Chapter 79: Rupture! Dissolving the Engagement!

Quiet!

Deathly silence!

Everyone froze, completely unable to react to what was happening before them.

"Ah!"

A heart-wrenching scream of pain startled everyone awake.

In the hall, Tian Zhan clutched his shoulder where his arm had been severed, his face as pale as paper, and he roared angrily:

"You brat, dare to sneak attack me..."

"Qin Shuo, what do you want?"

Song Ci and Song Tianlin also jumped to their feet, staring at Qin Shuo with hostile eyes, killing intent plainly visible.

"What do you want?"

Qin Shuo gave a light chuckle, coldly saying: "Didn't the Tian Family Head ask me to give him an explanation?"

He glanced at the arm lying in a pool of blood on the ground: "This is my explanation!"

Then he looked up at Tian Zhan and said: "Tian Family Head, is this explanation of mine satisfactory to you?"

Tian Zhan's anger surged, and with a "wah," he spat out a large mouthful of blood mixed with bits of internal organs, his face instantly turning even paler.

Tian Bai beside him was struck as if by lightning, utterly unable to believe what he was seeing.

His father, a Tongmai Realm expert, had actually had his arm torn off in one move by that brat, and his internal organs injured.

Is this still the Qin Shuo I know?

In an instant, a chill rose from the soles of his feet, rushing straight to his heavenly spirit crown.

Fear filled his heart: just what kind of monster have I provoked?

In just a few days, he had broken through from Inner Strength Great Perfection to a level capable of instantly killing a Tongmai Realm expert— is this still even human?

"Impudent!"

Song Ci slapped the tea stool beside him with one palm, shattering it into pieces.

His face darkened as he said: "Qin Shuo, you've repeatedly attacked my Song Family— do you really think my Song Family dares not to take action against you?"

"Second Elder, it was the Tian Family Head who was aggressive first, so this matter cannot be blamed on Elder Qin." Song Tianhao also stood up, opposing Second Elder Song Ci directly.

"Elder Qin? Song Tianhao, what do you mean?" Song Tianlin said with an ugly expression.

"Just the literal meaning."

Song Tianhao said calmly: "On the way back, I already invited Qin Xiaoxiong to serve as a Guest Elder of my Song Family."

"Tian Zhan openly coerced my Song Family's Elder, which is tantamount to being an enemy of my Song Family. Elder Qin need not merely break his arm— even killing him would be of no consequence."

"Inviting him as an Elder? Did you get the Elder Council's approval?" Song Tianlin said, his face dark as iron.

If Qin Shuo truly became a Guest Elder of the Song Family, then today they would not be able to continue causing trouble for Qin Shuo.

After all, although the Tian Family is on good terms with the branch family, the branch family cannot represent the Song Family— at least not now.

If they act against Qin Shuo, how would the other Guest Elders of the Song Family think?

They would surely feel that this branch looks down on Guest Elders, and then all would defect to the main line.

In that case, it would become even harder for the branch family to replace the main line in the future.

"When did a Family Head inviting a Guest Elder need to report to you, third brother?"

Song Tianhao's tone was cold, and he continued: "As for the Elder Council, what reason do they have to refuse Qin Shuo becoming my Song Family's Guest Elder?"

"You..."

Song Tianlin was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to think of a rebuttal.

As the Head of the Song Family, Song Tianhao's authority is actually very great.

It's just that, due to the previously weak strength of the main line, he has always kept a low profile.

But now, Qin Shuo has revealed strength capable of crushing Tian Zhan, and he has made up his mind— no matter what, he must protect him.

With Qin Shuo's addition, this gain and that loss, the strength of the main line will no longer be inferior to that of the branch family.

Once Qin Shuo truly enters the Tongmai Realm, it will be the time for my Song Tianhao to restore the Song Family.

You should know, Tian Zhan is not like Fang Lin, who just barely opened a Ren Meridian with unstable foundation in the Tongmai Realm— yet he was still severely wounded by Qin Shuo in one move, utterly unable to retaliate, which is enough to prove the terror of Qin Shuo's strength.

Although there is an element of sneak attack in this, being able to leave Tian Zhan no time to react— is that not also a kind of strength?

"Good, good, good! Since the Song Family Head is abandoning my Tian Family to befriend this Qin-surnamed brat, then don't blame my Tian Family for no longer sailing in the same boat as the Song Family in the future."

Tian Zhan said, one hand covering his severed arm, his voice icy and grim.

"Does the Tian Family Head mean he wants to break off the alliance with my Song Family?" Song Tianhao returned to his seat and sat down again, expressionless.

"Song Family Head, now that things have come to this point, do you still want my Tian Family to work for the Song Family?"

Tian Zhan's face was ugly: "From now on, my Tian Family and your Song Family will have well water not violating river water, and there will be no more alliance between us."

"Tian Brother, don't act rashly." Song Tianlin beside him warned in a deep voice.

As Tian Zhan's brother-in-law, if Tian Zhan were to break with the Song Family, it would mean that their branch family could no longer borrow strength from the Tian Family to counterbalance the main line.

And the Tian Family would also lose all support from the Song Family.

For a Tian Family that has only one Tongmai Realm expert holding the fort, this would absolutely be a disaster.

The Tian Family and the Song Family have always been mutually dependent.

The Tian Family grew strong because of the Song Family, and the Song Family relied on this Tian Family ally to expand its power and intimidate petty troublemakers.

Now that the two families have broken ties, although the Song Family will certainly suffer losses, the main loss will actually be borne by their branch family.

And the Tian Family, once it loses the protection of the Song Family, given the current state of the Tian father and son, they will probably not be long before falling back to the bottom.

"I'm not acting rashly!" Tian Zhan said coldly.

"Since the Song Family cannot uphold justice for us father and son, the alliance between the Tian and Song Families is hereby terminated."

"Bai'er, let's go!"

After saying that, father and son took Tian Zhan's severed arm and limped out of the conference hall.

"The Family Head truly has skill—one move, pulling the fire from under the pot, not only cutting off the wings of our collateral branch but also drawing in a youthful master of limitless potential for himself—truly impressive!" Song Ci glanced at Qin Shuo and spoke coldly.

"Second Uncle flatters me! Compared to the collateral branch inviting wolves into the house and exterminating their own kin, my little scheme amounts to nothing."

Song Tianhao's expression remained calm, yet his words were exceptionally sharp.

"Hmph! Victory makes kings, defeat makes bandits—more talk is useless. I hope the Family Head will have no need for our collateral branch in the future."

Song Ci snorted coldly, turned, and was about to leave the hall, but Song Tianhao continued:

"By the way, Second Uncle, Tian Bai has lost an arm—who knows how many years it will take him to reach Pulse Passing?"

Now that the Tian Family has torn up their alliance with my Song Family, I think the engagement between Ayan and Tian Bai should be canceled.

Ayan is no longer young—it's impossible for her to waste her youth on a Tian Bai whose martial path is severed. What do you think, Second Elder?"

"As you wish!"

Song Ci left the conference hall without looking back, and Song Tianlin followed closely behind.

Now that the Tian and Song Families have severed ties, whether Tian Bai marries into the Song Family is no longer important.

Even if he did, he could no longer take over the industries left by Ayan's father for the collateral branch, and Tian Zhan would certainly not agree.

"Everything is because of that Qin-surnamed brat..." Song Ci's eyes flashed with killing intent.

Seeing this, Song Tianlin whispered beside him: "Father, should I take action myself..."

As he spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture with his hand, his eyes filled with icy killing intent.

"Not yet—wait until he leaves the prefectural city, then we'll talk."

Song Ci said in a deep voice: "I heard the bandit troubles on Erlong Mountain have become severe. This Qin-surnamed youth came to the prefectural city to gather herbs this time, and on his way back, being robbed by mountain bandits and dying halfway wouldn't be surprising."

"I understand, Father!" Song Tianlin nodded heavily.

The Qin-surnamed youth dared to ruin their collateral branch's plan to replace the main line—his death is no great loss.

After Song Ci and his son had completely departed, Song Tianhao immediately changed his expression, smiling broadly as he said:

"Qin Xiaoxiong truly is a blessing to our Song Family—just now, with one move, he eliminated a major hidden threat for our Song Family! This way, Ayan no longer needs to hide in Black Water City to avoid the engagement."

"Congratulations, Senior Sister—your cage is opened!" Qin Shuo laughed.

"This is all thanks to you, Junior Brother—tell me, what reward do you want? As long as I can provide it, I will not be stingy." Song Yan said happily.

This time, Qin Shuo truly helped her greatly.

For years, to escape the family engagement, she has hidden in Black Water City, rarely seeing her mother.

Now, she can finally return home openly, without worrying about being harassed by Tian Bai.

"It was just a casual move—I didn't cripple him, he would have crippled me, so I naturally had to strike first." Qin Shuo said indifferently.

"That won't do—for you it's trivial, but for me, it's a mountain that has weighed on me for years.

This way, you are currently in the stage of Inner Strength Transforming into Qi, needing large amounts of blood and qi replenishment—I'll give you ten bottles of Blood Qi Pills to help you break through to Pulse Passing as soon as possible." Song Yan said generously.

"Then many thanks, Senior Sister." Qin Shuo no longer declined.

Blood Qi Pills—he truly needs them now.

With his current physical strength, to open his meridians, the required blood and qi would likely be ten times that of an ordinary martial artist.

And Blood Qi Pills are not cheap—one pill costs at least thirty taels.

Ten bottles, one hundred pills—that's nearly three thousand taels.

Such compensation cannot be called anything but generous.

"Besides, you are now a Guest Elder of our Song Family—the family will give you a monthly stipend, and I will have someone send it to Black Water City for you."

Free from the engagement's constraints, Song Yan became much more lively and talkative.

"Not bad—I, as a Guest Elder of the Song Family, will give you one bottle of Blood Qi Pills per month, three hundred taels of silver, and one hundred catties of Exotic Beast Meat, and I will have someone send them all to Black Water City for you." Song Tianhao said with a smiling squint.

Qin Shuo's potential surpasses all descendants of the Song Family—his future achievements are limitless.

Therefore, Song Tianhao invests in Qin Shuo without hesitation.

If it weren't for the unfavorable timing, he would want to ask this youth whether he is interested in marrying into their Song Family.