Chapter 4698: Enquire “Big Brother!” Several of the loose cultivators eagerly crowded around the man as they tried to gain his favor. “Big Brother, we’ve located some prime targets. We were just waiting for you to arrive and lead the harvest,” one of them chimed in, gesturing ahead. “Big Brother, look! Those three kids up ahead have been buying a mountain of things, and they seem to have an endless supply of crystal stones. We reckon they must be carrying even more valuable treasures, and there aren’t any adults with them, just the three of them. If we snatch them, we’ll definitely make a killing!” The brocade-clad cultivator, the toothpick still perched jauntily in the corner of his mouth, had been lost in his own thoughts. But when he heard his men’s excited report, he glanced up and froze, a flicker of alarm crossing his face as he spotted the three children. “Big Brother, let’s lure them into the alley up ahead and silence them permanently! These fat sheep won’t escape our grasp,” the man beside him continued, oblivious to the subtle shift in his leader’s expression. His eyes remained fixed on the three children, gleaming with avarice. “If it weren’t so troublesome to offload three brats, I’d be tempted to just throw sacks over their heads and sell them off.” “Sell them to hell!” the brocade-clad man cursed under his breath, his hand shooting out to deliver a sharp slap to the other man’s head. “If you have a death wish, by all means, go ahead, but don’t you dare drag me down with you!” “Big Brother, what’s wrong? Can’t we touch them? They’re just three kids…” the slapped man mumbled, not daring to retaliate. He simply lowered his head slightly and took a step back, confusion clouding his features. “When I went to grab a bite earlier, I saw that the oldest of those three kids in front of us was at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and he even took down an inner disciple of the Heaven’s Sun Sect. You really think you can take him on? Are you deliberately seeking your own demise? Also,” the robed cultivator continued, his gaze thoughtful as he watched the three children slowly walk away, “when I was heading over here just now, I overheard some people on the street talking about an inner disciple of the Heaven’s Sun Sect who died suddenly on West Street.” He paused, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. “Those three children must be disciples of a major sect or a powerful family, and they clearly have someone protecting them in the shadows. You want to go and provoke them? That’s practically begging for a swift and painful death!” Hearing this chilling assessment, the loose cultivators broke out in a cold sweat. Their palms turned clammy as they nervously patted their chests. “That was a close call! If Big Brother hadn’t come along, we would have been dead meat!” Hao’er, leading Muchen and Yue’er, continued to walk forward. After a short while, he glanced back and noticed the group of loose cultivators standing there, watching them intently, but they made no move to follow. Seeing this, he paid them no further mind and continued to guide his younger siblings as they finished their errands. Around noon, the three of them finally arrived at the teahouse and found their master seated at a window table on the second floor, looking relaxed as he enjoyed the afternoon. “Master, we’re back~” Yue’er chirped happily, her eyes crinkling into a bright smile as she ran over to him. “I bought something to eat for you, Master! Try it, these mung bean cakes are absolutely delicious!” She reached into her spatial storage, retrieved a delicate pastry, unwrapped it, and placed it enticingly in front of him. The Azure Emperor glanced at the three of them, his gaze lingering for a moment on the small bandage adorning the back of Yue’er’s hand. “Did you manage to purchase everything you needed?” he inquired, picking up the pastry and taking a small bite. “Yes, Master, we bought everything,” Hao’er and Muchen replied simultaneously. “Why does Little Qi smell faintly of wine? Did something happen while you were out?” he asked slowly, his expression subtly concerned. “I didn’t take good enough care of her, Master. She was accidentally knocked down by someone and had spirit wine spilled all over her, and her hand got cut by the broken jar,” Hao’er hung his head low as he said with self blame.