CRACK!
Han Jinlong's fist, as large as a clay pot, ca to an abrupt halt. It was caught in Lin Tang's five-fingered grip, unable to advance another inch.
"Huh?"
Han Jinlong was astonished. He tried to pull his fist back but found it wouldn't budge, as if it had been welded to Lin Tang's palm.
Not good! Han Jinlong's eyelids twitched.
A mont later, searing pain shot through his fist. It was being crushed, twisting into a grotesque shape and forcing a pained cry from his lips.
"You call this an iron fist?" Lin Tang sneered, tossing him aside like a piece of trash. He then grabbed the stunned Shi Yanhong by the neck. "Try barking again. I dare you."
"Please, show rcy!" the old butler cried out, rushing forward. "She is Wang Dengke's favored mistress! If you're a friend of the Second Young Master, or if you're here to ask a favor of him, I beg you, do this favor and do not harm her."
"Oh?"
Lin Tang loosened his grip. After a few violent coughs, the nearly suffocated Shi Yanhong assud he had been frightened off. A sneer returned to her face.
"You're finished! Let tell you, you are dood! Don't think you can turn the world upside down just because you know a little martial arts! You probably don't know, but a suprely powerful master has erged in Jiangbei. His na is Lin Tang!
"He's a good brother of Shouzhen's! And he's my sister's future husband! Once Shouzhen calls him over, he will tear you limb from limb!"
After listening to her incessant babbling, Lin Tang's expression beca priceless.
"...Good brother? Future husband?" he asked, feigning casualness. "Ahem, is this handso young man nad Lin Tang really so formidable?"
Han Jinlong sat up, his face contorted in a grimace. He sucked in a few sharp breaths, trying to endure the pain, and said hatefully, "Even Yan Renjie, a master at the peak of the Innate Realm, was defeated by him. What do you think? Hmph. If you kneel and beg for rcy now, you might still save yourself..."
"What's going on here?"
"Who dares cause trouble in my Wang Family's ho?!"
Wang Shouzhen and Wang Dengke appeared at the sa ti.
"Master, you've arrived just in ti..." Shi Yanhong said, her eyes red as she rushed into Wang Dengke's arms, on the verge of tears and ready to complain.
"Master Lin?!" Wang Shouzhen's eyes fixed on Lin Tang, and he gasped in shock.
Wang Dengke's expression changed as well, and he shoved Shi Yanhong away.
Shi Yanhong was bewildered. Master Lin? Who's that...?
"Holy shit!" Han Jinlong reacted even faster, so terrified he almost stuffed his mangled fist into his mouth.
When Shi Yanhong saw the Wang father and son bowing respectfully to Lin Tang, she finally realized what a colossal mistake she had made. She collapsed to the floor, trembling uncontrollably.
GULP.
Wang Shouzhen and Wang Dengke also swallowed hard, terrified that Lin Tang would hold them accountable.
"Wang Shouzhen, you're quite sothing," Lin Tang said playfully. "When did I beco your brother?"
"No, no, of course not!" Wang Shouzhen bowed and scraped, then slapped his own face. "I'm not worthy of such an honor. That's just a baseless rumor spread by the staff. I would never say such a thing."
Lin Tang then turned to Wang Dengke. "And when did I beco your brother-in-law? I'm apparently getting a new wife, and I'm the last to know?"
"This..." Wang Dengke kicked Shi Yanhong over and roared, "You vile woman! Who gave you permission to spout such nonsense and fabricate connections? Are you blind? You don't even recognize the great Master Lin Tang, and you dare set your attack dog on him? I ought to feed you to the dogs myself!"
He then turned back to Lin Tang, forcing a smile. He explained that he had rely noticed Shi Yanhong's sister was single and thought he might arrange an introduction.
"If you find her to your liking, you can take her as a concubine, keep her as a mistress on the side, or have your fun with her once and toss her aside. It's all up to you. If she doesn't et your standards, I guarantee she will never trouble your sight again," Wang Dengke explained.
Aren't you just trying to tempt into making a mistake? Lin Tang thought with disdain, having absolutely no interest in the matter.
He rested a hand on Wang Shouzhen's shoulder and said with a grin, "Wang Shouzhen, Second Young Master Wang, do you have any idea why I made a special trip here to see you?"
"Please, don't call that, I'm not worthy! Just call Little Wang. What are your instructions, Master Lin? Please, enlighten ," Wang Shouzhen stamred, trembling with fear.
"Hmph!" Lin Tang's expression instantly turned glacial. "You've got so nerve. You dared to pass off Soul-breaking Grass as Dendrobium officinale, nearly killing Grandpa Shen. Tell , how should we settle this debt?"
"What?! I've been frad!!!" Wang Shouzhen cried out after a mont of shock. He swore he had no idea what kind of herb it was, insisting the bla fell entirely on the doctor Shen Youling and the others had hired to brew the dicine.
"He's a doctor! How could he not recognize the dicinal ingredients? And he secretly stole half of them! Does that make any sense?" he protested indignantly.
"That doctor is nad Yao Qian, right? Shang Yuenong's husband? Well... I suppose birds of a feather truly do flock together," Lin Tang remarked, almost impressed by the audacity. He continued, "So, what you're saying is that I'm framing you? That I'm just looking for trouble? That this is my fault?"
"I didn't..."
"Hmph?!"
Wang Dengke, being the wiser of the two, realized that Lin Tang was simply looking for a pretext to make them suffer. He slapped his son on the back of the head. "You beast! If you've done wrong, admit it and repent! What is there to be stubborn about?"
He then cupped his hands toward Lin Tang. "It is my failure as a father that led to Elder Shen's suffering. I hope Master Lin will be magnanimous and grant us a chance to atone for our mistake. As it happens, my family possesses a Centennial Elixir. Please, accept it as our apology. I hope you won't find it beneath you."
"Fine. Seeing as you're so sincere, I'll give you a chance," Lin Tang nodded reluctantly.
Wang Dengke imdiately retrieved a dicine box from inside and presented it with both hands.
Lin Tang opened it, and his hand jolted. "What the hell? Isn't this Seven-Star Begonia? Is your family cursed? First, you give Soul-breaking Grass, and now you bring out sothing even more toxic. Are you trying to poison ?"
"What? This is poisonous too?!" Wang Dengke and Wang Shouzhen stared in horror. They genuinely had no idea.
Lin Tang chuckled and advised them to investigate the origins of both poisonous herbs. It was likely, he noted, that soone was trying to annihilate their entire family.
The two broke out in a cold sweat and thanked Lin Tang profusely. If he hadn't co to extort them today, they might have decided to consu the herbs one day and would have died without ever knowing why.
After finally seeing Lin Tang off, Wang Shouzhen's fawning smile vanished. He cursed through gritted teeth, "Damn that bastard! Yan Renjie will be back for him sooner or later! After he kills you, I'll personally whip your corpse! Just you wait!"
Wang Dengke, also seething with anger, kicked his son. "Shut your mouth! If it weren't for you lusting after another man's wife, would our Wang Family be in this ss? From this day on, you will stay ho and reflect on your actions! You are not to set foot outside until the day Lin Tang is dead!"
"...Yes." Wang Shouzhen flinched and drew his head back.
"Master—" Shi Yanhong approached timidly.
"Get out!" Wang Dengke roared. "You wretched woman who sets dogs on people! I have no use for a troublemaker like you. Soone, throw her out! And don't ever let her back in!"
"Ah, no..." Shi Yanhong had only just started to enjoy the lavish life of a wealthy mistress. How could she give it up? She fell to her knees, clinging to Wang Dengke's leg and begging relentlessly.
When he ignored her, she turned to plead with Wang Shouzhen, who also paid her no mind.
Finally, she begged Han Jinlong to put in a good word for her.
"I ended up provoking that nace Lin Tang, and it was all your fault!" Han Jinlong was still mourning his crushed iron fist. Her plea was the last straw. He shot her a furious glare and refused to even look at her.
"Fine. Fine! FINE! You three heartless bastards who use won and throw them away! Just you wait!" Shi Yanhong, her hair a disheveled ss, was dragged away like a madwoman.
"Ugh—" Wang Dengke, having been called a "heartless bastard," was about to order his n to shut the woman's mouth for good when he suddenly froze.
Why does that feel off?
Han Jinlong coughed guiltily and stared up at the sky.
A jolt went through Wang Shouzhen's heart. He quickly made himself scarce, terrified that his father was about to break his third leg.
「At dusk.」
Shen Qiushi had drunk two more bowls of the dicinal soup. His spirits had returned, and he felt full of life. After apologizing to Ge Shijian, he took his leave and returned to the Shen Family estate.
Just as he stepped through the door.
"Aah, a ghost!" Shen Jiayue scread, thinking Shen Qiushi had died and his spirit had returned.
"You insolent child!" Shen Qiushi seethed, fighting the urge to slap her.
Once she confird he was human and not a ghost, Shen Jiayue heaved a sigh of relief. "Grandpa," she said joyfully, "how did you wake up?"
"It was my wonderful grandson-in-law, Lin Tang, who saved , of course," Shen Qiushi declared with imnse pride.
"Tch—" Shen Jiayue scoffed under her breath, still finding it hard to accept that Lin Tang's dical skills were so incredible.
When Shen Xin, Dong Mingfeng, and the others saw that Shen Qiushi was unhard, smiles spread across their faces. But they were stunned when they learned that Lin Tang's soup recipe was genuine and that Chen Shanchun had been wrong.
Imdiately, their minds started scheming. So this prescription is really valuable, huh? In the hands of soone like Lin Tang, it's a complete waste. We have to find a way to get our hands on it...
Dong Mingfeng's eyes darted around. "Dad, where's Youling? Why didn't she co back with you?"
"You have the nerve to ask that!" Shen Qiushi slamd his hand on the table and unleashed a torrent of scolding. He only stopped when he was almost out of breath. "In any case, Lin Tang is an excellent husband. If Youling doesn't bring him back, she will no longer be a part of the Shen Family!"
"Dad, you're insane!" Dong Mingfeng loudly protested. She argued that Lin Tang was rely skilled in dicine; the best he could hope for was to be a doctor. Furthermore, even if he had the backing of the True Martial Association, it was all as fleeting as Mirror Flower, Water Moon. The mont Yan Renjie returned to kill him, he was absolutely dood.
"Youling finally managed to cut ties with that man who has a death sentence hanging over his head. Why would you force them back together? If she does, won't Yan Renjie wipe out our entire Shen Family along with him?"
"Yes, yes, Dad! Lin Tang is destined to be a walking disaster! We can't let him destroy our whole family!"
"Grandpa, please reconsider..."
Hearing their words, Shen Qiushi fell silent. He hadn't realized Lin Tang had provoked such a terrifying enemy. He truly didn't want to lose Lin Tang as a grandson-in-law.
But... I can't endanger the entire Shen Family either. What should I do?
After a period of grave deliberation, Shen Qiushi spoke slowly.
"I have made my decision. From this mont on..."
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