The guests cried out in alarm and quickly scattered, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
Li Biao gritted his teeth and rushed forward, determined to help Ye Ning shield himself from those men.
After all, Ye Ning was his mother's savior; Li Biao could not simply stand by and watch Ye Ning beaten to death.
At that moment, he completely forgot that Ye Ning was an Ancient Martial Artist.
Right then, Ye Ning moved. With a single sweep of his hand, he directly sent the man charging at the front flying through the air.
Then, Ye Ning took the initiative and charged forward.
Thud, thud, thud.
It was the sound of fists colliding with flesh.
Chen Hong's subordinates flew backward even faster than they had rushed in.
They crashed to the ground several meters away, wailing endlessly.
More than twenty of Chen Hong's men were dealt with by Ye Ning in under a minute.
The sight stunned everyone present. No one had expected Ye Ning to be such an incredible fighter.
"My husband is mighty!" Han Ziyan shouted in excitement.
She was so thrilled that her entire body trembled slightly.
Ye Ning turned around and gave her a faint smile, exuding an indescribable coolness.
At that moment, one of the men lying on the ground pulled out a walkie-talkie and shouted, "Get in here! Fourth Master has been killed!"
Instantly, a commotion erupted outside, and countless men poured in—all subordinates of Chen Hong.
Li Biao's expression shifted drastically. He shouted to Ye Ning, "Mr. Ye, you get out of here first! I'll hold them off!"
With that, Li Biao rallied his own subordinates and prepared to charge forward.
However, Ye Ning shook his head and said, "Stay where you are. They aren't a threat to me."
With those words, Ye Ning strode forward to meet the incoming mob.
Amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd, he took them down one by one. Every single one of Chen Hong's men who rushed in was sent flying.
They crashed to the ground, unable to stand, and writhed in agony.
The onlookers were dumbfounded. A celebrity once boasted about taking on ten men at once.
Right now, Ye Ning wasn't just taking on ten—the number of men sprawled on the ground was nearing a hundred.
Even so, more men continued to pour through the doors.
Seeing Ye Ning in action, they finally realized that the legendary warriors of antiquity who could single-handedly fight ten thousand were no exaggeration.
Han Ziyan grew even more excited, her eyes filled with undisguised adoration as she gazed at Ye Ning.
Only now did she realize that when Ye Ning said he knew martial arts, he meant he was terrifyingly powerful.
Just then, a figure slipped up behind Han Ziyan unobserved. Brandishing a knife, the man pressed the blade against her neck.
"Stop right there, or I'll kill her!"
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the scene, and Ye Ning's eyes turned icy cold.
Li Biao's expression darkened; he was in a bind, hesitant to act for fear of hurting the hostage.
If Ye Ning gave up resistance, he was as good as dead.
Li Biao opened his mouth to warn him, only to find that Ye Ning's expression had completely changed.
His eyes were so frigid they seemed capable of killing. The temperature in the entire hall plummeted to freezing point in an instant.
Everyone felt as though the blood in their veins had turned to ice. Aside from their thoughts, every muscle in their bodies locked up, unable to move a single inch.
They stared at Ye Ning in terror. Who would have thought his anger could be so terrifying?
"Remember this: before you kill me, never touch anyone by my side. Otherwise, you'll regret ever coming into this world."
Ye Ning's voice was chillingly cold, sounding as though it came straight from the nether-hell. It froze the knife-wielding subordinate of Chen Hong in his tracks.
A sudden, overwhelming wave of remorse flooded the man's heart. Why on earth had he provoked this man? Why had he tried to use Han Ziyan as leverage against Ye Ning?
Before he even realized it, Ye Ning was standing right beside him.
Ye Ning grabbed the man's hand and, under the other's terrified gaze, squeezed mercilessly.
*Crack.*
The bones in the man's hand were crushed to powder.
That wasn't all. Amidst the man's frantic terror, Ye Ning struck his acupoints, and then proceeded to shatter every bone in his body, inch by inch.
A piercing, miserable scream tore from the man's throat. Veins bulged on his forehead, and cold sweat drenched his entire body as he suffered unimaginable agony.
Yet, he couldn't even pass out. Ye Ning had used his methods to amplify the man's sensation of pain tenfold while keeping his mind crystal clear.
"Enjoy yourself. You should have about ten minutes left to live. Every single second of these next ten minutes will be pure torture for you."
Ye Ning's voice rang out, sounding like a demon's whisper in the victim's ears.
The man trembled violently, staring at Ye Ning in terror, his eyes filled with infinite regret and despair.
Ignoring the writhing man, Ye Ning swept his gaze across the remaining subordinates of Chen Hong who had him surrounded. They instinctively backed away in terror.
"Step aside. Don't block my way."
Refusing to yield, a man in his early forties stepped out from the crowd and said coldly, "You killed Fourth Master, and you still think you can just walk away? I admit your skills are impressive, but can you outfight a bullet?"
At his command, two men drew handguns and aimed them straight at Ye Ning.
The dark, hollow muzzles of the guns made everyone's nerves snap tight. They stared at the scene in horror; none of them could have imagined that a simple banquet would escalate into this.
Ye Ning said indifferently, "Two pieces of scrap metal. They pose no threat to me whatsoever."
"Heh, feel free to try. I know you're likely an Ancient Martial Artist, but unless you're a Grandmaster, you can't stop the power of a bullet," the man sneered. He was Xu Shuo, Chen Hong's military strategist and fiercely loyal follower.
Now that Chen Hong was dead, Xu Shuo hated Ye Ning to the core and was determined to kill him to avenge his master.
"Hah."
Ye Ning chuckled. With a sudden blur of motion, he vanished from his spot and reappeared right in front of the two gunmen.
Before they could even react, Ye Ning snatched the guns right out of their hands.
Before either man could process what had happened, Ye Ning delivered a kick to each of their chests.
The two gunmen were sent flying over ten meters back, their chests horribly caved in. It was clear they wouldn't survive.
By the time the rest of the crowd snapped back to reality, Ye Ning had already tossed the two firearms aside.
Xu Shuo froze, his face turning deathly pale.
He had only factored in that anyone below the level of a Grandmaster couldn't stop a bullet.
He had completely forgotten that the speed of an Ancient Martial Artist was something ordinary people could never hope to match.
Seeing Ye Ning's gaze lock onto him, Xu Shuo's body shuddered.
"What... what do you want?" Xu Shuo stammered, his voice trembling.
"To kill you."
Ye Ning's voice reached his ears.
"You dare—"
Before Xu Shuo could finish, Ye Ning reached out and snapped his neck.
Sweeping his gaze over the petrified crowd, who didn't dare make a sound, Ye Ning asked calmly, "Who else?"
Absolute silence filled the hall.
***
No one dared to utter a word. Everyone stared at Ye Ning's receding figure as if looking at a ghost or a god.
It was too terrifying. Awe and dread toward Ye Ning had reached their absolute peak in their hearts.
He was a monster.
Li Biao stood there in a daze. He had already guessed that Ye Ning was an Ancient Martial Artist, but he still hadn't expected the young man to be this overwhelmingly powerful.
The dignified Fourth Master Chen, ruler of one of the most powerful factions in the Small City, had been killed just like that.
And his subordinates—over a hundred men swarming Ye Ning—were completely helpless, cut down and scattered like chaff.
If Ye Ning hadn't held back, most of those men would likely be dead right now.
"Li Biao, let's go."
Ye Ning glanced at Li Biao.
Li Biao hesitated for a fraction of a second before following him out.
He knew very well that by leaving with Ye Ning, he was openly declaring to everyone present that he and Ye Ning were allies.
For Li Biao, this came with considerable risk, but it was also a massive opportunity.
In the underground world, who was afraid of a little risk?
After a brief hesitation, Li Biao strode after him.
Han Ziyan glanced at Li Biao with a hint of surprise. How did Ye Ning know this man?
Li Biao wasn't the absolute strongest figure in the Small City, but he was certainly one of the most notorious.
When dirty work needed to be done, many people handed the jobs over to Li Biao.
In the minds of many, Li Biao was perhaps even more terrifying than Fourth Master Chen.
Watching Li Biao leave in Ye Ning's wake, Huang Tanlang narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
A sense of anxiety crept into his heart. If Li Biao had ties to this terrifying monster, the entire underground world of the Small City was about to undergo a seismic shift.
And by telling Li Biao to leave with him, Ye Ning was deliberately signaling to everyone that Li Biao was his man.
Right now, Huang Tanlang didn't even dare to call out to stop Ye Ning, terrified that the man might casually snuff him out on a whim.
"Let's go."
Though anxious on the inside, Huang Tanlang kept his expression completely neutral on the surface.
He signaled his subordinates and hastily cleared out.
The other guests scrambled to leave as well. Fourth Master Chen was dead; the underground world of the Small City had changed hands.
Who dared to stay? If that terrifying man mistook them for Chen Hong's accomplices, they'd be in deep trouble.
A man who could crush Fourth Master Chen like a bug could ruin most of their families with a single thought.
Inside the car, Han Ziyan asked with a hint of worry, "Ye Ning, you killed so many people. Are you going to be in trouble?"
Only after calming down had Han Ziyan realized the gravity of the situation.
She was anxious—after all, Ye Ning had committed multiple murders in plain sight.
Even though Fourth Master Chen belonged to the underground world, Ye Ning would still be held accountable.
More often than not, the authorities spared no effort in protecting the "rights" of scoundrels.
Ye Ning shook his head. "Don't worry, nothing will happen."
Matters involving Ancient Martial Artists were naturally handled by specialized organizations.
Ordinary police officers could never interfere with him.
This was what his master had told him. Moreover, once a person's strength reached a certain realm, they were permitted to stand above the rules.
"In turf wars within the underground world, the police station generally turns a blind eye. They're more than happy to watch us tear each other apart. As long as we don't cause a massive uproar, they couldn't care less if every last one of us dies," Li Biao explained.
He sat in the backseat with the couple, while one of his lackneys followed close behind driving Li Biao's own car.
Li Biao knew very well that Ye Ning had brought him along because he had something to discuss.
Hearing this, Han Ziyan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She couldn't help wondering what reasons Ye Ning had for involving Li Biao.
"Li Biao, do you have the strength to swallow up Fourth Master Chen's territory?" Ye Ning asked.
A spark ignited in Li Biao's chest. He said with suppressed excitement, "If no one tries to stop me, I have the strength to take it all and absorb over half of Fourth Master Chen's subordinates. My only concern is interference."
"From whom?" Ye Ning asked.
"Huang Tanlang. He used to be the second-in-command of the Small City's underground world, and now that Chen is gone, he's effectively number one. I've always ranked third," Li Biao answered honestly.
"If he dares to make a move, let me know. I'll go find him. If he's smart, he'll know what to do," Ye Ning said indifferently.
Han Ziyan frowned slightly and said, "Are you really planning to get involved in the underground world? You shouldn't. It's never a clean place—once you step into it, you can never truly escape."
"Miss Han is right. It really is like that," Li Biao sighed.
He had already made enough money and had actually considered washing his hands of the underground world, but he knew all too well that attempting to leave usually led to a tragic end.
Once you enter the martial underworld, you lose control over your own destiny. Very few people meet a peaceful end.
Ye Ning smiled faintly. "I've never looked at the underground world as anything significant. In the eyes of true powerhouses, this so-called underground world is nothing more than children playing house. The real, brutal world belongs to our kind."
*The Ancient Martial Arts circle?*
Both of them wore looks of astonishment.
They were ordinary people, completely lacking in understanding of the Ancient Martial realm.
"I couldn't care less about the underground world, and I don't care to bully people. I simply need someone reliable to control the Small City's underground so that your company can operate in peace," Ye Ning explained his true motive.
Li Biao was the only underground figure he knew, and the fact that Li Biao had stepped up to stand by him during such a dangerous moment had earned Ye Ning's genuine appreciation.
The man was loyal, had a sense of honor, and possessed decent combat skills. That was why Ye Ning chose him.
Han Ziyan hadn't expected Ye Ning to meddle in the underground world purely for her sake.
Deeply touched, she said, "Ye Ning, thank you. You're honestly too good to me."
"Treating my own wife well is only natural. What's there to be moved about?" Ye Ning replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Han Ziyan bit her lip, her eyes shimmering with emotion, her cheeks flushed as her heart stirred.
Noticing her expression, Ye Ning gave a light cough and turned to Li Biao. "Alright, you can go handle your business now. If that Huang Tanlang character gives you any trouble, notify me directly, and I'll go wipe him out."
Li Biao was sharp enough to take the hint immediately and got out of the car.
His heart raced with exhilaration. He was about to become the undisputed king of the Small City's underground world! From now on, he would be the absolute ruler of the shadows here.
His decision to follow Ye Ning was proving to be the right one.
Since Ye Ning looked down on the underground world, he naturally needed a proxy.
And Li Biao could be that man. In time, becoming the underground overlord of the entire province, or even several provinces, was only a matter of time.
Climbing back into his own vehicle, a wave of soaring ambition washed over him.
"Gather all the brothers! Starting today, the underground world of the Small City belongs to us!"
Li Biao's men were fired up. Having vaguely guessed what was happening, they erupted into cheers of excitement the moment Li Biao confirmed it.
Meanwhile, Ye Ning and Han Ziyan parked their car on a quiet, deserted roadside, where the vehicle soon began to rock gently in the night.
By the time they finished, it was already late into the night.
Gazing up at the silver moon hanging high in the sky, a profound sense of satisfaction filled Ye Ning's heart.
***
Back at the Lin Family residence, Su Qingqing's face was dark with anger as she pointed a finger right at Lin Xue's nose and chewed her out.
Lin Xue curled up on the sofa, looking utterly gloomy.
Seeing her attitude made Su Qingqing even angrier. She snapped irritably, "Are you out of your mind? Your own man goes chasing after another woman, and you actually drove him over there yourself? You didn't even have the sense to call him back late as it is! If Ye Ning actually gets seduced by that Han Ziyan, you won't even have a place to cry!"
"Cousin, how come you sound way more worked up than I am? Do you actually like Ye Ning?" Lin Xue asked cautiously.
Su Qingqing reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her voice shot up as she shrieked, "I'm worried sick for you! What does this have to do with me? Sure, Ye Ning's character leaves a lot to be desired, but he's Master Hidden Dragon! If Han Ziyan steals him away, it'll be too late for regrets!"
"I just don't want to see you get wronged. How could I possibly like that scoundrel Ye Ning?"
Her face turned beet red, whether from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell.
Lin Xue chuckled and wrapped her arms around Su Qingqing. "Cousin, don't get so worked up. A guy like Ye Ning is a natural-born playboy anyway. Trying to keep him on a tight leash is impossible."
"Then why did you hand him over to someone else?!" Su Qingqing grew even angrier.
Lin Xue, however, said with quiet confidence, "It's fine. There are two of us here, after all. I refuse to believe that if we sisters join forces, we still won't be able to keep Ye Ning around."
Flustered, Su Qingqing immediately retorted, "What nonsense are you spouting? Who wants to join forces with you?!"
"Cousin, didn't you say you wanted to marry Master Hidden Dragon? Ye Ning *is* Master Hidden Dragon. Don't you want to marry him?" Lin Xue stared at Su Qingqing with a teasing, knowing smile.
Su Qingqing let out a cold snort and put on an act of indignation. "Hmph! That was before I knew Ye Ning was Master Hidden Dragon. If I'd known, I'd never have said such a thing!"
Looking thoroughly exasperated and thoroughly displeased, she muttered, "He completely ruined the image of Master Hidden Dragon in my heart. Who would've thought Master Hidden Dragon would just be some punk kid?"
"He's what you call a youthful prodigy. Not only is he great at painting, but his medical skills are top-notch, and his fighting skills are terrifying. You couldn't find a man like him even if you searched with a lantern," Lin Xue defended him staunchly.
Su Qingqing looked at her suspiciously. "If he's so great, why did you let him go see Han Ziyan?"
"Who can restrain a true dragon? Ye Ning is a true dragon; no one can bind him. If you try to force a restriction on him, it'll only backfire," Lin Xue said softly, her gaze drifting.
Su Qingqing's eyes lit up slightly. She stared at Lin Xue in surprise and said, "So you didn't really not care—you just had a plan all along."
"Being with him means enduring certain things as a given. Cousin, are you prepared for that?" Lin Xue asked, locking eyes with her.
Su Qingqing rolled her eyes and snapped, "There you go again. Whatever, I'm not talking to you."
With that, she turned on her heel and headed upstairs, though her cheeks remained flushed red.
After Su Qingqing left, Lin Xue lapsed into a daze. *Was Ye Ning really not planning to come back tonight?*
She stayed sitting in the living room, waiting all the way until one in the morning, until she finally curled up and fell asleep on the sofa.
When Ye Ning returned, he found Lin Xue curled up on the couch, her body shivering slightly from the cold.
He frowned. *Was Lin Xue waiting up for me?*
A soft look crossed Ye Ning's face. He walked over, gently scooped Lin Xue up in his arms, and carried her to her bedroom.
Tucking her into bed, Ye Ning pulled the blanket over her, then quietly opened the door and walked out.
Having toiled all day long, even Ye Ning's iron constitution felt a touch of weariness.
Yawning as he stepped into the hallway, he instinctively pushed open the door to the adjacent room and slid straight under the covers.
A fragrant, delicate body immediately snuggled up against him. Half-asleep and dead to the world, Ye Ning instinctively pulled her into his arms, his hand accidentally cupping a soft, prominent curve.
Early the next morning, a shrill shriek echoed through the house.
Moments later, the door to Su Qingqing's bedroom flew open.
Ye Ning rubbed his eyes, looking utterly innocent as he stared at the two women whose faces were etched with sheer disbelief.
"Ye Ning! Why are you in my cousin's bed *again*?!" Lin Xue cried out in shock.
Su Qingqing's face twisted with rage as she glared daggers at Ye Ning.
She had actually spent another entire night sleeping in Ye Ning's arms!
"Ye Ning, you better give me an explanation right now!" Su Qingqing demanded furiously, on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Ye Ning replied matter-of-factly, "You're my woman. We already agreed on this earlier. What's wrong with me sleeping in your bed?"
Su Qingqing was struck dumb. *When on earth did I ever agree to that with Ye Ning?!*
Lin Xue was stunned as well before breaking into a suppressed giggle. "So that's how it is! Cousin, since you've already made things official with Ye Ning, what's there to be shy about?"
Su Qingqing felt like she was going crazy. She hurriedly protested, "That was fake! It was all an act!"
"I already told you back then—I stamped you, so you're my woman. It doesn't matter if you disagree," Ye Ning said with overbearing dominance.
Seeing that Su Qingqing was about to argue further, Ye Ning cut her off. "Alright, time to get up. I'll go make breakfast."