Watching the Grand Elder, the Second Elder, and five youths who had been beaten by Shen Qiang leave with many other cultivators.

Shen Qiang took back the storage ring returned by Ji Wei, wore it on his hand, and then sat on the sofa with a smile, looking at Xu Nan's father, he said, "Hello Uncle Xu, I'm Shen Qiang. I have imagined countless scenarios of meeting you, but surprisingly, I never thought it would be like this."

Xu Nan blushed with embarrassment and hastily said, "Shen Qiang, quickly go upstairs and get dressed. What's it like to just be wrapped in a bath towel?"

Hearing this, Xu Nan's father, who had been silent all along, gestured to Xu Nan that it was fine, and then looked at Shen Qiang with a slight smile, saying, "What do you think I should be like?"

"Even if you're not like Bai Shiyi, whose presence is so intimidating, at least you should have some control over Shengyou," Shen Qiang raised an eyebrow and said, "Honestly, from what I know, if these guys were around Bai Shiyi, I guarantee they wouldn't last three days."

Xu Nan's father laughed calmly and said, "Sometimes, one needs to know their own capabilities, to have self-awareness," glancing at Xu Nan, he continued, "Bai Shiyi is a genius with skills, strategies, and cunning, all of which I lack."

Seeing Shen Qiang's puzzled expression, Xu Nan's father said, "In terms of cultivation, I'm at the bottom among my peers; in terms of strategy, I'm also at the bottom, and no one can compare with me in terms of cunning, yet thirty years ago, I won, and became the Family Head."

"Do you know why?" Xu Nan's father looked at Shen Qiang, self-questioning and answering, "It's because the Elder Council of the Xu Family's thirst for power has surpassed the so-called bloodline."

"Although they have stepped back into the shadows as Elders, the major power of the Xu Family is in their hands, including the heir, profit distribution, and disciple training; they have the final say."

"The reason I won against others was simply that I appeared incompetent but possessed a good-looking facade, and because I knew I had no abilities, I never opposed the wishes of the Elder Council, allowing me to stay as Family Head for thirty years."

"Isn't that just a puppet?" Shen Qiang raised an eyebrow.

Xu Nan's father smiled and said to Xu Nan, "Go to the market and buy some vegetables. I want to eat what you cook."

Knowing that this was deliberately sending herself away, yet Xu Nan still agreed and drove off.

After she left.

Xu Nan's father looked calmly at Shen Qiang and said, "A puppet sounds pathetic, but in reality, for me, it's not bad at all. Do you know what I gained from being this puppet?"

Smiling and raising an eyebrow, Xu Nan's father said, "I gained the goddess I longed for as my wife, I have a beautiful and sensible daughter, and I am respected wherever I go, and all I had to give was following orders. Do you truly think there's a better deal than this in the world?"

"My cousins all thought themselves remarkable, smart, and clever, but what was the outcome? They ended up toiling every day, painstakingly managing, and then? Dying in battle, critically injured in battle."

"But I won't be, because I am the Family Head of the Xu Family, the face, with a lavish house, luxury cars, a beautiful and virtuous wife, an obedient and sensible daughter. Apart from the Elder Council, no one dares to disrespect me."

"And if I didn't do this? If I showed intelligence, assertiveness, and difficulties to control, then the best fate for me now would just be dealing with trivial matters on the outskirts of the Xu Family, my daughter wouldn't receive guidance from esteemed teachers, she wouldn't be so excellent, wouldn't have such a broad vision, and wouldn't manage Provincial City's Shengyou store, and thus wouldn't have met you."

Looking at the calmness and pride in Xu Nan's father's eyes.

Shen Qiang was stunned for a full five seconds, then said in astonishment, "You've been pretending to be dumb all along?"

Xu Nan's father chuckled, "Maybe truly dumb, but that's not important. What's important is that I've sat in the position of Family Head of the Xu Family for thirty years, and I've already gained everything I wanted."

Walking to the wine cabinet, pouring two glasses of red wine, handing one to Shen Qiang, holding the other glass, Xu Nan's father sat back on the sofa and looked at Shen Qiang, saying, "There's an old saying in China that loss is a blessing, and that it's rare to be muddled. I think you still can't grasp its true meaning."

Shen Qiang raised an eyebrow and said, "You mean that on the surface, becoming a puppet looks like a loss, but in reality, you've gained everything, right?"

Xu Nan's father chuckled, "Exactly, whether it's in the Cultivation World or real life, often taking a little loss isn't a bad thing. But I've noticed you're a young man who refuses to take losses, so on the surface, you appear strong, domineering, and imposing, but don't forget, a rigid thing snaps easily."

Shen Qiang was silent for a moment, then said, "Okay, I think I have to admit that my scheming isn't deep enough and I still can't hold my temper, but if I could do it all over again, I still wouldn't change. I would still teach them a harsh lesson, because I can't tolerate them bullying Xu Nan in front of me, not just the Xu Family people, nobody can."

Xu Nan's father laughed, "That's why I appreciate you. With Xu Nan being with you, I can be at ease."

Shen Qiang chuckled and said, "Then do you think Shengyou will now do everything to deal with me, or will they follow my idea and let Xu Nan become Shengyou's heir?"

Xu Nan's father chuckled, "The Elder Council would not allow the family's major power to fall into the hands of outsiders, but the heir is just an heir, aside from sounding impressive, there's not much substantial benefit. So compared to your threat and visible profits of 75 billion, I think they could make a choice in seventy-two seconds."

Shen Qiang chuckled, "Then I think we should toast to Xu Nan becoming Shengyou's heir now."

Xu Nan's father smiled, toasted with Shen Qiang, and after drinking together, smiled at Shen Qiang and said, "I've already guessed, once Xu Nan becomes Shengyou's heir, the Elder Council will definitely use the excuse of creating a Daoist couple to marry Xu Nan to you. In this way, Xu Nan will naturally stay away from Shengyou's power center."

Shen Qiang chuckled, "And then what?"

Xu Nan's father chuckled, "They won't let Xu Nan become Shengyou's Family Head, so in the next few decades, I'll remain steadily in my Family Head position, and years later, they'll use the excuse of Xu Nan marrying out to the Shen Family to reestablish a heir, so I need you and Xu Nan to at least have a handsome son."

Draining the glass of wine, Xu Nan's father put the empty glass on the coffee table and stared at Shen Qiang with bright eyes, "Because by then, without a doubt, I'll enter the Elder Council."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.