Lenient Treatment

Early in the morning, a group of fierce-looking martial artists carrying sabers and swords arrived outside the Chen Estate on Show Water Street. At their head was an arrogant young man in his twenties, who shouted, "Kick the door open!"

A burly subordinate behind him stepped forward and kicked the gate. With a crack, the bolt snapped.

With another kick, the gate collapsed.

"Senior Brother Zhang is mighty!"

For a moment, the martial artists who had come with him all cheered.

"What are you doing?"

Old Zhang Li, the gatekeeper, came out and saw that the gate had been kicked open. His eyes nearly split with rage as he clenched his fists, wishing he could rush up and fight them to the death.

They had only just moved into their new home, and on the very next day, someone had smashed down their front gate.

What utter humiliation!

The arrogant youth shouted, "Li Xiangrong of the Martial Hall Guild has come today to demand an accounting. Bring Chen Ming out!"

"Bring Chen Ming out!"

"Bring Chen Ming out!"

"..."

More than a dozen people shouted in unison, their voices carrying far into the distance.

Intimidated by their imposing manner, Old Li's legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground.

Such a commotion quickly alerted the nearby residents, who sent their servants out to see what was happening. They soon learned that the Martial Hall Guild had come to trouble the Chen Family, who had moved in only yesterday.

The timid ones shut their gates tight.

Those with a little more courage sent servants out to keep watch.

And those unafraid of trouble ran outside to watch the excitement.

"The Martial Hall Guild? I've never heard of it. I only know the Cloth Guild and the Tea Guild..."

"How many martial halls does Qingfeng City even have? It's normal that you haven't heard of them. They usually don't make trouble for others, so long as no one provokes them..."

"It looks like this newly arrived Chen Family is in for bad luck."

"I wonder how the Chen Family offended the Martial Hall Guild..."

The Martial Hall Guild had been established by a group of martial artists. Of all people to provoke, why provoke them? Was that not the same as courting death?

At last, a young man walked out from the Chen Estate. He was tall and slender, with strikingly heroic features. He was Erlang Chen Ming, one of the Chen Brothers. He walked out slowly, yet in the face of the dozen or so menacing men outside, he showed no fear at all.

Li Xiangrong stood with his hands behind his back, his expression arrogant, clearly not taking the other man seriously. He merely asked, "Are you Chen Ming?"

Chen Ming ignored him. Looking at the two collapsed gate doors on the ground, a trace of chill flashed through his eyes as he asked, "Who did this?"

When the frightened gatekeeper Old Li saw the Second Young Master emerge, he instantly found his backbone. He sprang up from the ground, pointed at the burly man behind Li Xiangrong, and said in a tearful voice, "It was him. It was that damned bastard. Kicking down someone's gate in broad daylight—may he die without descendants..."

Chen Ming finally looked at Li Xiangrong and said coldly, "May I ask whether I, Chen, have some grudge against you?"

Li Xiangrong said, "No."

"Then is there some old resentment?"

"None."

Chen Ming asked, "Then why did you tear down my gate for no reason at all?"

Li Xiangrong raised his chin slightly, his words sharp and severe. "Because you broke the rules of our Martial Hall Guild by opening a hall and taking disciples without authorization. We have come today to demand an accounting."

Chen Ming did not grow angry. "Then I would like to hear exactly how you intend to demand this accounting."

Li Xiangrong held up one finger. "First, immediately dismiss the disciples you have taken in."

Then he raised a second finger. "Second, you must go to the Martial Hall Guild and apologize for your offense."

"Third, compensate the Martial Hall Guild five thousand taels."

"This is the guildmaster giving you a chance to turn over a new leaf, out of consideration for the fact that you are Old Huo's disciple. Otherwise, why would we even give you a chance to speak? We would have taken you down directly and escorted you to the guild. Do not mistake kindness for weakness!"

Li Xiangrong looked as though he had already treated Chen Ming with great leniency.

"This Martial Hall Guild truly acts tyrannically."

"What martial artist isn't tyrannical? That is why it is better to offend merchants than martial artists. When one carries a blade in one's breast, the urge to kill rises of its own accord. That isn't just talk. They really will kill..."

"This Chen Family's Erlang is unlucky too. If Old Huo were still around, the Martial Hall Guild certainly would not have come straight to his door to demand an accounting like this."

"..."

The onlookers discussed it among themselves. Then, all at once, they saw the Chen Family's Erlang begin to laugh, as though he had heard something absurdly funny.

Everyone thought, Could he have been driven mad with anger?

Li Xiangrong rebuked him unhappily. "What are you laughing at?"

Chen Ming laughed until tears nearly came out. "Should I thank your guildmaster for being so broad-minded and magnanimous?"

Naturally, Li Xiangrong could hear the mockery in his tone. A cruel smile appeared on his face. "It seems you refuse to accept this?"

Before coming here, he had asked the guildmaster what to do if the Chen Family's Erlang refused to accept the punishment.

The guildmaster had said only one thing: Do not cause any deaths.

He had understood at once. As long as they left the other man alive, it would be fine. Crippling him or maiming him was no issue.

This was probably to preserve Sun Shicai's face. No matter what, the two could be considered disciples of the same school, so some face had to be given.

Chen Ming said in a frosty voice, "I will give you two choices as well. First, repair my gate and apologize to me publicly. I will not ask you for five thousand taels. Five hundred will do."

"Second, none of you will be leaving."

Li Xiangrong flew into a rage. "You don't know the difference between life and death!"

He had come representing the Martial Hall Guild. How dared this brat speak to him like that?

"Junior Brother Liu, go. Teach him a lesson."

Junior Brother Liu was the burly man who had kicked open the Chen Family's gate. He belonged to Facing Sun Martial Hall and possessed Ninth Rank cultivation. Born with astonishing strength, he had few rivals among Ninth Rank martial artists.

His only weakness was that he was not particularly bright.

This time, they had brought three Ninth Rank martial artists in total. That already counted as treating Chen Ming with considerable seriousness.

Li Xiangrong believed Junior Brother Liu alone would be enough to deal with him.

Without another word, Junior Brother Liu lunged at Chen Ming.

When the onlookers saw that a fight had finally broken out, they were all excited. Some of them had witnessed this big man kick down the gate with two kicks and knew that his strength was extraordinary.

It seemed the Chen Family's Erlang was about to be injured—

The thought had only just arisen when they saw the burly man fly backward at even greater speed. He slammed onto the ground on his back, clutching his leg and letting out a shrill scream.

Everyone was stunned.

The expression on Li Xiangrong's face froze. He had not even seen how Junior Brother Liu had lost.

How could this be?

Then he heard Junior Brother Wang beside him cry out, "Eighth Rank—"

What?

Eighth Rank?

Impossible!

Li Xiangrong refused to believe it was true. How old was Chen Ming? How could he possess Eighth Rank cultivation?

Had he not only entered Ninth Rank a year ago?

How could he have broken through again in just one short year?

Absolutely impossible.

He roared like a madman, "Impossible... Go... Everyone, attack together..."

"But..." Junior Brother Wang hesitated. If the other man truly was Eighth Rank, then even if all of them were tied together, they would not be his match.

Li Xiangrong glared at him fiercely. "Are you defying orders?"

Junior Brother Wang's mouth twisted bitterly. "I wouldn't dare."

"Then go."

Thus, Li Xiangrong led everyone in charging toward Chen Ming.

"Hmph!"

Chen Ming gave a cold laugh. Facing the joint attack of more than a dozen men, he seemed to make no special move at all. With every punch he threw, someone fell. With every kick he delivered, someone was sent flying.

In the blink of an eye, all dozen-plus men had fallen.

Only Li Xiangrong remained standing where he was. The arrogance had long vanished from his face, leaving only despair. His voice trembled. "You... you... you actually..."

Bang!

Before he could finish, Chen Ming kicked him to the ground.

Overwhelmed by the agonizing pain, Li Xiangrong rolled his eyes back and fainted.

Chen Ming looked at Junior Brother Wang and said blandly, "You. Send someone back and tell whoever is in charge that they can come talk to me after they repair my gate."

On the street, every onlooker stood dumbfounded. None of them had expected such a reversal.

Someone said in a trembling voice, "This Chen Family's Erlang is actually Eighth Rank! How old is he?"

"Probably... only twenty..."

"An Eighth Rank at twenty... Heavens..."

"This Chen Family is extraordinary!"