"Young Lord! It's always about the Young Lord!"
The white-haired old man sneered, as though releasing years of pent-up resentment, and roared in fury: "Is it just because he's the Young Lord?!"
"That useless fool! If he hadn't stolen Wanqing's natural Dao bone back then, how could he even be a candidate for the Divine Son?!"
"Your family's main bloodline has harmed your own kin for personal gain, oppressing the rest of the clan—can you really live with that?!"
He was heartbroken.
His granddaughter was born with a natural Dao bone, an unparalleled gift that made her destined to become a Martial Emperor. Yet, it was taken from her when she was young, nearly killing her in the process.
This poor child barely survived, only to shine again and be targeted by the head family once more!
A mistake? She accidentally consumed the Young Lord's divine medicine?
How many times can there be such "accidents"? Clearly, those guilty of wrongdoing saw the girl rising again and, feeling threatened, sought to eliminate her once and for all!
"Nonsense!"
The burly man's expression changed slightly, but he quickly shouted sternly: "The Young Lord was born with a natural Dao body, and you dare to slander him?!"
"Your granddaughter made a mistake because she was young and foolish, but you! You're an elder, yet you've allowed your age to cloud your judgment! Not only did you flee with her, but now you spout such outrageous accusations!"
"In that case, today I'll kill you, a rebellious traitor, and then take your granddaughter!"
Whoosh!
He waved his hand, and a golden light screen spread out, sealing off thousands of miles of the surrounding area.
Seeing this, the old man's face turned ashen.
He knew his foolish granddaughter wouldn't leave him behind. She must still be in the city, and now, even if they wanted to escape, there was no way out!
Thud!
Suddenly, the white-haired old man knelt in front of Qin Chuan, pleading:
"Brother Qin, I know you're no ordinary man. Please, I beg you, save my granddaughter! She's still young and hasn't even seen the world yet!"
"Hm?"
The figures in the sky turned their gazes toward Qin Chuan, only to find they couldn't quite see through him. Frowning, they exchanged puzzled glances.
Qin Chuan looked down at the kneeling old man, his expression calm. "If you die, and I take care of your granddaughter, that was our wager in the chess game. But… you lost."
The old man trembled.
His face drained of color, and he began to kowtow repeatedly, his voice quivering. "Please... I beg of you. I don't care if I die, just save my granddaughter…"
Qin Chuan remained motionless, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
A wise businessman always considers if there's a profit to be made in any deal.
What if it results in a loss?
At that moment, the burly man in the sky spoke in a low voice: "This is an internal matter of our Imperial Yu Clan. We ask that you don't interfere, sir."
Qin Chuan glanced at him indifferently.
He ignored him.
Turning back to the white-haired old man, Qin Chuan asked, "If I save your granddaughter, what will I get in return?"
"She… she…"
The old man stammered, searching for words but unable to think of anything that could entice this mysterious Qin.
In the end, his face flushed with shame, and he reluctantly muttered:
"She inherited some of her grandmother's traits. She's not only obedient and smart, but also… quite wonderful."
"Wonderful?"
Qin Chuan looked at him, surprised.
"Wonderful!"
The old man's face reddened even further.
Qin Chuan remained impassive, hands clasped behind his back, as he said softly:
"Although I'm not entirely sure what you mean, your deep love for your descendant moves me. I'll help you this time."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
The old man was so grateful that he bowed repeatedly. With Qin Chuan's words, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
He had no doubt about Qin Chuan's strength. With powerful enemies surrounding them, anyone without the ability to handle the situation would be trembling in fear by now, not standing there so calmly.
"Sir, do you really intend to go against the Imperial Yu Clan?"
The burly man in the sky asked coldly.
"Against me? Do you dare?"
Qin Chuan raised his head, his tone light.
Whoosh!
Without releasing any oppressive aura, his words alone filled the air with an overwhelming sense of authority. It was as though, at that moment, he was the ruler of heaven and earth!
"You..."
The burly man's face turned livid, but he looked at Qin Chuan with increasing apprehension.
Lightning crackled around his body, and the surrounding black clouds twisted and rolled in agitation, reflecting his inner turmoil.
After a long pause, he took a deep breath and said gravely:
"I know you're very strong, but there are always those stronger. You should know that beyond the heavens, there's always someone greater."
Qin Chuan replied calmly:
"Today, here, I am the heavens. If you doubt it, feel free to test me."
"Arrogant!"
The burly man finally snapped. Even a mild-tempered man has his limits, let alone a Quasi-Emperor.
"Since you're so confident, I'll gladly teach you a lesson today and see if you truly have the right to act so recklessly!"
He snorted coldly, summoning a bronze war spear. Gathering his strength, he thrust it fiercely toward Qin Chuan.
Boom—
The spear had yet to reach its target when the Songhuai River, a hundred meters wide, was split in two by the sheer force of the wind.
Boats and pleasure barges were tossed aside, and chickens and ducks were flung into the river, squawking in panic.
At the spear's massive, ten-meter-diameter tip, it loomed like a small mountain, hurtling toward Qin Chuan.
"It's the God-Slaying Spear! Be careful!"
The old man's face turned pale, as he lay on the ground and screamed in terror. This weapon was renowned within the Yu Clan for its fearsome power.
"God-slaying? Can this really slay gods?"
Qin Chuan chuckled with disdain. Slowly raising his right hand, he extended a single finger toward the approaching spear.
Pop.
With a light sound, his finger touched the spear.
Compared to the massive spear, Qin Chuan's finger was as insignificant as an ant beneath a boulder. Yet, that small finger stopped the spear dead in its tracks, unable to move another inch!
"This... You... You're..."
The burly man felt the immense pressure radiating from the spear. His face turned deathly pale. His full-strength attack had been stopped with a single finger. Who else could achieve this but a Martial Emperor?!
Clang—
Qin Chuan flicked the spear lightly with his middle finger, sending a wave of invisible force rippling through it.
"Pfft!!"
Rip—
The burly man felt as if the spear had exploded in his hands. A terrifying shockwave knocked him backward, sending him flying as he spat out blood.
As he flew through the air, his clothes were torn to shreds, fluttering down like petals in the wind.
"Elder!"
The others in the sky cried out in alarm.
"Scram."
Qin Chuan casually waved his hand toward the sky, and a crescent-shaped arc of light appeared, enveloping all the attackers.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft!"
They were all sent flying like ragdolls, tumbling through the air before crashing into the ground in different directions.
"We're leaving!"
The burly man stabilized himself, conjuring a radiant cloak of holy light to cover his exposed body, and fled without looking back.
The others, limping and stumbling, hurried after him, retreating in disarray.
Soon, all was calm once more.
Only one pleasure boat remained intact on the river; all the others had capsized, drifting aimlessly with the current.
Many chickens and ducks clung to the overturned boats, staring dumbfounded at the white-robed figure on the intact boat, their faces filled with shock and awe.
"So powerful..."
"This is what a peerless expert is like?"
Suddenly!
A disheveled young man with a tuft of golden hair on his forehead emerged from the water. Standing atop an overturned boat, he looked up at the sky and declared with determination:
"I'm done with this! A real man shouldn't be lost in the comforts of life! I'm going to train. I'll become a great warrior!"
But just then, a fair arm reached out from the water, grabbing his ankle.
A songstress, dressed only in a red bellyband, emerged from the river, gazing at him with a sorrowful look.
"You can do whatever you want later, but for now, you need to settle this bill... You owe me money!"
"Uh... this..."
The young man's face twitched, and with a sigh, he said something with a double meaning: "Ah, I couldn't escape it after all..."
Then, he looked towards the only boat still afloat.
On it, the white-robed youth stood, gazing at him from afar, with a faint smile on his face.