"The Chen family has fallen, and all their possessions shall be divided between your two families!"
Su Ming's voice echoed through the room, snapping everyone back to reality.
"A notification chime sounded: 'Congratulations, Host. Task completed. You have gained the loyalty of the Wang and Ning families!'"
At that moment, the system's mechanical voice rang out clearly.
In the next instant, Wang Daoqian and Ning Cangyun exchanged a glance before walking toward Su Ming together.
Then, to the astonishment of those present, the two men dropped to one knee in unison.
"Ning Cangyun, Wang Daoqian!"
"We swear our allegiance to you, Master Su. We will serve you faithfully from this day forward."
As they spoke, their eyes shifted toward their respective family members.
The crowd froze, stunned. In the next moment, every single person knelt down, fists clasped and raised above their heads, bowing deeply as if awaiting orders.
This was the ceremonial gesture of loyalty within the martial arts community—a solemn declaration of fealty.
"Rise," Su Ming said calmly, his tone even and commanding.
"Thank you, Master Su!"
Everyone quickly expressed their gratitude and rose to their feet.
"Fengqing!" Su Ming called out sharply.
"Yes!"
Ning Fengqing stepped forward immediately, her expression tense and focused.
"Come with me."
With that, Su Ming turned and strode toward the exit.
Ning Cangyun and the others hastily cleared a path for him.
Ning Fengqing hurried after him, keeping pace just behind.
The two arrived outside the Chen family estate.
With a wave of his hand, Su Ming summoned Leng Yueling's lifeless form into his arms, cradling her gently as though she weighed nothing at all.
"This… what just happened?"
Ning Fengqing's eyes widened in disbelief. She had no idea how Leng Yueling's body had materialized so suddenly.
At that moment, Su Ming handed Leng Yueling over to Ning Fengqing.
She instinctively reached out to steady the cold, motionless figure, her breath catching in her throat.
For a brief second, everything clicked into place—she understood why Su Ming had been consumed by rage earlier that night.
Reaching into Leng Yueling's bag, Su Ming pulled out a small notebook filled with handwritten wishes.
He opened it carefully, revealing delicate handwriting that captured her final desires.
Four of the entries were marked with checkmarks.
The fifth read: "Have someone scatter my ashes into the ocean."
But beneath that, two additional lines had been added:
6. "Spend a day shopping with Su Ming."
7. "Enjoy a seafood feast with Su Ming!"
Su Ming closed his eyes momentarily, letting these last two wishes sink in. They felt like the essence of who Leng Yueling had been—the simplest joys she'd hoped for.
"I'll wait for you by the sea," Su Ming murmured softly.
Opening his eyes, he turned, climbed into his car, and sped off into the distance.
Ning Fengqing stood rooted to the spot, still processing what she'd seen.
Every word in that notebook was seared into her memory.
Now, she finally understood the depth of Su Ming's anger.
Clenching her jaw, she placed Leng Yueling's body in the back seat of her car and drove off toward the crematorium.
Meanwhile, Su Ming raced along the coastal highway until he reached the shoreline.
Stepping out of his vehicle, he stood silently by the water's edge, allowing the biting sea breeze to whip against his face.
Minutes stretched into an hour, but Su Ming didn't move. He simply stood there, lost in thought, as the waves crashed against the rocks below.
Eventually, Ning Fengqing arrived. Spotting Su Ming in the distance, she retrieved an urn from her car and hurried over to him.
"Do you need a boat?" she asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the wind.
"No, thank you," Su Ming replied curtly.
Taking the urn from her hands, he stepped forward—not toward the shore, but directly toward the edge of a low cliff overlooking the sea.
"Su Ming!"
Ning Fengqing gasped, lunging forward to grab him. But it was too late. Su Ming had already stepped off the ledge.
To her utter astonishment, however, he didn't fall. Instead, he hovered effortlessly in midair, suspended above the jagged rocks below.
"How… is this possible?"
Ning Fengqing stared in disbelief, her hand flying to cover her mouth.
Without another word, Su Ming began walking forward. To Ning Fengqing's amazement, it was as though an invisible platform supported him, carrying him steadily across the open expanse of air.
Slowly, his figure receded into the night sky until he vanished entirely from view.
Far out above the ocean, Su Ming came to a stop, thousands of meters from the shore.
Looking down at the urn in his hands, he whispered softly, "Goodbye."
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the urn into the air and struck it lightly with the palm of his hand.
A dull thud echoed as the urn shattered into pieces.
The sea breeze caught the ashes, scattering them gently across the vast, dark waters.
"A notification chimed: 'Congratulations, Host. Task completed. You have obtained a Clearance Card! It has been stored in your personal inventory.' (System note: The Clearance Card can erase any event.)"
Focusing his thoughts, Su Ming summoned the card into his hand. It gleamed golden in the moonlight, its surface swirling with two distinct yet intertwined auras—one light, one dark—that seemed to exist simultaneously in harmony and opposition.
Pocketing the card, Su Ming turned and began making his way back to shore.
Ning Fengqing watched intently as a dark silhouette reappeared in the distance, growing larger with each passing second.
Moments later, Su Ming landed gracefully beside her.
"Let's go," he said simply.
"Su Ming!" Ning Fengqing blurted out, stopping him in his tracks.
He paused, turning slightly to meet her gaze.
"Listen," she continued urgently, "the situation isn't stable. The Chen family fell overnight—it's only a matter of time before the government gets involved. When that happens, you'll need to step forward and address the issue. But don't worry—we'll handle the fallout. Still, complications are inevitable."
Su Ming frowned thoughtfully. Reaching into his pocket, he produced the golden Clearance Card.
"System," he thought silently, "can this card erase all negative consequences stemming from tonight's events?"
"A notification chimed: 'Affirmative.'"
Satisfied, Su Ming gave a slight nod. "Erase."
The card dissolved in his hand, releasing a faint ripple of energy that dissipated into the air.
"What was that? Some kind of trick?" Ning Fengqing muttered, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "You're hiding something, aren't you? I don't know what just happened, but I'm not buying it."
"It's taken care of," Su Ming said firmly. "There won't be any issues moving forward."
With that, he climbed into his car and drove off, leaving Ning Fengqing standing alone.
"What on earth…"
Shaking her head, Ning Fengqing climbed back into her own vehicle. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't piece together what had just transpired—or the true nature of the mysterious power Su Ming wielded.
Time passed.
The following day, the leaders of the Ning and Wang families convened to discuss the aftermath of the Chen family's downfall.
But something unexpected occurred.
Logically, the government should have intervened after such a high-profile incident. Normally, Su Ming would have needed to step forward and provide an explanation. By framing the event within the context of the martial arts world, his status as a Grandmaster would likely shield him from repercussions.
Yet, contrary to expectations, the government remained silent. When inquiries were made, officials responded that all information regarding Master Su was classified.
Nothing would happen.
The leaders of the two families were initially bewildered—but soon, excitement took hold.
This development meant only one thing: they truly had secured an unparalleled ally.
Amidst the chaos, Ning Fengqing remained utterly baffled.
She had a hunch that the strange golden card Su Ming had used was somehow connected to the government's silence. But no matter how much she pondered it, she couldn't fathom its exact nature—or how a single command could resolve such monumental issues.