Stronger from Earth

Chapter 248 247: Bait

Wang Xuan's aura made Lin Cheng and Ling Tian calm down. His abilities are evident, as he single-handedly supports the massive Changsheng Group.

Especially since Lin Cheng knows that Wang Xuan relies on the Immortal Holy Land of Immortal Martial Mountain; if he can't handle it, the Ling Family might as well resign to death.

In Wang Xuan's eyes, Father Ling's matters also don't count as significant.

After organizing his words, Ling Tian narrated the whole story smoothly. After being taught a lesson by Wang Xuan, he turned over a new leaf. Although women were always by his side, it didn't interfere with his career at Ling Pharmaceutical.

After a year of correction, he somewhat resembles a career elite, with improved judgment, reading the situation to know when to advance or retreat.

"A month ago, Ling Pharmaceutical received an order which my father was responsible for. This deal involved a large sum of money, and under the leadership of an Earth Immortal, my father set out.

After the transaction, the place my father passed through suddenly suffered a horrific attack. The Earth Immortal didn't realize how my father disappeared."

At this point, Ling Tian felt oppressed in his heart. His father was the family's pillar; after the incident, the shock was too great.

Facing such bad news, he came to notify his sister Lin Cheng immediately but didn't expect to encounter Wang Xuan.

Ling Tian detailed the specifics one by one. Wang Xuan comforted Lin Cheng while pondering, with countless models built in his mind.

However, the information he had was ultimately too scarce to easily reach a conclusion.

"Let's go to the Ling Family; I think your elders have made some decisions." Wang Xuan knew the Ling Family was not a small clan. The family had fixed assets of tens of trillions, and combined with shares in Ling Pharmaceutical, it was a powerful force.

Furthermore, the Ling Family's ancestral cultivation technique was at the Celestial Immortal level, suggesting the family's ancestors were strong, so these matters were not considered significant.

In fact, at this time, the elderly members of the Ling family and those holding significant power in the middle generations had already gathered to discuss Ling Jie's situation.

"Now that the life and death of Ling Jie are unknown, everyone speak your thoughts on what to do!" The patriarch was an elder with white whiskers, appearing to be seventy or eighty, but in fact had lived for two hundred years, the third son of the Ling Family's ancestor.

"Has there been any response from the Federation side?" Ling Yu asked, he was the patriarch's nephew and truly belonged to the first branch's direct lineage.

Ling Jie's incident worried most of the Ling Family, fearing it was a sign against Ling Pharmaceutical and the Ling Family. A few, however, weren't sad but were gleeful at the opportunity to swallow the assets of Ling Jie's lineage.

The larger a family grows, the more interests are discussed over kinship, naturally reducing emotional warmth.

Ling Jie's eldest brother rubbed his temples, having been busy these days, yet Ling Jie still didn't have any news. Now it could only be discussed openly.

"When the Federation Army captured a lurking alien race, another expert launched an attack during their escape, causing chaos while rescuing someone.

Ling Jie was likely captured by aliens amid the chaos. Things just happened to be that coincidental.

Subsequently, the Federation followed the clues and annihilated an alien race base in the starry sky, but didn't find Ling Jie, though discovered some leads.

The Federation asked us to wait, and we can only wait."

To capture Ling Jie of the Divine Treasure Realm, the alien race involved was at least Earth Immortal level, truly an unfortunate occurrence.

The Solar System is relatively safe, but aliens infiltrate from time to time, and many humans are brainwashed to become alien helpers, lurking among the masses, making such traitors hard to detect.

"The board convened a meeting yesterday; the decision is already known. All Ling Jie's positions are temporarily taken over by Ling Mai, and the group will dispatch a team to search. If he doesn't return, there's no alternative."

Though the Ling Family holds thirty percent of Ling Pharmaceutical shares and is a major shareholder, a significant portion is controlled by several giant entities. Ling Pharmaceutical is not solely a Ling Family dominion; many matters must adhere to protocol.

"In that case, let's continue waiting." The patriarch sighed, "Ling Jie is quite renowned among businessmen; the Federation won't ignore it. For societal impact, they'll try their best to find him, Ling Rui, don't worry."

The Ling Family indeed has three to five Earth Immortals, yet they are either cultivating or traveling abroad. Even the Federation's forces couldn't locate Ling Jie; what could they do?

Emotionally speaking, when misfortune befell Ling Jie, they still needed to at least put on a show to search, but with sufficient reasons, they too didn't wish to waste effort. Moreover, finding Ling Jie would likely provoke conflict with aliens, posing life threats.

Ling Jie's elder brother Ling Rui said, "The Ling Family will also send a team to search. Our branch will request the secluded Fifth Great Grandfather to act and offer a reward of fifty billion Star Yuan; we will find Ling Jie at all costs."

Other members of the Ling Family are reluctant to jeopardize their interests to save an unknown fate of Ling Jie. Especially when there are proper excuses, now only Ling Jie's family and some close siblings care deeply.

The Ling Family is extensive, occupying a manor over ten thousand acres. Ling Family members from each branch reside here, presenting the beautiful view of Jiangnan gardens to the fullest, showcasing luxury.

Returning here, Lin Cheng didn't have much good mood. Not only due to her father's affairs, but also because, despite its beauty, this garden lacked emotional warmth, filled with petty intrigues akin to the dark ancient palaces.

If she could avoid coming back, she would do so whenever possible, yet today she had to return after all.

Wang Xuan's Mental Power radiated outward, coupled with his Primordial Spirit strength, observing the entire Ling Family.

"Indeed, there's no sense of emotional warmth." Wang Xuan shook his head.

His voice directly transmitted to the Ling Family's authority figures in the meeting, leaving all members puzzled and standing, unable to discern the source of the voice, much less its identity.

The patriarch leaned on a black cane, extending spiritual power for several hundred meters, only then spotting Wang Xuan arriving at the Ling Family. He attempted to probe the young man yet received a cold snort, his Divine Thought directly severed.

Wang Xuan appeared before the group with no obstacles, followed by Lin Cheng and Ling Tian. His imposing manner instantly suppressed the Ling Family's elders from speaking rashly.

"The Ling Family is just an empty shell; no wonder after developing for so many years, it has accumulated wealth like mountains of gold and silver, yet only has three to five Earth Immortals."

Ling Family patriarch's eyes suddenly sharp, he too is an Earth Immortal, possessing extraordinary identity and strength, asked solemnly: "Young man, who are you? What qualifies you to involve in our Ling Family's affairs?"

Wang Xuan looked coldly at the crowd, casually saying, "Wang Xuan, Lin Cheng's man.

I'm just an unknown nobody, average in strength, but no problem dealing with ten or so Earth Immortals single-handedly."

...

"That one, hardly an unknown nobody."

A figure shrouded in a black cloak, with insects crawling in and out of the body. A foot-long, emerald green snake emerged, its scales inadvertently touching the wall behind the man in black, causing the thick brick wall to dissolve in a breath, spreading like dominoes.

Another voice, indistinct of gender, came forth, resembling a middle-aged man, who said, "If someone warrants our action, they are never nobodies. The purpose of our organization is to obliterate the Federation's prodigies."

"If successful, the bounty is fearsome." The man in black laughed sharply like metal grinding, fingers twirling around the emerald green snake.

"Do you recall our organization's most successful raid?" The middle-aged man's eyes gleamed with alien light, scanning the layered buildings for potential danger.

"Naturally remembered." The man in black somewhat envied the other's developed bodily Divine Techniques. Though altering his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose to hyper-sensitivity akin to uniquely gifted Exotic Beasts, it wasn't as progressive as the other's continual evolution.

"Six years ago, Immortal Martial Mountain's strongest second-generation Yue Yi, over a century-old at Peak of the Void, known as Little Martial God, due to her outstanding talent and astonishing combat power.

Our organization acted with several late Void powerhouses and one Peak of the Void powerhouse, ultimately defeating her."

This action marked the pinnacle of their organization.

Even capable of encircling Void powerhouses, against merely an Earth Immortal cultivator, they naturally brimmed with confidence.

In their minds, Wang Xuan's information involuntarily surfaced.

The strongest Pill Master of the Same Realm, potentially future True Tier Two Realm or even Third Realm Demon Alchemist! Elevating his cultivation level through eleven Great Realms within a year, unspeakably rapid evolution!

If such a human prodigy isn't eradicated, he'll surely become a substantial deterrent against the conquest of the Federation civilization! They absolutely refuse to let such a genius thrive!

(Not in the right state, yesterday's late-night aftermath, unable to write the third update, apologies.)