The Ancient Martial Xu Family now had two main direct bloodlines.

One line was Xu Shaohui and his brothers, plus juniors like Miaoqiu and the others.

The other line consisted of Xu Shaohui’s cousins from the same clan and blood.

Back when Xu Shaohui hadn’t fallen ill, the two lines got along very harmoniously, but once he collapsed and could no longer handle affairs, the two sides started quarreling over the Patriarch’s seat. After five years, there wasn’t much family affection left.

The three middle‑aged men who came to Miaoqiu’s house were exactly Miaoqiu’s uncles from her father’s generation. They just acted close on the surface; even seven‑year‑old Xiang Ming could tell they weren’t good people.

"Hehe, then I’ll thank you in advance, cousin." Xv Baiping turned to the sturdy men behind who were carrying medicinal herbs and said, "Put them in the east side room for now."

The one in the middle of the three men was named Xu Beishan; he was Xu Shaohui’s younger cousin.

"Sister‑in‑law, is there anything else you need us three brothers to help with? Just say the word, we’re all family, no need to be polite," Xu Beishan said, the affectionate smile on his face making him look more convincing than those little pretty boys on TV.

Before Xv Baiping could speak, little Xiang Ming suddenly hopped to the front, pointed at Xu Beishan’s nose and cursed, "Big bad guy! You’re definitely here to hurt people again!"

"Xiang Ming! Hasn’t your father taught you how to respect your elders? Hurry and apologize to your cousin‑uncle, people of the Xu Family can’t lose their manners." Xv Baiping said coldly.

Don’t be fooled by Xv Baiping’s thin frame and the fact that she was a weak woman; her aura was anything but small, not to be underestimated.

Xiang Ming turned his head, looking at his aunt with his nose stinging, feeling extremely wronged.

"Ah, it’s fine, he’s just a kid, kids speak without thinking." Xu Beishan really didn’t mind; what was there to fuss about with a child?

"Apologize!" Xv Baiping repeated.

Xiang Yang’s lips pouted again; even though he felt wronged, he still bowed to Xu Beishan and said, "Sorry, cousin‑uncle."

"Hehe, it’s fine, cousin‑uncle didn’t take it to heart." After speaking, Xu Beishan looked at Xv Baiping and smiled. "Sister‑in‑law, aren’t you going to invite us in to sit for a while?"

"What are you saying, Beishan? Please, come in."

Xu Beishan and the others didn’t stand on ceremony, striding straight into the inner room.

The reception room in Miaoqiu’s home wasn’t like at Luoyan Dock, with a root‑carved tea table and a fine tea set where people sat around brewing tea together; right now it actually felt a bit like a family visit from relatives.

Miaoqiu brewed the tea, then set a cup in front of each person.

"Sister‑in‑law, it’s been quite a few days since us brothers last came. How’s big brother’s health?" The speaker was Xu Xichao, his head shaved, skin dark. The best feature on him was his mouth—when he smiled, he looked just like some old hoodlum with lots of stories.

Xv Baiping sat upright on the wooden stool and answered flatly, "Still okay."

"You seem to have gotten thinner again."

"Seems so."

"The place doesn’t look like it’s changed much either."

"Not much."

"..."

Xv Baiping’s word‑as‑gold replies directly killed the conversation before it even started. Xu Xichao had no idea what else to ask; even if he did, he’d probably be brushed off again with two or three words.

Miaoqiu secretly snickered. When her mom went full Buddhist mode, even she couldn’t handle it. If the topic didn’t interest her, the fact that she bothered to answer at all was already giving them face.

Xu Beishan’s gaze, however, had been fixed on Lin Tian the whole time. Smiling, he asked, "Sister‑in‑law, aren’t you going to introduce this young man? With those fine brows and bright eyes, he matches Miaoqiu quite well."

Xv Baiping shot Lin Tian a look; Lin Tian caught on and answered, "Hello, uncles. My name is Lin Tian—Lin as in ’two trees’, Tian as in ’heaven and earth’. I came to the Xu Family this time to treat Miaoqiu’s father’s illness."

"Hahaha, Lin Tian, so it really is you." Xu Beishan burst into loud laughter. "I’ve heard plenty of stories about you—turning Luoyan Dock upside down, forcing the Wang Family into a dead end, almost making it impossible for them to stay in Kanyue City. Truly, heroes emerge from the young."

Xiang Yang blinked his eyes, staring at the guy sitting next to him, not sure what he was thinking.

Xv Baiping’s mouth also fell slightly open as she looked at Lin Tian in surprise.

She’d never cared what the outside world was talking about; all her attention was on her husband’s illness. Hearing this now, she was naturally shocked.

That was the Wang Family!

Lin Tian pressed his lips into a smile and replied, "There are some things like that, I guess. But it wasn’t really all because of me. Everyone insisted on pinning it on my head. With three people making a tiger, I couldn’t shake it off even if I wanted to."

Xu Beishan smiled and asked again, "I heard you drank all the Golden Core experts of the major clans under the table by yourself. That at least is true, right?"

Lin Tian paused for a moment, not sure why the other party was asking this, but he still nodded.

Suddenly, Xu Xichao stood up and laughed loudly. "Hahaha, who would’ve thought little Lin here is a young hero. I, Xu, admire two kinds of men the most: those who can hold their liquor, and those who can do big things."

As he finished speaking, he extended a hand toward Lin Tian in a gesture for a handshake.

Lin Tian just felt these people were inexplicably weird, but he didn’t think too much of it. He stood up and shook hands with this old rascal.

As soon as their hands met, Lin Tian felt a powerful force surging into his hand, as if trying to crush his bones to powder.

Lin Tian hadn’t expected the other guy to pull this stunt, but he wasn’t afraid in the slightest. He didn’t exert any strength, just let the man squeeze.

Xu Xichao was secretly shocked. What’s up with this kid? Isn’t he rumored to be a Golden Core expert? Why does his hand feel as weak as that woman Xv Baiping’s, without the strength to truss a chicken? No reaction no matter how hard I squeeze—is he just gritting his teeth and bearing it?

If that was really the case, Xu Xichao would still somewhat respect him—his bones nearly crushed yet he could endure it. Maybe he wasn’t spineless after all?

"Lin, I didn’t expect your bones to be so extraordinary. The moment I shook your hand, I could tell you’re no ordinary person." Xu Xichao grinned, his hooligan smile dripping with mockery.

Lin Tian smiled along. "I also feel your hand is something else; the grip is pretty strong."

Hearing that, Xu Xichao burst into another round of boisterous laughter, his face full of smugness.

When he tried to let go, he realized his hand couldn’t withdraw at all, as if it had been glued in place.

"Huh?" Xu Xichao let out a puzzled grunt, looking at Lin Tian in confusion.

Right then Lin Tian suddenly started laughing, his grin even more roguish and smug than his.

Boom!~

A force like a collapsing mountain and a raging flood suddenly poured into his hand.

Lin Tian’s previously boneless‑soft grip suddenly turned as hard as steel. With a light squeeze, Xu Xichao went from attacker to victim; his hand stopped obeying him and, just like earlier, was kneaded and twisted at will—only now their roles had been reversed.

A cool sensation, from God‑knows‑where, drilled into Xu Xichao’s hand, stimulating a dozen or so large and small acupoints. In an instant, his hand lost all feeling and went numb.

At that very moment, he even heard a series of ’crack, crack’ sounds coming from his own hand.

That sounded suspiciously like bones breaking.