novelslam Chapter 80 Positioning
Chapter 80 Positioning
Jingyuan, a villa on a lakeside island.
In the stone pavilion in the courtyard, Shen Zhi Qiu looked at the chessboard on the stone table, holding a black piece in his hand, and slowly placed a piece down.
"Brother Xie, what's your decision?"
Xie Yanli sneered, slammed the white piece in his hand heavily onto the chessboard, and stared intently at Shen Zhi Qiu.
"Your appetite is too big! You want me to dismantle the array core of Xiaoyao Residence, and then you want me to hand over the array core of the island in the middle of the lake. Heh, with all this, hasn't our Xie family been working for nothing?"
Shen Zhi Qiu leisurely held a black chess piece, pondering the game as he casually replied, "Didn't you get the Yellow Millet Maiden you've always wanted? That was the whole point of our deal. The deal is done. Your withdrawal from Jingyuan and handing over the feng shui array is only to be expected. What, is your Xie family trying to force a sale? Do you want to throw away your Xie family's reputation built over a thousand years?"
Xie Yanli's expression froze. He looked at Shen Zhiqi as if he were looking at his father's killer, his eyes cold and sharp.
Are you threatening me?
Shen Zhi Qiu slowly placed a piece, nodded in satisfaction, and without looking up at Xie Yanli, took out another black piece from the chess box and said casually, "It was you who acted rashly first."
Shen Zhi Qiu held the black chess piece in his hand, gently toying with it, his gaze never leaving the chessboard. He said casually, "Tell me, if this gets out, will your Xie family still be able to get feng shui business from other families? There are many feng shui families besides yours."
Xie Yanli stared intently at Shen Zhiqi.
"How did you find out? Was it the Gu family, or the Lu family? Or perhaps, the Fu family?"
Shen Zhi Qiu seemed not to have heard Xie Yanli's question, and just kept staring at the chessboard while urging, "Hurry up and make your move."
Xie Yanli casually took a white chess piece from the chess box and slammed it hard onto the chessboard.
"Aren't you afraid that the Xie family and your Shen family will fight to the death?"
Just then, a kite flew over and circled Xie Yanli, seemingly trying to confirm his identity.
"Is it a letter from Huai'an? Why would he send a letter at this time?"
Xie Huai'an took over the general affairs here as soon as he arrived yesterday, and took the opportunity to get close to Shi Zheng, hoping to win her heart and bring this dream girl back to the Xie family.
Xie Yanli stretched out his hand and made a handprint. Only then did the kite confirm his identity and slowly land in his palm.
"Uncle, Huai'an just received news that the Netherfire has been suspected of being destroyed on the very night the Shen family issued their warning. Please be cautious, Uncle."
Upon hearing this news, Xie Yanli's pupils contracted, and he abruptly looked up at Shen Zhiqi. He had previously thought that Shen Zhiqi was putting on an act to exert pressure, but now it seemed that she was clearly fearless.
Xie Yanli's expression changed instantly, and a hearty smile appeared on his face: "Haha, Brother Shen, how was the joke just now? Were you fooled? Haha, look at what Brother Shen said, this matter was indeed not handled properly by my Xie family. I will dismantle the array core at Xiaoyao Residence as soon as possible, and I will also transfer this villa on the island in the lake to the Shen family as soon as possible. Look at you, you have to make such a big deal out of such a small matter. Given the relationship between our Xie and Shen families, you are being too distant."
A hint of confusion appeared in Shen Zhi Qiu's lowered eyes, but his expression remained calm and composed. His gaze never left the chessboard. He placed a chess piece in one spot and said casually.
"Slay the dragon!"
Xie Yanli looked at the chessboard, a hint of unease appearing on his face, but he quickly concealed it and laughed heartily, "When it comes to chess skills, you really are the best! I'm just a roughneck, I've played chess for half my life and I still don't understand it, hahaha."
Shen Zhi Qiu casually stood up, glanced down at Xie Yanli with a faint smile on his face, and bowed, saying, "Then thank you very much."
After saying that, he flicked his sleeve, rode the wind, and disappeared from the spot.
As Xie Yanli watched Shen Zhi Qiu walk away, the smile on his face vanished instantly. He forcefully flicked his sleeve, sweeping the chess pieces off the board and letting out an angry snort.
"The Shen family has gone too far!"
At this moment, a young man who looked to be in his early twenties walked in, glanced at the scattered chess pieces on the ground, shook his head slightly, stepped forward, and bowed.
"Uncle Liu, thankfully this matter didn't escalate to an irreversible point. This is the best possible outcome. Please rest assured, Uncle Liu."
Xie Yanli turned and glared at Xie Huai'an.
"Who do you think I deliberately diverted that pure spiritual energy for? It was all for you! Without that pure spiritual energy, how could you maintain your cultivation progress in this desolate world? You've fallen far behind, how can you compete for the position of young master? And now you're making sarcastic remarks, huh? You truly are a magnanimous young master of Huai'an."
Xie Huai'an smiled helplessly, maintaining his bowing posture, and comforted him, "Please rest assured, Sixth Uncle, before leaving the family, I had already learned a secret technique of Qi Luck, which can transform Qi Luck into spiritual energy. My cultivation will not be delayed because I am in the secular world."
Xie Yanli's expression softened somewhat.
"I underestimated you. You've done well, not disgracing our lineage's reputation."
Seeing that Xie Yanli's anger had subsided, Xie Huai'an slowly stood up, his face still showing respect and friendliness.
"This is all thanks to Uncle Liu's excellent teaching."
Xie Yanli waved his hand and said, "Alright, enough with the formalities. As long as you get things done, that's more important than anything else."
Xie Huai'an bowed his head and agreed.
Xie Yanli said resentfully, "The Shen family really values Xia Xue. They actually used their family's resources to extinguish the Netherfire for her sake. Heh, how impressive."
Faced with such a show of force, even though he knew the Shen family wouldn't fight the Xie family to the death, he couldn't help but feel more apprehensive.
Xie Yanli suddenly seemed to remember something, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes as he stared at Xie Huai'an and asked, "Are you confident you can pursue Xia Xue?"
Xie Huai'an shook his head without any hesitation and said, "No."
Xia Xue not only has a mysterious sect behind her, but also receives attention from the Shen family. She is also a genius in both metaphysical cultivation and martial arts. He has no confidence in controlling such a prodigy.
He still has that much self-awareness.
Xie Yanli looked down in disappointment and muttered a curse.
"waste!"
Xie Huai'an pretended not to hear, remaining calm and waiting as if he were just a background figure, waiting for Xie Yanli to process these negative emotions on his own.
After a long while, Xie Yanli finally returned to normal and glared at Xie Huai'an with annoyance.
"I'm going to the port city. I'm leaving things here to you. Don't mess it up."
Xie Huai'an quickly bowed and said, "Yes, Sixth Uncle, I will do my best to complete the task you have entrusted to me without any mistakes."
Xie Yanli was annoyed just seeing Xie Huai'an. He shifted his gaze, and seeing the lake island that would soon no longer belong to him made him even more annoyed. So he simply used an invisibility spell, rode the wind, and left.
Xie Huai'an looked in the direction Xie Yanli had left and let out a long sigh.
"They're finally gone."
Xie Huai'an stretched, then looked regally toward the Xia residence, toying with the prayer beads in his hand as he muttered to himself, "Xia Xue, interesting!"
Xia Xue returned home.
He pondered his newly acquired teleportation ability.
"Does positioning necessarily require a medium?"
If that's the case, the restrictions would be too great.
Xia Xue scrutinized the words carefully.
"The phrase 'can assist' implies that this 'medium' is merely an aid, not the main element. If other methods are used to assist in positioning, can we ignore the 'medium'?"
For example, telekinesis, or the art of tracing origins!