Chapter 106: The Elder of the Qian Family—Qian Hong!

“Forget it. I’m hungry. Let’s go inside and eat!”

Just as Qian Jin was about to strike, a palm suddenly barred his way. Lin Fan’s voice rang out, stopping him before he could make a move.

“Who are you supposed to be, his master? You were about to bite someone, yet a single word from him made you stop!”

Seeing this, Qian Tao sneered. He had been hoping Qian Jin would attack first. Although Qian Tao himself was only at the early Qi-Drawing Realm, all of his guards were at the mid-stage Qi-Meridian Realm.

If Qian Jin struck first—preferably injuring him—then his guards would have every reason to intervene. Even if they accidentally crippled Qian Jin, no one could fault them.

At worst, the guards would be executed by the Qian Family, while Qian Tao would receive only some punishment.

If Qian Jin suffered serious injuries, he would miss the Celestial Academy’s entrance examination and would have to wait until next year.

But by then, he would have lost his chance to rise. This year’s recruitment by the Celestial Academy was unlike that of previous years. It was a time when hidden dragons emerged from the abyss. Every student accepted would be recruited into the army, and then…

“You’re courting death!”

“How arrogant!”

“I’ll curse your mother—”

Hearing Qian Tao insult Qian Jin, Xiao Shuihan, Li Ji, and the others roared furiously and attacked without waiting for Qian Jin to react. Of them all, Shangguan Feihong moved the fastest.

That sword was unimaginably swift.

His hand had only just touched the hilt when the tip of his sword was already before Qian Tao’s face. Yet although his movement was fast, it was intercepted by one of the guards standing before Qian Tao.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thirteen enormous swords, each as imposing as a mountain peak, descended and cleaved directly toward Qian Tao. Another guard swept his saber across and blocked the attack.

With a clang, Xiao Shuihan’s sword collided with the guard’s saber. As the ringing echoes reverberated, an iron fist as large as a cooking pot violently smashed toward Qian Tao, accompanied by the continuous roar of a fierce tiger—only to be stopped by a single palm.

A spear thrust forth like a swimming dragon, blazing like a fire sweeping across the wilderness. Countless sharp spear flashes erupted in broad, powerful strokes, open and righteous, stabbing straight ahead.

Boom!

A humming tremor rang out. The long spear was blocked by a greatsword, and in an instant the two weapons clashed dozens of times. Continuous detonations shook the air as violent energy surged through every sweeping exchange.

The sky suddenly darkened, and a fine drizzle began to fall. Amid the rain, a sword drifted by like a fleeting shadow, slashing directly toward Qian Tao’s throat.

At that moment, the four guards beside Qian Tao had already moved to block Shangguan Feihong, Xiao Shuihan, Ou Hu, and Sun Hao respectively. No one remained at Qian Tao’s side.

He had no strength to resist this sword.

Fear filled Qian Tao’s eyes. He had never imagined that, on the territory of the Qian Family in the Imperial City, these people from minor commanderies would dare to attack him so brazenly—and that they would go straight for the kill. It was completely beyond his expectations.

He was not like that counterfeit Qian Jin. Even without the protection of the Qian Family, his mother’s clan alone was powerful enough to destroy the families behind these people with ease.

He could not believe they would dare risk the destruction of their entire families merely to vent their anger on Qian Jin.

Their actions had caught him completely off guard. He had never imagined they would suddenly attack. As the sword swept toward him, the intense sensation of imminent death made his scalp go numb, yet he had no time to react.

Perhaps all the attacks before this had been arranged to conceal the arrival of that final sword.

That was Qian Tao’s last thought.

At that moment, a large hand suddenly appeared and seized the blade. The sword’s edge stopped less than three inches from Qian Tao’s throat.

“Young man, do not go too far. You may bring utter disaster upon your family.”

An old man appeared out of thin air. Pinching Li Ji’s blade between his forefinger and thumb, he smiled warmly at Li Ji. Then he flicked the blade lightly.

Bang!

A powerful force traveled through the sword, sending Li Ji stumbling backward several steps. Yet he was not injured. He froze for a moment, realizing that the old man had deliberately held back.

The old man then waved both hands toward the eight combatants. In an instant, they were separated and thrown backward.

Qian Tao’s eyes remained blank. He had not yet recovered from Li Ji’s sword. Only after half a breath did his gaze begin to move again. Then his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

Huff, huff!

Qian Tao gasped desperately for breath. It was the first time he had ever felt death from such close range.

He had almost died. He had truly almost died.

“What a coward.”

Seeing Qian Tao’s appearance, the old man looked at him with contempt and could not help cursing under his breath.

“Greetings, Great-Uncle Hong!”

When Qian Jin saw the old man appear, he stepped forward and respectfully saluted him. Great-Uncle Hong was named Qian Hong. He was Qian Jin’s great-uncle of the same generation, an elder of the clan, and the person in charge of the Four Seas Restaurant in the Imperial City.

Although he was in charge, he was not the manager, so he rarely stayed at the Four Seas Restaurant.

The guards who had been forced apart immediately bowed to Qian Hong in unison, trembling with fear.

“Get as far away from here as you can.”

Qian Hong waved his hand, ordering several guards to carry the collapsed Qian Tao away. Only then did he turn to Lin Fan with a genial smile.

“Young fellow, you’re ruthless.”

The remark left Qian Jin bewildered. He could not understand why Great-Uncle Hong would say such a thing to Brother Fan. Xiao Shuihan and the others, who had already sheathed their weapons, were equally confused.

“I wouldn’t call it ruthless. It’s only that you appeared at a very timely moment, Old Sir.”

Lin Fan smiled faintly and gave the old man a courteous bow. Then he turned to Lin Hongyi and said, “Why don’t you ask the old gentleman for your little treasures back? A mighty expert like him would never steal your belongings.”

“Grandpa.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Hongyi addressed Qian Hong and stretched out her small hand as though asking for something.

“You’re a clever boy. You knew I wouldn’t give them back if you asked for them yourself, so you had this little girl ask instead. Very well, very well. But this is the last time.”

“Remember, when dealing with people, always leave them a way out. That little brat is so useless that I sometimes want to slap him to death myself. But his mother’s clan is no weak one. If you had really killed him today—and on my territory, no less—the trouble would have been enormous.”

Qian Hong brought the fist he had kept behind his back over Lin Hongyi’s palm and slowly opened it. Several dark-green scorpions, each about the size of a fingertip, dropped into her hand. Lin Hongyi quickly closed her fingers around them.

Everyone—including Qian Jin and Xiao Shuihan—drew in a sharp breath when they saw the scorpions.

What had they just seen?

Second-tier Venom King Scorpions!

Their venom was extraordinarily fierce, no weaker than the deadly Snowflower Scale Serpent of the second tier. The two species lived beside one another and preyed on each other. The longer they remained together, the more potent their venom became.

The creatures in Lin Hongyi’s hand looked like young Venom King Scorpions. Yet even as juveniles, when they were only at the first tier, their poison could easily kill a second-tier creature.

A second-tier existence was equivalent to a human cultivator in the Qi-Drawing Realm. If one of them were poisoned by a Venom King Scorpion, they would not survive for long without a third-tier or higher-grade antidotal elixir.

“Why are you gasping? Your attacks disrupted this boy’s plan.”

“This boy is ruthless indeed. He stopped that little bastard Qian Jin by saying he was hungry, intending to drag all of you away from the scene. At the same time, he had this little girl release the venomous creatures. Once Qian Tao and his guards were far enough away, he planned to use the Venom King Scorpions to kill every one of them without leaving the slightest trace.”

“Even if someone discovered Qian Tao’s death, they would never suspect you. And even if they did, they would have no evidence.”

“But the moment the energy in your bodies stirred, I sensed it. I released my soul power to investigate and discovered the Venom King Scorpions hidden in their clothes and behind their collars. That was how I saved their lives.”

Qian Hong pointed toward the fleeing Qian Tao and the others as he spoke to Xiao Shuihan and the rest. In the end, he turned back to Lin Fan and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Young as you are, your heart is vicious enough. And your scheming is deep indeed.”

Lin Fan smiled when he heard this.

“You flatter me, Old Sir. I have always believed that if others do not offend me, I will not offend them. If they had died, they would only have received what they deserved.”

“What if I were to kill you with a single slap right now? He may be a good-for-nothing, but he is still a member of my Qian Family.”

Qian Hong’s smile suddenly faded as he looked at Lin Fan. In that instant, an indescribable aura rose around him, violent as a raging sea, and pressed directly toward Lin Fan.

It was a force formed from spiritual power. It seemed that if Lin Fan gave the wrong answer, the old man would kill him on the spot.

Qian Jin and the others immediately grew tense. Qian Hong did not sound as though he were joking. Moreover, his strength was overwhelming. If he truly attacked, they would have no means of resisting.

“You won’t.”

Lin Fan met Qian Hong’s gaze directly and smiled.

“Qian Jin may be an illegitimate son, but he is still a member of the Qian Family. He has even received the recognition of the family head. As Qian Jin’s friend, and as someone who has displayed exceptional talent, I will certainly become one of his future sources of support.”

“From your attitude toward Qian Tao, it is clear that you do not belong to his faction. For you to be in charge of the Four Seas Restaurant in the Imperial City, you must hold a position of considerable importance within the Qian Family. With such status, you would never choose a side before these young masters have grown strong enough. What you value is the future of the Qian Family.”

“Only when these young masters reach a certain level of strength and truly take control of the struggle for authority within the Qian Family will you make your choice. Perhaps then, if you stand opposed to Qian Jin, you may act against those of us who support him.”

“But if you kill me now, you will effectively stand against Qian Jin. Given the conflict between Qian Jin and Qian Tao just now, others may even classify you as part of Qian Tao’s faction and begin targeting you.”

“With your cultivation reaching such a level, you are naturally no fool. You would not choose a side so early, nor would you be foolish enough to place the future of the Qian Family in the hands of that useless Qian Tao.”

By the time Lin Fan finished speaking, every word rang out with absolute confidence.

“Hahaha! Not bad. Your analysis is remarkably thorough.”

Qian Hong had kept his eyes fixed on Lin Fan the entire time, his aura pressing down upon him. When he saw that Lin Fan remained calm and composed while analyzing everything so clearly, he suddenly withdrew his aura and burst into laughter.

With a single movement, his figure vanished.

“Qian Jin, although you are an illegitimate son, that does not mean there is no one in the family who supports you. Otherwise, you could never have arrived safely in Azure Snow Commandery back then.”

“You have only just returned to the family, so you do not yet know how dangerous the situation is. Other clans and merchant associations all wish to take a share of the Qian Family’s power.”

“If you want to gain a foothold in the Qian Family’s circle of authority, the Celestial Academy is your only opportunity. Cultivation, connections, and military achievements will all become the cards you can play in your future struggle for power. These young fellows are all extraordinary, especially that one. Rely on him more.”

“For reasons of my own, I stand on your side. That is all I can tell you. Do your best.”

Although Qian Hong had disappeared, his voice still reached Qian Jin’s ears. Qian Jin’s ears twitched, and he clenched both fists, somewhat surprised.

He had not yet entered the Celestial Academy. His cultivation had not improved, he had earned no military achievements, and his network of connections was still shallow. He had only just come from Azure Snow Commandery to the Imperial City, yet someone in the family already supported him—and not just anyone, but a clan elder with a voice in family affairs.

By rights, a clan elder should not choose a side so early. Why had he suddenly decided to stand with Qian Jin?

While Qian Jin was pondering this, a lustrous white jade bead quietly fastened itself to a strand of Lin Fan’s hair. Lin Fan smiled, and a cold glint blossomed in the depths of his eyes.

Qian Tao was doomed.

He had already begun treating Xiao Shuihan, Qian Jin, and the others like younger brothers. If Qian Hong had killed Qian Tao earlier, people would have believed he had chosen Qian Tao’s side. By stopping Lin Fan from secretly killing Qian Tao, Qian Hong had merely avoided trouble with the clan behind Qian Tao’s mother.

Everything he had done was meant to demonstrate neutrality.

But precisely because of that, Qian Tao had been destined to die from the moment Qian Hong appeared.

The reason was simple. If Qian Tao died on Qian Hong’s territory, then no matter how many explanations Qian Hong offered, he would never be able to make the matter entirely clear. With his formidable cultivation, he could detect the Venom King Scorpions—so why had he failed to notice the other poison?

It was obvious that he had pretended not to see it.

That made Qian Tao’s death highly suggestive.

To outsiders, Qian Tao had come to cause trouble for Qian Jin on the territory of the clan elder Qian Hong. When Qian Tao was about to lose his life, Qian Hong had rescued him and allowed him to leave. This was not merely saving Qian Tao; it also amounted to saving Qian Jin, preventing him from directly participating in Qian Tao’s murder and suffering severe punishment.

Then Qian Hong could pretend to have overlooked another poisonous creature—or perhaps he could simply have used some sinister poison himself to kill Qian Tao. He would not have acted openly, and there would be no evidence. At the same time, he would have helped Qian Jin eliminate one of his rivals.

He could even shift all responsibility onto Lin Fan.

It was a perfect chain of schemes.

He had calculated against one of Qian Jin’s friends, eliminated one of Qian Jin’s opponents, and ensured that he himself would suffer no punishment. At most, he would be reprimanded for negligence.

What a poisonous strategy.

Everyone would think this way, and that was precisely the result Lin Fan wanted. He had deliberately allowed everyone to witness these events, forcing Qian Hong to stand openly on Qian Jin’s side. Even if Qian Hong had not intended to do so, everyone would now believe that he had.

Unfortunately, Lin Fan did not know that Qian Hong truly was on Qian Jin’s side. His scheme had therefore been unnecessary.

Of course, even if Lin Fan had known, he would have done the same. He would never allow Qian Hong to support Qian Jin from the shadows. What if Qian Hong changed his mind one day and betrayed him at a critical moment? Qian Jin might die without ever knowing why.

After all, Lin Fan could not be certain that Qian Hong truly supported Qian Jin.

By acting this way, Lin Fan had forced Qian Hong into the open. Whether he wished to or not, he could no longer refuse to stand with Qian Jin. Everyone already believed that he had done so. Thus, within the Qian Family, Qian Jin now had a clan elder openly sheltering him, giving him time to grow.

Besides, Qian Tao had insulted Qian Jin and humiliated him so thoroughly.

He deserved to die.

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