Chapter 604: Three Months Later, the Summit of Mount Changbai!
「River City.」
"Luo Li, have you really thought this through?" Madam Qin clasped Qin Luoli’s hand, her cloudy eyes filled with reluctance and pain.
"I have." Qin Luoli bit her lip, a resolute look appearing in her eyes. "But if they think they can make me submit, they’ve got the wrong idea!"
"Luo Li, don’t be reckless!" the Old Madam said anxiously. "I don’t want anything to happen to you. If it comes to that, tell Lin Mu. That boy is clever and capable; he’ll definitely be able to help you."
"Great-grandmother, this is my own affair, and Lin Mu is busy right now. I don’t want to trouble him," Qin Luoli said with a faint smile, a hint of reluctance flashing in her eyes again.
The Old Madam sighed. "Yes, that’s true. After all, those people are ruthless. Even back then, I..."
Qin Luoli held the Old Madam’s hand, comforting her. "Great-grandmother, please don’t worry too much. Besides, I believe that no matter how great the difficulty, Lin Mu can handle it. I just want to see if there’s another way to resolve this."
A cold look crossed Qin Luoli’s face. "If they dare to use force, then someone will make trouble for them!"
The Old Madam let out another deep sigh.
In all of Huaxia, how many would dare to make trouble for those people? Even if Lin Mu is truly a Martial Artist, he’s still too young. Facing them, he’d have almost no chance of survival.
"Luo Li, I’ve wronged you," the Old Madam said, her eyes reddening as her voice filled with sorrow.
"Great-grandmother, what are you talking about?" Qin Luoli said. "This is what I must do. I’ve been searching for them for so many years. Now that I finally have a lead, I can’t miss this chance."
"True or not, I have to see for myself!"
The Old Madam nodded. "When are you planning to leave? I’ll have someone see you off."
"Tomorrow morning," Qin Luoli replied. "I need to arrange things at the company first."
"Okay."
「That same night.」
「Qin Zhu Courtyard.」
"Madam, are you sure you don’t need to tell the Venerable Master about this?" Concern showed on both Cheng Bugui’s and Qiao Tianhao’s faces.
Before the trip to Suzhou, the Madam had been plagued with worry. After parting with the Venerable Master, she had burst into tears the moment she got into the car.
At first, Cheng Bugui and the others thought the Madam was just having a minor tiff with the Venerable Master. But upon their return to River City, she sought them out multiple times to entrust them with the affairs of the city. Now, the Madam had even called them over for a lengthy discussion.
"Until I return or your Venerable Master does, all matters in River City are to be decided by you two. If you encounter anything you’re uncertain about, you may consult Elder Guan," Qin Luoli said, sitting on the sofa like a queen.
Even to weathered men like Cheng Bugui and Qiao Tianhao, the intangible aura she emitted was slightly intimidating.
The Madam is becoming more and more like the Venerable Master. Only those who truly knew Qin Luoli could appreciate the sheer force of presence this stunningly beautiful woman possessed.
"Madam, do you really plan to leave tonight?" Qiao Tianhao hesitated, looking as though he had something difficult to say.
"You don’t need to worry." Qin Luoli glanced lightly at Qiao Tianhao. "That woman you have on the side is pregnant with your child. This is good news, of course. I’ll have someone help manage the foundation."
Qiao Tianhao was taken aback. He had been extremely secretive about this, yet he was shocked that the Madam knew.
"Again, if there are matters you cannot decide, remember to find Elder Guan. He’ll do his best to help," Qin Luoli reminded them. "But even with your Venerable Master far away in Suzhou and me away from River City, if any of you dare to use this as an opportunity to stir up trouble, don’t blame me, Qin Luoli, for being ruthless!"
The two men quickly promised they wouldn’t dare. They were somewhat aware of the Madam’s methods. To say nothing of the god-like Venerable Master, the Madam herself was protected by several experts at all times.
"Of course, if you handle things well, I won’t treat you poorly either." Qin Luoli pointed to the documents on the table. "These are some shares I’ve reallocated. You two have worked hard; it’s only right for you to have a bit more."
Both wanted to refuse, but they knew that if they did, the Madam might just find someone to replace them. At that thought, they both bowed. "Thank you, Madam."
"Mm, you may go. Remember, tell everyone to keep their mouths shut. If anyone dares to leak any information about me, I will be merciless!"
After the two had left, Qin Luoli sat on the sofa, her expression placid as she stared at the door.
Late that night, a group of people entered the Qin Zhu Courtyard and took Qin Luoli away. No one knew where they went.
...
「Harbor Island.」
"Is that really what he said?!"
Patriarch Huang Zhenhao looked down at Huang Ning on the floor, his eyes glinting coldly.
"Yes, Father."
Huang Ning knelt on the ground, not daring to raise her head. Her body trembled violently as if she had experienced something terrifying. At that moment, Huang Ning bore no resemblance to the haughty young miss she once was. Her heart was filled with nothing but fear and dread.
CRACK!
Huang Zhenhao forcefully smashed a set of Qing dynasty blue-and-white porcelain to pieces.
"Threatening to exterminate my Huang Family? He’s simply courting death!" he said coldly. "My daughter will be avenged. So what if he’s a Grandmaster? Does he really think the Huang Family can’t deal with him?!"
With a cruel smile, Huang Zhenhao added, "And that Feng Chen, did he really say he would cut ties with the Huang Family?"
"Yes!" Huang Ning prostrated herself, terrified of accidentally provoking her father’s wrath.
With a cold glint in his eyes, Huang Zhenhao sneered, "Hmph! We call him ’Master’ once and he really starts to think he’s somebody! With a single word, I, Huang Zhenhao, could prevent Feng Chen from ever seeing tomorrow’s sun!"
He glanced indifferently at Huang Ning. "Although the other party was disrespectful, you still offended a Martial Arts Grandmaster. From today onward, hand over all the businesses you manage to your third brother."
A young man sitting to the side was instantly overjoyed.
Huang Ning, however, trembled. "Father, those businesses... you promised they would be mine if I resolved the feng shui issue with the family’s ancestral land..."
"Shut up!" Huang Zhenhao said grimly. "If it weren’t for that, I would kill you right now for offending a Grandmaster!"
The color drained from Huang Ning’s face. Only now did she remember that as the true leader of the Huang Family, her father’s methods were nothing short of cruel. Her older brother had been stripped of all his rights and even expelled from the family just for angering their father. If she dared to say another word, her fate would be even worse.
"Regardless, the dignity of the Huang Family must not be challenged," Huang Zhenhao said somberly. "There’s news from the Martial Alliance that the instructor from the Divine Machine Camp is preparing to challenge Lin Wudi. Since that’s the case, the Huang Family cannot just sit back and do nothing."
A cold, murderous intent flashed across Huang Zhenhao’s face.
...
"The Summit of Mount Changbai, three months from now?"
Looking at the two challenge letters in his hand, Lin Mu’s lips curled into a cold smirk. This was the dueling ground the Martial Alliance had specially prepared for him.
"It seems the Martial Alliance is really getting impatient."
For them to deliver two challenge letters to him in such a short time, they must have pulled some strings. They were clearly eager to kill him.
But was that even possible?
The smirk on his lips widened. "In that case, I’ll play your little game three months from now."
"But as for the Huang Family..."
Picking up another document from the desk, Lin Mu revealed a chilling smile.
"Since the Huang Family is so determined to die, I’ll grant your wish first!"