"Chen An, do you think that by colluding with the Gong Family, you can compete for the position of the Patriarch? You are too naive! The Gong Family is ultimately an external power; how can they influence the decisions of our Dragon Tiger Escort Agency?" At this moment, a voice of rebuke came, and a young girl chased out from the pavilion, angrily scolding the slick-haired young man.
"Hehe, Li Tongtong, now that Chen Ping has been crippled, why do you still follow him? Why not tear up the engagement with Chen Ping and become my concubine?" Chen An looked at the charmingly beautiful girl in front of him, instinctively licking his lips, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"Chen An, you deserve to die! I always treated you as my own brother, yet you harbor such treacherous intentions. I must have been blind to misjudge you all these days." Chen Ping, supported by the girl, showed a hint of anger in his eyes.
At this moment, fury rushed to Chen Ping’s heart. His body shook with hatred, wishing he could dig out his own pair of eyes and smash them on the ground.
He is the eldest son of the Chen Family in Jinling City, with noble status and destined to inherit the entire Dragon Tiger Escort Agency. And Chen An is his half-brother, born of a concubine, what outsiders would call: a concubine’s child. His mother was unruly; for committing adultery, she was executed by his own father, which also implicated him, causing his status in the family to plummet, lower than even the servants, often mocked and bullied.
It was only because he couldn’t bear the sight and helped care for him that he managed to survive at home.
But who would have known, some time ago, he encountered an unexpected situation outside, not only was his left arm torn away by a Demon Beast, but the bloodline power given by the Dragon Pearl was also extracted by that Great Demon, rendering him a cripple. He was lucky enough to have some fortune, meeting someone who slayed demons, barely escaping alive.
But upon returning to Jinling City, he suddenly discovered that the city’s situation had changed.
His brothers either died or were injured, all turned into cripples, reduced to useless people.
The means to dominate the escort business underpinned by supreme martial prowess; all his siblings rendered incapacitated, yet this bastard hid at home and escaped the calamity, becoming the only complete person left in the family.
The most crucial thing is, this kid somehow got lucky and established a connection with the Ancient Race Gong Family, catching the favor of the Gong Family’s young lady, causing his status to rise, attracting the support and allegiance of countless elders in the family, clearly standing out as the heir of the Dragon Tiger Escort Agency.
Even his father suffered an attack during Jinling City’s turmoil, remaining in a coma. Now the entire escort agency is in chaos, and his brother has gained immense support from the family elders and the Gong Family, vaguely showing the momentum of being the future Sect Leader.
After gaining momentum, Chen An continuously suppressed his siblings, and his current plight is just one among the numerous humiliations he has suffered before.
"Chen An! Do you really want to do things to the extreme?" Chen Ping glared at Chen An.
"As long as you sensibly leave the Dragon Tiger Escort Agency, why would there be so many issues? By then, all will be well, and you’ll still be my great brother, enjoying a lifetime of glory and wealth with me." Chen An replied slowly.
"Dream on! I am the eldest son; only I can be the future heir of the escort agency. How could I leave the agency? Even if I do not inherit the agency, there’s still the second and third brothers; it won’t be your turn, you bastard!" Chen Ping shouted angrily.
The words ’bastard’ seemed to sting Chen An’s heart, his face turning even gloomier: "Come, add a bit more to our great young master."
With his words, seven or eight robust Dark Force Martial Artists came towards Chen Ping from behind Chen An.
"Chen An, how dare you! Are you not afraid of retribution? Are you not afraid of the punishment from the Dragon Tiger Temple?" The pink-dressed girl glared angrily, reprimanding Chen An.
"Hehe, it’s just a little sparring among brothers; even if the Dragon Tiger Temple knows, what can they do?" Chen An replied nonchalantly.
On the pavilion
Zhang Chen watched the disheveled Chen Ping, whose clothes were covered in soup and dust, his left sleeve empty, getting up from the ground angrily, couldn’t help but sigh softly:
"Chen Ping is a decent person, but luck doesn’t seem to favor him."
"I have a past with Chen Ping, but I find it inconvenient to intervene personally; I’ll have to trouble Huang to step in for me." Zhang Chen said.
Huang Chao nodded upon hearing this, opened the door, and stepped out: "Your business is my business!"
"Kid, you are being too arrogant; one should be humble lest you bring trouble upon yourself." At this moment, Huang Chao’s voice echoed on the street.
"Who are you to meddle in my affairs?" Chen An looked at the approaching Huang Chao, coldly questioning.
"It doesn’t matter who I am; what matters is that today you’re in for a beating by me." Huang Chao smiled coldly, rushed up, and started to pummel Chen An, cries of pain echoed throughout the street.
Zhang Chen, drinking on the pavilion above, couldn’t help but shake his head: "Huang Chao is truly violent! But in the cannibalistic place that is Yellow Heaven Dao, if a person isn’t a bit violent, they probably couldn’t survive either."
Before long, Chen An limped away, and Chen Ping thanked Huang Chao: "Thank you, good sir, for standing up for me. I am Chen Ping; may I invite you for a drink?"
Huang Chao looked at Chen Ping upon hearing this, smiled, and said: "I’m acting on someone’s behalf."
"On someone’s behalf?" Chen Ping was stunned.
"Come with me; someone wants to see you." Huang Chao said.
Huang Chao and the three-member group with the girl in pink walked into the tavern, heading straight to Zhang Chen’s private room, where Zhang Chen was already waiting at the door.
"Zhang, it’s you!"
As soon as Chen Ping entered the private room, he saw Zhang Chen standing elegantly, and was momentarily stunned.
"Mr. Chen, you look quite disheveled." Zhang Chen remarked.
Chen Ping smiled bitterly, "When one’s out of luck, even drinking cold water can get your teeth stuck."
At this moment, the group entered the private room, Huang Chao closed the door, and Zhang Chen pointed at the dirtied Chen Ping, removing all the filth from him.
"Impressive technique." Chen Ping complimented.
Zhang Chen smiled, "It’s just a minor trick of Water Control Technique," his gaze turned to the girl behind Chen Ping, "Brother, aren’t you going to introduce her?"
"This is my fiancée Yaru, you may call her ’sister-in-law’." Chen Ping introduced.
"Greetings, sister-in-law." Zhang Chen offered a respectful gesture.
"This is my lifesaver and good brother Zhang Chen." Chen Ping introduced Zhang Chen to Yaru.
"Hello, Zhang." Liu Yaru greeted Zhang Chen.
"Let’s sit and talk." Zhang Chen suggested.
The group sat down again, ordered fresh food and drinks, then Zhang Chen looked at Chen Ping, "How did brother end up in such a pitiful state?"
Chen Ping smiled bitterly, "The family faced an upheaval."
Chen Ping narrated his family’s situation, leaving Zhang Chen speechless; the world changes unpredictably, it’s truly unforeseeable.
"Currently, Gong Family and Chen An allow me to live solely because they’re afraid of attracting the attention of Dragon Tiger Mountain. I am the eldest son of the Chen Family and recognized by Dragon Tiger Mountain; if I were to die, Dragon Tiger Mountain will surely send experts to investigate, and Chen An will definitely face retribution from Dragon Tiger Mountain." Chen Ping sighed.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen was at a loss for words.
Chen Ping looked at Zhang Chen, eyes filled with guilt, "I originally planned that after brother arrived in Jinling City, I’d arrange a thousand acres of fertile land for him, along with a grand house and marry several beauties. But who knew I’d fall to such a state; I’m afraid I can’t repay the lifesaving grace."
"I have my own opportunities, no need for brother to repay. But brother, what do you plan to do in the future?" Zhang Chen asked.
Chen Ping fell silent for a long time before saying, "Currently, a few of my uncles hold power in Chen Family Escort Agency. My first step is to wake my father; he merely fainted, he’s not dead."
But realizing he’s now crippled, even if his father wakes, he will likely have no claim to the agency’s inheritance. This filled Chen Ping with gloom, and he took a hefty drink.
After another bout of drinking, Chen Ping and Liu Yaru took their leave, while Zhang Chen didn’t propose regrowing their arm, as it couldn’t be rushed; he needed to muster enough life force to elevate them to the Law of Life level.
"He lied! The matters of Dragon Tiger Escort Agency aren’t that simple." Suddenly, Huang Chao spoke.
"Explain?" Zhang Chen asked.
"I’ve heard of Gong Family’s reputation before; Gong Family possesses strength capable of confronting the Chen Family backed by Dragon Tiger Mountain. Why would they focus on a concubine’s child from the Chen Family?" Huang Chao said.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen pondered, "Indeed, that’s unlikely."
"Now I understand: Yellow Heaven Dao invited Gong Family for assistance, Gong Hei personally arrived, but it’s not that simple. I suspect it isn’t solely due to Yellow Heaven Dao’s matters." Huang Chao’s voice was filled with curiosity, "I’m quite curious now, what secrets lie within Dragon Tiger Escort Agency, worthy of a family like Gong’s coveting."
"It’s certainly getting more interesting, the situation in Jinling City is becoming increasingly complex." Zhang Chen remarked.
"Leave the following matters to me; I will surely uncover what tricks Gong Family and Chen Family are playing. If there’s profit in this, don’t stop me from taking a share." Huang Chao said.
"I naturally won’t stop you; I have deep hatred towards Gong Family and am opposed to them." Zhang replied.
The two chatted idly for a while, then left the pavilion. Just as they were about to go home, they suddenly saw a magnificent golden light burst forth from Chongzheng Academy, an awe-inspiring aura rushing to the sky, visible from thousands of miles away.
"What is that?" Zhang Chen looked towards the sky-piercing beam of Chongzheng Academy, eyes filled with astonishment.