Thinking of the footprint, Li Biao shuddered, yet his gaze toward Jiang Hai grew increasingly icy.
"Teach him a sound lesson, and tell the Jiang family that if they ever dare to bother the master again, they shouldn't blame me for being discourteous," Li Biao said.
His two subordinates immediately went to work, beating Jiang Hai mercilessly. No matter how Jiang Hai begged for mercy, they had no intention of letting him off.
"Master, are you satisfied with this handling?" Li Biao asked respectfully.
Ye Ning patted him on the shoulder and said, "Not bad, thanks."
Li Biao smiled and said, "Master is too polite. Being able to do things for you is my honor."
Lin Xue cast a strange glance at Li Biao, her expression somewhat incredulous.
Could this really be Brother Biao, the formidable overlord of the Shendu underworld? She never expected him to be so deferential in front of Ye Ning.
Glancing at Jiang Hai, Ye Ning said, "That's about enough. Don't actually beat him to death. This is a school; killing someone would probably bring quite a bit of trouble, wouldn't it?"
Jiang Hai nodded, signaling his two subordinates to stop.
By this time, Jiang Hai was bruised and swollen, lying on the ground and twitching.
Li Biao's subordinates were ruthless characters who hit hard; how could a pampered young master like him possibly withstand it?
The fact that he hadn't passed out cold was a testament to his sheer willpower.
Ye Ning signaled Lin Xue that it was time to leave.
Li Biao hastily said, "Master, could you leave me your phone number? When you have time, I'd like to invite you to dinner to thank you for saving my mother."
"He's the old woman's son?" Lin Xue asked in surprise.
She found it quite strange, as that old woman had dressed so plainly, looking nothing like the mother of an underworld boss in Shendu.
Ye Ning nodded and said, "The old lady is a very kind person. She donated all the money her son gave her, considering it a form of atonement for her son, while she herself makes a living picking up scrap metal."
So that was how it was. Lin Xue wore a look of deep admiration.
Li Biao smiled bitterly; regarding his mother's stubborn persistence, there was nothing he could do.
Ye Ning left his phone number and name, and only then did he depart with Lin Xue.
"Boss, isn't that Ye Ning just an Ancient Martial Artist? Is he really worth sucking up to like this? No matter how strong he is, can he possibly be stronger than a gun?" a lackey couldn't help asking.
Glancing at the lackey, Li Biao sneered and said, "You simply don't understand what an Ancient Martial Artist represents. To a truly powerful Ancient Martial Artist, guns are nothing more than a pile of scrap metal in their eyes."
"How is that possible?" the lackey said in astonishment.
"A true Ancient Martial Artist is like a god in front of mortals." Li Biao's expression was filled with awe.
***
Chapter 18 Do You Dare Sleep with Me?
Lying on the ground, Jiang Hai finally understood why Li Biao was currying favor with Ye Ning so intensely.
It was true that Ye Ning had saved Li Biao's mother, but even more so because Ye Ning was an Ancient Martial Artist.
He shuddered. As a member of Shendu's premier family, he naturally knew just how terrifying Ancient Martial Artists could be.
This beating hadn't been suffered in vain.
Jiang Hai made up his mind that upon returning, he would definitely tell Jiang Tao about Ye Ning's identity and warn him never to think about messing with Ye Ning again.
Otherwise, the only ones who would suffer misfortune would be the Jiang family.
On the road, Lin Xue was driving when her phone suddenly rang.
She answered the call, and a pleasant female voice came through from the other end.
"Is this Miss Lin? I am Han Ziyan. May I ask if Ye Ning is with you?" Han Ziyan's voice inquired.
With a strange expression, Lin Xue glanced at Ye Ning and said, "He's here. Do you want to speak with him?"
"Mhm."
Handing her phone over to Ye Ning, Lin Xue pricked up her ears, eager to know what the two of them would talk about.
"Changed your mind? Ready to marry me?" Ye Ning took the phone and said.
"Can we meet?" Han Ziyan asked.
"Sure." Naturally, Ye Ning wouldn't refuse.
"Bauhinia Bar. Come alone."
"Alright."
Ye Ning hung up the phone. Before he could even speak, Lin Xue said, "I'll drop you off and then go straight home."
She had overheard the conversation and knew that Han Ziyan didn't want others to know.
"You're so good. From now on, you'll be my primary wife."
"Why?"
"Because you're exceptionally good." Ye Ning smiled.
Lin Xue didn't know whether to laugh or cry; she understood what Ye Ning meant.
Yet she knew very well it wasn't because she was so virtuous that she wouldn't get jealous.
It was primarily because, although she and Ye Ning had an engagement, the time they had known each other was simply too short.
Even if Ye Ning were truly with other women right now, it would be hard for her to muster much jealousy.
What Lin Xue felt for Ye Ning was mostly a sense of gratitude; if you called it love, it wasn't that strong just yet.
"Come back early."
Upon reaching the destination, Lin Xue urged him.
Then, worrying that her words might make Ye Ning misunderstand, she quickly added, "I don't mean anything else by it—you can stay out overnight if you want."
"I'm not that kind of casual man," Ye Ning said with a straight face.
Speechless, Lin Xue said no more, pressed down on the accelerator, and drove away.
Bauhinia Bar was open almost around the clock, save for the cleaning hours between six and eight in the morning.
As Ye Ning stepped inside, the somewhat chaotic music caused him to frown involuntarily.
His gaze swept over the patrons, finally resting on a woman dressed very much like a delinquent punk girl.
Heavy with makeup, she sat alone. Anyone who approached was driven away by her, leaving her to drink by herself.
Ye Ning walked over and sat down beside her, smiling cheerfully as he asked, "Have you thought it over?"
The woman was slightly startled. She cast a surprised look at Ye Ning and asked, "How did you recognize me?"
The corners of Ye Ning's mouth hooked upward slightly. "I'd recognize you even if you were turned to ashes."
Han Ziyan: "……"
She rolled her eyes at Ye Ning. Could this guy even hold a proper conversation?
"Well, what have you decided?" Ye Ning pressed on.
Gazing at Ye Ning with a serious expression, Han Ziyan said, "I have a question, and I hope you'll answer me honestly."
Ye Ning nodded.
Han Ziyan licked her lips and asked with a hint of nervousness, "Are you Master Yinlong?"
"I don't know if I'm Master Yinlong, but that painting was something I did when I was eight or nine years old. If the Master Yinlong you speak of is the creator of that painting, then yes, that's me," Ye Ning said calmly.
Han Ziyan instantly relaxed. A smile bloomed on her face as she asked, "Can you drive?"
"A little."
"Take me for a spin."
She reached out and tossed the car keys to Ye Ning.
Ye Ning caught them, and the two walked outside.
Finding Han Ziyan's car, Ye Ning got into the driver's seat, fumbled with the controls for a moment, then started the engine and drove off.
The car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, heading out of the city.
Under Han Ziyan's directions, Ye Ning drove the vehicle to a roadside on the outskirts where few people frequented.
Gazing at Ye Ning from the passenger seat, Han Ziyan's expression was filled with excitement and anticipation.
"What other skills do you have?"
Thinking for a moment, Ye Ning got out of the car, walked over to a large tree, and with the edge of his hand shaped like a blade, sliced straight through it.
The massive tree was cut cleanly in half at the waist, crashing down onto the ground.
"Have you ever heard of Ancient Martial Artists? I am an Ancient Martial Artist," Ye Ning said.
"Aside from martial arts?" Han Ziyan's eyes shone with a peculiar brilliance.
"The guqin, chess, calligraphy, painting, medical arts, martial arts, and the mystical arts of Qi Men Dun Jia—I understand a bit of all of them," Ye Ning said.
The corners of Han Ziyan's mouth turned up in a slight smile. Sitting inside the car, she curled her finger at Ye Ning.
"Get in."
Ye Ning climbed back in.
"Drive."
This time, however, it wasn't the car that was being driven; instead, Han Ziyan took the lead.
Two hours later, the swaying of the car finally ceased.
Han Ziyan lay in Ye Ning's arms, her eyes looking as though they could drip water, her cheeks flushed with a double rosy hue that made her infinitely endearing and worthy of pity.
Ye Ning was not surprised in the least.
In public, Han Ziyan was a freezing iceberg goddess and the top female CEO in Shendu.
Yet, she possessed another entirely different facet to her personality.
Passionate, proactive, fiery, and bold in both love and hate.
Upon confirming that Ye Ning was indeed Master Yinlong, she had directly surrendered herself to him.
"From now on, I'm going to be the primary wife," Han Ziyan declared imperiously.
"I've already promised Lin Xue; she is the primary wife," Ye Ning replied.
He was still a man of considerable principle. Since he had made that promise to Lin Xue, he wasn't about to go back on his word so easily.
"Leave that matter to me." The corners of Han Ziyan's mouth lifted slightly.
At that moment, a pleasant mobile phone ringtone chimed.
As Han Ziyan answered the call, the expression on her face, which had just been overflowing with romantic warmth, instantly turned cold.
"Honey, can you accompany me to a banquet? There might be someone there trying to bully me."
Hanging up the phone, Han Ziyan spoke to Ye Ning in a sweet, coquettish tone.
"Sure."
Ye Ning agreed.
"We'll head over right now," Han Ziyan said.
She started to get up, but suddenly stumbled and fell right back into Ye Ning's embrace.
Frowning slightly, Han Ziyan cast a sidelong glance at Ye Ning and chided, "This is all your fault."
"Haha."
Ye Ning chuckled triumphantly.
Still, as compensation, he took the initiative to help Han Ziyan put her clothes back on.
Naturally, the process left Han Ziyan a bit breathless. She shot Ye Ning a soul-stirring, reproachful glance and muttered, "Honey, stop messing around. If you keep playing, we really won't make it there."
Looking at Han Ziyan's watery eyes, Ye Ning really didn't want to go anymore.
However, he knew that business came first; besides, there would be plenty of days ahead.
Driving off, they stopped to buy an outfit, shedding the punk-girl attire, and only then did they arrive at the banquet venue.
By this time, Han Ziyan had reverted to her persona of a cold and glamorous female CEO.
She informed Ye Ning that the host of tonight's banquet was the most powerful underworld boss in Shendu, a man who had been pursuing her relentlessly.
It was simply that Han Ziyan disliked the man, held no good feelings toward him, and thus had consistently refused.
It was precisely because of this that the man had been trying to suppress her and her business lately.
"An underworld boss? How does he compare to Li Biao?" Ye Ning asked.
"Li Biao is merely at the level of a lackey compared to him; he doesn't amount to anything at all," Han Ziyan explained.
Understanding the situation, Ye Ning gave a faint smile and said, "Simple. I'll help you solve it."
"Honey, do you know him?" Han Ziyan's eyes lit up.
Ye Ning shook his head. "No."
"Then how are you going to solve it?" Han Ziyan asked, somewhat puzzled.
"My grandmaster once said that if you can't solve the trouble, you solve the person who makes the trouble. As it happens, I possess precisely that kind of strength." The corners of Ye Ning's mouth curled up.
Han Ziyan could feel that at this exact moment, a powerful, chilling aura was emanating from Ye Ning, making her whole body feel a sudden coolness and altering the way she looked at him.
This man was far more formidable than she had imagined.
Far from feeling any sense of danger, she found herself deeply thrilled.
Perhaps, deep down in her bones, Han Ziyan possessed a restless nature that craved excitement—that was her true personality.
***
Chapter 19 Lord Fourth
Arriving at the banquet venue, the scene was one of dazzling lights and extravagant luxury, filled with impeccably dressed figures.
Socialites wearing practiced smiles conversed smoothly with various successful elites.
The so-called upper class was, more or less, just like this.
Han Ziyan's car arrived and was instantly recognized.
Countless gazes turned toward it. Han Ziyan was unquestionably a prominent figure in Xiaocheng, renowned as the iceberg goddess and a business prodigy.
Many regarded her as the goddess of their dreams, and her admirers certainly numbered more than a reinforced company.
Yet, very few dared to actually pursue her.
Because Han Ziyan was simply too exceptional, most people only felt a fluttering of the heart.
Should anyone truly attempt to pursue her, they would only feel an overwhelming sense of inferiority, deeming themselves unworthy of her.
Tonight's banquet was hosted by one such persistent suitor of Han Ziyan.
"Lord Fourth, putting on such a grand production today—it seems you are determined to win over Han Ziyan no matter what." Li Biao had arrived and was standing before a man in his forties, a hint of flattery coloring his expression.
The man was Chen Hong, the supreme figure of the Xiaocheng underworld. Because he ranked fourth in his family, he was addressed as Lord Fourth Chen.
While Li Biao was considered a heavy hitter in Xiaocheng, he still fell short before Chen Hong, acting merely at the level of a subordinate.
Chen Hong let out a smug laugh and said, "The women I want to get, I always get. Call her the top beauty CEO of Xiaocheng or an iceberg beauty all you want—if I want her, no one can stop me."
"Lord Fourth is mighty. Let me be the first to congratulate you on winning the beauty," said a robustly built man.
This was Huang Tanlang, the number-two figure in the Xiaocheng underworld, whose strength was second only to Chen Hong's.
The two had always been at odds, locked in open and covert struggles.
Coming here today was purely to watch the show.
As for whether his congratulations to Chen Hong were genuine, anyone with a brain could tell.
Feeling quite pleased, Chen Hong couldn't be bothered to bicker with Huang Tanlang.
He cast his gaze toward the entrance, awaiting Han Ziyan's arrival.
Li Biao and Huang Tanlang also fell silent, both looking toward the doors.
They, too, were filled with curiosity about this famed premier beauty CEO of Xiaocheng.
They just wondered if Chen Hong would get his wish tonight.
Before long, Han Ziyan arrived.
Upon seeing Han Ziyan, Chen Hong's face immediately split into a broad smile. He looked nothing like a ferocious underworld boss, appearing more like a infatuated young man who had just laid eyes on his beloved.
Yet his smile only bloomed for a few seconds before he quickly reined it in.
Han Ziyan had arrived, but she was accompanied by a man.
She was linked to the man's arm, wearing a look of sheer bliss—the picture of a completely smitten woman.
Moreover, Han Ziyan currently carried the unmistakable air of a woman who had truly known love.
Chen Hong's smile vanished in an instant, and a surge of fiery rage shot straight up in his chest.
How dare this woman pull such a stunt?
As a seasoned veteran with extensive experience, Chen Hong could tell at a single glance that Han Ziyan had already lost her virginity.
And that man was not him.
Huang Tanlang wore a wide grin; he knew a good show was about to unfold.
The moment Li Biao caught sight of Ye Ning, he suffered a momentary lapse in focus.
Why had he come here? And furthermore, why was he together with Han Ziyan?
Li Biao knew major trouble was brewing.
Given Chen Hong's temperament, today's affair was not going to end peacefully.
Huang Tanlang chuckled. "Lord Fourth, things seem a bit off. The woman you were determined to win has already become another man's."
With a dark expression, Chen Hong cast a cold glare at Huang Tanlang and let out a cold snort.
Anyone else would have been frightened to the point of weak knees by now, seeing as Chen Hong's wrath was not something just anyone could withstand.
Huang Tanlang, however, couldn't care less; he and Chen Hong were rivals to begin with.
Smiling cheerfully, Huang Tanlang said, "Lord Fourth, getting angry with me won't help; I'm not the one who snatched your woman. But who on earth is that kid? He's got some serious guts, daring to poach Lord Fourth's woman right from under his nose. That's a direct slap to your face."
With a gloomy face, Chen Hong ignored Huang Tanlang and strode toward Han Ziyan and Ye Ning.
The moment Ye Ning stepped inside, he had sensed Chen Hong's gaze.
Among all the eyes in the room, only Chen Hong's carried such intense oppressiveness, laced with hostility and even killing intent.
"His name is Chen Hong. He's the number-one figure in the Shendu underworld, known as Lord Fourth Chen," Han Ziyan whispered softly.
Ye Ning gave a slight nod, his gaze falling upon the approaching Chen Hong as the corners of his mouth tilted upward.
"Who is he?"
Stepping up close, Lord Fourth stared at Ye Ning and asked coldly.
With a faint smile, Han Ziyan replied, "His name is Ye Ning. He is my fiancé."
As soon as these words dropped, the entire room erupted in an uproar.
Everyone knew there was going to be a good show tonight.
Chen Hong's expression turned somewhat dark as he said coldly, "Manager Han, I've never heard of you having a fiancé. You aren't deliberately bringing someone in to fool me, are you?"
With a serious expression, Han Ziyan said, "This is an engagement set by my father. I only found out about it recently, and since I happen to like Ye Ning, I've acknowledged him as my fiancé."
At this, Han Ziyan's tone grew frosty. "Lord Fourth and I have no relation whatsoever, and I have no need to hire an impostor to pose as my fiancé just to trick you."
The crowd buzzed with astonishment, feeling that Han Ziyan was simply too daring.
Everyone knew Chen Hong had designs on Han Ziyan.
This was a direct rejection of Chen Hong, and given his personality, he wouldn't let the matter rest.
"Heh."
Chen Hong let out a dark, humorless chuckle. Staring straight at Han Ziyan, he said calmly, "I'm afraid you've forgotten who I am, haven't you?"
Han Ziyan raised an eyebrow and remained silent.
"I am Lord Fourth Chen, the number-one figure in the Shendu underworld. I have a hundred ways to make sure this brat never lives to see tomorrow's sun."
Chen Hong's sinister words caused everyone present to shiver involuntarily.
They all knew Chen Hong was genuinely furious; otherwise, he wouldn't have uttered such an explicit threat.
They cast sympathetic glances at Han Ziyan and Ye Ning, convinced that neither of them would meet a good end.
"Little Si, are you trying to kill me?" Ye Ning finally spoke up.
Li Biao knew a thing or two about Ye Ning; he was aware Ye Ning was an Ancient Martial Artist and likely wouldn't be afraid of Chen Hong.
Even so, Li Biao never expected Ye Ning to address Chen Hong directly as "Little Si."
He clicked his tongue inwardly while simultaneously preparing to step forward.
No matter what, he was going to stand on Ye Ning's side.
*Little Si?*
Chen Hong nearly blew a gasket. Ever since he turned sixteen, apart from his parents, no one had ever dared address him by that childhood nickname.
Worse still, the name easily brought to mind that guy under one meter four.
"That's right! Daring to snatch a woman from me—you're courting death," Chen Hong said with a sinister edge.
Ye Ning smiled slightly. With a sudden movement, he reached out and grabbed Chen Hong by the throat.
Chen Hong's eyes widened instantly as he was hoisted into the air with a single hand.
Seeing this, Chen Hong's subordinates all rushed forward, surrounding Ye Ning.
Ye Ning broke into a wide grin and said calmly, "My grandmaster said that whoever wants to kill me, I should kill them first. Since you want me dead, you might as well die."
As the words left his mouth, Ye Ning snapped Chen Hong's neck with a sharp twist.
Chen Hong's eyes bulged in shock. Until the moment of his death, he never imagined he would be killed so easily.
***
Chapter 20 Who Else?
Silence descended upon the scene.
Everyone stared at Ye Ning, their expressions filled with awe and reverence.
Both Li Biao and Huang Tanlang were completely dumbfounded. Lord Fourth Chen, who had been riding high above them, had just been killed like that, leaving them with the surreal sensation of living in a dream.
Chen Hong's subordinates erupted in fury, closing in to encircle Ye Ning tightly.
Their eyes were icy, their killing intent palpable, and their expressions brimming with rage.