Going Too Far!

"How are you here?"

Chang Huai's eyes widened in disbelief.

He never would have expected to run into the person he least wanted to see during the day again that night—and in this way, no less.

You're a promising young talent of the younger generation. You have a reputation to uphold. What are you doing in a place like this?

"This is my family's business. The real question is, what are you doing here?" Fang Yuan replied calmly.

Oh, right!

Chang Huai suddenly realized.

The Drunken Dream Pavilion was Fang Family territory. He was the one who should leave.

Chang Huai had just taken a step toward the door when he suddenly realized something was wrong. His expression darkened.

"Fang Yuan, don't push me too far!"

"So what if I do?" Fang Yuan replied coldly, not taking the Prefect's Son seriously at all.

"Did you forget what I told you back then?"

Chang Huai glanced at Xiao Zi beside Fang Yuan, and a flood of unpleasant memories suddenly came rushing back.

Three years ago, before he knew Xiao Zi's identity, he had tried to harass her on the street. The result was that someone had beaten him up badly.

That someone had been none other than Fang Yuan!

Afterward, Fang Yuan had even declared publicly that if they crossed paths again, he would beat Chang Huai every time he saw him.

"Get out now, before I make you!"

"What nerve! This is the Drunken Dream Pavilion. Let's see who dares to make me leave!"

Just then, a booming voice sounded from outside the door.

Knowing she couldn't control the situation, Madam quickly went downstairs to fetch Fang Qian.

Fang Qian had heard those words as he approached. He immediately answered back: the Drunken Dream Pavilion belonged to the Fang Family, and no outsider had the right to throw his weight around here.

But when he walked into Dream Room No. 1, he was utterly dumbstruck, frozen in place as if turned to stone.

"Young... Young Master..."

Fang Qian trembled, his words stumbling. He hurriedly bowed in greeting.

"I didn't know the Young Master had arrived, so I failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me."

This was far beyond anything Fang Qian could intervene in. Chang Huai was usually a good friend of his, but he didn't dare say a single word in his defense.

"So this is Fang Yuan, the greatest talent in Prefecture City?"

Miao Yunshang, the Flower Queen holding a pipa, gazed at him with sparkling eyes, her gaze full of admiration for the strong.

"Thank goodness I didn't slight this young gentleman earlier."

Madam secretly congratulated herself. She never would have guessed that this refined young gentleman was the Young Master of her powerful backer. What an extraordinary person he was.

"Fang Yuan, we'll meet again!"

Though Chang Huai was seething with humiliation and resentment, he could only leave with a threat before turning to go.

One of his guards tried to stand up for his master, but before he could even open his mouth, a slap sent him sprawling.

In Clear Sea City, the Three Great Families were the undisputed local powers, controlling most of the resources.

The Prefect's position, however, wasn't held for life. There was nothing to gain by offending the Three Great Families.

As the saying went, prefects came and went, but the great families stood like iron.

Besides, Chang Huai's standing in his own family was far below Fang Yuan's. Fang Yuan had plenty of brothers of his own.

"Fang Qian, you've grown quite mighty, haven't you?"

Fang Yuan spat out a fruit seed. Looking at the obsequious Fang Qian before him, he spoke with a faint, mocking smile.

"Have you even stopped following the family rules?"

The words startled Fang Qian. Completely bewildered, he hurriedly dropped to his knees. "Please enlighten me, Young Master."

"I don't interfere with the businesses you run," Fang Yuan said mildly. "But what's the meaning of forcing women into prostitution and openly abducting them?"

Fang Qian froze for a moment, then suddenly understood. He wondered how the Young Master had found out.

Was this matter really worth the Young Master coming here in person to hold him accountable?

"Please calm your anger, Young Master. We did it all for the family's benefit. We truly had no choice," Fang Qian pleaded, putting on a pitiful act.

"For the family's benefit?" Fang Yuan sneered. "You've brought shame on the family. How could I possibly spare you?"

As soon as the words left his mouth,

true qi gathered at Fang Yuan's fingertip. He flicked it, and it shot straight into Fang Qian's Dantian, where a cracking sound rang out.

"No..."

Fang Qian let out a howl of agony. Clutching his stomach, he writhed on the floor, suffering so terribly that he would rather have been dead.

A cultivator's foundation lay in the Dantian. Once it was destroyed, all their cultivation would vanish.

Those the Fang Family assigned to manage its businesses outside the family were generally people with little talent in martial arts.

With that single strike, Fang Qian's decades of hard cultivation had gone completely to waste.

"Consider this a small punishment and a warning. If you do it again, I'll take your life."

"Thank you... for sparing my life, Young Master..."

Fang Qian endured the pain as Madam helped him to his feet. Swallowing his humiliation, he offered his thanks.

"Bring me all the women you've abducted recently. Xiao Zi, keep an eye on them."

Fang Qian nodded in assent. He could barely move, so he could only have Madam make the arrangements.

Before long, more than a dozen young women of varying ages were brought in. The youngest were twelve or thirteen, and the oldest seventeen or eighteen.

Dream Room No. 1 was spacious enough that even with more than a dozen people inside, it didn't feel crowded.

They huddled close together, curled up like ostriches, their eyes full of fear as they looked at Fang Qian.

But Fang Yuan, seated in the main chair, filled them with curiosity.

"Bai Yun, hurry and thank the Young Master for saving your life."

Xiao Zi led over a girl of fourteen or fifteen and hurriedly knelt before Fang Yuan, her manner respectful.

"Damn it, what kind of eyes do the people downstairs have? They dared to lay a hand on someone by the Young Master's side?"

At that moment, Fang Qian finally understood why the Young Master had come here—and why he had destroyed Fang Qian's Dantian.

Luckily, nothing had happened to the girl. Otherwise, Fang Qian might not have survived.

Thinking of this, Fang Qian broke into a cold sweat that soaked his back.

The Young Master had always been fiercely protective of his own. Anyone who offended someone close to him came to a bad end.

Chang Huai was a perfect example.

Fang Qian secretly resolved that everyone involved in this matter would have to die!

Fang Yuan glanced over the dozen or so women before him and noticed that several had decent aptitude. He said mildly,

"I'll give you money for the journey home. If you'd rather come with me, you can stay."

Fang Yuan waved his hand. Madam understood and immediately went to prepare the money.

After a brief moment of thought, only four or five of the women chose to leave. They had parents waiting for them at home.

The others clearly had no one to rely on. In these chaotic times, leaving one wolf's den could easily mean falling into another tiger's lair.

Fang Yuan was handsome and carried himself with extraordinary grace, making it easy for people to feel favorably toward him.

That was the main reason most of them were willing to stay.

Fang Yuan nodded slightly. At least several promising ones had stayed, so he had gained something from this.

"This servant also wishes to leave with the Young Master!"

Seeing Fang Yuan preparing to leave, Miao Yunshang quickly set down her pipa, lifted her veil, and pleaded with him.

Madam and Fang Qian both changed expression at once.

The Flower Queen was the Drunken Dream Pavilion's star attraction. Her departure would cause a considerable loss.

Fang Yuan had never been the sort to let compassion run wild. He glanced at Miao Yunshang. She was indeed exceptionally beautiful, with a graceful figure.

"Give me a reason to let you leave."