Jin Feng took it doubtfully and opened it. Inside was a jade pendant, crystal clear and warm to the touch. He had thought it was a magical artifact, but he hadn't sensed any power fluctuations. It was just an ordinary jade pendant.
"What's its use?"
"Immune to all poisons."
Jin Feng swallowed. This meant that wearing this jade pendant would make him immune to all poisons. Were they planning to use poison on them tomorrow at the Jin family's?
"Are you planning to incapacitate everyone with poison?"
"Do you think that's possible?" Xiao Man asked softly.
"Impossible. The Jin family is very cautious about food. It's not easy to incapacitate everyone. And there was an incident of poisoning before. The high-cultivation members of the family are all on guard now. I really can't figure out how you plan to take down the Jin family tomorrow," Jin Feng was truly curious.
"You'll know tomorrow."
When the two of them arrived, they had climbed over the wall. When they left, they also climbed over the wall. After they left, Xiao Man intended to go back to bed for a nap, but there was another knock on the door.
Xiao Man sighed, got up, and opened the door. She saw the Third Elder standing at the door, looking confused. "Elder, you're not resting yet at this late hour?"
"I'm old, I don't sleep much and can't sleep, so I came out for a walk." The Third Elder looked inside. "Brew me a cup of tea."
"Yes." Xiao Man invited him in and brewed a cup of clear tea. "Elder, please have some tea."
The Third Elder took it, blew on it, and then slowly drank the tea.
Xiao Man watched the Third Elder drink without asking any questions. When the Third Elder finished his tea and put down the bowl, he said, "Tomorrow, remember to follow me closely. No matter who calls you, you are not to go anywhere."
"Even if the Patriarch calls, I can't go?"
"No." The Third Elder stood up. "I'll have Jing Song pick you up tomorrow morning. Tomorrow's family banquet is comparable to a Hongmen banquet. Be careful and don't get into any conflicts with anyone."
"Yes, Elder."
"Also..." The Third Elder looked at Xiao Man as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a moment, he finally swallowed the words. "You should rest early. Tomorrow will be busy enough."
"Please go slowly, Elder."
Xiao Man watched the Third Elder's figure disappear into the night before closing the door and returning to sleep.
The Patriarch's main courtyard had been blown up, and Mo Mo, who had always been considered a cash cow by the Jin family, was also missing. The First Elder turned the Jin family upside down, scrutinizing everyone's background, but still couldn't find any suspicious individuals.
The Jin family Patriarch decided to hold a family banquet to reprimand the elders of each hall, intending to find out the person who was secretly causing trouble.
This was the first time Xiao Man had seen so many elders since she infiltrated the Jin family. Apart from the guest elders, all the principal elders were present. Xiao Man sat quietly behind the Third Elder, observing everyone in the hall from the corner of her eye.
As the First Elder's gaze swept around, he noticed Xiao Man sitting behind the Third Elder and frowned. "Third Elder, only principal elders and direct disciples are allowed to attend today's banquet. You've brought the wrong person."
"I haven't brought the wrong person," the Third Elder said unhurriedly. "Today, I've brought Lan Xiao to report to the Patriarch that I will be taking Lan Xiao as my final disciple, so she is here today as a direct disciple."
"You're taking her as your final disciple?" The First Elder seemed a bit surprised, his gaze sharp as a knife, directed at Xiao Man. "Her?"
"Her," the Third Elder stated firmly. "With her talent, it's I who gain by taking her as my final disciple."
"Oh?" The First Elder sneered and withdrew his gaze.
As the Second Elder walked in with Jin Feng, the First Elder glanced at him. "Second Elder, the Internal Affairs Hall has been very busy lately, hasn't it?"
The Second Elder sat in his seat. "Because the Patriarch's main courtyard was destroyed, the Internal Affairs Hall has indeed been very busy. First Elder, have you caught the culprit?"
The First Elder choked. "Not yet."
"Do you know who did it?" the Second Elder asked with a look of worry. "The First Elder's Martial Arts Hall is responsible for punishments and guards. Nothing has happened for so many years, and now this has happened, even blowing up the Patriarch's courtyard. Fortunately, the Patriarch has profound cultivation. If that scoundrel had injured the Patriarch, wouldn't it have shaken the very foundation of our Jin family?"
The First Elder's already unpleasant expression turned as dark as ink, almost dripping with water, because of the Second Elder's words. However, under his guard, the culprit not only infiltrated but also blew up the Patriarch's main courtyard. This was not just slapping his face, it was like tearing his face off and stomping on it!
"Second Elder, that's not how you should put it. This culprit is very cunning..."
"Fifth Elder, your Intelligence Hall boasts that there's no intelligence you can't gather. May I ask, have you gathered any intelligence on this person?" the Second Elder interrupted the Fifth Elder, speaking unhurriedly.
The Fifth Elder was so choked that he couldn't speak. He happened to see the Fourth Elder walking in slowly. The Fifth Elder's eyes lit up, and he quickly changed the subject. "Fourth Elder, you're a busy man. It's rare to see you."
"Not as busy as Fifth Elder, who bothers his own family members all day long, not even letting a junior off. It's fine if he doesn't let them off, but he was still taken down by someone." The Fourth Elder said with the gentlest tone the most cutting words. "Now, even the Patriarch's main courtyard has been blown up, and you haven't received any news. One day, if the Jin family is wiped out, you'll probably still be bothering juniors."
The Fifth Elder's face turned a myriad of colors. "This matter..."
"What, this matter has nothing to do with you anymore?" the Fourth Elder asked, sitting down slowly.
The Second Elder glanced at him and said with a smile, "Fourth Elder, your mouth is as sharp as ever."
"Not as sharp as Second Elder, who is good at shirking responsibility," the Fourth Elder said coldly. "Whenever there's a problem, it's always someone else's business."
The Second Elder wished he could slap himself. He knew very well that the Fourth Elder's mouth was relentless when he was right, and even more so when he was wrong. And yet, he had walked right into his trap.
Xiao Man glanced at this Fourth Elder, feeling very confused. It was said that this Fourth Elder usually didn't bother with trivial matters and rarely came out. She had thought he was a mediator who tried to smooth things over, but seeing him today, he was exceptionally sharp.
"What are you looking at?" The Fourth Elder, keenly sensing that Xiao Man was looking at him, immediately asked.
Xiao Man calmly withdrew her gaze, as if she had never looked at the Fourth Elder.
"Third Elder, it's been a long time. Your disciple is becoming more and more ill-mannered," the Fourth Elder said, not letting Xiao Man off the hook just because she pretended to be foolish. He pointed directly at her. "This young man looks unfamiliar. Where did you pick him up from?"
"He's from..."
"I'm not interested in where you picked him up from. I'm just reminding you not to bring just any cat or dog into the house. This is not a charity."