Drawn daggers already?
Since throwing a tantrum didn't work, now they want to resort to brute force, is that it?
Did they really take him, Ling Chen, for some kind of pushover, a soft persimmon just waiting to be squeezed?
Right at that moment, a murderous voice suddenly rang out.
"How audacious! I'd like to see who dares lecture the young master of the Ling Family."
"Third Uncle."
Hearing this, Ling Chen looked over, a flash of joy crossing his face. The newcomer was none other than his third uncle, Ling Zhongheng.
In Luoyan City, the Ling Family was the undisputed local tyrant, a force everyone had to show at least a little respect to. The moment Ling Zhongheng appeared, the arrogance on the He Family's side instantly shriveled by more than half.
"Ling Chen, could you really bear to do this?"
He Qinglan bit her lower lip. Murderous intent surged in her heart, yet she still put on an innocent look.
"I merely said I wouldn't marry you, yet you refuse to show a shred of our past affection, forcing you and me to the point where we can't even remain friends?"
Putting on an act again, are we?
Ling Chen had already seen through her true colors. Suspecting all the more that she was connected to that gang of men in black, how could he be fooled by her again? He let out a cold laugh.
"Then it truly is a double blessing, and exactly what I've been wishing for."
"You!"
He Qinglan trembled with rage. She should have done it herself back then and killed this good-for-nothing with a single blade.
"Elder sister, why are you begging him!"
The brocade-robed youth beside her felt he had lost face, his eyes staring fixedly at Ling Chen.
"A pile of scrap metal is only treated like a treasure by a good-for-nothing like you. It's not even worth a single hair from the tip of the nine-thousand-cattle hair that Brother Qin gave my sister."
"Oh, is that so?"
Ling Chen chuckled.
"He Zhao, have you forgotten how you used to fawn over me and grovel at my feet? Truly a wolf with an ungrateful heart, wagging your tail and begging for pity on the ground the moment someone tosses you a dog bone."
"I'll fucking kill you."
As the young master of the He Family, when had He Zhao ever suffered such humiliation? He suddenly flew into a rage, launching a punch straight at Ling Chen's face.
"Daring to show disrespect to the young master of the Ling Family! You're courting death."
Ling Zhongheng let out an angry roar and brought down a palm. He Zhao's left cheek instantly turned crimson, blood spewing from his mouth as his entire body went flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground and passing out cold.
"Xiao Zhao!"
He Qinglan's pupils dilated violently, her icy gaze locked onto Ling Chen.
"What, want to bite me?"
Ling Chen gave a flippant smile before his tone abruptly turned frigid.
"He Qinglan, listen well."
"Your He Family is full of snobs who suck up to power and break their promises. Since you want to call off the engagement, I'll grant your wish."
"Three days from now, the Ling Family will visit in person. You had better prepare everything I ever gave you down to the last coin, or I won't let this rest. Don't forget, my Ling Family was the one that lifted your He Family into the upper tier, and we can just as easily knock you back down to your original shape."
As his words fell, the surrounding crowd erupted into an uproar.
"It's over. The He Family has truly angered the Ling Family this time."
"They were just a third-rate minor family to begin with. If not for the Ling Family's backing all these years, how could the He Family have ever stood firm in Luoyan City?"
"Insatiable greed brings its own destruction. He Qinglan brought this upon herself and has only herself to blame—lifting a rock just to drop it on her own feet. But I heard she's been secretly flirting with some noble young master from a powerful Qingzhou clan. She looks like a promiscuous woman who'd sleep with anyone."
Right and wrong are judged by people's hearts.
The eyes of the common folk in Luoyan City were sharp, after all.
Ling Chen was in no rush to deal with He Qinglan just yet; his goal was to flush out the big fish hiding behind her.
"Third Uncle, let's go."
Watching Ling Chen's retreating figure, He Qinglan felt her limbs grow cold and fury burn in her chest. Had Ling Zhongheng not arrived so abruptly, she would have wanted nothing more than to kill Ling Chen with a single sword stroke right then and there.
A mere former prodigy from some tiny backwater, now nothing more than a useless cripple unable to cultivate—by what right was he shouting and throwing his weight around in front of her?
If not for Brother Qin being at a critical juncture in refining his spirit bone, crushing a member of the Ling Family would be no different from crushing an ant.
Three days.
He would let this damned good-for-nothing live for three more days.
When the time came, she would definitely make Ling Chen kneel and beg for mercy, and then peel the flesh from his bones inch by inch, making him wish he were dead and driving him to absolute agony!
...
Ling Family Ancestral Residence.
Upon learning the news of Ling Chen's return, Ling Zhongshu rushed out overjoyed, pulling Ling Chen into a tight embrace and asking anxiously, "Chen'er, where did you go? You worried your father to death."
"That's right, Young Master! You have no idea, we nearly turned Luoyan City upside down these past half-month. Fortunately, the ancestors blessed us, and you've returned safe and sound."
"Chen'er, tell your father quickly, what on earth happened?"
Looking at the concern in Ling Zhongshu's eyes, Ling Chen pondered for a moment before recounting the whole ordeal, though he deliberately concealed the existence of the Immortal Suppressing Coffin and the woman.
"What!"
"You mean to say, Chen'er, that not only is your spirit bone gone, but your dantian and meridians have been shattered as well?"
"Yes."
Ling Chen gave a bitter smile and nodded.
A look of sorrow and pain instantly flashed across Ling Zhongshu's eyes, while the rest of the clan elders let out heavy sighs.
"The young master has suffered a great calamity, but returning safely is the greatest fortune amidst misfortune. As for cultivation, I think we can take it slow; there are still quite a few spiritual herbs and pills in the clan that might be useful for repairing your meridians and dantian."
"Second Grand Uncle speaks reasonably. I'll have someone send them over to Chen'er shortly. With Chen'er's talent and comprehension, there will always be a day when he makes a comeback."
"Big Brother, let's put cultivation aside for now. Judging by Chen'er's words, it's most likely that little bitch He Qinglan bit the hand that fed her and colluded with outsiders to frame Chen'er. I'm going to take men and wipe out the He Family right now."
Ling Zhongheng had a fiery temper; when he decided to do something, he acted immediately.
"Third Brother!"
Though furious, Ling Zhongshu kept his wits about him. He frowned and said, "Chen'er said those scoundrels were all wearing black masks and their true faces couldn't be seen. If we make a move against the He Family without proof, we'll only give people something to gossip about."
"Big Brother, are we just going to let it go like this?"
"They dared to harm my son—how could this end here?"
Ling Zhongshu's eyes were filled with a murderous aura. After pondering for a moment, he said, "We will follow Chen'er's words and go to the He Family to call off the engagement in three days. If scoundrels are truly colluding with them in secret, they are bound to leave a trace. When that time comes, whoever it is, no one will walk out of Luoyan City alive!"
"Chen'er."
Ling Zhongshu patted Ling Chen on the shoulder and handed him a storage ring.
"Here are the existing heavenly materials and earthly treasures of the clan. Go ahead and try them out with peace of mind. As long as they are useful to you, take whatever you need. If it's not enough, tell your father. Even if it means stepping through mountains of blades and seas of fire, your father will get them for you."
"Dad, I..."
Ling Chen's nose stung. Several times he wanted to blurt out the truth, but he forced himself to hold back.
"Dad, these are already enough. My injuries aren't severe; I will definitely reshape my dantian, reconnect my meridians, and I won't let you down."
"Good! That's ambition."
Ling Zhongshu laughed heartily. What he had feared most was Ling Chen losing his will and sinking into despair.
Now it seemed he truly was his own flesh and blood!
"Chen'er, go into seclusion with peace of mind; Dad won't let outsiders disturb you. In three days, Dad will personally get justice back for you."
"Thank you, Dad."
Ling Chen cupped his fists in salute and withdrew, returning to his own courtyard.
Right now, his cultivation had reached Qi Condensation Completion. Unless he triggered the heavenly tribulation and forged his Dao Foundation, he could not advance any further for the time being.
Yet that did not mean he had nothing to do at present. As his cultivation improved, he had discovered that faint wisps of primordial spirit shadows would occasionally manifest inside the Immortal Suppressing Coffin.
They flickered like clusters of light, waxing and waning.
What he needed to do now was capture these primordial spirit shadows and see what mysteries lay within them.