The Su Family's Foundation

The entire martial arts hall fell deathly silent; even a needle dropping to the floor would have been heard.

The dozen or so remaining thugs were scared out of their wits. They scrambled and crawled toward the exit, not even bothering with their injured companions on the ground.

Zhao Ritian collapsed onto the floor, muttering incoherently, "Grandmaster... the Su family is definitely no ordinary wealthy family!"

Uncle Fu did not even look at the fleeing thugs. He merely cast Zhao Ritian an indifferent glance.

That look held no emotion, yet Zhao Ritian felt as though the Grim Reaper had set its sights on him. His entire body turned cold, and even his breathing seemed to stop.

"Miss, how should we deal with this brat?"

Uncle Fu asked Su Nianhe.

But Su Nianhe looked toward Lin Yun.

Lin Yun said nothing. He merely clenched his fists and walked toward Zhao Ritian.

"Lin Yun! I was wrong! I'll never go against you again! Please, let me go, okay?!"

Zhao Ritian desperately kowtowed to Lin Yun, his expression as devout as if he were worshipping Buddha.

Lin Yun shook his head coldly.

No forgiveness.

Thud!

Lin Yun swung his fist. The power of a late-stage Martial Disciple erupted, driving Zhao Ritian's head into the floor with a single blow.

Blood splattered everywhere. Zhao Ritian died with his eyes still open.

"Miss, I will handle the aftermath. You and young friend Lin can go upstairs and rest without worry," Uncle Fu said respectfully.

"Okay!"

Su Nianhe nodded, covering her mouth with one hand as she fought back her nausea and pulled Lin Yun upstairs.

In a room on the second floor, Su Nianhe carefully treated the wound on Lin Yun's back. Her movements were so gentle, as though she feared hurting him.

"Does it hurt? If it does, tell me."

"It doesn't."

Lin Yun lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse.

After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked at Su Nianhe with incomparably resolute eyes.

"Nianhe, I've decided. Once my injuries heal, I'm going to District 33 to train."

The cotton swab in Su Nianhe's hand paused. She suddenly looked up. "No! District 33 is too dangerous! Even the City Defense Army has lost many people there. How can you go there?"

"That's exactly why I have to go." Lin Yun's voice carried a resolve unlike anything before. "If Uncle Fu hadn't arrived in time today, the consequences would have been unimaginable. I don't want to be like I was today ever again, only able to hide behind you. Do you understand?"

"What's wrong with hiding behind me? You saved me back then. I can protect you for the rest of my life!"

Su Nianhe gritted her teeth, her attitude firm.

"Besides, you promised to go to the Imperial Capital with me. I don't want you dying in the disaster zone!"

Lin Yun took a deep breath and said after a moment of thought, "Nianhe, I won't gamble with my life."

Su Nianhe stared at Lin Yun for a long time. She knew that once he made up his mind, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and said, "Fine. I won't stop you from going to District 33, but you have to agree to one condition."

"Tell me."

"It's useless for you to train only Vajra Fist. You must learn another movement technique, or I won't let you leave the martial arts hall by even half a step."

Su Nianhe looked completely serious.

"But I can't sleep in the martial arts hall every night, can I?" Lin Yun asked helplessly.

Su Nianhe looked haughty. "The martial arts hall is so big. Isn't it enough for you to sleep in? And if it really isn't... you can sleep with me!"

Su Nianhe's boldness left Lin Yun at a loss. After stammering for a long while, he could only go along with her. "Fine, I promise."

"That's more like it."

Su Nianhe smiled sweetly. She set down the cotton swab, rose to her feet, and began searching through the bookcase in the room.

"I'll find you a suitable martial skill."

Looking at the shelves full of cultivation manuals, Lin Yun's heart jolted. The total value of these manuals probably exceeded thirty million. Su Nianhe was simply too rich.

"Nianhe, I'm already grateful that you've let me train here. How could I have the nerve to take one of your cultivation manuals too?"

Lin Yun felt a little embarrassed. He was still a fairly independent young man, after all. He could not really live off a woman, could he?

But Su Nianhe did not care in the least. "What's mine is yours. If you really feel bad about it, just consider it a gift from me for getting into university."

Having said that, she gave Lin Yun no chance to refuse again. She returned with a blue-covered manual in hand.

"This movement martial skill is called Wind-Treading Step. It's high-grade Yellow-tier, and its strength lies in its speed. With it, even if you encounter a first-tier mutated beast you can't defeat, you'll still have a chance to escape."

Without giving him a choice, Su Nianhe stuffed Wind-Treading Step into Lin Yun's arms, then picked up the cotton swab again.

"High-grade Yellow-tier... Thank you, Nianhe. I'll definitely give you an even better gift in the future," Lin Yun said earnestly.

Movement martial skills were rare to begin with, much less high-grade Yellow-tier ones. This copy of Wind-Treading Step probably cost no less than a million.

For Lin Yun, who had just exchanged all his money for vitality and was preparing to train in District 33, it truly could not have been more suitable.

Just after he put away Wind-Treading Step, there was a gentle knock on the door, followed by Uncle Fu's voice from outside.

"Miss, the front door has been replaced with the latest protective door. Also, matters with the Zhao Family and the Black Tiger Gang have been settled. They will not pursue Zhao Ritian's and Scarface's deaths any further."

"I understand."

Su Nianhe replied casually.

Lin Yun's heart trembled.

That was settled already?

It had not even been an hour!

The Zhao Family was one of Azure City's four great families, while the Black Tiger Gang was the foremost underground organization in Azure City. This was not something that could be resolved merely by paying compensation.

Just how influential was the Su family, to settle matters with those two major forces so quickly?

What made Lin Yun even more curious was Uncle Fu himself.

In a third-tier city like Azure City, any Grandmaster was an existence of extremely lofty status.

They all held important positions such as director of the City Defense Bureau or president of the Martial Arts Association.

Yet someone of that level was actually willing to serve as Su Nianhe's butler. It was simply unbelievable.

Thinking of this, Lin Yun could not help asking, "Nianhe, what exactly does your family do?"

Su Nianhe asked mysteriously, "Want to know?"

Lin Yun nodded.

"I'm not telling you, unless..." Su Nianhe gave a playful smile. "Unless you promise to marry me someday~"

"Marry you?!"

Lin Yun shot to his feet in excitement.

"Why are you so worked up? If you don't become half a member of the Su family, how can I reveal family secrets to you?"

Su Nianhe explained as though it were only natural, then suddenly straightened up on her knees and leaned close to Lin Yun's face.

"Or are you saying you don't want to marry me?"

Lin Yun turned his head away and coughed twice. "Even if I do, we should wait until after we graduate from the martial academy."

"You said it!"

Su Nianhe's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.

Lin Yun nodded.

Only then did Su Nianhe smile in satisfaction. "Since you've been so obedient, I'll reveal just a tiny bit."

Lin Yun pricked up his ears.

"Our Su family has investments in quite a few fields. Our main business is... military technology." Su Nianhe raised one finger, looking proud.

"Military technology!"

Lin Yun's heart jolted.

From the Vanguard Army's planes and cannons to the combat weapons used by martial artists, all of it fell within the scope of military technology.

And among those who could do military business, which were not top-tier families with immense power and wealth rivaling nations?

With that in mind, it no longer seemed so unbelievable that the Su family could settle matters with the Zhao Family and the Black Tiger Gang, or that Su Nianhe had a butler at Uncle Fu's level.