The Way of Restraint

“What do you think is the best way to expose Wen Ting and extract information from him?” Su Jie asked Zhang Jinchuan for his opinion.

Zhang Jinchuan often had creative ideas. Two years ago, in that war-torn region, he had used clever schemes to dismantle a local warlord’s subordinates’ conspiracy and complete that mission.

When it came to scheming and manipulation, his mind worked faster than Su Jie’s.

Not that Su Jie wasn’t intelligent, but he instinctively avoided thinking about plots and schemes. Deep scheming brought deep consequences. Most of his mental energy was focused on research and learning.

He placed less importance on interpersonal maneuvering.

This was why he wasn’t good at business but excelled in cultivation, and why his progress surpassed Zhang Jinchuan’s.

“I think Liu Shi is using you, but you can use him too. Don’t be in such a hurry to eliminate Wen Ting, you might even cooperate with him.” Zhang Jinchuan’s thinking indeed took a different path. “You have to understand: your sister is in their hands. No matter what you do, you’re constrained. If they use her to threaten you, what will you do?”

“That is indeed a difficult situation.” Su Jie frowned. Though Su Shilin had mysteriously assured him that Su Muchen would be fine, Su Jie was still worried.

“You can use their own power against them,” Zhang Jinchuan said. “What has Liu Shi actually given you so far? If nothing, you don’t necessarily have to work for him. If you can leverage Wen Ting’s attitude toward Liu Shi and cooperate with him, you could access many of Typhon Training Camp’s secrets, which would greatly benefit your life sciences research.”

“That’s true.” Su Jie had to admit that even Larry’s life sciences laboratory couldn’t match Typhon Training Camp’s research and data in this area. “But I prefer to operate openly and honorably.”

“Dealing with Wen Ting tactfully is still fine. But he won’t be easy to handle. I’ll probe him indirectly and test his background,” Zhang Jinchuan said. “Now that you mention it, Mingxia Group must have similar moles. I need to root them out thoroughly. When the time comes, we might catch some big fish and take a real bite out of Typhon Training Camp.”

“Someone like Wen Ting would have required significant resources for Typhon to cultivate, they won’t easily abandon him. And he’s likely a senior figure there. We can definitely obtain major secrets from him.” Su Jie and Zhang Jinchuan discussed a few more points, finalized their strategy and next steps, and divided their responsibilities.

Zhang Jinchuan looked pleased, he had found an opportunity for a major leap forward.

At that very moment, on Zhongnan Mountain, a quiet courtyard received a visitor, Liu Shi himself.

These past few days, Liu Shi had quietly left Hedao Group’s headquarters in B City and traveled to Zhongnan Mountain near X City, thousands of miles away.

Zhongnan Mountain had long been a favorite retreat for hermits. Even today, many corporate executives overwhelmed by pressure would come here to live a life beyond the mundane world.

In ancient times, there was the saying “the Zhongnan shortcut”, meaning that if you wanted to become an official, you should retire to Zhongnan Mountain.

In antiquity, the political and economic center was Chang’an, and Zhongnan Mountain was not far from it. Many renowned scholars would retreat there, and when the court sought talent, they would send envoys to Zhongnan Mountain, thus, one could quickly enter officialdom.

Zhongnan Mountain is part of the Qinling Range, which itself is the dividing line between northern and southern China.

The Qinling Range is filled with countless wonders and legends.

The small courtyard Liu Shi came to was located halfway up the mountain. From a distance, it seemed to be positioned at the mountain’s “life gate”, though unassuming, it occupied the very nexus of the mountain’s “energy circulation.”

Choosing such a location for one’s dwelling was surely the work of a feng shui master.

Just as Liu Shi set foot in the courtyard, the gate opened.

A Daoist priest emerged, ethereal and otherworldly, as if he might ride the wind away and ascend to immortality. Behind him followed a Daoist nun, equally beautiful as a flower. Both appeared to be in their forties, yet their complexions were like polished jade, pure and unblemished, as if years of cultivation had purged all impurities from their bodies.

“Yixian, I’ve come to ask you about some things,” Liu Shi said directly.

This Daoist priest and nun were Zhang Jinchuan’s parents, living in seclusion here, cultivating in freedom, indifferent to the passage of time, their lives untouched by the mundane world.

Zhang Jinchuan’s father was named Zhang Yixian.

In Liu Shi’s early entrepreneurial days, Zhang Yixian had invested in him.

Later, when Liu Shi grew wealthy, Zhang Yixian cashed out his shares, received a substantial sum, and began his reclusive life, carefree and content. He had made just one investment in his entire life, yet gained connections, wealth, and a fine son.

“I already know why you’ve come. Come in and sit.” Zhang Yixian invited Liu Shi inside. The room was clean and bright, simply built, with glass ceilings so one could watch the stars at night, listening to the wind and mountain streams, truly a life of immortals.

Once inside, Liu Shi sat cross-legged by the window, taking in the full mountain view, dozens of miles of scenery stretching before him. His heart felt at ease, all worldly concerns vanishing.

“If I had the chance, I’d truly love to join you in seclusion,” Liu Shi sighed.

“You could do it now,” Zhang Yixian said. “You just can’t let go of the company.”

“That’s exactly what I came to ask about. When you cashed out your shares, you once read my fortune,” Liu Shi said. “Now I’d like you to read it again. Also, I hope your son will come work for me, I’ll fully nurture him. He shouldn’t be working for Xia Shang.”

“My son’s destiny doesn’t align with yours. Working for you would be harmful and bring no benefit,” Zhang Yixian said. “He has a connection with Xia Shang, at Mingxia, he can display his full abilities, like a fish in water, and even resolve many calamities. My son has many tribulations in life, almost like heaven resenting his talent. I’ve tried to help him mitigate them, but I never expected he would meet a benefactor. His blood-related calamities will be greatly reduced.”

“The benefactor you speak of, is it Xia Shang?” Liu Shi asked.

“No. Xia Shang is merely a stepping stone. His benefactor is a young man,” Zhang Yixian said. “I know what you want to ask. Your later years will be extremely bitter, not only imprisonment, but also the loss of family. Because your destiny is governed by the official of punishment, the killing star. Your momentum is overwhelming, stop any who oppose you, kill any who stand in your way, and you rose on this great tide. But going forward, as the great tide consolidates and the conflicts between dragons and serpents settle, not only will you fail to draw on its momentum, it will actually work against you. I was powerless to help, but today, you’ve come to me, and I see that things have changed.”

“What change?” Liu Shi asked, for this was his greatest concern.

He believed in fate far more than Xia Shang did, deeply so.

To outsiders, he appeared to enjoy mysticism, always seeking out unreliable masters. But in truth, Zhang Yixian was the one he trusted most, it was just that Zhang Yixian refused to read his fortune.

Back when Liu Shi was struggling, his startup on the verge of collapse, Zhang Yixian had helped him with his own savings and pulled him through.

“In your later years, a venomous dragon will devour your destiny,” Zhang Yixian said. “This venomous dragon is extremely vicious and can drain all your fortune. But now, a divine dragon has appeared by your side, adding to your fortune. If this divine dragon can subdue the venomous dragon, your great fortune may be extended. That’s all I can say.”

“Who is the venomous dragon, and who is the divine dragon?” Liu Shi pressed.

“That you must discern for yourself,” Zhang Yixian said. “But I must warn you: if you aid the venomous dragon and suppress the divine dragon, you will be choosing the path to your own destruction.”

“Hahahaha.” Liu Shi laughed heartily. “I think I already understand. Your son certainly wouldn’t cooperate with the venomous dragon. I’ll make the necessary arrangements when I return.”

“Fortune lies within misfortune; misfortune leans upon fortune,” Zhang Yixian said enigmatically.

“Enough. It’s a shame to discuss worldly matters in a place like this. Let’s talk about cultivation instead,” Liu Shi said. “I recently met a young master who inspired me greatly. He’s completely scientific in his approach to cultivation, a researcher, yet he’s already reached the Living Dead realm. And he’s only eighteen.”

“To reach the Living Dead realm at eighteen is rare in any age,” Zhang Yixian said. “His future potential is limitless.”

As Liu Shi conversed with Zhang Jinchuan’s father on Zhongnan Mountain, Su Jie and Zhang Jinchuan had finalized their strategies. Rather than confronting Wen Ting immediately, Su Jie called an unexpected person.

Li Xiaozhen.

The woman who served as an executive under Feng Yuxuan at Haoyu Group.

Su Jie could tell she was fundamentally decent, not involved in the Feng family’s illegal activities. But in the future, if the Feng family fell, she might well be implicated.

“Why are you calling me?”

On the other end of the line, Li Xiaozhen was extremely surprised, but there was an unmistakable note of joy in her voice.

Su Jie simply arranged to meet her at a certain place, without saying anything more.

Wen Ting’s apartment in S City was directly across from Li Xiaozhen’s, highly suspicious. By instinct, Su Jie felt he could find many clues about Wen Ting through her.

Li Xiaozhen certainly knew Wen Ting.

By the weekend, Li Xiaozhen was in B City on business and agreed to meet Su Jie.

They met in an upscale, private café.

Li Xiaozhen wore a dress with a feminine charm, her tall figure and years of professional bearing turning many heads. Su Jie, by contrast, wore a tracksuit and running shoes, the very picture of a student.

“You actually took the initiative to ask me out, that’s rare.” Li Xiaozhen watched Su Jie drink from a bottle he’d brought. “The coffee here is excellent, won’t you try some? You’re not short on money, yet you bring your own drink. People might laugh.”

“This is a specialty nutrient drink from Larry Life Sciences Laboratory, developed by dozens of medical and nutritional experts using advanced equipment. Not sold commercially.” Su Jie tossed a bottle over. “Each bottle costs about thirty to fifty thousand US dollars to produce. Long-term consumption has great benefits for anti-aging and cellular activity.”

Li Xiaozhen was speechless.

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