The Arrogant Immortal

Xie Jiuniang calculated that Xie Ying would take responsibility.

Because Xie Ying, like her mother, was very good at managing her own reputation, enjoying standing at the moral high ground in everything she did.

As expected, Xie Ying pinched her nose and agreed.

Xie Jiuniang headed towards the main hall in the front yard.

Walking along, one would think the Xie Family had deep foundations just by looking at the buildings in their estate; floors paved with top-grade Spirit Jade, not even a few blasts of powerful techniques would leave a mark.

In reality, the Xie Family's roots were indeed in Yunmu City.

They had an ancestor in the late stages of Nascent Soul, two elders in the early stages of Nascent Soul, four to five Golden Core family members, and numerous at Foundation Establishment.

They were a major family in Yunmu City, and the dominating kind at that, since the city was founded by the Xie Family's ancestor, and only members of the Xie Family could activate the city's protective formation.

It sounded impressive enough to intimidate others, but the true situation was that Yunmu City had now fallen to a small city, with mediocre spiritual energy and no special products to speak of.

The few things that could be boasted about were perhaps the city's decent security, known in the Cultivation World as one of the few cities that Demon Cultivators seldom visited.

This was thanks to the Xie Family's ancestors' extreme measures, embedding Holy Light Stones into the four city gates with techniques.

Holy Light Stone was the bane of demonic energy. A Demon Clan member merely approaching the gate would at best lose control of the demonic energy within them, and at worst, explode and die.

Add to that, an ancient demon-slaying protective formation, once activated, could butcher any member of the Demon Clan below Divinity Transformation as easily as slaughtering dogs, making even Demon Cultivators wary.

In her past life, Xie Jiuniang always thought her family was poor.

So poor that all they had left was a small, dilapidated city.

As for any other deep roots, Xie Jiuniang did not know nor felt it, as she had never been in contact with the core of the family in her previous life.

Her grandfather Xie Tian was the Clan Leader as well as the Lord of Yunmu City, at the later stages of Golden Core, his first wife having fallen early in life.

Only his three sons were listed in the family registry.

Among the three, only her eldest uncle Xie An was of legitimate birth, the junior clan leader, having taken over family affairs several years earlier.

Her second uncle, Xie Ping, was a third-grade Talisman Master with many wives and concubines, but only one child, Xie Siuniang.

Her father, Xie Shen, was the youngest. His mother was a mortal and had died of illness a few years ago. Three years ago, Xie Shen and his wife Mo Lan were sent to the Mortal Realm by the family to oversee the mining of jade mines.

Inside the house at this moment.

Apart from her eldest uncle, her grandfather, who was usually elusive, was also present.

"Greetings to grandfather and uncle," said Xie Jiuniang, paying respects to each.

The Clan Leader Xie nodded.

Eldest Uncle Xie asked with a smile, "How are you healing, Niece Jiu?

"Thanks to the concern of my uncle, after a good sleep I'm much better than yesterday. The physician said my injury could be healed with just an ordinary Revitalizing Pill, but I know our family is poor, so I endured and didn't ask for one, thinking it would be good to save a few Spirit Stones for the family," said Xie Jiuniang sweetly.

Her eldest uncle's expression became slightly stiff.

The Xie Clan Leader beside him couldn't listen anymore and retorted, "Who told you the family is very poor? Are we so poor we can't spare you one Revitalizing Pill?"

Xie Jiuniang sighed and said, "Grandfather, there are no outsiders here, there's no need to put on a brave face. Being poor is just being poor; it's not a shame."

"Nonsense!"

The Xie Clan Leader was a very dignified man, wearing a purple vestment robe with elaborate patterns—majestic yet understatedly luxurious.

Still, Xie Jiuniang did not feel he was wealthy.

As the Lord of a city and the Clan Leader, his attire was equivalent to keeping up appearances. Wearing shabby clothes would amount to telling outsiders that the Xie Family was no good.

If Clan Leader Xie knew what Xie Jiuniang was thinking, he would probably slap her to death.

In the entire Xie Family, only Xie Jiuniang felt that the family's income was less than its expenditures, and of course, she had every reason to feel indignant about it. After all, the main branch was always siphoning off her meager resources—if this wasn't considered poor, then what was?

Xie Jiuniang found a table and chair to sit down at, took a Spirit Fruit from the table, and bit into it, sighing, "This is really delicious, it's been a long time since I've had Spirit Fruit."

"I have some more here, if Jiuniang likes them, take them back with you," Xie Daibo now only wanted to shut Xie Jiuniang up. The little girl used to be quiet, but suddenly she dropped a bombshell.

Confronted with his father's questioning eyes, he felt guilty.

Xie Jiuniang asked with feigned surprise, "Really? You'll really give them to me?"

As she took the small bag of Spirit Fruit, she said cheerfully, "Uncle, how about giving me the Foundation Establishment Pill of Auntie first?"

"What do you want with a Foundation Establishment Pill?" Xie Daibo felt an inward drumming of apprehension.

Xie Jiuniang bluntly said, "Auntie mentioned exchanging one Foundation Establishment Pill for my share of this year's allowance, and my elder sister agreed too. Oh right, Elder Lin Wangchen was present as well."

Her innocent expression was extremely candid, not showing any sign of falsehood.

Whether Xie Daibo believed it or not, I don't know.

Clan Leader Xie seemed to believe it, immediately deciding, "Since your wife agreed, give that Foundation Establishment Pill to Jiuniang."

Xie Daibo protested uncomfortably, "Father, this isn't appropriate, Jiuniang is only at the third level of Qi Cultivation..."

Xie Jiuniang cut him off, "Uncle, it was Auntie who insisted on the trade, you know. Auntie really is a good mother, going to all lengths for my elder sister. I even went to look for you the day before I went to Yunmu Mountain..."

"Fine! I'll give it to you right away!"

Xie Daibo hastily interrupted her, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat, quickly pulling out a small medicine bottle containing a Foundation Establishment Pill.

With glee, Xie Jiuniang took it and said, "Thank you, Uncle. Now it's good for you, good for me, good for everyone."

Xie Daibo: Goddamn perfect!

The development of the situation went more smoothly than anticipated; Xie Jiuniang hadn't expected her grandfather to speak up in her aid.

Foundation Establishment Pills weren't difficult to refine, but they required one particular main ingredient that was hard to cultivate and always in short supply.

The Xie Family received a few Foundation Establishment Pills every year, usually allocated according to one's contributions to the family. The great-aunt had been stuck at Qi Cultivation Great Perfection for over a decade and had finally obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill for this year, but now to have it suddenly taken away would probably make her spew blood.

A little excited, how to handle this?

Heh heh.

But since Xie Daibo was being so cooperative, there was no need for Xie Jiuniang to rub it in further, as long as she wasn't losing out.

There would be plenty of days ahead.

After Xie Jiuniang had left, Clan Leader Xie's face darkened, his Golden Core presence overflowing as he demanded, "Xie An, what have you been doing behind my back?"

"Father, please calm your anger..."

Xie Daibo, in a panic, knelt down, "S-s-son's finances have been tight lately, sob sob, it's hard raising children; those with high talents cost even more Spirit Stones, not to mention more than one..."

Clan Leader Xie's face turned black.

The main branch had only one son and one daughter.

Grandson Xie Haoran went to the Tianxu Sect ten years ago, and only granddaughter Xie Ying was at home, yet Xie An claimed there was more than one child?

Keeping them on the side?

Shameless, he definitely didn't take after his father!