Chapter 235: Chapter 232: The Ruse of Self-Injury

Qian Duoduo was so thoroughly berated he was left speechless. His only intention had been to put on a grand display and show off to his heart’s content.

Who could have expected Nangong An to show up?

"That’s enough. Let them all go, and come with me to plead for His Holiness’s forgiveness," said Qian Juduo.

"Let them go? Absolutely not!" Qian Duoduo refused.

He didn’t mind letting Zhao Yuqi and the others go, but he couldn’t just let Zhang Shao’s trio off the hook.

’Especially Wang Chen and Yan Hong. They have to die!’

"Cut the crap! I said to let them go, so you’ll let them go!" Qian Juduo snapped, smacking Qian Duoduo again.

"This is the Imperial City! Gathering thousands of Void Realm experts here is a grave offense! If it wasn’t for the Qian Family’s reputation, do you think the City Defense Army is just for show? They would’ve already put you down as a rebel!"

"We have to go plead for His Holiness’s forgiveness right now. Everything else has to wait!"

While Qian Juduo scolded him aloud, he secretly sent a voice transmission to Qian Duoduo: "You foolish boy, do you have any idea how many people are watching us from the shadows right now? If we don’t show the proper deference, even if His Holiness doesn’t personally blame us, he will have no choice but to punish the Qian Family severely to preserve the Royal Family’s dignity."

"If we go and ask for forgiveness now, it gives His Holiness an out, and it gives our family one, too. As long as those three are still in the Empire, are you afraid they’re going to escape? What difference does it make if you kill them now versus later?"

It dawned on Qian Duoduo. Thinking back, he realized that gathering thousands of Void Realm experts in the Imperial City really had been going too far.

"Uncle Jin, Brother Pang, Brother Liu, about this..." Qian Duoduo looked at them apologetically.

"It’s fine. You don’t have to ask us. You can make the call," Liu Hui said with a wave of his hand.

Jin Sanpang and his father also nodded in agreement.

None of them were fools; they understood the priorities.

Qian Juduo was clearly the one in charge, and his decision was final.

Qian Duoduo had stood up for them, but that was largely for Mo Qi’s sake.

Besides, deep down, they would rather exact their revenge with their own two hands than rely on the Qian Family’s power.

"Scram!"

With a raise of his hand, the Void Realm experts suppressing Zhang Shao’s trio and the members of the Zhao Family all stood down.

Having narrowly escaped death, Zhang Shao’s trio didn’t dare linger. They scrambled to flee, terrified that Qian Juduo would change his mind.

Zhao Yuqi shot the members of the Qian Family a cold glare, then turned and left.

"Let’s go!"

Qian Juduo produced a rope from out of nowhere, trussed Qian Duoduo up, and then started hauling him toward the Imperial Palace.

"Old man, do you really have to go this far?" the bound Qian Duoduo protested sullenly.

"This is a show of penance, the old ’flesh wound’ gambit. Don’t you get it? The Royal Family is all about saving face. The more pathetic you look, the more deference our Qian Family is showing."

Hearing this, a sense of foreboding washed over Qian Duoduo.

’Pathetic?’

Then he saw that a long whip had appeared in Qian Juduo’s hand.

"No way, old man. You’re actually serious?"

"Can’t be helped. Showing off the wrong way has its price. Don’t worry, they’ll just be flesh wounds. It’s just to shut the mouths of all those stuffy old court scholars."

"..."

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

A short while later, Qian Juduo walked into the Imperial Palace, dragging a bloody and mangled Qian Duoduo behind him.

...

The thousands of Void Realm experts vanished on the spot, leaving only Jin Sanpang and the other two behind.

"Father, are you all right?" Jin Sanpang asked worriedly.

Jin Quan shook his head. He looked at Jin Sanpang, whose demeanor was clearly more mature now, and smiled. "I’m fine, Father’s fine. I’ll be all right after a little rest. It’s been a while... Pang Pang, you’ve grown up."

"Huh?" Jin Sanpang first scratched his bald head in confusion, then gave a silly laugh. "San Pang has grown up? Does that mean San Pang can protect you now, Father?"

"Hahaha, that’s right. From now on, I’ll be counting on you to protect me, Pang Pang," Jin Quan said, smiling with relief.

He was incredibly thankful that he had made the right decision back then.

If he hadn’t let Jin Sanpang go with Mo Qi, he and his son would have probably been killed by Zhang Shao long ago.

"That’s right, where is Mo the kid? Why did Zhang Shao say he was dead?" Jin Quan suddenly recalled something and asked urgently.

"Brother Mo is fine. Right now, he’s..."

"San Pang!" Liu Hui snapped, cutting him off. "Until the Master returns, you are not to reveal a single thing about his whereabouts!"

Even though Jin Quan was Jin Sanpang’s father, and even though Mo Qi had gone into seclusion to save him, Liu Hui would not trust the man completely.

He would put a stop to anything that might endanger Mo Qi.

Jin Sanpang quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, realizing his mistake.

"I’m sorry, Father. San Pang can’t tell you."

"It’s all right. I understand. Knowing Mo the kid is safe is enough for me." Jin Quan didn’t mind his son keeping secrets from him. On the contrary, he was very pleased.

At least now, compared to before, Jin Sanpang could think for himself and understand priorities.

As a father, he couldn’t be happier to see his son slowly maturing.

"Father, you won’t leave San Pang again, will you?" Jin Sanpang asked, tugging on the hem of Jin Quan’s robe with a hopeful expression.

Jin Quan’s heart softened, and for a moment, he wanted to agree.

But when the words reached his lips, they changed.

"San Pang, be a good boy. You focus on your training at the Imperial Academy. I still have some things to take care of. I’ll come back to see you as soon as I’m finished, all right?"

With that, before Jin Sanpang could reply, Jin Quan stood and bowed to Liu Hui with clasped fists. "Young man, I must trouble you and Mo the kid to look after Pang Pang. I, Jin Quan, offer you my sincerest thanks."

Liu Hui quickly dodged to one side, unwilling to accept such a formal gesture from Jin Quan.

"Uncle Jin, you’re being too kind. Pang is my brother; it’s only right that we look after each other."

"Good, good. I can rest easy knowing Pang Pang has brothers like you."

Jin Quan stepped forward and embraced Jin Sanpang tightly, then turned to leave.

"Father!"

Jin Sanpang’s cry made Jin Quan’s shoulders tremble, but he didn’t stop. He was afraid that if he looked back, he would lose the resolve to leave.

’Zhang Shao... Wolf Fang Sect... I will take back what you owe me with my own two hands!’

Jin Sanpang bawled his eyes out. He had thought that this reunion meant they would never be separated again.

But their time together had been so painfully short!

He flopped onto the ground, wailing and refusing to get up, tears streaming down his face like rivers.

Liu Hui sighed. He neither comforted nor stopped him; sometimes, it was better to let it all out.

That was a lesson he had learned firsthand many years ago.

’Nangong An,’ he thought, a cold light glinting in his eyes.

...

After surviving the ordeal, Zhang Shao’s trio flew non-stop until they had hidden themselves away in Wang Chen’s manor, only then daring to breathe a sigh of relief.

Just moments ago, they had been a hair’s breadth from death.

If Nangong An hadn’t shown up and thrown a wrench in the works, their bodies would already be cold.

The three sat together in silence.

After a long silence, Yan Hong, who was in the worst predicament, finally broke. He glared at Zhang Shao. "Look what you’ve done! You could have provoked anyone, but you had to go after the Qian Family! You’ve gotten us all killed!"

Not only had most of his teeth been slapped out of his mouth, but Yan Hong had also been stripped of his status as a Renowned Master.