After Vesa finished "disciplining" Feng Xue, she became quiet and obedient. She tried her best to help Mingyue.
It was not only because of the fear she had just experienced.
It was also because of the promise that they would give her a body to use.
"Hmph, uncle, what uncle?
He always made my life hard on purpose because he was jealous of my talent. He kept finding faults in everything I did.
Then he would act like an elder and use his status to pressure me.
He is a hateful person.
If my family really plots against me, I am sure he is one of the masterminds."
"Why would they plot against their own?
If you cannot trust your own family, then who can you trust?" Mingyue asked calmly.
[Do not worry about it.
The Queen has me and the king.
Feng Xue, you only need to focus on your task.]
Mingyue ignored their personal complaints and changed the topic.
"Vesa, can you show me Jian Feng's status?
Or do I need to see him directly?"
Vesa did not reply with words. A status window appeared in front of Mingyue.
***
[Name: Jian Feng Xueqi]
[Power Level: 8.5]
[Life Force: 105/210]
[Cultivation Level: Core Formation Stage - Late Level]
[The target is frustrated and afraid of his situation. Has hostile intentions.]
***
Mingyue was not surprised when she read the information.
"Vesa, can you make a map like the one in the secret realm?"
[If it is only a map of the area, it is possible. But I think the Queen wants a map that shows the location of all cultivators in the area?]
"Yes, is that possible?"
[For now, no. But if the Queen is curious, I can try to detect the strongest cultivator in your family.]
Mingyue agreed right away. She had always been curious about who was truly the strongest in her family.
She knew the patriarch should be at the Nascent Soul stage.
But a large family like hers should also have an ancestor hiding in the dark to protect them.
After a moment, another message appeared.
[The strongest I can sense is at the Nascent Soul stage, Queen. But I can sense a strong formation in the area ahead.
If you can get close, I can break it.]
"Is it near the center area?
That should be our family treasury."
[No, Queen. I can sense a formation there too, but it is not as strong.]
[The one I mean is in the northeast area of the city.]
Mingyue knew that place. It was the ancestor's grave.
Every year, the family gathered there to pay respects.
However, she had never gone deep inside. That area was restricted to everyone except the patriarch.
"Forget it.
Maybe I will check it later."
Her eyes flashed with a playful light.
She gave some orders to Zan Lu and told Feng Xue to threaten her uncle again.
Outside the carriage, Zan Lu walked closer to Jian Feng.
He took out the photo from before and showed it to him.
Then he crumpled the paper. At the same time, Jian Feng felt a sharp pain, as if his soul was being crushed.
His face turned pale. Panic rose in his chest.
"W-What do you want to do?" Jian Feng asked with a trembling voice.
Zan Lu smiled.
"You should know your place.
I may only be an attendant, but a weakling like you has no right to talk to me like that.
Or do you want me to burn this paper?"
With his other hand, he took out a match and lit it.
Jian Feng sensed a flash of qi around the small flame, but only for a moment.
That brief feeling made him even more certain these people were not normal cultivators.
He even started to suspect they came from some ancient family.
Normally, once a flame fueled by qi was lit, he should feel the qi being consumed continuously.
When he saw Zan Lu slowly move the ember closer to the photo, Jian Feng felt a burning sensation spread through his soul.
The danger felt real. He quickly bowed his head and begged for forgiveness.
Inside the carriage, Mingyue laughed quietly to herself.
"I can only do soul attacks three times a day, and you really used one of them just to prank your uncle?" Feng Xue complained.
"It is worth it.
You do not know how much I suffered under him when I lived here.
And it is not only for a prank," she said.
Outside, Zan Lu's eyes held real pride now, not just an act.
He was watching an arrogant cultivator from a prominent family bend and submit in front of him, a commoner.
He thought, following Lady Mingyue was the right choice.
Looking down at Jian Feng, he spoke again.
"I can return this to you.
Even better, I can give you this artifact.
Are you interested?"
In the Xueqi Family, Jian Feng held a low position. His talent was average.
Even his son was useless, always lazy and staying at home.
When he looked at the artifact in Zan Lu's hand, greed rose in his heart.
If he had it, he felt sure he could secure a better position in the family.
He could also get more resources to cultivate his newborn granddaughter.
He had even spread rumors himself that his granddaughter was talented when she was born.
He had not lied. He really saw the phenomenon at her birth.
But since only his branch of the family witnessed it, the patriarch and others did not fully believe him.
They preferred to wait until her talent could be confirmed later.
"Of course, sir. What can I do for you?" Jian Feng asked.
"It is nothing hard. Just tell me what happened.
I heard rumors outside that one of the family heirs had an accident.
But why is there a need to close the whole city?" Zan Lu asked.
Jian Feng's eyes sharpened.
"I am sorry, sir.
I can only say this much: our family is grieving, and some bastard took the chance to steal an important artifact, so we closed down the whole city."
Inside the carriage, Mingyue gave Zan Lu another instruction.
He continued calmly.
"I do not have any hidden motives. We are just merchants selling some artifacts.
I only want to know if your family is in a position to purchase our item.
If there is internal strife, it will only bring trouble for our miss."