Chen Nuo's approach was quite simple.

If you kidnap two of my people, I'll kidnap four of yours.

If not for the extreme time pressure and the incomplete intelligence on the Guo Clan within Xi'an, he wouldn't have limited himself to the four somewhat valuable targets he could find out in the open. Chen Nuo would very likely have planned to kidnap even more people.

With bargaining chips in hand, Chen Nuo was ready to initiate contact and negotiate with the Snow Domain Sect's Guo Clan. This was standard procedure for Chen Yanluo. Without bargaining chips, Chen Nuo generally would not act.

Unfortunately, according to what he managed to pry from the wastrel, the Guo Clan's ancestral home was not located in Xi'an City.

Chen Nuo tossed a phone to the most timid of the group.

"Call home. Don't call anyone irrelevant—make sure it's the highest-ranking person you can reach within your Guo Clan."

Although a spoiled heir, Guo Xiaowei possessed basic intelligence. He understood one crucial fact: the young man who had kidnapped him clearly didn't fear his family. This was evident from the kidnapper's brazenness in abducting several prominent family members from Xi'an in one go.

Guo Xiaowei made a call.

As soon as it connected, a somewhat hoarse voice came from the other end.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Liu! It's me, Xiaowei!"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a rapid question, "Xiaowei? Where are you? Right now..."

The phone was swiftly taken from Guo Xiaowei's hand by Chen Nuo.

A smile in his voice, Chen Nuo slowly uttered a single word, "Hello?"

After a moment of silence, Uncle Liu on the other end quickly grasped the situation. His voice, not panicked but instantly composed, turned firm, "Who are you? Is Xiaowei with you?"

"That's right," Chen Nuo said with a smile.

"Wei Dong and the others..."

"Are all in my hands," Chen Nuo answered crisply.

After a few seconds of silence...

"What do you want?"

Excellent, Chen Nuo thought with satisfaction. The other party hadn't resorted to foolish threats, like questioning if he feared the Guo Clan or how he dared to act. Such pointless talk had been avoided.

"I don't feel like telling you just yet," Chen Nuo replied with a chuckle, "but you could think about what unnecessary things your Guo Clan has been doing recently."

Silence on the other end.

Chen Nuo freed one hand, lit a cigarette, and took a drag before speaking, "You're one of the Guo Clan's senior figures, right?"

"I am the House Steward; my surname is Liu," the man on the other end replied gravely. "I'm not sure of your affiliations in the Jianghu, sir. Are you short of funds, or has our Guo Clan offended someone..."

"No need to sound me out," Chen Nuo exhaled a puff of smoke. "I'm calling to tell you that I'm behind this, and the people are with me. As for how this will be settled, you can wait for my news."

House Steward Liu maintained his composure and replied steadily, "Every walk of life has its rules. As long as the people are safe, everything can be discussed."

Chen Nuo chuckled. So, they think I'm just a common kidnapper. This is just a probe, of course.

Without confirming or denying, he simply said, "I'll hang up now. I'll contact you again later."

House Steward Liu sounded slightly more anxious as he quickly added, "Sir, just ensure the people are unharmed! As long as they're safe, no matter how grave the situation, we can negotiate!"

Chen Nuo laughed a couple of times, then hung up the phone.

In the main hall of an old residence, House Steward Liu, wearing a short traditional jacket, put down the phone.

Behind him, at the head of the hall, sat a gaunt old man on a high-backed hardwood chair. He wore simple hemp garments and cloth shoes. His austere attire contrasted sharply with the dragon-head cane he grasped—clearly an antique of superior make, its handle worn to a smooth patina from years of handling.

The old man was gaunt, and veins stood out on the back of the hand gripping the cane.

His expression was livid as he sat there in silence.

In the hall, several men and women knelt on the floor. Among them, a somewhat plump woman, bedecked in jewels, wore a worried expression, her eyes swollen from crying. Seeing House Steward Liu hang up, she burst into tears, "Ancestral Grandfather, you must save Xiaowei! He's my lifeline, my only..."

The Guo Clan Patriarch lifted his eyelids slightly. His murky old eyes seemed dim, yet two words bit out from between his clenched teeth.

"Slap her mouth!"

Without hesitation, House Steward Liu stepped forward and delivered a hard slap across the richly dressed woman's cheek.

The slap was delivered with full force. The woman stumbled and fell, her face already swelling as she lay on the ground, but she dared not utter another sound.

The other kneeling figures trembled.

"Such a calamity has befallen us, and you still haven't figured out the root cause?" The Guo Clan Patriarch's grim gaze swept across the room.

"Father, we truly haven't offended anyone!" a kneeling man in his forties shook his head. "Our business in Xi'an has always been managed well, with all relationships maintained. The root of this problem definitely isn't with us!"

The Guo Clan Patriarch nodded, his gaze shifting to another person.

Another Guo Clan manager, feeling the Patriarch's gaze, immediately shook his head, "Everything is stable at the mining area. The Li Family and Ma Family have been our rivals for decades, and while minor skirmishes occur, they wouldn't do something so ruthless! Besides, everyone maintains a balance. They wouldn't suddenly make such a heavy-handed move."

He paused, then lowered his voice, "They are all people who abide by the rules; they wouldn't resort to such tactics. Daring to do this—aren't they afraid of our retaliation? We all make our living from these mountains. If such utterly vicious methods are used, it would lead to endless feuds—you strike me, I strike you, with no end in sight. The one in charge on their side wouldn't be so foolish."

The Guo Clan Patriarch nodded.

Others in the room began to speak up.

"Patriarch, my area of business won't cause problems. I deal with jewelers from the south, and those people all believe that 'harmony brings wealth.' We trade jade and gemstones, not make enemies. In the market, even minor disagreements, at worst, can be settled with a banquet. They wouldn't do something like this."

The Guo Clan Patriarch nodded. "Since it's not business-related, it must be from somewhere else."

The old man gently tapped his cane. "Old Liu, stay. Guohua, you stay as well. The rest of you may leave."

At his command, the kneeling people rose and departed. Guo Xiaowei's mother, still sobbing, tried to say more but was forcefully pulled away and dragged out.

Only the Guo Clan Patriarch, House Steward Liu, and a middle-aged man named Guo Guohua remained in the room.

The Guo Clan Patriarch glanced at the two. "If it's not business, then it's a Jianghu matter. Guohua, have you offended anyone recently?"

The man named Guo Guohua, who had an aged face but a burly physique, pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "No."

"No?"

"Truly no," Guo Guohua said slowly. "During the last grand contest, our Guo Clan was at a disadvantage. It makes no sense for the other two families, who gained an advantage, to come knocking now. As for other fellow practitioners... a family from Shanxi wanted to establish business here. I deemed it inappropriate. After an 'exchange of pointers,' I sent them away, adhering to all proprieties and ensuring they kept their dignity. They are also a family with generations of history, people who follow rules and have families to support; they wouldn't resort to such methods."

"Could it be some formidable outsider whom our people offended unknowingly?" the Guo Clan Patriarch inquired.

This time, House Steward Liu answered, his gaze lowered respectfully, "Patriarch, that's unlikely. We are always measured in our dealings. Here in Xi'an, we all conduct honest business and stay clear of Jianghu affairs. As for conflicts, unless someone is eyeing our mines... otherwise, the junior members of our outer residence are always generous, never short-changing anyone or breaching etiquette to offend someone."

At this, House Steward Liu added softly, "Speaking of recent events, the only significant matter was sending men to Jinling City to capture Guo Qiang."

The Guo Clan Patriarch was silent for a moment. "Where is Guo Qiang now?"

"He should arrive in Xi'an by tomorrow morning," House Steward Liu replied promptly. "The team we sent was led by Mountain Tiger. He's very reliable. After capturing Guo Qiang in Jinling, they drove back overnight without any delay. I spoke with him this afternoon; he said everything was normal. This time, besides Guo Qiang, they also brought back his two accomplices from Jinling. Mountain Tiger told me one is an ordinary girl, suspected to be Guo Qiang's mistress. The other is a young man with some skills, but his martial arts aren't refined. Mountain Tiger took him down in a couple of exchanges; he's no strong opponent."

The Guo Clan Patriarch nodded. "Mountain Tiger is your son; he's always been thorough. Since he said there were no issues, the problem likely didn't originate from his end."

House Steward Liu whispered, "After capturing Guo Qiang, they searched him... the item wasn't on him."

The Guo Clan Patriarch sneered, "Of course, it wasn't on him! He's been on the run for so many years, constantly pursued by us. He naturally wouldn't carry something so important on his person. He must have hidden it somewhere. Call Mountain Tiger again, tell him to hurry. I want to see Guo Qiang brought home by tomorrow!"

He paused, then frowned suddenly. "You said when Guo Qiang was captured... his accomplice, a young martial artist, was also taken? Could this have provoked someone?"

House Steward Liu shook his head. "Mountain Tiger said the young fellow isn't that young, about eighteen or nineteen, but his martial arts are average. He uses Southern School techniques. And from his moves, it's clear he hasn't trained from a young age; his skills are very crude. Even if he has a sect or master, it's nothing remarkable. He's likely just some friend of no real standing whom Guo Qiang met while drifting in Jinling City. Mountain Tiger brought him back as a precaution, thinking the hiding place of the item might be connected to him."

"Hmm, handle the aftermath carefully. Kidnapping people like this—the aggrieved parties will eventually report it to the authorities. Make it clean. For Guo Qiang's sake, we overstepped the rules this time. We must be more careful with such matters in the future."

House Steward Liu sneered, "He's no significant threat; I've asked Mountain Tiger. His background is likely insignificant. Once we've interrogated them thoroughly, we'll toss them into a mine pit in the mountains—a place where their cries will go unheard and they'll never be found."

The Guo Clan Patriarch sighed softly, then nodded. "Alright, you may leave. Don't sleep tonight; wait for the call. Whoever kidnapped our people surely has a motive. Wait for them to state their price."

House Steward Liu nodded at once. "Rest assured, Patriarch. I've already recalled two teams from the mine! Getting our people back safely is the priority. Once they are safely back, I'll take my time dealing with this adversary! If they dare to touch us in this territory, I'll make sure to skin them alive afterward."

The Guo Clan Patriarch nodded lightly, then said in a low voice, "Ensure Xiaowei's safety above all! No matter what conditions they propose, don't let them harm Xiaowei!"

With a solemn expression, House Steward Liu said steadily, "I understand."

Nearby, Guo Guoqiang spoke softly, "We can't afford to lose Wei Dong either! He's the face of our business in Xi'an; he maintains all our connections. Patriarch, Wei Dong is more important than Xiaowei."

The Guo Clan Patriarch, however, remained silent, his eyelids drooping once more.

After a few seconds, House Steward Liu glanced at Guo Guoqiang and gestured discreetly. Guo Guoqiang understood and quietly exited the main hall.

Once Guo Guoqiang had left, the Guo Clan Patriarch suddenly opened his eyes again, his gaze as sharp as lightning!

"If they want money, give them money! If they want things, give them things! Even if it means cutting off our own flesh, even if you have to coax and deceive, get Xiaowei back first!"

"Yes!"