Chapter 1756: The Cost

"Oh?" It was Yun Jianyue and Xie Daoyun's turn to be surprised. "You are the son of Manor Lord Wang?"

"That's right, I am the second child in my family," Wang Neishi said, fanning himself lightly with an open fan, appearing quite suave.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the two women responded, also marveling at the coincidence.

After a round of polite exchanges, Wang Neishi returned to his original question: "What exactly do you two ladies need to see my father about? Perhaps you could tell me. Although I am not as capable as him, I have learned a few of his skills, and I might be able to help."

Xie Daoyun replied, "We are looking for our missing companions."

"Oh, may I ask your companions' names and what they look like?" Wang Neishi asked with a smile.

Xie Daoyun then briefly described the characteristics of Zu An and the others.

Wang Neishi's pupils suddenly contracted slightly, and he feigned nonchalance as he said, "You and that Zu An must be very close, to go to such lengths to find him."

Before Xie Daoyun could answer, Yun Jianyue quickly interjected, "Zu An is her sworn brother, and Qiu Honglei is her sworn sister-in-law. Since they are scattered, it's natural for her to want to find them as soon as possible."

Xie Daoyun was slightly taken aback. Her first thought was that Yun Jianyue was intentionally clarifying her relationship with Zu An to help her disciple.

However, she quickly reconsidered. After interacting for some time, she knew Yun Jianyue wasn't petty, so there must be a reason for her words.

Noticing Wang Neishi's expression, she quickly realized that with so many concubines and beautiful attendants around him, he was clearly a lecherous man. He seemed to be enthusiastically helping them because he was attracted to their beauty. If he knew they were looking for their own man, why would he still care?

He might even deliberately conceal any news about Zu An if he found it.

"Yes, my sworn brother and sister-in-law have always treated me very well. Now that their fate is unknown, I can't rest or eat in peace," Xie Daoyun said, unable to stop tears from welling up.

Yun Jianyue couldn't help but glance at her again. This woman was usually so quiet and refined, yet she was an incredibly skilled actress.

As expected, upon hearing her words, Wang Neishi's furrowed brow relaxed. He then comforted her, "Miss Xie, there's no need to worry. Fortunate people always have heaven's protection."

Xie Daoyun immediately looked up, her large, watery eyes fixed on him. "Can you help me find them, Young Master?"

"Well..." Wang Neishi chuckled awkwardly. It was a vast world; how easy could it be to find a few people? It would be fine if they were famous, but he had never even heard of the people she just described.

"Don't worry, Miss, I will send people to inquire for you."

"I see. Thank you, Young Master..." Xie Daoyun's enthusiasm waned slightly.

Seeing the beauty's expression, Wang Neishi naturally knew his previous answer was perfunctory. Gritting his teeth, he said, "How about this, Miss? Come back with me to Wang Family Manor. My father possesses a special talisman that can locate people and objects. I will ask the elder for his help then."

"Really? Thank you so much, Young Master!" Xie Daoyun immediately grew excited, looking at him with eyes that seemed to sparkle.

Yun Jianyue, standing nearby, quirked her lips into a slight smile. This young woman was truly putting on a cutesy act.

The atmosphere became cheerful, and the group soon fell into conversation. Yun Jianyue and Xie Daoyun subtly probed for information about Wang Family Manor, while Wang Neishi likewise inquired about the two women's pasts.

Time passed without them noticing, and soon a servant reported, "Second Young Master, we have arrived home."

Wang Neishi nodded, then said to the two women, "You two ladies can rest in my humble abode for the night. Tomorrow at dawn, I will introduce you to my father."

He prided himself on being suave and chivalrous, so he wouldn't do anything to offend the ladies right from the start.

"Thank you, Young Master," Xie and Yun both nodded slightly.

Soon, a maid came to escort the two women to the guest room. Along the way, they quietly observed their surroundings. Wang Family Manor was built by mountains and rivers, with several waterways flowing through it. Boats of various sizes were moored everywhere, indicating that water transport was the primary mode of travel there, which explained its name, 'Manor.'

In contrast, flying boats like Wang Neishi's were rare, clearly quite precious and uncommon even within Wang Family Manor.

Even at night, it was evident that the entire Wang Family Manor had magnificent architecture. Rather than a mere family compound, it resembled a grand city.

Seeing the two women's astonished expressions, the maid felt a sense of proud satisfaction. "Ladies," she said, "even if you look across the entire world, there are probably very few places that can compare to our Wang family's estate."

Sensing the disdain in her eyes, Yun Jianyue was a little displeased.

Xie Daoyun tugged her hand and, with a smile, looked at the maid. "Sister," she began, "along our journey, we've seen ruins and desolate villages everywhere, and even the occasional towns were quite dilapidated, as ghosts are rampant. Your place here looks completely different. Do you have no mischievous spirits haunting this area?"

"How dare those spirits!" the maid's voice instantly rose several octaves. "Our master is the most senior elder of the Divine Firmament Sect—you know the Divine Firmament Sect, right? They are experts at ghost expulsion! What kind of spirits would be foolish enough to come here to their deaths?"

"What's more, the Wang family has produced countless talents. Almost every renowned power in the world has our Wang family members serving as officials. And those who remain in the manor are masters as numerous as clouds. Whether human or ghost, no one dares to provoke us."

Xie Daoyun and Yun Jianyue exchanged glances. This Wang family was even more formidable than rumored.

However, the more powerful they were, the more likely it was that they could find Zu An and the others.

At this point, perhaps because Xie Daoyun had called her "Sister," the maid felt quite pleased and added, "Also, let me remind you, our Manor Lord is not as easygoing as the Second Young Master. He definitely won't agree to help you."

"Why not?" Yun Jianyue asked, surprised by the maid's overly definitive tone.

"Because our Manor Lord has to pay a considerable price to use that talisman. He definitely won't use it lightly. It's just that the Second Young Master was, well, *cough cough*, he just admired you two ladies and momentarily forgot about this point." The maid chuckled, pressing her lips together.

Seeing the two women's uneasy expressions, the maid continued, "But you can rest assured, the Manor Lord is an elder of the Divine Firmament Sect after all. Its disciples are spread throughout the world, and Wang family members are also everywhere. When the time comes, leveraging these intelligence networks should still be able to help you."

Yun Jianyue and Xie Daoyun exchanged glances, both seeing the worry in the other's eyes. This world was too treacherous; every extra day meant more danger. Moreover, the Wang family had no personal ties to them, so even if they sent people to investigate, they might not do so wholeheartedly.

Just then, Yun Jianyue suddenly recalled the maid's words and asked, "Under what circumstances would your Manor Lord use that talisman?"

"It goes without saying when the Manor Lord himself uses it. But for others, he has only used it about three times in the last hundred years, and each time, the person had to pay an enormous price to succeed," the maid replied.

Yun Jianyue's eyes lit up. "So, it can be negotiated!"

"Yes, it can be, but our master, as the head of the family, has seen countless rare treasures. He wouldn't care for ordinary things," the maid said, eyeing the two suspiciously. They were beautiful, but it was impossible that they would possess anything that could impress the master.

Yun Jianyue simply smiled, offering no explanation. As the leader of the Demonic Sect, she naturally had some valuable assets.

The two women kept the maid longer to inquire about the Wang family's affairs. At first, the maid was very cautious, but after Yun Jianyue produced a beautiful gem, a much broader smile appeared on her face. She not only told them about the Wang family's situation but also roughly described the gifts the three successful individuals had given previously.

...

Early the next morning, Wang Neishi eagerly came to invite the two women for breakfast. During the meal, he announced that his father had agreed to send people to help search for Zu An and the others, and that the two women could stay there at ease for a while to await news.

Thanks to the maid's information from the previous night, the two women naturally knew that his father had refused to use the talisman. As for sending people to help search, it was merely a polite excuse; ultimately, he wanted to keep them there.

Xie Daoyun had already discussed this with Yun Jianyue the previous night. Seeing the situation, she smiled and said, "Thank you, Young Master Wang! We have traveled a long way, and we have a gift for your esteemed father. We hope you can help us with an introduction."

"A gift?" Wang Neishi's brow furrowed slightly. He then recalled that they had mentioned yesterday they specifically came to see his father, so they must have heard rumors about the talisman. He said, with some difficulty, "However, my father has been in secluded cultivation for many years. Countless people came seeking his help years ago, and he became so annoyed that he decreed anyone who disturbed him without satisfying him would have their soul taken as compensation. That's why the constant stream of visitors has only slightly subsided."

"I should warn you, only three people have succeeded in all these years."

Yesterday, seeing the two women's extraordinary beauty, he had been somewhat infatuated and had grandly promised to help. He had initially thought that as his father's beloved son, it wouldn't be difficult to get his help with this matter. Who knew his father would show him no respect at all and still adhere to the old rules?

Xie Daoyun's heart tightened. She had never imagined that meeting the Wang Family Manor Lord would be so dangerous.

Yun Jianyue, however, remained calm. "Second Young Master, please rest assured, our gift will certainly satisfy your esteemed father."

That maid yesterday deliberately concealed this point, which suggests ill intent. Could it be that she was afraid we would compete with her for favor? How ridiculous!

Wang Neishi recalled the scene of them fighting ghosts all over the mountains yesterday; they were indeed no ordinary people. Perhaps they truly possessed a gift that could move his father.

However, this matter was truly too dangerous. What if they really angered his father...

At this moment, Xie Daoyun said piteously, "Besides, aren't you here, Second Young Master? If anything goes wrong, you'll definitely protect us, won't you?"

Seeing her pitiful expression, with what seemed to be admiration in her eyes, Wang Neishi's heart immediately swelled with pride. "Of course!"

It was true that his father paying the price to use that talisman was quite significant, and it would be normal for him to refuse to help the two women even if he pleaded.

But given his father's doting affection for him, protecting these two women shouldn't be a big problem then. At worst, he could say he liked them; surely the old man wouldn't harm his future daughters-in-law.

He even somewhat hoped that the women's gift wouldn't satisfy his father, as that would give him an opportunity to play the hero.