Chapter 232: Turmoil

A sharp screech interrupted Dongfang Xi's reply. Terror flickered in his eyes as he awoke, staring at Ye Mo. His teeth chattered furiously.

A torrent of black blood gushed from Dongfang Xi's mouth. Ye Mo knew instantly it was bad. Dongfang Xi had awakened at the last moment, poisoned. Before Ye Mo could intervene, Dongfang Xi died, his skin turning black.

"Such a potent poison," Ye Mo sighed. He'd never encountered anything like it, and even with his current abilities, he couldn't have saved Dongfang Xi without creating a Lotus Life Pill.

"Brother, he… killed himself?" Tang Beiwei observed Dongfang Xi's lifeless body.

Ye Mo nodded, incinerating the body with a fireball. "It's a shame he died so easily," he said. "A nocturnal bird disrupted us. Otherwise, I would have learned everything, but it matters little now."

"Brother, you really gave me Dao Magic Charms? The fireballs worked, but my necklace broke," Tang Beiwei exclaimed.

"Mhm," Ye Mo replied. "As long as you're okay. I'll help you refine your necklace later. Let's go; we might return tomorrow." He was thinking about the auction.

Tang Beiwei's heart swelled with warmth. Having such a brother was truly a blessing. She offered the remaining Fireball Charms to Ye Mo. "I still have a few left."

"Keep them for self-defense," Ye Mo said, pushing them back. "I need to make some other things tonight. Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"I know, Brother," Tang Beiwei assured him. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Brother, I want to see my mother. Are we coming back tomorrow?"

Ye Mo nodded. "Tomorrow's very important to me. I have to come. I'll take care of your mother, don't worry. Let's find a place to stay. You walk too slowly; I'll carry you."

Despite Ye Mo carrying Tang Beiwei, it was almost midnight when they reached the nearest hotel. Ye Mo urged Tang Beiwei to sleep early as he had work to do.

Beijing, Song Family Residence

Song Qiming was consumed by worry. Song Hai and Dongfang Xi hadn't contacted them since leaving, and Dongfang Xi had said they'd brought their plans forward. It was now daylight, yet there was still no news. He couldn't reach anyone on Wuliang Mountain.

Song Qiming, his eyes bloodshot, had a terrible premonition. He feared something had happened to Song Hai. The thought sent a chill down his spine.

If something had happened to Song Hai, it meant Ye Mo was unharmed. If Ye Mo was unharmed, he would come to Beijing tomorrow to exact revenge on the Song family. A normal person wouldn't pose much of a threat, but Ye Mo was a madman, unconcerned with the law. Even if the government intervened, Ye Mo would likely unleash carnage, and the Song family wouldn't stand a chance.

If Ye Mo was coming, he'd likely take the 8 a.m. flight to Beijing. What should he do? Song Qiming deeply regretted repeatedly crossing Ye Mo.

Just then, Song Yuanyi entered.

"Dad," Song Qiming said nervously, standing.

Song Yuanyi sighed. "Since you did it, don't be afraid. He doesn't have three heads and six arms. Our family has lasted nearly a century. It's not something a mere Ye Mo can destroy, unless he completely ignores the law."

Song Qiming's worry eased slightly, but he remained concerned. "What do we do now? Should we report it immediately?"

Song Yuanyi shook his head. "It's useless. Ye Mo is the head instructor of the special forces. Even if he weren't, the elder Ye would use underhanded tactics. We must rely on ourselves. Ye Mo hasn't attacked us yet; if he does, we'll suffer greatly, even with outside support."

"With his power, killing the Ou family's tiger and Li Mingqiang was easy. Killing us before reinforcements arrive would be trivial."

Regret washed over Song Qiming's face. "It's my fault. If I hadn't let Shaowen have his way, this wouldn't have happened."

Song Yuanyi waved his hand. "It's not your fault. Why should a direct grandson of our family worry about obtaining a woman? We simply didn't expect Ye Mo to be such a powerful ancient martial arts cultivator. Song Hai still has no news; you don't need to wait for him. Something must have already happened."

"This Dongfang Xi didn't live up to his name; we overestimated him," Song Qiming sneered, regretting his reliance on Dongfang Xi's plan.

Song Yuanyi shook his head. "His plan should have worked; something must have intervened. We can't dwell on this. We need to prepare for Ye Mo's wrath." He frowned. His eldest son had led the family well, but in this life-or-death situation, he was indecisive.

After a pause, he said, "I'll contact my brother. If he can speak to Ye Mo, it might be enough to persuade him to let us go. But it's not foolproof; I'm not sure Ye Mo will listen. You need to act. If I'm not wrong, the problem lies with Tang Beiwei."

Song Qiming also found Dongfang Xi's choice of Tang Beiwei strange.

His father continued, "I've seen Tang Beiwei's picture. She's pretty, but we could find someone prettier in Beijing. I know she's your daughter. Why use your daughter as a spy while cooperating with him? Is there another reason?"

"Dad…" Song Qiming looked down, ashamed. He knew his father was aware, but hadn't mentioned it. He hadn't expected his father to bring it up.

Song Yuanyi sighed. "I'm not blaming you. But in the future, cover your tracks better. How did an outsider learn about this? Investigate Tang Jin; visit her personally. If Tang Beiwei is involved with Ye Mo, she's a breakthrough. If we need her help, we need to work through Tang Jin. Since Tang Beiwei agreed for her mother, her mother is clearly important to her."

"I understand," Song Qiming said, admiring his father's sharp insight.

Song Yuanyi nodded. "Most importantly, hold a family meeting. Tell them to disperse. Those who can leave the country, leave tomorrow morning. Those who can't, go to remote locations. Keep only the essential members. I'll see Ye Beirong and Ning Fuzhen. Even at a great cost, we must survive this."

Song Qiming was surprised at the drastic measure of dispersing the family.

"Hurry up," Song Yuanyi pressed, seeing Song Qiming hesitate. "The rest is secondary. As long as the family survives, we can rebuild."

"Yes, Father," Song Qiming said, understanding that Ye Mo's growing power had left the Song family powerless to resist.

After a busy night, Ye Mo completed six Face Preserving Pills and three Lotus Life Pills by 9 a.m.

He sighed; his power was still too low, and he wasted much material, even with the Shen Nong Cauldron. Without it, the waste would have been far greater.

"Brother…" Tang Beiwei rushed to him. Despite knowing his abilities, she'd seen him work tirelessly for nights and was worried.

Ye Mo smiled and waved. "I'm fine. Eat this pill. I've refined your necklace. Wear it." He gave her a Face Preserving Pill and the necklace.

"What pill is this?" Tang Beiwei asked, noting the refreshing scent.

"It's a Face Preserving Pill," Ye Mo explained. "You won't age after taking it." He wasn't stingy, having six pills.

Tang Beiwei hesitantly took the pill. While unbelievable before, she now trusted Ye Mo implicitly. A pill that preserved beauty? The value… she didn't dare to consider.

Ye Mo understood her thoughts. "Eat it," he said casually. "I have plenty more."

Warmth filled Tang Beiwei's heart. While unsure of their true familial connection, his generous gift showed his genuine concern.