Chapter 7: Calling for Backup

Nan Yunqi's face turned deathly pale. He steeled himself and hurried out of the courtyard.

"Qiao'er, quickly find somewhere to hide — don't get caught up when the Tianbao Pavilion people start causing trouble!" Yang Hongmei urged Nan Qiao anxiously.

"Hmph. That good-for-nothing made this mess, so he can deal with it himself. I'll go find him!" Nan Qiao declared, then turned and headed toward the back of the compound.

"Right, right — hurry to the east courtyard and drag that good-for-nothing over here!" Yang Hongmei nodded rapidly.

By now, the two Elders of the Nan Family, along with all the core members of the clan, had come rushing over.

When they learned that it was Qin Guan who had struck Chen Shaojie, every single one of them was furious. That worthless wretch had brought such enormous trouble down on the Nan Family.

"Pavilion Master Chen, surely there's been some misunderstanding? My son-in-law is nothing more than a feeble little Martial Artist — the weakest of the weak. He couldn't possibly beat anyone, let alone have the guts to strike the Young Master!" Nan Yunqi stepped forward hurriedly to explain.

"Still trying to talk your way out of it? I have irrefutable evidence. If your Nan Family doesn't give me a satisfactory outcome today, Tianbao Pavilion will not let this slide!"

Chen Guangling jabbed a finger directly at Nan Yunqi's nose as he berated him.

The moment Chen Guangling finished, Chen Shaojie — his face swollen up like a pig's head — immediately chimed in:

"You old bastard, cut the damn nonsense and hand over that little animal to me right now. Otherwise, the Nan Family won't survive the night!"

Having fingers pointed in his face and being cursed at one after another, Nan Yunqi's fingers, clenched inside his sleeve, nearly dug into his own palm.

At that moment, Yang Hongmei rushed forward with a fawning smile plastered across her face:

"Pavilion Master Chen, Young Master Xiaojie — please be assured. If it truly was that worthless Qin Guan who struck you, our Nan Family will absolutely not take his side. You may deal with him however you see fit!"

Hearing Yang Hongmei's words, Chen Shaojie nodded. "That little animal Qin Guan must die — but that Nan Rou girl…"

The thought of Nan Rou's breathtakingly beautiful face nearly made Chen Shaojie drool from his toothless mouth.

It had long been known that Chen Shaojie was insatiably lecherous — either chasing women or on his way to chase women. Yang Hongmei understood perfectly, and so she quickly smiled and said, "Young Master, rest assured — Rou'er is also at your disposal."

"Get out of my sight!" The moment Yang Hongmei finished speaking, Nan Yunqi suddenly roared at her in fury.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Yang Hongmei was startled — Nan Yunqi had never dared to shout at her like that before.

"I am the head of the Nan Family. It is not your place to make decisions here!" Nan Yunqi shot Yang Hongmei a fierce glare.

Yang Hongmei stomped her foot in rage and pointed at Nan Yunqi, screaming:

"How dare you, Nan Yunqi! Have you forgotten how you used to grovel and beg when you came to my family for resources? You dare shout at me? Without the Yang Family's support all these years, do you think you'd even be the head of the Nan Family?"

Chen Shaojie's ears ached from Yang Hongmei's shrill tirade, and his patience finally snapped:

"Enough! I didn't come here to watch you two old fools bicker. Hand over Qin Guan and Nan Rou right now, or I'll flatten the Nan Family to the ground!"

"Tsk, tsk. Flatten the Nan Family? You've got no teeth left and you're still talking big!"

At that very moment, Qin Guan strolled in at a leisurely pace.

Nan Rou was clutching the hem of his robe tightly, staying close by his side. She had nearly fainted when her sister told her that the other party had shown up with dozens of men. She had wanted Qin Guan to flee, but Nan Qiao had stopped her.

"You little animal, you—"

Chen Shaojie had just started to curse when his gaze landed on Nan Rou and Nan Qiao. His eyes instantly lit up.

Chen Shaojie covered his aching, swollen mouth and exclaimed, "Aiyo — two great beauties!"

"Shaojie, are you certain he's the one who hit you?" Chen Guangling studied Qin Guan with a skeptical look.

"It was this little animal, alright. He's a Martial Artist — he ambushed me. Otherwise I'd have beaten him to death!" Chen Shaojie said, his gaze turning venomous.

"So, just a Martial Artist with no future." Chen Guangling let out a cold snort, then waved his hand. "Seize him!"

Several guards were about to move when Nan Yunqi suddenly said in a low, firm voice:

"Pavilion Master Chen, the Nan Family may only be a third-rate clan, but barging in here to arrest someone like this is bullying us with your power and influence, is it not?"

"Bullying you?"

Chen Guangling's eyes turned cold. "Your son-in-law beat my son into this state, and I haven't already razed the Nan Family to the ground — I'd say that's already quite merciful. And you dare talk to me about bullying?"

"Qin Guan is an honest man… He must have had a reason for striking your son." Nan Yunqi glanced at Qin Guan as he spoke.

"I don't care about reasons. Nan Yunqi, listen carefully — if the Nan Family dares to resist, I guarantee the Nan Family will vanish from Luyun City by tonight!"

A flash of killing intent crossed Chen Guangling's eyes. He had run out of patience.

Hearing Chen Guangling's words, the two Nan Family Elders hurried to Nan Yunqi's side.

"Nan Yunqi, as the head of the Nan Family, you must always keep the bigger picture in mind. You can't drag the entire clan down because of your son-in-law, can you?"

"He's the one who caused this mess — why should the whole clan suffer for it? If you act this way, you're not fit to be the head of the Nan Family!"

The Nan Family appeared harmonious on the surface, but in truth it was a loose pile of sand. Over the years, the two Elders had each built their own factions within the clan, neither willing to submit to the other — both vying for the position of Family Head. Had it not been for the support of his wife's Yang Family, Nan Yunqi would have lost his seat long ago.

The way the Nan Family members were positioning themselves right now made it abundantly clear — they had silently split into three factions.

Nan Yunqi's expression had become extremely grim. Nan Rou had finally found someone she could lean on, and he had already let her down too many times over the years. He desperately wanted to protect Qin Guan's life — but if he handed Qin Guan over, knowing Chen Shaojie's nature, Qin Guan would be lucky to escape with his life, let alone his limbs.

Just as Nan Yunqi was caught in this dilemma, Qin Guan suddenly stepped to his side:

"Father-in-law, a man owns his actions. I can handle this myself."

"Stand down — it's not your place to step forward here, boy!" Nan Yunqi shot Qin Guan a sharp glare, then turned to Chen Guangling with a conciliatory smile:

"Pavilion Master Chen, Qin Guan was indeed in the wrong for raising his hand against someone. I wonder if you might see fit to be magnanimous and let him off this once? In addition, our Nan Family is willing to offer ten bottles of Qi Refinement Powder as compensation."

Qi Refinement Powder was the most coveted cultivation resource among young Cultivators — a single bottle was worth thirty thousand gold. For the Nan Family, this was no small sum.

Hearing that Nan Yunqi was willing to compensate Tianbao Pavilion with ten bottles of Qi Refinement Powder for Qin Guan's sake, the assembled members of the Nan Family were absolutely livid.

"Ha ha!"

Chen Guangling suddenly threw his head back and laughed. "Nan Yunqi, do you take Tianbao Pavilion for beggars?"

"Never mind ten bottles — even a hundred bottles wouldn't settle this matter. My son was beaten into this state, and I intend to make that little animal wish he had never been—"

"Wham!"

Before Chen Guangling could finish the word "born," he was sent flying, coughing up blood.

Qin Guan had appeared, seemingly from nowhere, in the very spot where Chen Guangling had been standing.

What just happened?!

How did Chen Guangling go flying?

Everyone froze.

The scene fell into sudden silence.

Not far away, Chen Guangling clutched his chest, his pupils contracting sharply. He stared hard at Qin Guan and said in a low, strained voice: "You… you've opened the Fury Gate — a third-gate Martial Artist!"

The moment those words — "third-gate Martial Artist" — were heard, the crowd erupted in an uproar. Every one of the Tianbao Pavilion people recoiled in fright, instinctively putting distance between themselves and Qin Guan.

A Martial Artist who had opened the Fury Gate at the third gate — if he got close enough to grab any of them, their level of Cultivation would leave them beaten to death on the spot!

Chen Guangling, whose Cultivation was at the Mid Spirit Refinement Realm, had been sent coughing up blood by a single strike from Qin Guan before he could even react. It was plain to see that Qin Guan's strength was no less than his own!

Qin Guan swept his gaze across the Tianbao Pavilion crowd, then shook his fist dismissively and said with contempt:

"A bunch of small-time punks, and you actually had the nerve to come looking for me. One punch each — I'll leave every single one of you unable to take care of yourselves. Believe me?"

Chen Guangling pointed at Qin Guan and roared:

"Don't get cocky! What does being a third-gate Martial Artist amount to? You just wait — I'm going back to call for reinforcements right now. If I don't level the Nan Family to the ground today, I've wasted all my years!"

"Go ahead. Bring whoever hits hardest in your Tianbao Pavilion — saves me the trouble of going there myself." Qin Guan waved his hand, utterly unconcerned.

"You just wait!"