Chapter Twenty-Four: The Grandmaster’s Intimidation!

“Greetings, Master of the House.”
“Greetings, Master of the House.”
“Greetings, Master of the House.”

The guards following behind Qin Feng, Qin Fengling, and Qin Yunling cupped their fists respectfully and raised their voices as soon as they caught sight of Qin Tianyun.

“Good, good, as long as you’ve all returned safely.” Qin Tianyun’s face was alight with emotion as he gazed at Qin Feng, Qin Fengling, Qin Yunling, and the others, all unharmed. He had heard that the Wang, Xue, and Hong families had set an ambush outside the city and wanted to go to their aid, but his injuries were too severe. In his agitation, his blood and qi surged uncontrollably and he fainted on the spot. By the time he awoke, news had already spread: the families of Wang, Xue, and Hong had nearly been wiped out in their ambush outside the city.

“Who gave you the guts to kill my Wang family clansmen?” Wang Yongdong’s eyes glinted coldly as he fixed his sinister gaze on Qin Feng, his voice icy.

He had received word that the disastrous losses suffered by his family’s ambushers were all because of the Qin family’s young master, Qin Feng.

“And who are you to question me?” Qin Feng cast a disdainful glance at Wang Yongdong, his voice laced with scorn and contempt.

In the memories of his former self, there was information about Wang Yongdong: head of the Wang family, a martial artist at the Dark Strength level.

“Insolence!”
“You brat, how dare you speak to me like that!”

Wang Yongdong’s fury flared when he realized this junior dared to address him so disrespectfully.

“How dare you!”
“How dare you shout at our young master!”

Wang Bao and Liu Hu roared, hefting their massive axes as they charged straight at Wang Yongdong.

“Enough!” Qin Tianyun surged forward, his blood and qi erupting as he quickly pulled Wang Bao and Liu Hu back.

“Master?”
“Master, he insulted our young master! Let me cut him down!”

Wang Bao and Liu Hu looked at Qin Tianyun in confusion, their voices still brimming with anger.

“No fighting inside the city—otherwise, the City Lord’s Mansion will exact harsh punishment.” Qin Tianyun shot Wang Yongdong a frosty glance before speaking to Wang Bao and Liu Hu.

“Boy, you’ll regret this. Once I’ve annihilated the Qin family, let’s see if you dare act so arrogantly.” Wang Yongdong sneered, a mocking smile playing at his lips as he laughed and led his clansmen away.

“Hold it in, hold it in. No fighting inside the city, or disaster will befall us.” Qin Tianyun, seeing the fury on the faces of Qin Feng, Wang Bao, Liu Hu, and the others, quickly moved to block their path, lowering his voice.

Xue Renquan and Hong Tao Hai cast cold, dismissive, and malicious glances at Qin Feng, Qin Tianyun, Liu Hu, and Wang Bao, then departed slowly.

“My strength is still not enough! If only I possessed true power, what would I have to fear from the City Lord’s Mansion? Power—I must become stronger.” Qin Feng’s gaze lingered on the retreating figures of Xue Renquan and Hong Tao Hai.

“Come, let’s go home,” Qin Tianyun sighed, shaking his head, a hero brought low, as he led Qin Feng, Liu Hu, Wang Bao, Qin Fengling, Zuo Daoguang, and the others back to the Qin estate.

Back at home, the entire Qin family gathered: Qin Tianyun, Qin Zhongkai, Qin Xingchao, Qin Baohai, Qin Fengling, Zuo Daoguang, Qin Feng, and others. Qin Feng stood by his father, Qin Zhongkai, and his mother, Murong Wei.

“Father, though we’ve long been at odds with the Wang, Xue, and Hong families, we’ve never truly broken with them. Why the sudden, ruthless attack? They seem bent on destroying us.” Qin Fengling’s heart was filled with confusion and a desperate need for answers. The alliance of the three families to strike so viciously at the Qin family had come out of nowhere.

Zuo Daoguang, Qin Yunling, and Zhu Daojun all wore puzzled expressions as they looked toward Qin Tianyun, waiting for his answer. The Wang, Xue, and Hong families had fought the Qin family for over a decade, but had never truly gone to war.

Qin Tianyun opened his mouth to answer, but was wracked by a violent cough, flecks of blood staining his handkerchief.

“Father!” Qin Xingchao, Qin Baohai, Qin Zhongkai, Qin Fengjiao, and the others gasped in alarm at the sight of blood. They stood quickly and rushed toward him.

“No need for alarm. Earlier, when those three scoundrels ganged up on me, I was wounded inside. I haven’t yet recovered.” Qin Tianyun waved a hand, stopping the others from approaching.

“It’s likely Wang Yongdong, Xue Renquan, and Hong Tao Hai have seen my age and the decline of my vitality as their opportunity. They think they can finally wipe out the Qin family, so they’ve cast aside all restraint.” Even so, Qin Tianyun could only guess; he wasn’t certain why the three families had struck so suddenly.

“Father, what should we do now?” Qin Fengling pressed.

“I want all Qin family members outside the city not to return to Tianyang City. Those within must not leave without permission. For now, we must rest, recover, and prepare for war. The Wang, Xue, and Hong families have slaughtered fifty-nine of our kin—this is a blood feud that cannot be forgiven. We will fight to the death.” Qin Tianyun’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his voice cold as ice.

“Urgent news for the master!” A middle-aged man in a yellow robe with iron rings on his arms hurried in from outside. His name was Zhang Zhong, head of the Qin family’s guards. He owed his life to Qin Tianyun, and had served the family with unwavering loyalty ever since.

“So that’s it. So that’s how it is. The Grandmaster wants to destroy us.” Qin Tianyun read the letter Zhang Zhong handed him. As he read, his face turned deathly pale, despair settling over him. The fight seemed drained from his body, and a bitter, mocking smile appeared on his lips.

“Father, what’s happened?”
“Father?”
“Master, what’s going on? How does this involve a Grandmaster?”

Qin Xingchao, Qin Baohai, Qin Fengling, Zuo Daoguang, and Zhu Daojun pressed him anxiously, their faces stricken. They knew, at least in part, how terrifying Grandmasters could be. If a Grandmaster were involved, it would mean certain destruction for the Qin family. They didn’t know the true extent of a Grandmaster’s power, only that they were not to be insulted. Those who offended a Grandmaster died—they held the power of life and death.

“We have just learned that the Jiangs, the most powerful family in Tianyang City, have a Grandmaster’s son, Jiang Wenhao, who has taken a fancy to Wang Yongdong’s second daughter and wishes to make her his concubine. The Wang family has tied itself to a Grandmaster, and that’s why they dared to break with us. The news hasn’t spread yet, but once it does, who knows how many martial artists will trample over the Qin family just to curry favor with the Wangs. We have been abandoned by Tianyang City.”

Qin Tianyun’s eyes were devoid of hope. The words “Grandmaster” were as heavy as a mountain, crushing all the fighting spirit from his heart.

Qin Xingchao, Qin Baohai, Qin Fengling, Zuo Daoguang, and Zhu Daojun all heaved deep sighs, the last embers of their will to fight slowly dying away.

A Grandmaster: the very embodiment of power—one who must not be insulted, one who could not be opposed.