Alliance

"I told you to pay more attention to Zhi'er in ordinary times. Now look at this—she still hasn't come back at this hour. Are you satisfied now, Zhang Yao?"

Shen Yuniang's face was full of fury as she glared at Zhang Yao, who paced back and forth inside the room.

"Zhi'er isn't a child anymore. If I meddle in everything, I'll only hinder her growth."

Zhang Yao did not stop pacing, and his expression was equally grim.

He said that, but his steps as he walked back and forth grew faster each time.

"Growth? This is called washing your hands of her! You treat your own daughter exactly like those students. You won't give her the resources she deserves, and you even pinch pennies over a bite of meat. What a competent father you are!"

Zhang Yao abruptly stopped in his tracks.

Just as he was about to speak, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Forgetting the argument, Shen Yuniang turned and ran outside, with Zhang Yao close behind.

At the courtyard gate, Qin Yaxin stood there, panting heavily with Zhang Zhi on her back.

"Zhi'er!" The instant Shen Yuniang saw the bloodstain at the corner of Zhang Zhi's mouth, her face went deathly pale. She rushed forward and supported Zhang Zhi by the arm. "What happened to you? Who hurt you?"

Zhang Yao strode forward, his gaze falling upon his daughter's pale face, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He said nothing, but the surging blood and qi of his Late Dark Force realm burst unconsciously from his body. An immense pressure spread outward beyond his control.

Qin Yaxin's breathing caught beneath that aura, and her face turned even paler. Fortunately, Zhang Yao withdrew the terrifying pressure in the next moment, allowing her to finally speak.

"Hall Master, Madam, little sister Zhi'er protected me, so..."

Qin Yaxin steadied herself and recounted the ambush in the alley from beginning to end, without leaving out a single detail.

After listening, fierce rage flickered in Zhang Yao's eyes. His fists clenched beneath his sleeves until they crackled, while veins bulged one after another across the backs of his hands.

"Li Xiao, that bastard! I should have crippled him outright back then!"

"Zhi'er is injured this badly, and that's still what you're thinking about?" Shen Yuniang glared at him with reddened eyes as she hurriedly helped Zhang Zhi up.

Zhang Yao forcefully suppressed the churning blood and qi within him, then quickly stepped forward to examine his daughter's injuries.

A moment later, his taut expression eased somewhat.

"Thank goodness. Zhi'er has only fallen unconscious."

"Her injuries are merely superficial as well. Her muscles and bones weren't harmed. She'll recover after resting for a few days."

After saying that, he rose to his feet, turned toward Qin Yaxin, and solemnly clasped his fists.

"Miss Qin, I, Zhang Yao, will remember this debt of gratitude."

"No." Qin Yaxin hurriedly shook her head. "If anyone should be thanked, it should be Old Chen. If not for him stepping in, little sister Zhi'er and I tonight would likely have..."

She did not finish, but her meaning was already clear.

"Mr. Chen Liu, correct?"

Zhang Yao nodded solemnly. "I, Zhang Yao, will definitely thank him in person for this kindness someday."

"Hall Master, I still need to return and report this matter to my father, so I'll..."

"I'll take you back." Zhang Yao cut her off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If those people dared strike once, they'll dare strike a second time. I won't feel at ease letting you walk alone at night."

He turned to look at Shen Yuniang, who was crouching beside Zhang Zhi and holding her daughter's hand.

Hearing that Zhang Yao was going out, Shen Yuniang did not look up. She merely said in a muffled voice, "All right, I'm not deaf. I'll take care of Zhi'er. Go on."

Though there was still some displeasure in her tone, much of her anger had faded.

Zhang Yao turned and left with Qin Yaxin.

Under the cover of night, neither of them spoke along the way.

Qin Yaxin walked ahead, her steps faster than they had been on the way there. What had happened tonight had been far too dangerous; she had to tell her father about it.

Zhang Yao walked behind her, silent as a moving iron mountain, his gaze constantly sweeping the shadows around them.

When they reached the Qin Estate, Qin Yuan was already waiting in the main hall. What surprised him, however, was that not only had his daughter returned, but Zhang Yao, the Hall Master of Blackstone Martial Hall, had come as well.

After hearing his daughter Qin Yaxin's account, rage surged into Qin Yuan's chest, and he slammed his palm onto the table.

"Bastard—Gu De!"

"Thunder Martial Hall has gone too far! Men, I—"

"Mr. Qin."

Zhang Yao raised a hand, pressing his unfinished words back down.

"Before coming here, I went to the alley where it happened. But Gu De's corpse was already gone."

Qin Yuan's hand froze in midair.

"...Gone?"

"By the time Miss Qin and I arrived, only shattered stones and bloodstains remained. Someone had taken the corpse before us."

Qin Yuan slowly sat back into his chair. The fury on his face gradually vanished, replaced by profound solemnity.

"It was the Feng Household! Only the Feng Household, with informants spread throughout the city, could have removed the corpse in such a short time."

"So Thunder Martial Hall really has joined forces with the Feng Household."

As those words fell, Zhang Yao's expression became incomparably grim as well.

He was no longer the green youth who had first arrived in Chi City all those years ago. Naturally, he understood the Feng Household's standing in Chi City.

The Feng Household was the foremost of Chi City's three great lineages. With foundations built over more than a century, they had more than five Dark Force Attendants alone.

If they joined hands with Thunder Martial Hall as well, their number of Dark Force experts would approach ten.

Nearly half of all Dark Force experts in Chi City stood on their side.

A deathly silence hung over the main hall.

After a moment of silence, Qin Yaxin lightly bit her lip, a trace of bitterness entering her voice.

"Then, Father... do we have any chance of winning?"

Qin Yuan looked toward his daughter, and a trace of heartache flashed through his eyes. Yet he did not offer empty consolation.

"To be honest—it's difficult. The Feng Household has been rooted in Chi City for over a century. The depth of their foundation is not something our Qin Household can compare to, much less now that they have brought in Thunder Martial Hall."

"However..."

He paused, his gaze landing on Zhang Yao.

"If Blackstone Martial Hall can stand on the same line as us, then the situation will be different."

Zhang Yao met his gaze and nodded lightly.

"Yes. Blackstone Martial Hall cannot remain detached from this matter either."

"What does Mr. Qin intend to do?"

Qin Yuan glanced at Zhang Yao before slowly speaking.

"Publicly form an alliance. Let all of Chi City know that the Qin Household and Blackstone Martial Hall will advance and retreat together."

"As for the timing, how about at my daughter's banquet the day after tomorrow?"

"Good."

The two of them discussed a few more specific details.

Half an hour later, Zhang Yao rose to take his leave. His heart still hung on Zhang Zhi's injuries; unless he saw her awaken with his own eyes, he feared he would be unable to sleep tonight.

After Zhang Yao had gone far away, Qin Yaxin hesitated for a moment before finally raising her head to look at her father and speaking slowly.

"Father, there is actually something I haven't told you yet."

"That Old Chen is very likely a Late Dark Force expert. Gu De, who had only just broken through to the Dark Force Stage, was defeated by him with a single punch."

"If we could invite him to become an Attendant, then I believe..."

Before Qin Yaxin could finish, Qin Yuan interrupted her.

"No!"

"We already owe Old Chen far too much gratitude. We cannot drag him into this mire again."

"Besides, he concealed his identity with a mask. He most likely does not wish to draw attention."

"If we forcefully invite him, it may instead provoke his resentment."

Qin Yaxin opened her mouth, but found it difficult to say anything further. She nodded lightly.

At that moment, Qin Yuan seemed to see through her worries. Smiling, he picked up a letter from the table beside him.

"Don't worry. Attendant Liu has just sent word that they will arrive in Chi City by tomorrow night at the latest."

"With Attendant Liu and the others here, the Feng Household and Thunder Martial Hall will not dare make another move so openly."

"Yes."

As Qin Yaxin's footsteps gradually faded into the distance, the smile on Qin Yuan's face slowly disappeared.

For so many years, Chi City had maintained only a surface peace.

For the Feng Household to choose this time to join forces with Thunder Martial Hall and strike, they had most likely gained some power capable of shattering Chi City's balance.

Of course, if the Feng Household truly meant to show no mercy and deal a killing blow to the Qin Household, then he would rather shatter jade and stone together than hand over the foundation built over decades!