Chapter 158: Map
Due to Lu Zhen\'s influence and power, almost no one dared to touch the Lu family members in the final, which led to the Lu family gaining the most points.
The Hei family somehow secured the second position silently. However, the Huang family only managed a pitiful ten percent because almost all their descendants were defeated by Lu Zhen early on.
The only reason the Huang family even got that ten percent was that a single descendant managed to secure second place, or else they might not even be in third place.
Huang Shi was extremely satisfied with this single descendant, as at least he didn\'t fight Lu Zhen ignorantly and remained in a safe position, battling another boy from a different family. However, she was angry because of Lu Zhen, who was basically her son-in-law.
"I can\'t let the Xia family be destroyed." Her resolve to keep the Xia family alive became even stronger as she silently sent messages to her grand elders to prepare for war.
"Alright, the tournament is over," Xia Mei declared, and Ancestor Lu casually moved his hand in a downward motion.
The thick wood pillar supporting the platform slowly descended to the ground.
"It\'s finally over," Lu Zhen thought, feeling bored. He quickly rejoined the other members of the Lu family whose eyes were filled with reverence and fanaticism when looking at Lu Zhen, except for one guy who was coldly watching him: Lu Yuan.
"Oh, what is it?" Lu Zhen said as he looked at the stare from Lu Yuan.
"Nothing."
Lu Zhen just shrugged as he suddenly heard a gentle voice.
"Young master, may I have a moment to talk to you?"
Lu Zhen turned around to see Jiang Xue.
"Of course," Lu Zhen said expressionlessly as he walked towards Jiang Xue.
"Young master…"
"Cut to the chase," Lu Zhen coldly cut off Jiang Xue, who was about to say something. "My time is limited."
"Young master, I would like to be your concubine."
Lu Zhen sneered when he heard this.
"Why do you want to be my concubine? If you previously asked me, I might have made you one, but now…" Lu Zhen shook his head.
"What value can you even provide me?"
Although Lu Zhen didn\'t mind embracing beauty, since she rejected him, he had no interest in her. When Lu Zhen had initially decided to pursue her, it was partially because he was still a virgin and had a lustful brain. Now, seeing all the beauties in the world, how could she satisfy Lu Zhen\'s cravings?
Although she was beautiful, there were countless others like her.
Jiang Xue flinched when she heard this; however, she still maintained a calm expression on her face.
"Do you remember this?" She showed Lu Zhen her bracelet, which was almost cracked.
Lu Zhen\'s eyes widened when he saw this.
"The one which you used to protect yourself with thin air."
"Yes, young master. This is what I got from the outer periphery of the inheritance ground."
"Still, it is quite useless to me. It might have been useful when I was still weak, but now it\'s useless."
Still, Jiang Xue had a calm expression.
"I can provide you with the intel of the inheritance ground that we have not provided to the others."
Lu Zhen\'s eyes lit up when he heard this; however, he still started to laugh.
"You are quite bold not to tell the information, even at the risk of your family being fully destroyed."
"This is the intel I have. I haven\'t told anyone about it, not even my own father\'s young master since I was the one who found the inheritance ground first."
Lu Zhen looked at Jiang Xue in a different light.
"Very well, tell me the intel then."
"But first, you have to marry me, young master."
He frowned when he heard this.
"Didn\'t you reject me previously, and why are you even trying to be my concubine anyway?"
"Young master, my father is forcing me to, and I have no choice but to comply."
"Hmm…" Lu Zhen had no interest in Jiang Xue even now, but the temptation of information that could help him in the cave was too much that he couldn\'t care less about Jiang Xue being his concubine.
And he had no problem with the Jiang family riding on his coattails as long as they didn\'t get in his way. Lu Zhen snapped out of his thoughts and said.
"Alright, I agree, but remember the information you provide must be valuable to me; otherwise…" Lu Zhen\'s gaze turned murderous, which completed the sentence itself.
Jiang Xue felt a chill down her spine, feeling the murderous intent of Lu Zhen.
"Yes, young master." She bowed slightly.
Jiang Xue took out a rolled-up paper, which looked old, worn, and torn, from her pouch and gave it to Lu Zhen carefully.
Lu Zhen curiously took the paper and opened it.
Instantly, his eyes lit up, seeing all different markings and names with symbols denoting different things.
There was an entry point at the bottom-middle part with dots of lines that vindicated pathways connected to various paths, with some being of herbs, red markings, a water symbol, and some strange symbol which was weirdly shaped that Lu Zhen couldn\'t understand a single bit.
"Not bad." Lu Zhen sighed as he folded the paper again.
"You only want to be my concubine?" he said with a strange expression.
"I also want resources to further my cultivation, young master," Jiang Xue said without skipping a beat.
"Alright, the deal is done. As long as I find that this map is authentic, I will definitely help you. Although I don\'t know why you are sacrificing so much, consider this deal done."
"Thank you, young master."