Fuck, like a lingering ghost that won't go away? Won't give up until they get what they want?
Zhang Yuanqing bared his teeth inwardly in exasperation, yet a polite, mild smile appeared on his face.
"Gentlemen of the Xiahou family, is there anything else?"
Xiahou Xin sat upright. Turning his head slightly toward Zhang Yuanqing by the curb, he said in an even tone, "Earlier at the Public Security Bureau, certain things couldn't be discussed openly. If you are willing to help lure out Wang Qian, I will present a prop to you as a token of gratitude, young brother. Furthermore, the Xiahou family holds a certain degree of influence within the Five Elements Alliance. You are quite capable, young brother, and with the Xiahou family's backing, your meteoric rise will be guaranteed."
Beside him, Xiahou Tianyuan leaned lazily against the leather seat, playing on his phone. None of the arrogance and short temper he had displayed in the office remained.
Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment before realizing that when this father and son made demands without offering rewards back at the bureau, it was because they never intended to negotiate there in the first place.
*Did they only make a superficial probe because Guan Ya and Li Dongze were present? And now they offer an exchange with a prop just to create a contrast and catch me by pleasant surprise?* he muttered to himself.
"Mr. Xiahou, please don't put a nobody like me in a difficult spot. The Decurion's stance is my stance. I can't afford to provoke the Palace of Halting Slaughter," Zhang Yuanqing tactfully declined.
Xiahou Xin looked at him without shifting his gaze, his voice calm and unhurried.
"Two props!"
*As expected of a clan of Scholars—they're truly filthy rich,* Zhang Yuanqing marveled inwardly. The profession of the Xiahou family was Scholar. High-level Scholars mastered the skill to forge props, much like blacksmiths in a game.
Although creating a prop was constrained by materials, skills, and other factors, making the cost tremendous, the Xiahou family's mastery over forging granted them an advantage that no other faction could match.
That was how they stood unshakeable, their roots reaching deep into both the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance.
"I'm sorry!"
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, pushing his bicycle and preparing to leave.
The next instant, the wheels seemed to snag on something. He looked down.
From the asphalt of the bike lane, vibrant green vines sprouted, tangling around the wheels like iron chains.
Xiahou Xin said indifferently, "Tianyuan, bring me his phone."
A smirk curled the corner of Xiahou Tianyuan's mouth. He pushed open the car door and placed a hazy, dreamlike crystal orb atop the roof.
In a flash, Zhang Yuanqing felt an invisible membrane envelop their surroundings. The vehicles and pedestrians outside warped out of shape, and the sounds of the outer world were completely cut off.
His expression shifted slightly. "You..."
This was simply too overbearing.
Xiahou Tianyuan licked his lips and strolled forward with a chuckle. "Yuanshi Tianzun, I hear you've cleared two S-rank Spirit Realms and the official walkers hail you as a genius. What a coincidence—I'm a petty man who can't stand anyone better than me, and what I love most is beating up geniuses."
The moment his words fell, raging flames ignited around his shoes. Like an arrow trailing afterimages, he shot forward.
He moved too fast. Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly crossed his arms before his chest.
*Smack, smack, smack...* A vicious flurry of kicks lashed out like whips, striking Zhang Yuanqing's arms again and again, burning his sleeves to ashes and scorching the skin of his forearms.
*Level 3?* Zhang Yuanqing's heart chilled. Having blocked the ferocious initial assault, he didn't hesitate to activate Night Walk and slip into stealth.
His figure vanished in an instant, as if erased from existence.
Xiahou Tianyuan stood proudly where he was, flames blazing around his feet as if he were treading on Wind-Fire Wheels, his sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings.
Suddenly, he saw the membrane on the left side of the barrier shudder violently from an impact, rippling like water.
Xiahou Tianyuan darted forward, pivoting on his left foot while swinging his right leg across. Amid a whistling sonic boom, his kick sent a figure tumbling through the air.
It was Zhang Yuanqing.
Xiahou Tianyuan reached out into empty air, grabbing a pair of dark-gold shackles from his inventory and flicking his wrist to cast them out.
With a sharp click, the shackles snapped onto Zhang Yuanqing's ankles, locking automatically.
Seeing this, Xiahou Tianyuan smirked. But the next moment, Zhang Yuanqing's body shattered like a broken reflection and vanished.
An illusion!
*Crack!*
Xiahou Tianyuan immediately heard the sound of shattering. Not far away, a silhouette materialized, stomping a phone to pieces underfoot, over and over.
At the sight, Xiahou Tianyuan's brows knitted tightly.
This little bastard would rather destroy it than yield to the Xiahou family?
Zhang Yuanqing exhaled slowly, his face devoid of expression. "Take this any further, and it becomes a fight to the death."
Feeling the searing heat beneath his feet, Xiahou Tianyuan's temper flared even hotter than usual. "You're courting death!"
"Enough!" From inside the car, Xiahou Xin glanced at the pulverized phone and said calmly, "Tianyuan, get back here."
His gaze rested deeply on Zhang Yuanqing, and he offered an apologetic tone. "My son is aggressive by nature. Please don't take offense."
Veins bulged on Xiahou Tianyuan's forehead. After an internal struggle, he suppressed the fury that burned like a stoked fire and extinguished the flames around his shoes.
Instantly, he returned to his languid demeanor, a complete contrast to his explosive fury moments ago.
"Not bad. You're pretty tough. It actually felt pretty good beating you up."
Xiahou Tianyuan sneered, walked back to the black sedan, retrieved the crystal orb from the roof, and slipped inside.
The black sedan accelerated, merging into the traffic flow. Xiahou Tianyuan leaned his head out the window and made a throat-slitting gesture at the kid left behind.
"Dad, that kid is pretty strong. He's got real talent," he chuckled, leaning back lazily against the leather seat. "Since when does a low-level flunky dare to look down on our Xiahou family? Tsk, breaking an iron bone like that is the only way to feel accomplished."
"We can use the clan's connections to suppress him and play him to death within the rules, but don't do anything foolish. He has merits to his name," Xiahou Xin said flatly.
Because the young man possessed recognized merits, minor squabbles were fine; at most, the Five Elements Alliance would hold them accountable. But if they severely injured or killed him, the White Tiger Battalion would not let the matter rest.
Killing an official walker with merits was tantamount to tearing apart all pretense of civility with the Five Elements Alliance, a transgression far graver than implicating ordinary civilians.
That was why, the moment the young man stomped his phone to dust, Xiahou Xin called a halt to the confrontation.
"I understand!" Xiahou Tianyuan replied with a sinister smile.
"Keep your focus locked on the other members of the Palace of Halting Slaughter," Xiahou Xin said, his face darkening. "That woman interrogated your elder brother and pried out far too many secrets. She cannot be allowed to live. No matter what, she must be eliminated this time."
Xiahou Tianyuan grumbled, "My brother is useless trash. The moment he sees a woman, his legs turn to jelly. If not for him, we wouldn't be in such a passive position."
Just then, Xiahou Xin caught sight of blood on his son's ankle and frowned. "You're hurt?"
Xiahou Tianyuan froze. Looking down, he realized the skin on his ankle had been broken and scratched open.
"It's nothing, just a scratch," he said dismissively.
***
*The Xiahou family is ridiculously overbearing. Going this far just for Wang Qian? Anyone who didn't know better would think I had an affair with the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter.*
Zhang Yuanqing watched the black sedan vanish into the distance, retracted his gaze, and couldn't help but complain inwardly.
He looked down at the hideous burns on his forearms, his expression turning grim.
No matter how tyrannical the Xiahou family was, they wouldn't dare kill him unless they intended to go to war with the Five Elements Alliance. If an official member with merits was murdered by a Spirit Realm clan, the Alliance would inevitably demand blood for blood, no matter how powerful the clan's connections were.
Otherwise, how could the organization command loyalty? What would the low- and mid-tier official walkers think?
That was why Zhang Yuanqing had decisively destroyed his phone to bring the conflict to an end.
Yet that hardly meant the matter was over.
The Xiahou family was far too arrogant. They had tried bribery first, and when that failed, they had immediately resorted to violence.
If he had possessed no merits and been nothing more than an ordinary low-level member, would the Xiahou family have stopped where they did?
And even as things stood, given the disposition shown by this father and son, they would almost certainly carry out underhanded retaliation later.
Zhang Yuanqing took out a tissue, wiped away the traces of blood trapped beneath his fingernails, folded it with meticulous care, and tucked it into his pocket. In a low voice, he muttered to himself, "There won't be a next time."
Chapter 71