The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 15: Coercive Extraction

Coercive Extraction . . .

"A rabbit will bite... A rabbit... Hahahaha..." Lan Lang-Lang couldn't help but laugh heartily, rubbing his scalp infested with favus. On the other side of the room, Wang Da-Nian and his son turned beet red, their faces contorted with anger, as if they were on the verge of exploding.

Cha-Eun Xiao pushed Lan Lang-Lang aside and interjected, "Of course, a wise person should avoid teasing the weak. Leaving room for compromise can lead to new friendships. We are not without principles..."

The room's occupants, including Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji, felt a wave of nausea wash over them. Their faces twisted, and it seemed as though they might vomit a mouthful of blood.

Cha-Eun Xiao had managed to secure a six-hundred-year-old ginseng by creating chaos and arguing illogically. If this wasn't the epitome of unprincipled behavior, then who in the world could be considered unprincipled?

"...Don't concern yourselves with it. If your son hadn't boasted about his six-hundred-year-old ginseng and how he would use it to surpass us in cultivation... and, most importantly, if he hadn't poisoned me... as a noble-minded, knightly, gentle, and courageous gentleman, why would I stir up trouble for him? Typically, I wouldn't even pay attention to small fry like your son. Besides, none of us three are interested in rabbits..." Cha-Eun Xiao spoke with an air of sage-like wisdom.

"I see." Wang Da-Nian absorbed Cha-Eun Xiao's words and felt a faint sense of relief welling up inside him. He turned to his son and scolded, "You scoundrel! You were parading my wealth! You truly are the black sheep of the family! When will you stop causing me worry..."

Wang Xiao-Nian attempted to speak but found himself unable to utter a word. He felt as though his blood had pooled in his throat, struggling to contain it and prevent it from splattering all over the room.

"Go fetch the ginseng and give it to Lord Cha," Wang Da-Nian sighed. He was reluctant to part with the ginseng, but he felt he had no other option and instructed his son to retrieve it.

"Dad!!!" Wang Xiao-Nian cried out bitterly. However, upon seeing his father's face turn a sickly shade of green, he dared not defy the order and trudged to his room, consumed by a deep sense of dejection. It was as though his soul had vacated his body prematurely, leaving behind a lifeless shell.

"Lord Cha!" Wang Da-Nian took a deep breath and asked, "Shall we put an end to this matter?"

Cha-Eun Xiao smiled warmly. "Certainly. I am a patient man, after all. I won't bother with your foolish son any longer."

Wang Da-Nian felt a sense of relief. "Lord Cha, an untrustworthy guest is unwelcome at any gathering. I hope you'll keep your word. But if you don't... I may find it difficult to tolerate your behavior any longer."

"Haha, rest assured, I always keep my promises. What kind of person do you take me for? An honest man," Cha-Eun Xiao retorted with a touch of disdain. Secretly, he thought, "Keep my promise to you? Dream on! Hah!"

Meanwhile, Wang Xiao-Nian slowly returned from his room, moving at a snail's pace, hoping against hope for a miracle to descend from the heavens and save his precious ginseng. Clutched in his hand was a small box. Cha-Eun Xiao shouted impatiently, "Hurry! Bring me my ginseng! Don't dawdle! It's mine, no matter how much you delay!"

Wang Xiao-Nian looked at his father earnestly, saying, "Dad, I really didn't poison him..." He made a final plea to retain the ginseng. The blood ginseng was a vital stepping stone on his arduous path of cultivation.

Unaware of his father's thoughts, Wang Xiao-Nian couldn't comprehend why his father would relinquish such a valuable treasure to the seemingly worthless Lord Cha. He had no inkling of his father's inner turmoil and was oblivious to the fact that he couldn't alter the current course of events.

With a sigh, Wang Da-Nian realized, "You naive boy. If it weren't for my actions and Lord Cha standing here before me, how could I allow them to take our blood ginseng so easily? They were merely causing a ruckus without justification..."

"Give it to Lord Cha, son. Let's acknowledge our misfortune," Wang Da-Nian waved his hand, a look of hopelessness etched on his face. He contemplated, "Stubbornness won't serve me well at this moment. The poison... even if it has truly been cured... I know it will still take at least another year to completely leave his system. Cha-Eun Xiao is acting unusually energetic, most likely indicating the presence of a detoxification expert. While Cha-Eun Xiao may seem somewhat foolish, the detoxification expert behind him must be aware of the situation. If I don't yield now, I'll only be bringing a curse upon myself, my family, and perhaps even my entire bloodline. It's better to let this scoundrel have this slight advantage. I may have lost a mere blood ginseng, but I've gained the knowledge that Cha-Eun Xiao survived the poison. It's not all bad!"

Lan Lang-Lang couldn't contain his laughter any longer. He erupted into hearty chuckles, his hand absently rubbing his head where favus had taken hold. On the opposite side of the room, Wang Da-Nian and his son flushed crimson with anger. They looked as though they might devour someone whole.

"Indeed," Cha-Eun Xiao interjected, nudging Lan Lang-Lang aside gently. "A wise individual refrains from mocking the vulnerable. Those who leave room for compromise often find themselves forging new friendships. We, my dear friends, are not without our principles..."

The room's atmosphere turned sour, causing everyone, including Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji, to contort their faces as if they were on the brink of spewing a mouthful of blood.

Cha-Eun Xiao had masterminded the extortion of a six-hundred-year-old ginseng through baseless troublemaking and irrational arguments. If that didn't epitomize a lack of principles, then who in this world could be deemed unprincipled?

"...Don't dwell on it. If your son hadn't boastfully flaunted his possession of a six-hundred-year-old ginseng, claiming he'd use it to outshine us in cultivation... and, most crucially, if he hadn't poisoned me... As a noble-minded, chivalrous, gentle, and valiant gentleman, why would I stir up trouble for him? Typically, I wouldn't even spare a glance for small fry like your son. Moreover, none of us three has any interest in rabbits..." Cha-Eun Xiao adopted the demeanor of a sage, his words delivered with an air of lofty wisdom.

"I understand," Wang Da-Nian absorbed Cha-Eun Xiao's words and began to feel a glimmer of relief in his stomach. He turned to his son and scolded, "You rascal! Flaunting my wealth like that! You're truly a black sheep! When will you cease causing me such vexation..."

Wang Xiao-Nian tried to speak but found himself utterly tongue-tied. He felt as though a rush of blood had gathered in his throat, struggling to keep it contained rather than spraying it around the room.

"Fetch the ginseng and hand it over to Lord Cha," Wang Da-Nian sighed, conflicted about surrendering the prized ginseng. Nonetheless, he felt he had no alternative and instructed his son to retrieve it.

"Dad!!!" Wang Xiao-Nian cried out bitterly. However, when he saw Wang Da-Nian's face turn a sickly shade of green, he dared not defy the order. He trudged to his room in complete desolation, his spirit seemingly departed from his body, leaving it as an empty vessel roaming the earth.

"Lord Cha!" Wang Da-Nian took a deep breath and inquired, "Shall we put an end to this matter?"

Cha-Eun Xiao offered a warm smile. "Certainly. I am a patient man, after all. I won't trouble myself further with your foolish son."

Wang Da-Nian felt a surge of relief. "Lord Cha, an untrustworthy guest is unwelcome at any gathering. I trust you'll uphold your end of the bargain... But if you should falter... I might find it unbearable to tolerate your conduct."

"Haha, rest assured, I always honor my promises. What kind of person do you take me for? An honest man," Cha-Eun Xiao retorted with a hint of disdain. Privately, he thought, "Trust you? Dream on! Hah!"

In the meantime, Wang Xiao-Nian slowly emerged from his room, moving at a glacial pace, clinging to the hope that a miracle might descend from the heavens to rescue his precious ginseng. Clutched in his hand was a small box. Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't contain his impatience. "Hurry! Bring me my ginseng! Don't dawdle! It belongs to me, no matter how much you procrastinate!"

Wang Xiao-Nian gazed at his father earnestly, pleading, "Dad, I truly didn't poison him..." He made a final attempt to retain the ginseng. The blood ginseng held immense significance as a stepping stone on his arduous path of cultivation.

Unaware of his father's inner turmoil, Wang Xiao-Nian couldn't comprehend why his father would relinquish such a valuable treasure to the seemingly worthless Lord Cha. Oblivious to his father's thoughts, he remained oblivious to the fact that he couldn't alter the current chain of events.

With a resigned sigh, Wang Da-Nian pondered, "You naive boy. If it weren't for my actions and Lord Cha standing here before me, how could I allow them to seize our blood ginseng so easily? They were merely creating chaos out of thin air..."

"Hand it over to Lord Cha, my son. Let us acknowledge our misfortune," Wang Da-Nian waved his hand, his expression filled with hopelessness. He contemplated, "Stubbornness won't serve me well at this moment. The poison... even if it has truly been cured... I know it will still take at least another year for it to completely leave his system. Cha-Eun Xiao is acting unusually energetic, most likely indicating the presence of a detoxification expert. While Cha-Eun Xiao may seem somewhat foolish, the detoxification expert behind him must be aware of

the situation. If I don't yield now, I'll only be bringing a curse upon myself, my family, and perhaps even my entire bloodline. It's better to let this scoundrel have this slight advantage. I may have lost a mere blood ginseng, but I've gained the knowledge that Cha-Eun Xiao survived the poison. It's not all bad!"

Cha-Eun Xiao moved swiftly, seizing the prized blood ginseng from its resting place. A triumphant laugh escaped his lips as he turned to face his companions, Lan Lang-Lang and Zuo Wu-Ji. "Let's depart, my friends!"

The trio of eccentric lords departed with a newfound vigor, leaving the Wang family residence behind them.

"Wang Xiao-Nian, I shall forever stand by your side!" Wang Xiao-Nian shouted as he made a desperate attempt to catch up to the swiftly retreating figures.

Amidst the fading echoes of their laughter, Cha-Eun Xiao's voice resonated from a distance down the street. "Hahahaha... We shall have ample time ahead of us for these delightful games! I fear neither rabbits nor biting rabbits!" They had distanced themselves considerably from the Wang family abode.

Wang Xiao-Nian, grappling with a sense of betrayal and injustice, spoke to his father in a voice filled with sorrow. "Dad, it's clear that Cha Eun Xiao wasn't poisoned! Their true intent was extortion, to seize our precious blood ginseng! Why did you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Wang Da-Nian's face contorted with anger. His eyes gleamed with a menacing intensity, and he breathed heavily as if ready to unleash a torrent of words. However, he refrained and uttered only a terse command. "Silence! Stay within the confines of our home. Do not venture outside. I have urgent matters to attend to."

With those words, Wang Da-Nian pivoted abruptly and hastened away from the scene.

Meanwhile, Cha-Eun Xiao clutched the blood ginseng firmly in one hand while gesturing enthusiastically with the other. "Let us return to my abode! We shall celebrate this victorious acquisition with libations, my treat!"

Zuo Wu-Ji and Lan Lang-Lang were thoroughly impressed by Cha-Eun Xiao's audacious feat. "Lord Cha, you've indeed secured the ginseng through a most cunning stratagem! We never anticipated that Wang Da-Nian would capitulate so readily..."

Cha-Eun Xiao's lips twitched with amusement upon hearing their words. He ruminated silently, "It's not that Wang Da-Nian is spineless. Rather, it's because the departed Lord Cha sacrificed himself for this blood ginseng. I, on the other hand, was the fortunate one to claim it in his stead..."