Whoosh! Bang bang bang!

Needles shot from all directions pierced into Zhe Xian's martial artists' bodies.

Crack!

Yongcheon's iron ball, pushing into Zhe Xian, was unstoppable.

Though not all of the Tang Family's main staff had come to maintain their presence in Sichuan, Zhe Xian's martial artists began to collapse in an instant.

Considering the Zhuge family's name, it seemed pathetically futile, but it was a natural result.

Zhe Xian had been waiting at Jingxiang Tower's entrance, while the Tang Family, controlling the onlookers, was positioned on the outer perimeter.

With just a turn of the body, an encirclement was formed.

That's not all.

Though the Tang Family had gained considerable reputation in Sichuan, they weren't properly known in the Central Plains.

Zhe Xian, who merely regarded them as a rural wandering sect, didn't know that the Tang Family primarily used needles as their weapon.

Moreover, receiving a barrage of needles within an encirclement meant they couldn't fight properly at all.

Furthermore, wasn't Yongcheon a martial artist of such divine strength that even Cheonyeong found him burdensome?

The name Zhuge meant nothing there.

As Zhe Xian collapsed helplessly, the fight inside Jingxiang Tower was also rushing toward its end.

Bang!

"Ugh."

Zhuge Wuhui, struck multiple times, was no longer in a state to fight.

"Damn it..."

He was angry.

Why had it come to this?

Despite being the second son, he was called the Jade-faced Divine Dragon and was regarded as a talent to lead the world, yet his opponent was merely a bumpkin who made a name for himself in Sichuan.

So why?

None of his attacks were landing.

The Heavenly Mystery Confusing Step was caught from behind after just two or three steps, and the Congealed Blood technique—his fingers broke when they collided with the fist, rendering it unusable.

That bastard hadn't blocked—he had destroyed it.

Him, the Zhuge family's martial arts...

How was such a thing possible?

What exactly was that bastard?

"What? Is it already over? I thought there was something, given how fierce you were."

Cheonyeong, looking at Zhuge Wuhui slumped against the wall, snorted mockingly.

"...Bastard."

At Zhuge Wuhui's muttering while grinding his teeth, Cheonyeong stopped his mockery.

"Just now, you muttered something with the beginning omitted. Could it have been 'dog'?"

At Cheonyeong's question, Zhuge Wuhui didn't answer and continued grinding his teeth.

"Ha, right. That's right."

Cheonyeong burst into hollow laughter and shook his head in thought.

Looking at his behavior, he wanted to cut off his head, but it wasn't an irreconcilable hatred.

Moreover, the moment he killed him, he'd have to prepare for battle with the Zhuge family.

The hatred of a father who lost his son was incomparable to anything else.

It was different from mid-tier sects like the Green Blue Sect or Beggar Gang.

Wasn't it the Zhuge family?

Well, he had to avoid that.

But being insulted and treated like a dog—he couldn't just let that pass.

As Cheonyeong drew the sword sheath from his waist, Zhuge Wuhui's eyes widened.

A sword?

Surely he wasn't going to kill him?

"Yeah, there was one before who didn't know the ways of the world and rushed at me. He was also a second son. What do you think I did to him?"

Cheonyeong approached Zhuge Wuhui.

Feeling the ominous aura, Zhuge Wuhui shouted urgently.

"You, do you think you'll be safe after doing this! Do you think your father will forgive you!"

"Anyway, why do bastards like you all say the same thing? Why? Do you think if you mention the family's prestige, I'll let it slide?"

"What?"

"I told you before, didn't I? Bite down hard. It will be pain you've never experienced before."

Looking down at Zhuge Wuhui, Cheonyeong grinned and raised the sword high.

"Huh?"

It was the sheath.

What was he trying to do?

Zhuge Wuhui couldn't just take it.

Pushing off the wall, Zhuge Wuhui squeezed out his remaining strength and threw a powerful punch.

Whoosh!

But it was a futile gesture.

How could his exhausted fist possibly land?

Cheonyeong simply twisted his body slightly and evaded, and the punch cut through empty air.

Grab.

He caught the back of Zhuge Wuhui's neck as it passed by, unable to overcome its own momentum.

"A bastard like you won't listen to words, so let's start with a beating."

"What, what? What's this?"

Zhuge Wuhui's enlarged eyes saw the sword sheath in Cheonyeong's hand descending fiercely.

Whack!

"Ugh!"

The sword, swung forcefully, struck Zhuge Wuhui's buttocks with its flat side.

It was as if fire flashed, and his belly thrust forward.

It wasn't pain that allowed one to maintain consciousness.

Thud!

But his waist, thrust forward by the tight grip on his neck, returned to its original position.

Whack!

With successive strikes from the sword, Zhuge Wuhui's mind went blank.

It was pain he had never felt before in his life.

All strength drained from his body, and a pain that made him want to collapse pierced through his entire being.

The Zhuge family's martial arts?

They were of no help whatsoever.

"Uh, uh, let go. It's broken... stop!"

Whack!

"Ahhh!"

Tears streamed from the sharp pain.

"Wait, just a moment...!"

Though he cried out with all his might, the beating from Cheonyeong with the sword sheath didn't stop.

Now just lifting the sheath made his body flinch, and his hands trembled.

Standing while being beaten (?), Zhuge Wuhui could no longer endure.

"S-Save me!"

"..."

"I'll make it as if nothing happened! Really!"

Overcome by terrible pain and shame, he, a member of the Zhuge family, begged.

But what returned was a cold smile.

"You bastard, you're still speaking informally? Am I your friend!?"

Bang!

The beating continued.

Unable to overcome shock and humiliation, Zhuge Wuhui finally lost consciousness.

"Please, save me..."

With that tearful plea, it ended.

* * *

Zhe Xian's martial artists knelt at Jingxiang Tower.

Before them was Zhuge Wuhui, whose buttocks were so swollen he couldn't even kneel properly.

"Write."

"..."

At Cheonyeong's words from his seat at the table, Zhuge Wuhui couldn't hide his bewilderment.

"This!"

When Cheonyeong slightly lifted the sword, Zhuge Wuhui flinched and spoke haltingly.

"I, I can't decide this."

"Don't talk nonsense. I know you're in charge."

"That may be true, but..."

Zhuge Wuhui had become respectful.

There was no choice...

He had been struck so many times he couldn't count, and he was barely enduring the pain of just the wind touching his pants-clad buttocks.

When Cheonyeong lifted the sheath, his body instinctively flinched.

But despite that, he absolutely couldn't refuse what Cheonyeong ordered.

Paper and brush spread before him.

Cheonyeong demanded just one thing from him.

A written confession.

Detailing the entire incident and that the Zhuge family would no longer covet Dongting Lake...

"Write. Unless you want to die."

"Even if I write, it's not a decision my father made..."

"Shh!"

"..."

He had no choice but to write.

"Hey!"

"Yes?"

"Why did you leave out that you spread unfavorable rumors about the Tang Family?"

"..."

"You need to write that too, don't you?"

"But that..."

"Are you going to insist it's not true? Should we start from the beginning?"

At Cheonyeong tapping the floor with the sword, Zhuge Wuhui reluctantly corrected his writing.

"One more copy."

"Yes?"

"Write the same thing one more time."

"..."

"Hurry."

Just wait and see.

I will absolutely never forget this humiliation.

Zhuge Wuhui gritted his teeth internally while diligently transcribing the words Cheonyeong dictated onto paper.

Taking the two papers sealed with signatures, Cheonyeong smiled with satisfaction and spoke.

"Now get out."

"Yes?"

"Honestly, I want to cut off your head just for slandering the Tang Family, but I'm holding back because you're of the Zhuge family. Understand?"

"..."

"Take those Zhe Xian bastards and leave. And if you come again, I absolutely won't forgive you. Understand?"

"I understand."

"Go, now."

"Yes."

Zhuge Wuhui answered weakly and was helped up by Zhe Xian's martial artists.

His legs were so bad he could barely walk.

Limping away, they disappeared, and Yongcheng, watching them go, approached Cheonyeong with a worried face.

"Family Head, what exactly are you planning?"

"What do you mean?"

"The opponent is the Zhuge family."

"So?"

"So? Because they're the Zhuge family?"

"So what about the Zhuge family being the Zhuge family?"

"Well, that is..."

"Don't worry unnecessarily. Please lend me a carrier pigeon."

"A carrier pigeon?"

"Yes."

"That's not difficult, but..."

Yongcheng tilted his head in confusion, but Cheonyeong, as if it were nothing, called Yongcheon.

"Yongcheon."

"Yes?"

"Discuss with the Gongsun family head and generously compensate the northern district residents for the damages they suffered in this incident. I have other things to do."

"Understood."

After instructing Yongcheon, Cheonyeong looked at Yongcheng and smiled.

"Well, shall we go? Please get the fastest one."

"Yes."

Yongcheng's expression showed he couldn't understand what Cheonyeong was thinking, but Cheonyeong was already smiling sinisterly.

Zhuge Wuhui.

That bastard wouldn't retreat just from a few beatings.

When he had hidden in his quarters, he had heard that the main family's martial artists would arrive soon.

Probably that bastard would bring those martial artists and seek revenge.

But it was impossible.

Why would he have taken the written confessions for nothing?

One copy for himself, and another to send to the Zhuge family head, Zhuge Changyun.

No matter who else it was, Zhuge Changyun would absolutely not attack Dongting Lake.

He wasn't the type of person to destroy the Zhuge family's reputation just to gain Dongting Lake.

So where would that anger go?

Zhuge Wuhui.

Did you really think I'd just take Dongting Lake and be done?

You're already dead to your father.

So why did you carelessly touch the Tang Family?

* * *

At the foot of Rongzhong Mountain in Hubei Province, where ancient pines spread their branches like a giant screen, casting shade.

A middle-aged scholar with an upright demeanor like the ancient pines sat in a pavilion, setting down the chess piece he held and unfolding the letter delivered to him.

Zhuge Changyun, the Family Head of the Zhuge family.

His expression was unchanged, and the aura in his eyes remained calm.

"So Wuhui did write this."

After taking in the signature, he folded the letter with an indifferent expression and nodded.

"What shall we do?"

"What do you mean, what shall we do?"

"Yes?"

"What are you asking to do?"

His tone was gentle, but his eyes were calm, yet the martial artist asking the question held his breath.

"Why? Should we seek revenge because Wuhui was beaten? Or should I send martial artists to Dongting Lake to reclaim it?"

"...I merely wondered if the Zhuge family's name might be tarnished."

"Tarnished?"

A subtle smile lingered at Zhuge Changyun's lips.

"Is the Zhuge name so small?"

"I apologize."

The voice was warm, but the rebuke was unmistakable.

Tap!

The sound of another chess piece being placed on the board echoed.

How much anger lay beneath that gentleness?

"Muguang."

"Yes, Family Head."

"The Tang Family Head, I'm told, only gave a beating as censure for rudeness. As a senior in the martial world, he corrected the habits of a troublesome son. How detailed he wrote it. What happened in Dongting Lake."

"..."

"If a father, seeing his son go out and tarnish the family name, were to come forward personally and demand an explanation, what would the people think?"

"I apologize. My thinking was shallow."

"Send word to Wuhui. When he meets the main family's martial artists, tell him not to have unnecessary thoughts and return immediately."

"Understood."

"And when he returns, have him enter closed cultivation."

"Closed cultivation?"

"As you seem to think, others will also consider this a stain on the Zhuge name, so naturally 'someone' must take responsibility. Tsk tsk, to ruin a winnable fight by being swayed by emotion. An immature brat who received an undeserved name."

"..."

"Survive on just one cup of water and a bigu pill per day, compose himself, and contemplate the causes of his defeat."

"Won't you tell him directly?"

"Directly?"

"Yes."

"Would there be anything good to see?"

Tap!

The sound of placing chess pieces grew louder.

Muguang could only swallow dryly with trembling eyes.

Didn't he understand that depending on where those stones were placed, the surrounding space could transform into a deadly trap, driving even the strongest to take their own lives?

Zhuge Changyun was a person who could match a thousand martial artists from a seated position.

"This matter ends here."

"Understood."

"However, the Tang Family Head... I've heard rumors of him through Qingsheng. Hmm, so a young dragon from Sichuan has left his nest and raised his head above Dongting Lake's waters. I should verify whether he's capable of challenging the five great families' stronghold in the future."

"..."

"Who led the main family's martial artists that went out?"

"Tianguang."

"Since the Tang Family Head has achieved the great feat of obtaining Dongting Lake, there should be a gift. Go tell Tianguang to extend my regards."

"Yes."

Muguang bowed and withdrew, and only the sound of chess pieces being placed echoed from the pavilion.

(End of Chapter)