“You are all too kind,” Wei Feilong shook his head with a bitter smile. “I was born dull and have ordinary talent in martial arts. It was only through the repeated guidance and teachings of my sworn brother Ye Zhantian that I managed to break through to the Transformation Realm at the advanced age of sixty!”
Just as everyone was about to offer some flattering words, he raised a hand to stop them and said with deep sincerity, “Precisely because of this, I understand all too well the difficulty of a martial artist’s cultivation, and how much rarer it is for a Grandmaster to emerge. Therefore, from the day I took up the post of chairman, I have upheld one principle: to win people over with virtue, and to value harmony above all! The martial world is one family!”
“Yes, Elder Wei is truly benevolent and kind-hearted. We admire you immensely!”
“If that Jiang Taichu from Jiangbei comes to his senses, repents, and reforms himself, then we can spare his life!”
“But if he refuses to see reason, persists in his stubborn ways, and insists on becoming an enemy of the entire martial world, then we need not show any mercy!”
“Exactly! We have overwhelming numbers. If each of us just slaps him once, I ask you, is Jiang Taichu made of iron? Can he withstand it?”
“Right! Now that heroes from all corners have gathered here, with a peerless expert like Huo Qingtian holding the fort, it doesn’t matter if he’s Master Jiang or Master Garlic—he’ll have no choice but to surrender and beg for mercy on his knees!”
Though the members of the Hong Family from Hubei, the Mo Family from Lingnan, the Tang Sect from Sichuan, the Golden Blade Wang Family from Luoyang, and the Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade School were dissatisfied with this decision and wished to kill Jiang Tian outright, they all understood Wei Feilong’s placid and conflict-averse nature. They could only grit their teeth and let it go.
With the arrival of Huo Qingtian, a veteran Grandmaster, the situation took a sharp turn. The gloom that had just shrouded everyone’s hearts and faces was swept away.
For a moment, everyone was brimming with confidence, talking and laughing loudly as if everything was under their control.
“Brother Zhao, I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble you to invite that Master Jiang to the heroes’ banquet tonight. It will show our sincerity!” Wei Feilong said with a light laugh, looking at Zhao Yuankun.
As Hong Tianzhao’s sworn brother, Zhao Yuankun also wanted to kill Jiang Tian. However, being a scheming individual himself, he was unwilling to take the lead without having witnessed Jiang Tian’s strength firsthand. So, he stood up, clasped his fists, and said with a smile, “Haha, as the host, it’s only right that I fulfill my duty. We extend courtesy before resorting to force! I’ll go invite him right now!”
…
“This courtyard is big enough to house over ten people! And the scenery… it’s much better than our Blue Villa!” Tang Bao’er exclaimed as she looked around, feeling her eyes weren’t enough to take it all in.
Bamboo groves, ponds, withered lotuses, dormant plum trees, rockeries… every spot was like a landscape painting, uniquely crafted and full of charm.
She grabbed Jiang Tian’s arm, her ample chest pressing against it, and said with a coquettish laugh, “Brother Jiang Tian, what exactly is your background? Why did they give you such a big courtyard to stay in?”
“Who’s your brother? Stay away from me!” Jiang Tian couldn’t be bothered with her and shook her off directly. He walked into the largest guest room, turned on his phone, and video-called Qing’er to report that he was safe.
“This guy has quite the temper! You only got in here because of your family’s influence, do you think you’re so great?” Tang Bao’er, who had been pursued by many men since childhood, had never faced such cold treatment before. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed, angry, and wronged. Pouting, she stamped her foot, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears.
Ye Feng patted her shoulder, his face darkening as he said in a low voice, “Wait until I change my clothes, then I’ll help you vent your anger!”
“Brother Ye Feng is the best!” Tang Bao’er immediately regained her fondness for him, clapping her fair hands with a charming laugh.
Seeing this, Lin Moran frowned and said, “Ye Feng, don’t be unreasonable. No matter what, Jiang Tian helped you today!”
“Don’t worry, Sister Moran. I just want to ask the master for some advice, that’s all!” Ye Feng revealed what he thought was a handsome, roguish smile, his gaze greedily sweeping over Lin Moran’s curvaceous figure.
At the Blue Villa, Bao’er might be known as the bustiest, but in truth, Sister Moran’s were the largest—probably a 32F. It was just that Sister Moran was tall and slender, while Bao’er was shorter, making Bao’er’s chest appear bigger.
Seeing Ye Feng looking at her chest with that lecherous expression, Lin Moran felt so disgusted she wanted to vomit. She shot him a glare and said, “What exactly are you looking at? Your eyes are so dishonest!”
That disdainful glare from Lin Moran, in Ye Feng’s self-styled romantic view, was a coquettish and infinitely charming glance. He smirked mischievously and said, “I’m looking at your chest!”
“You… you…” Lin Moran was dumbfounded, unable to believe it, nearly sickened by him. How could there be such a shameless person in the world?
“Heh heh…” Ye Feng chuckled, shaking his head as he swaggered into the room to change clothes.
Little did he know, there was a man outside the small courtyard gate, peering through the fence. He sneered inwardly, “This guy actually dares to hit on Young Master Lei’s woman? How bold! Hmph!”
He turned and left, hurriedly making his way to a courtyard similar in size to “Listening Wind, Water Rhyme.” Entering a large room, he reported solemnly to a young man dressed in martial arts training clothes, “Reporting to Young Master Lei, we have found Lin Moran’s whereabouts!”
“Oh? Where is she?” Lei Gang nodded, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
Lin Moran had already agreed to marry him, but she had suddenly fled. He had pursued and intercepted her all along the way. Checking the surveillance at a gas station, he discovered she had abandoned his sports car and hitched a ride. Following the license plate number and checking surveillance footage along the way, he had tracked her here.
The attendant quickly reported everything.
After listening, Lei Gang stood up, a smug smile spreading across his face. “Haha, Lin Moran, can you escape my grasp? You probably never imagined that Zhao Yuankun is my uncle by marriage and Zhao Hao is my cousin, did you? This Water Manor is my turf. This time, you’ve walked right into the trap yourself.”
“Young Master Lei, that bodyguard of Chu Mengyao’s named Ye Feng… he simply doesn’t know his place…” The attendant led him toward the courtyard where Jiang Tian was staying, not forgetting to report Ye Feng’s disrespectful behavior toward Lin Moran along the way.
“Bodyguards these days are all out of line. No professional ethics at all, thinking it’s perfectly justified to hit on their employers or the young ladies.” A sharp murderous intent flashed in Lei Gang’s eyes as he said darkly, “Later, I’ll break his dog legs!”
…
Jiang Tian went into the bathroom to wash off the dust of the journey and changed into clean clothes. Seeing that dusk was approaching, he prepared to go to the dining hall for dinner.
According to guard Li Yang, he could also have meals delivered, but Jiang Tian wanted to meet the various martial artists and inquire about the whereabouts of the Imperial Maiden Flower.
As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw Ye Feng, now dressed in a black suit and looking cold and detached, standing at the entrance.
“Ye Feng, don’t do this!” Chu Mengyao and Lin Moran were pleading with him anxiously.
Tang Bao’er, however, watched coldly from the sidelines, looking at Jiang Tian with ill intentions, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
“Jiang Tian, dare to have a fight with me!” Ignoring Chu Mengyao and Lin Moran’s pleas, Ye Feng stared expressionlessly at Jiang Tian, hands in his pockets, looking cool to the point of having no friends.
“Get lost! A mere guard dog like you isn’t worthy of me taking action!” Jiang Tian’s face turned cold as he rebuked sharply.
He was utterly fed up. What kind of demons and monsters were these? If he had known, he wouldn’t have brought them in.
These words struck a nerve with Ye Feng. Even though he was once a ace assassin, his surface identity was still the young lady’s bodyguard. Those wealthy young masters often used this to mock him. However, those who had mocked him like this had all been secretly eliminated by him—not a single one survived.
The look in Ye Feng’s eyes grew even more venomous and gloomy. A mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said lightly, “I see you don’t dare. Hah, as expected, you’re just a useless good-for-nothing!”
“If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll slap you to death with one hand!” Jiang Tian’s sword-like eyebrows shot up, his tone indifferent.
This guy had a somewhat bloodthirsty aura about him, but his cultivation was utter trash. He was clearly one of those assassins or mercenaries who operated in the secular world. Such characters might throw their weight around in front of ordinary people, but in Jiang Tian’s eyes, they were merely insignificant ants or flies. If they dared to buzz around again, he’d just swat them dead.
At this moment, Lin Moran could no longer stand by. She angrily scolded, “Ye Feng, show some respect! If Jiang Tian hadn’t stopped things earlier, you would already be dead, wouldn’t you?”
Just then, Lei Gang suddenly strode in with a few companions. Looking at Lin Moran, he chuckled and said, “Moran, you’re here too! What a coincidence!”
“You… how did you get here too!” Lin Moran’s eyes immediately filled with fear and panic. She hadn’t expected Lei Gang to track her down.
“Brother Lei Gang, you’re here!” Seeing that Jiang Tian only exchanged barbs with Ye Feng and didn’t dare to fight, Tang Bao’er had a sudden idea. With a charming smile, she grabbed Lei Gang’s arm, pointed at Jiang Tian, and said sweetly, “This is Young Master Jiang Tian, from the Jiang family of Jinling. He’s currently Sister Moran’s boyfriend!”
She even playfully blinked at Jiang Tian and Lin Moran.
“Ah, the same old trick…” Chu Mengyao shook her head helplessly.
Tang Bao’er always liked to do this—use someone else as a shield, turn two parties into love rivals, and let them fight each other till they bled. Strangely, those unlucky shields often seemed perfectly willing to play along. Perhaps this was the privilege of a beauty.
Lin Moran was instantly frantic. Stamping her foot, she said, “Bao’er, what nonsense are you talking? This will get Jiang Tian killed!”
Jiang Tian felt extreme disgust toward Tang Bao’er at that moment, thinking she was just like Han Yan’er whom he had met on the way to the Shennong Sect.
“Oh, you’re Teacher Lin’s boyfriend?” Hearing this, Lei Gang was half-believing, half-doubting. He looked at Jiang Tian with a dark gaze, murderous intent flickering.
He was also from Jinling, born into the martial arts Lei Family. Although the family only had one expert at the peak of the Inner Strength level, Jinling originally wasn’t a strong martial arts hub. So, the Lei Family had opened several martial arts schools and maintained good relations with many wealthy individuals, wielding considerable influence. Naturally, he didn’t think much of Jiang Tian, the discarded son of the declining Jiang family.
Although Jiang Tian didn’t take Lei Gang seriously, he wasn’t willing to be the fall guy either. He said with a faint smile, “She’s talking nonsense. I’m Teacher Lin’s friend, but not her boyfriend.”
Lei Gang’s face turned green with anger. He flung his arm, throwing Tang Bao’er aside, and roared, “You cheap woman, can’t your damn mouth ever be reliable? Always spouting shit!”
Tang Bao’er was flung to the ground on her buttocks, looking utterly disheveled and embarrassed. Her pretty face instantly flushed bright red, feeling deeply defeated.
This guy isn’t taking the bait? That’s not how it goes in the novels…
Seeing Jiang Tian unwilling to be the shield, Chu Mengyao secretly scorned him: This kind of man has no sense of responsibility, utterly lacking the courage to stand up to Lei Gang. A coward!
Ye Feng also sneered disdainfully, shaking his head in disappointment: ” As expected, a useless good-for-nothing, cowardly and incompetent!”
“Haha, me, a useless good-for-nothing? Then do you dare to hit on Lin Moran?” Jiang Tian smiled.
Whoever wants to be the shield can go ahead. I’m not going to be this fall guy!
“I… why wouldn’t I dare? Bodyguards hitting on their female employers is a trendy thing, isn’t it?” Ye Feng originally didn’t want to confront Lei Gang head-on either, but upon hearing this, he immediately stuck out his neck and said arrogantly.
