The two jade slips in my hands are all that everyone in my group pays attention to.

Out of everyone, Lin appears to be the most aggrieved by the inclusion of the 'My Future Wife, Xun' slip.

Right as it looks like she’s about to say something, with a clap, Xing Lan, Xing Xun’s mother, gathers everyone’s attention to her.

“Ah, right! Our family has some gifts for you all. Ones which I think you all may appreciate.”

She with just a wave, an assortment of items appears in front of all the people at the table. A move that shows me she has a space ring on her, as well. A small sign of the material value the previously destitute family now has available to them.

And with a closer look, the sheer value and variety of items only prove my thoughts.

… Xing Xun’s been looting treasure locations like I was, hasn’t she?

This is easily shown by what is in front of Mei Lin, Ai, Lin, and Shi.

Space rings.

Each of which was located in a forgotten treasure location, but I couldn't reach because of the difficulty level in doing so.

And by difficulty, I mean at least one of those was in the family graveyard of a local clan. With others in similarly tenuous locations.

Well. She certainly has a lot of guts.

However, what is likely more important to the women the space rings are in front of are not the rings, but the jade slips beside the rings.

They appear remarkably similar to the jade slip that Xun had given to me. Except, the line is blank, waiting to be filled out.

Right then, Xun’s voice creeps out of my jade slip.

“I hope you all like the gifts. This is just a small token of my appreciation for taking care of someone precious to me.

“Of course, I know for some of you here, you likely care for them to a similar degree that I do. Considering the circumstances, if you insert your qi into the slips in front of you, we will be able to have regular talks about a variety of things.”

At this line, I can’t help but to turn my eyes towards Shi. Throughout, Shi has been amused or surprised at the wealth displayed by the family. Given her position, she has experienced wealth, a variety of interpersonal interactions, and is probably the eldest one here to navigate matters of love.

Out of anyone on this side, she would know how to handle this.

And it seems I’m not the only one who thinks this, as everyone in our group has instinctively looked to her for her response.

Her eyes are squinted, suspicious.

She only gives a glance to her left and right, Ai and Lin, respectively, to give an indication of action.

They all send their qi into the slips.

A moment of silence follows, with curious looks thrown between them. On my new jade slip’s side, I can sense a connection being made to theirs. But I’m surprised to hear a voice pop out of an unexpected place.

“… is it working?”

Xun’s voice has come out of all three of their slips, but not mine.

She actually did it. She made mobile phones, using jade slips.

Normally, most jade slips like this are 1 to 1. If not 1 to 1, they broadcast to all of them simultaneously. In this case, she’s made it so that you can choose who to contact.

Of course, these aren’t the first to be made like this. However, I can tell she’s made these herself.

Maybe I should have her create some of the Trauma Team’s gear if she’s this good.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

… no. She has her own projects to work on and I’m sensing that it would be better to build up my own team before outsourcing like this. Even to someone I trust, like her.

With her level of skill, we would grow reliant on her. Creating a dangerous dynamic for our relationship.

…

The three of them abruptly stand up and start whispering into the jade slips. Walking away from the table. Whispering comes back out of it.

All to which I get an intense feeling that exceptionally bad things would ensue if I eavesdropped. And almost as if reading my thoughts, I hear these words come over my jade slip from Ai.

“James… I hope you won’t be listening in on our conversations by using your abilities. Right?”

Gulp.

“NOPE. Ahem. I mean, no. I won’t be. I hope you all have a pleasant conversation.”

Silence.

Despite the fact that there isn’t static, like there would be on a phone call, I can easily tell she is holding the line open quietly. And not just her, but all the others. Intimidatingly.

Soon, she closes the call and I can sense that she’s resumed talking to the others again.

Despite the danger I felt from that situation, I can see Mei Lin, still at the table, just listening into their whispered conversations. Excitedly, she jumps in with whispers of her own, but she doesn’t seem as impassioned as the others were. Just seeming happy to be included in the situation.

The others already know that the relationship between Mei Lin and I are sister and brother, with no chance of changes there. That probably means I won’t have to worry about anything coming up on that side. Thank goodness.

Turning my attention to the others here, they seem to have received space rings, as well, though instead of the jade slips, there is a defensive artifact before each of them.

To repeat, they have an artifact as a gift before them.

Not to mention the space rings, but communication slips and defensive artifacts are things that not even large clans can afford to just give away.

But in a sense, this is part of the Xing Family’s way of paying me back for bringing them back from the brink. Perhaps even more so, after I declined their offer to join the contract.

Understandably, He Wen, Yalei, and Jin Chin all seem in shock.

None of them have seen such wealth thrown around casually, if at all. It takes a mere moment more before they bow with gratitude to Xing He and Lan, then do the same to me. A reminder of what action I should take, as well.

Giving an angled bow toward them, I raise my words.

“Xing He and Lan. I thank you and Xun for the amazing gifts. While I would normally wish to decline such gifts out of politeness, I understand the reason and thoughts behind them.

“I truly look forward to our continued journey together as allies.”

In response, they give a slight bow back.

Right as I rise up, I realize that this might be a good time to give them something I had planned as well.

“… Now that I think of it, there was something that I was hoping to give to your family, to help us both.”

Xing He and his wife pause, as it seems they weren’t expecting gifts back.

“Consider this as either a gift or an investment for our two groups. I’ve come across a particularly lucrative source of spirit stones and wanted to give some to you.”

At my words, I see a hopeful flash in Xing Lan’s eyes. She is indeed the highest level of all the Xing’s, being at the peak of Foundation Establishment and a step away from Core Formation.

A terrifying thing, as they had no cultivation when I had first met them.

With the absurd increase in their spirit roots and Xun’s background, I should have assumed a pace like this would be a foregone conclusion.

“That is wonderful! The other clans have been pressuring us and no suppliers are providing us with spirit stones at this time. Of course, our little Xun has come up with ways around their blockade, but they will take time and, unfortunately, at least 100 spirit stones to accomplish.”

I can’t help but to smile at this, as it seems they are in the exact situation I suspected.

They have plenty of assets and personnel, but their cash and spirit stone levels are low. Xun probably got most of what she has by using her future knowledge to influence experts, gather treasures, and hold off enemies. But she was still only working off a limited basis and operational area.

After all, their enemies are already wary of her and her family. With the family’s rapid growth, even more so.

So, everything will almost certainly cost far more than it actually normally would and any spirit stones they do find will be used for cultivation and maintaining a positive image in others' eyes.

A delicate balancing act.

… Let’s tilt the scales.

I wave a hand and drop 15 superior spirit stones on the table.

The equivalent of 15,000 regular spirit stones. Or 15x the annual income of a small mortal city.

I take a little joy in the gaping that both Xing Lan and her husband do before they regain themselves.

Just as I was about to do, they were about to decline, but stop before bowing their heads and speaking.

“… Thank you for the generous investment. Our family looks forward to getting ever closer as we move together.”

While this may seem like an enormous investment compared to what I’ve given Mei Lin’s family and others, I won’t be able to reach out to the Xing family as regularly as I do my personal groups. There has to be a small measure of separation between us, so that we can function autonomously for a bit.

That will prevent her enemies from becoming mine, and mine becoming hers. On the other side, it also makes it easier for her to be ‘friends’ with those who would normally avoid me, and vice versa for me.

Sigh.

Politics.

Thank goodness for the scan, as I would have floundered around these things without it.

My attention is soon brought over to Ai, Lin, and Shi as they rush to return. Their faces practically scream that there is something they want to say.

Soon, I hear Xun’s voice come out.

“James? We should all probably talk about something.”