Seeing Rong Tianhai with his nose blue, face swollen, skin torn and flesh exposed in a sorry state, even the Fang Family Patriarch felt his scalp tingle. What kind of people were these? They were too brutal. However, brutal as they were, someone was avenging the blood hatred for their Fang Family, and naturally, he felt very pleased and grateful in his heart.
"Do you have anything else to say?" Mu Hanyan glanced at Rong Tianhai, who was being kicked around by Zirong, and asked.
"Um... I... I..." Rong Tianhai was in so much pain it felt like his body was falling apart, tears swirling in his eyes. He just wanted to tell Mu Hanyan that he had nothing else to say, truly nothing at all.
Unfortunately, before he could stutter out his words, he saw Mu Hanyan nod and then heard him say to Zirong, "It seems he still has something to say. Iâm most afraid of being threatened. What to do about this?"
At this point, Mu Hanyan put on a face as if he were really scared.
Zirong, understanding the hint, smiled and kicked again.
"Ow..." Rong Tianhai clutched his behind, letting out a pitiful howl like a wolf. This time it truly was a case of âhis buttocks blooming like a flower.â
Mu Hanyan had black lines all over his forehead. This Zirong, could you have a bit of a swordsmanâs integrity, please? Why is it that every time you act, itâs so dirty? Iâll have to stay far away from him in the future; I definitely canât let anyone know Iâm acquainted with him.
"Now do you have something to say?" Mu Hanyan looked at Rong Tianhai with a beaming smile.
Rong Tianhai, with his tearful eyes, shook his head like a rattle drum. Even if he wanted to speak, was he even able to get the words out now?
"Thatâs more like it. As I said, Iâm most afraid of threats. If you donât threaten me, wonât everything be all right?" Mu Hanyan patted his chest, looking relieved.
Rong Tianhai looked at Mu Hanyan and really wanted to curse him out: Shameless, shameless! You despicable wretch! If you really knew fear, God knows I wouldnât have been beaten up like this. Where the hell did this monster spring from? Despite his smiling demeanor like heâs enjoying a spring breeze, his heart is blacker than the bottom of a pot.
Of course, these were words he would never dare to say out loud, let alone dare to huff any louder for fear of "scaring" someone again.
"Alright, alright, it looks like you donât have anything to say, and neither do I. You can go now." Mu Hanyan said, waving them away as if shooing flies.
Rong Tianhai nearly ground his teeth to dust. Who said he didnât want to say anything? The key point was, did he dare to?
Rong Tianhai hung his head, not letting Mu Hanyan see the vicious and spiteful gaze in his eyes, and led his defeated followers away.
"Ah, I really hate violence. Could you not be so brutal next time?" Mu Hanyan sighed and said to Huayue and the others.
The Fang Family Patriarch stood there dumbfounded, watching Mu Hanyan. Indeed, he hadnât been violent; he hadnât even lifted a finger. But why did it feel like he was even more brutal and fearsome than those who had acted?
"I am Fang Xuemao, deeply grateful for the young masterâs rescue. May I ask who the young master is..." The Fang Family Patriarch shook his head, discarding the odd sensations in his mind, approached Han Yan and the others, and said with a clasped fist. However, when he saw Qu Shanling, he was slightly taken aback.
"Heh heh, Fang Family Patriarch, do you still remember me?" Qu Shanling said with a chuckling smile.
"Are you, Master Qu?" Fang Xuemao stared for quite a while before uncertainly saying.
"Indeed, I am Qu Shanling. We havenât seen each other for more than twenty yearsâI never expected to meet you again here," Qu Shanling said wistfully.
Only then did Han Yan realize that Qu Shanling and the Fang Family Patriarch knew each other. He had thought that Qu Shanling rarely showed such mercy, but it seemed he had been overthinking.
"Master Qu, it really is you! The Star Divination Technique truly defies nature. In just twenty years, youâve aged to such an extentâyou appear not much younger than me," Fang Xuemao said excitedly, gripping Qu Celingâs arm with deep emotion.
"Uh... Well... Yes, yes," Qu Shanling said, his expression freezing briefly before awkwardly laughing it off.
With a "pfft," Han Yan and the others burst out laughing at the same time. Others might not know the truth about Qu the Godman, but they knewâhis white hair was dyed, and his wrinkled face was artificially created; it had nothing to do with the Star Divination Skill.
"Right, Master Qu, youâd better leave quickly. The Rong Family has suffered a significant loss and will definitely not let this go. If they come back later, it will be too late for you to leave. My Fang Family will remember this act of kindness in our hearts and repay you when the opportunity arises," Fang Xuemao said nervously, not wanting to involve them further as they were old acquaintances.
"Whatâs the Rong Familyâs background anyway? I donât seem to recall there being such a family in the Capital," Qu Shanling asked out of curiosity, which was also Han Yanâs question.
"The Rong Family is not one of the Capitalâs families. Theyâre a small family from the Sword Guard Mansion outside the city, much like our Fang Family," Fang Xuemao explained.
"Just a small family from the Sword Guard Mansion, and they dare to be so arrogant?" Hearing Fang Xuemaoâs words, Qu Shanling was even more puzzled.
The Sword Guard Mansion guards the small town around the Capital, which is normally no different from other towns, but it becomes a military fortress in times of war.
There are four Sword Guard Mansions to the north, south, east, and west of the Capital. They are all of modest size. Since the war with Shangyue Country over a thousand years ago, Anyun Country has faced no warfare for a thousand years. Thus, these four Sword Guard Mansions have gradually lost their original military purpose and have become purely small towns near the Capital.
How could the Rong Family, merely a small family from the Sword Guard Mansion, be so bold and overbearing?
"In theory, they shouldnât have this capability, but in recent years, the Rong Family has grown considerably stronger. Iâve heard theyâve aligned themselves with a major Beijing Family. By any means necessary, theyâve been attacking the other small familiesâfirst by having their servants injure the young disciples of various families, publicly humiliating the women of these families, and then using military force to threaten and acquire family properties at low prices, eventually forcing those families out of the Sword Guard Mansion one by one.
"Our Fang Family refused to submit, so they provoked and troubled us, causing severe injuries to the Fang Familyâs younger members in broad daylight. Then they even turned around and accused us of harming their own descendants, bringing a host of guards and servants to our door. The Fang Family, lacking strength, suffered heavy casualties and were ultimately forced into a corner, with no choice but to leave our homeland and seek survival elsewhere," Fang Xuemao said with a wry smile.
"I see," Qu Shanling said pensively. In any other place, he might have been able to stand up for the Fang Family, but with the Rong Family backed by a major Beijing Family, he felt helpless.
"So, youâd better hurry on your way. Although you are powerful, and the Rong Family might not be able to harm you, if the family behind them gets involved, I fear it will be difficult for you to leave," Fang Xuemao advised.
"Fang Family Patriarch, you worry too much. In all my life, I detest those who are so full of themselves with a bit of family background, not giving a damn about anyone else, even God. Just because they have some family lineage, whatâs so great about that? Thereâs no need to fear them," Han Yan said righteously. The words had barely left his mouth when Han Yanâs followers like Zirong had strange expressionsâthey all seemed to hear him talking about himself. And yet there he stood, full of indignant righteousness, without a trace of persuasiveness.