Humiliation

At this, Liu Kai gently shook his head. "I wouldn't dare."

It would be a lie to say Liu Kai felt nothing. Qin Jishi was clearly just an ordinary man—what right did he have to be mentioned in the same breath as him?

Back at the Zhang Family, if Liu Qiang had not stopped him again and again, would he have let Qin Jishi off so easily? Even if he did not kill him, he would have crippled him.

Would Zhang Shiqing marry a cripple?

As Liu Kai's father, Liu Qiang understood his thoughts better than anyone. He snorted coldly. "My son, let me ask you: would an ordinary person possess a perfect-grade Spirit Gathering Elixir?"

Blinded by rage, Liu Kai had nearly lost his reason. Liu Qiang's words made his body tremble.

Seeing Liu Kai's change, Liu Qiang continued, "My son, remember this: a common man commits no crime, but carrying jade becomes his crime. Qin Jishi is but a mortal. Setting aside whether he has any backing, just the value of that Spirit Gathering Elixir alone is likely something even our Liu Family could not obtain."

Liu Kai tried hard to calm himself, and the deep furrows in his brow gradually eased.

"Father, you mean?"

"Mm."

Liu Qiang nodded. "The Liu Family has come this far by being cautious. First, send someone to investigate Qin Jishi's background. If he truly has powerful backing, then we must befriend him. But if he has no backing..."

At this point, Liu Qiang's lips curled upward, revealing a sinister expression. "Tomorrow's celebration will become a funeral."

A gleam flashed through Liu Kai's eyes as he understood Liu Qiang's meaning.

"Father... I understand what to do. I'll make the arrangements now."

With that, Liu Kai left impatiently.

The next day!

As dawn broke dimly over the sky, the Zhang Family danced dragons and lions, with lanterns and decorations hung everywhere.

By noon, Zhang Jinhua stood outside the Main Hall with an ugly expression, looking at the scattered guests. His already dark face turned even more livid.

"Clan Leader!" The Zhang Family's Great Elder hurried over, his expression grave. "The matter has been investigated. Last night, the Liu Family spread word that anyone who dared accept the invitation and attend our Zhang Family wedding banquet would become enemies of the Liu Family."

The Liu Family?

Hearing this, Zhang Jinhua's eye twitched violently.

He had expected the Liu Family to make a move, but he had not expected it to come so quickly.

"Look, just look!"

Tang Xiulan's face was full of reproach. "I told you to call off the engagement, but none of you would listen. Now look what has happened. We need not wait for the World-Saving Pavilion to blame us—the Liu Family's wrath alone is beyond what we can bear."

"Dear—"

Tang Xiulan said earnestly, "It is not too late to regret this now. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, I will go speak with Patriarch Liu. I believe that for Shiqing's sake, they will surely let this matter pass."

Even now, Tang Xiulan still did not want Zhang Shiqing to marry Qin Jishi.

There was no helping it. The Liu Family was powerful, and Liu Kai had been accepted as an official disciple of Black and White Academy. As a mother, who would not want her daughter to live well...

"Hmph!"

Zhang Jinhua was deeply displeased by those words. He snorted coldly. "You want to go make peace with the Liu Family? Has our Zhang Family not lost enough face already?"

"Dear... you..."

"Enough!"

Zhang Jinhua gritted his teeth. "The Liu Family wants to force our Zhang Family to yield this way. They think too little of us."

"Great Elder!"

"The auspicious hour has arrived. Begin the wedding."

If Zhang Jinhua truly agreed to Tang Xiulan's suggestion, the Zhang Family would never again be able to hold their heads high in Soaring Dragon City. Even if they formed a marriage alliance with the Liu Family, people would still point behind their backs and say they had forgotten kindness and righteousness, that they traded their daughter for wealth and glory. Such conduct would surely be despised.

Since matters had come to this, Zhang Jinhua would never allow the Zhang Family to be reviled by thousands. And likewise... he would not allow his daughter to blame him. He understood Zhang Shiqing's feelings better than anyone.

The Zhang Family's Great Elder glanced at Tang Xiulan, who remained silent, and could only helplessly announce the start of the wedding.

Very soon!

Under the witness of the scattered guests, Qin Jishi and Zhang Shiqing began the ceremony.

"First bow to Heaven and Earth."

"Second bow to the elders."

"Husband and wife, bow to—"

Before the final word could leave the Zhang Family Great Elder's mouth, a loud burst of laughter interrupted him.

"Ha ha ha! I never expected the Zhang Family's grand wedding to have such sparse guests."

The voice echoed through the Zhang Family grounds, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Under Liu Qiang's lead, the families that had been invited but had not come now arrived in a grand procession, their faces full of mockery and ridicule.

Seeing this, the scattered guests unconsciously took two steps back.

"Of all people, who did the Zhang Family have to offend? They just had to offend the Liu Family. Patriarch Liu personally came to propose marriage, yet they refused to give him face. How could he possibly let this go?"

"Exactly. After this, we should sever ties with the Zhang Family as soon as possible."

"..."

The smaller factions attached to the Zhang Family had already begun planning escape routes for their own families.

Even a fool in all of Soaring Dragon City knew that offending the Liu Family would bring the Zhang Family no good.

More importantly, the man Zhang Shiqing was marrying did not possess the slightest trace of profound energy. The dignified Young Lady of the Zhang Family was marrying down to an ordinary man?

No one could understand it.

While those people whispered among themselves, Zhang Jinhua emerged from the Main Hall alongside the elders.

"Patriarch Liu, what is the meaning of this?"

Looking at the crowd's mocking expressions, Zhang Jinhua's voice was somewhat stiff.

"What do I mean?"

Liu Qiang smiled without smiling. "Such a major occasion as your Zhang Family's wedding naturally calls for us to come offer our congratulations. Could it be that Patriarch Zhang does not welcome us?"

They had investigated Qin Jishi's identity yesterday and found no sign of any background. This time, Liu Kai had already prepared to eliminate him.

Once Qin Jishi was dead, would the Zhang Family still honor its promise to a dead man?

"Patriarch Zhang!"

A booming voice rang out from the crowd. "We were only able to come because of Patriarch Liu's generosity. Otherwise, if the guests at your Zhang Family's banquet did not fill the seats, would you not become a laughingstock?"

"Ha ha ha!"

"..."

The crowd's ridicule made the Zhang Family members look terrible, yet they could do nothing about it. After all, the Zhang Family was not powerful enough to contend against every faction.

They could only place all the resentment they suffered upon Qin Jishi.

Tang Xiulan had worn a dark expression from beginning to end, and at this moment, she erupted again.

"Qin Jishi, look at this! This is all because of you, you useless waste! If not for you, would our Zhang Family be mocked by all these factions?"

She glared fiercely at Qin Jishi, wishing she could make him get out immediately.

Qin Jishi turned a deaf ear, his expression unchanged, as though he were entirely uninvolved.

This only made Tang Xiulan's fury blaze even hotter.

At the same time, Zhang Jinhua forced a smile. "Since everyone has come to grace us with your presence, how could our Zhang Family not welcome you? We have only made everyone spend money."

"It is nothing." Liu Qiang lightly raised a hand. "We are merely here to share in the joyous occasion."

"Here."

As he spoke, Liu Qiang took out a Gold Coin and placed it on the gift register table. "Write it down. The Liu Family gives one Gold Coin as a wedding gift."

"Our Bu Family also gives one Gold Coin."

"Our Sun Family also gives one Gold Coin."

"..."

The families and factions that had come followed suit. This was no different from fiercely humiliating the Zhang Family.

One Gold Coin—they were treating the Zhang Family like beggars.

"Qin Jishi!"

Tang Xiulan's teeth ground audibly. "Our Zhang Family has never suffered such humiliation. This is all because of you, you worthless waste."

Qin Jishi slightly shook his head and said coldly, "Aunt, you can completely break off the engagement. Before Zhang Shiqing and I finish the wedding ceremony, there is still time."

Though Qin Jishi's voice was not loud, everyone heard it clearly. All eyes gathered on him—some held amusement, some ridicule, but even more were filled with the fury of the Zhang Family members...