" Nie Li shrugged and walked straight ahead.

Watching Nie Li's retreating back, Nie Hai was stunned for a moment. How did this kid's brain work? He was practically no different from an adult. He had actually been played around by him. A deep sense of powerlessness welled up in Nie Hai's heart.

"The treasures we sold were things available on the market. There are some items in the family treasury whose purposes we don't know at all, and we wouldn't dare sell them recklessly!" Nie Hai said. They still had some judgment.

"Probably because those items of unknown purpose couldn't fetch a high price, right?" Nie Li glanced faintly at Nie Hai.

"You... I say, Little Li, can you save some face for me? It's fine when it's just the two of us, but when there are outsiders... After all, I am the head of the family!" Nie Hai felt frustrated. As the family head, he was rendered speechless by Nie Li's retorts, yet he couldn't get angry at Nie Li because the Tian Hen Family's rise to prominence now depended on him!

"Of course, when there are outsiders, I'll save face for you," Nie Li nodded.

Hearing Nie Li's words, Nie Hai paused briefly and forced a bitter smile. Nie Li's implication was clear: when there were no outsiders, he didn't need to save face for him!

Nie Li looked at the various treasures hanging on the walls, his heart stirring slightly. Although the Tian Hen Family had declined, they were still a great family that had been passed down since the era of the Wind Snow Empire. They did have some treasures. The vast majority of items whose names and purposes Nie Hai knew had already been sold. But the ones remaining were actually the truly good things.

"Of these hundred or so treasures, I don't know what their use is or how powerful they are!" Nie Hai said with a bitter smile, looking at the dazzling array of items.

It was perfectly normal for Nie Hai not to recognize these treasures. Most of them were from before the Holy Empire. Nie Li could name about ninety percent of them and knew their uses. As for the remaining ten percent, even Nie Li wasn't sure what they were for!

...