Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The ceremony begins!
"Got the trust?" Ethan squinted his eyes; sometimes, setting up a plan also required a lot of time.
However, playing this game, Ethan was more focused on the development of the Blackwoods.
With time accelerated, he had no idea what Olivia had done, so he had to ask the Purple Thunder Python.
With the temple guardian beast making an inquiry, Olivia immediately understood. She respectfully said, "Forebearer, we have our people in Tailin Town. I've always had them watch the actions of the four major families. Finally, three months ago, I dispatched a maid from the Martinez family who brought news that the young master of the Martinez family had secretly gone to a brothel."
"So, I had my sister prepare a drug that incites lust, and that night, Garcia Dexter, who once severely injured our father, was also there, drunk to the point of oblivion."
"I had someone take him to the lustful young master Martinez's room..."
Ethan slid off his chair in shock, utterly blown away by the events of that night, too beautiful to imagine.
"The next day, Dexter woke up and scoured the world for Parker Martinez, vowing to fight him to the death."
"Later, Parker fled Tailin Town, and under my arrangement, he encountered danger and came to our Gratitude Village."
"The fourth brother of the Martinez family head has been secretly contacting me to save Parker's life."
Ethan was full of emotions. He deeply admired Olivia's step-by-step planning, at least he couldn't think of such... unique ideas.
And while Olivia was recounting all this, her face didn't turn red, and her heart didn't skip a beat; it seemed she felt that as long as the goal was achieved, the process no longer mattered.
She was even somewhat dissatisfied with the current outcome.
"Forebearer, Olivia still miscalculated. I thought Dexter would sober up earlier and kill Parker, after which we could then proactively contact his father. But unexpectedly, Parker is still alive."
Ethan was speechless, silently typing—
"Life is unpredictable, just watch as it unfolds."
As the Purple Thunder Python responded, Olivia's eyes lit up, "Olivia understands now, Forebearer means we can strike again. While the Martinez family is sending people for a deal, we can have someone take Parker to meet the Martinez family. At the same time, we secretly inform Garcia. Dexter, a man who never forgets a grudge, will not let Parker go!"
"That... will make things even bigger!"
"This is the unpredictability of life, a plot within a plot. Even if the Martinez family knows it was us, they have already seen blood. We have become enemies of Garcia just like them, and the enemy of our enemy is our friend!"
Ethan took a deep breath.
This second-generation descendant was definitely the most ruthless person he had ever met in his life.
"Go ahead."
Ethan had nothing more to say. Olivia had clearly planned everything, and his interference would only backfire.
His goal was also simple.
That was to break through Tailin Town's blockade against the Blackwoods and conduct trade!
If they could completely resolve the two enemies of the Blackwoods and swallow the whole Tailin Town, the progress of the Blackwoods would be even more rapid!
Ethan was checking the map when he noticed that outside Gratitude Village, Lucas was fleeing back to the village with a couple of psychic beasts and a group of battered people.
Nowadays, Blackwood had five psychic beasts, excluding the one contracted by Luna, leaving four.
These were all products of the Silver Iron Forest, and with the help of the Purple Thunder Solar Python and Luna's persistent taming, they had no choice but to submit.
The Hundred-Eye Demon Spider, the Gale Wing Tiger, the Morning Sun Beast, and the Eight-Leaf Flower Demon were among them.
At this moment, Lucas was accompanied by the latter two.
The Morning Sun Beast, a bird-like psychic beast resembling a crane but with red feathers, could turn its demonic energy into fierce fire when flying. It usually helped Julian craft psychic equipment.
The Eight-Leaf Flower Demon was a floral psychic beast that had gained psychic intelligence over the years and had taken on a beast form.
It could move with its roots and take root as soon as it touched the ground, injuring people with its flying leaves and bewildering their minds.
It was also the weakest psychic beast Luna had ever seen... As long as one wasn't beguiled by it or injured by its eight leaves, even an Iron Will could burn it with a single fire.
At that moment, outside a house, pink dust fluttered from the blossom of the Eight-Leaf Flower Demon. Unbeknownst to them, the injured inside the house being treated by Amelia were full of sorrow and anger.
"Garcia Dexter, you killed my people, this enmity is irreconcilable!"
"If it weren't for the timely rescue by Young Master Blackwood, we might have also lost our lives."
"I can't believe Dexter could be so heartless!"
Watching the words above the heads of those animated characters in the house, Ethan's eyebrows raised slightly. He knew Olivia's plan had succeeded, and even better than expected!
As Ethan watched with interest, a maid outside pushed the frail Olivia into the room.
"This is..."
Of the Martinez family members saved, four were present, led by a middle-aged man known to Ethan as Jerry, the third brother of the Martinez family head, with a cultivation level of nine in Foundational Energy.
As for Parker... that kid and his father were ambushed and killed by Dexter's traps on the road.
Having already met the Martinez family members on the road, Lucas smiled and introduced, "Friends of the Martinez family, this is my younger sister, Olivia."
After the introductions, Olivia furrowed her brows and said in a serious tone, "Uncle Jerry, I want to ask if your Martinez family has had a longstanding grudge with the Garcias?"
"A longstanding grudge? Why do you ask, niece Olivia?" Jerry pondered for a moment before responding, "If we're talking about grudges, there are indeed many. To be honest, you might have heard that the four major families of Tailin Town are united against a common enemy, but that's just an outsider's perspective. "
"Twenty years ago, my Martinez family was competing with the Garcias over a stone mine, and both families suffered many casualties. Dexter's uncle also died in that accident."
"I thought so," Olivia sighed deeply.
Seeing Olivia like this, Jerry was even more puzzled. "Why do you sigh, niece?"
"Not to hide anything from you, when Parker fled to our Blackwood, he mentioned that he was dazed that night and didn't know what happened. The next day, Dexter was already calling for his head, and Dexter seemed to have the upper hand," Olivia explained.
"Dexter had the whole town hunting Parker, yet Parker still managed to escape Tailin Town. Isn't that curious?" Jerry's expression changed. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, all this could very well be a trap set by the Garcias!" Olivia looked somewhat relieved.
"A trap?" Jerry seemed to realize something.
"Yes, a trap!" Olivia continued passionately, "Over the years, we Blackwoods have had a blood feud with the Garcias, and you know that, Uncle Jerry. But your relationship with the Garcias isn't good either. So, behind the scenes, the Garcias have been plotting to wipe us out in one fell swoop."
"They deliberately created the conflict between Dexter and Parker, and intentionally let Parker escape, all for today!"
"Think about it, Uncle Jerry. If your Martinez people were all killed on their way to Blackwood to pick up Parker, what would the Martinez family think?"
Jerry finally turned pale.
"Our Martinez family would think it was your Blackwoods who did it, especially since you had previously... lured Gonzalez's people to Blackwood and killed them."
"Exactly," Olivia said, frightened by the thought. "This way, the Garcias could kill your Martinez people and also make your Martinez family resent us. Then, they could incite you to be our enemies!"
With a bitter smile, Olivia concluded, "If that happens, being enemies with three major families of Tailin Town at the same time, our Blackwood would indeed face a great disaster."
"Man, that's some cold-blooded strategy!" Jerry gritted his teeth, and even with a broken leg, he struggled to stand up. "I'm heading back now to tell our old man, and make Garcia pay the price!"
But Olivia shook her head, "Hold up, Uncle Jerry. You think Dexter played you dirty, do you really think they'll let you get back alive? I bet the road to Tailin Town is already crawling with Garcia's traps."
Jerry finally cooled down a bit.
Olivia continued, "You should stay here in Blackwood and get better, Uncle. We'll keep on with our business dealings in the meantime. As for making Garcia pay, we should play the long game. "
"After all, this family feud is a matter of life and death. You really need to think about whether it's worth putting your Chen and Hu families in such grave danger."
Jerry sighed deeply, "These days, both Garcia and Gonzalez are saying you Blackwoods are ruthless, really gives one the chills."
It's all you, huh!
Watching the game screen, Ethan felt a bit of admiration.
At such a young age, Olivia was almost devilishly clever! She had grasped all the details, step by step drawing Garcia and Martinez into a deep pit of hostility, even making Blackwood appear as a benevolent and charitable family in front of Jerry.
After Olivia was pushed out of the room, Ethan immediately sent some 'Forebearer's Love' her way.
"Thanks for the Forebearer's blessing!" Olivia's face was full of smiles, delighted by the Forebearer's reward, a reward she had received countless times before. She was frail and easily fell ill, often suffering from colds or fevers, and it was always the Forebearer's grace that cured her ailments.
Otherwise, Olivia wasn't even sure if she could have lived to her current age.
This was also why Olivia dared to pursue the arduous path of scholarly cultivation with her frail body, believing that the Forebearer would protect everyone in the family. The Forebearer had supernatural abilities and cared for her more than her own parents.
Meanwhile, on the screen.
Ethan watched as Lucas and the Martinez family discussed business inside the house. Blackwood had a wealth of herbs, exotic beast materials, food, and even young exotic beasts.
The Martinez family, on the other hand, had various resources and even owned a trading company in the county town.
It wouldn't be long before Blackwood gained a massive amount of resources for the family's development through this deal!
Before long.
The deal was sealed, and Jerry was recuperating in Blackwood. As the heavy snow fell, all of Blackwood gathered in the ancestral hall.
Even Nathan, who had been in seclusion, temporarily broke his meditation, his face covered in stubble.
The once-in-a-decade grand ceremony began!
[Your family has sent you a massive Tribute Offering!]
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone