Chapter 44: Raising the Challenge
The cultivators of Moon-Gazing City had long since grown accustomed to things like this. Before Chen Xiao had been beaten black and blue by Nangong Wenyue, this sort of clash happened several times a day.
Now, even the outsiders in Heavenly Abode thought the whole affair was just another bout of friction between Moon-Gazing City's two groups of notorious young masters.
Those who had once entertained some thoughts about Chen Xiao had tossed them straight out of their minds at the sound of his furious shout.
Nangong Wenyang was outrageous, but Chen Xiao seemed even worse. He had opened his mouth by threatening to wipe out the Nangong Family. If the Nangong Family heard those words, the feud between the two families would be sealed for good.
"Young Master, something truly terrible has happened at the manor!"
The manager of Heavenly Abode could barely keep the tears from his voice. Several powerful experts who guarded the family had fallen, and this young master had taken most of the family's guards with him. If anyone made a move against the Nangong Family now, it would suffer a crushing loss.
"If something terrible happened, go find my father. Why come running to me?!"
Nangong Wenyang flew into a rage. If the manager of Heavenly Abode hadn't held some standing in the family, he would have kicked him across the room by now.
Find the family head?
Where was he supposed to look? If I could find the family head, why would I come to you?
In truth, if the Nangong Family had stayed put this time and done nothing, Chen Xiao's actions might have drawn the attention of the various powers to the family, but they would only have grown suspicious. They wouldn't have been able to reach any conclusions.
But because of Shi Chou, Nangong Shenhe mistakenly thought that the family's arrangements in the city had already been exposed, and that even his relationship with Nangong Xiangyan had come to light. In his haste, he had secretly taken some of the family's elite to Mingyu Mountain to make arrangements and take remedial measures.
The Nangong Family's remaining strength wasn't impressive, but it was on par with that of an ordinary major lineage in Moon-Gazing City. At the very least, it wouldn't arouse suspicion.
Meanwhile, Nangong Xiangyan had ordered three of his subordinates at the Tribulation Transcendence Realm to hurry back to the family headquarters and report the matter, so the Nangong Family could prepare.
So now, the elder left to guard the Nangong Family had been killed, and most of the household's guards had been led away by the young master before them. That meant the Nangong Family was now an empty shell. Anyone could stroll right in and get a clear look at its true strength.
And if all those outsiders swarmed in now, what would happen?
"Bastard!"
The manager finally couldn't hold back his anger and cursed aloud.
As soon as the manager's words rang out, all of Heavenly Abode fell silent. Though he was an outer steward of the Nangong Family, his standing could never compare with that of Nangong Wenyang, a direct descendant of the family.
And now, the manager had openly cursed Nangong Wenyang. Could it be that cultivators in this backwater city had no sense of rank or respect?
"Guards of the Nangong Family, heed my command! Return to the family at once! Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with as a traitor!"
The manager revealed the full force of his Division Spirit Realm cultivation, unleashing an oppressive aura.
In Moon-Gazing City, cultivators at the Division Spirit Realm served as family stewards, while those at the Body Integration Realm and Tribulation Transcendence Realm were elders. As for the Mahayana Realm... only one person in the city's history had ever reached it. Immortals belonged to the realm of myth.
Feeling the manager's aura, Chen Xiao smiled. This was exactly the effect he wanted. The manager was a shrewd man, and Chen Xiao couldn't control him. But how could he not see through the useless Nangong Wenyang?
From the moment Nangong Wenyang stepped into Heavenly Abode, Chen Xiao had been steering his every emotion. By using Nangong Wenyang, Chen Xiao had finally provoked the Nangong Family's outer steward and thrown him off balance.
No one could keep a level head in the face of such an incorrigible fool. Nangong Wenyang had nearly enraged the manager into shattering his Dao Heart.
"You..."
Nangong Wenyang stared at the manager in disbelief, unable to understand what had gotten into him that he would dare show such disrespect.
"What 'you'? Hurry up and escort the young master back!"
The manager of Heavenly Abode no longer wore his earlier obsequious expression. Things had become serious. If they weren't handled properly, the Nangong Family could be wiped out.
The manager immediately set off for the Nangong Family with his people. Seeing the manager of Heavenly Abode withdraw, the attendants of Bei Yu Xian and the others—who had been fighting the Nangong Family's guards—couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Wait!"
Just then, a sharp voice rang out.
"Nangong Wenyang, what do you take this young master's place for? You think you can come and go as you please?"
At that moment, Chen Xiao made his move.
The several notorious young masters who had yet to show themselves appeared at the head of the stairs on the second floor.
Chen Xiao twirled a large folding fan edged in gold, his expression twisted with fury, as if he wanted to swallow Nangong Wenyang whole.
At those words, nearly everyone present stumbled. What did he take this place for? This was the Nangong Family's territory. Since when had it become yours?
Anyone could see that the manager had lost his composure and scolded his own young master only because something major had happened to the family. If Chen Xiao didn't seize the opportunity to make trouble now, he wouldn't deserve to be called Moon-Gazing City's number-one wastrel.
"Third Young Master..."
The manager's expression turned grim when he saw Chen Xiao make his move. These family guards were all at the Golden Core Realm or higher, and a few even had the strength of the Out-of-Body Realm.
They might not count as experts across all of Moon-Gazing City, but they could at least help ease the Nangong Family's crisis, giving the family head time to take remedial measures once he received the news.
"Ahem."
Chen Xiao cleared his throat and said, "Forget it. For the sake of my three brothers, I'll let today's matter pass."
The manager of Heavenly Abode finally breathed a sigh of relief. To his surprise, he even felt a flicker of gratitude toward the City Lord's Third Young Master.
"But Nangong Wenyang has insulted me repeatedly. If I don't teach him a lesson, how am I supposed to hold my head high in Moon-Gazing City?"
Chen Xiao glared and spoke.
"Third Young Master, name your terms. If it's within this humble servant's power, I'll go through fire and water to carry them out."
With the family facing a crisis, the manager didn't dare offend Chen Xiao now. If this wastrel, even more incorrigible than Nangong Wenyang, led a crowd into the Nangong Family, the manager couldn't bear to imagine the consequences.
"Xia Rende, what's a lowly servant like you doing here, strutting around like some big shot?"
At that moment, Canghai Chengkong spoke up.
Xia Rende was the manager of Heavenly Abode. Since he wasn't a direct member of the Nangong Family but an outsider serving as a steward, he had no access to the family's core affairs.
"Nangong Wenyang, I'm not asking for much. Kneel before me, bow your head, and apologize to all of us, and we'll let you leave." Canghai Chengkong wasn't about to miss any chance to strike at Nangong Wenyang.
The second update is here! I'll keep fighting for the third!