Chapter 539: Hitting a Wall

At the Liu Jia Bie Yuan, the banquet dispersed, and the guests had all left.

Liu Chengen sat comfortably in a reclining chair; the person before him was the true guest of the day, a martial arts master from the Tyrant Martial Arts Hall.

This martial arts master was also surnamed Yan, and like Yan Shan and Yan Wan Jun, he was a relative by blood or marriage.

The Yan Family was the most powerful faction within the Tyrant Martial Arts Hall, following Yan Shan's lead and, furthermore, recognizing Yan Wan Jun as their Young Master.

However, following Yan Wan Jun's deposition, the power of the Yan Family was not what it once was.

Seeing the Tyrant Martial Arts Hall trending toward becoming a sect, their own people were falling behind in the division of interests.

Every member of the Yan Family gnashed their teeth in hatred toward the culprit.

"Young Master Liu, once this matter is done, Pang Jihui will be ruined beyond redemption, and we can even implicate Zhou You in it; under the fury of the Strong Martial, the Gu Lao behind him will have no choice but to sacrifice the pawn to save the knight."

The Yan Family martial arts master analyzed indifferently, "You get the beauty, I destroy my enemy; everyone will be happy."

Liu Chengen chuckled twice and blurted out, "What is that Zhou You worth!"

"If I want to destroy a commoner martial artist, is it worth mobilizing the masses?"

"After the deed is done, I want Pang Xuaner, and I also want that stunningly beautiful concubine of Zhou You."

The Yan Family martial arts master smiled; the existence of the concubine Qi Fengzi was something he had specifically leaked to Liu Chengen to lure him into the trap.

Sure enough, the moment Liu Chengen saw the portrait of Qi Fengzi, he became obsessed, especially after hearing that the real person was ten times more stunning than the portrait, and he became determined to conspire with him to frame Zhou You.

"Also, are you certain that if we kill Zhou You, Yan Shan won't have any objections?"

Liu Chengen confirmed with him again; he was arrogant, but not a fool. A mere Yan Family member was not qualified to cooperate with him; what he valued was the newly promoted Strong Martial, Yan Shan.

"Yan Wan Jun is the Hall Master's most favored Disciple; Zhou You must provide an explanation for this matter."

The Yan Family martial arts master bowed and said, "Rest assured, Young Master, everything will proceed according to plan."

Liu Chengen smiled and raised his wine cup, "Then let us toast to the success of our plan."

He glanced at the other man's wine cup; lurking within the clear, transparent wine was a precious 'Colorless Jellyfish', ranked eleventh on the Strange Insect Ranking. It was colorless and odorless, and once ingested into the body, it would turn into a deadly poison, killing the victim within an hour or three.

What was particularly difficult was that after the person died, the Colorless Jellyfish and the poison would both vanish without a trace, making it impossible to even determine the specific cause of death. For those who do great things, how could they not have one or two trump cards for killing to silence witnesses?

The Yan Family martial arts master was also too naive; he thought he was a partner, but in reality, he was just a pawn to be discarded after use.

Half a day later, confirming that the other party had been silenced, Liu Chengen let out a breath; everything was now waiting for the situation to develop quietly.

Pang Jihui returned home, impatiently pushed aside his wives, concubines, and a crowd of descendants, and went straight to find Pang Xuaner.

Pang Xuaner was sitting in front of a mirror, carefully checking for blemishes on her skin; seeing her grandfather arrive, she hurriedly stood up to salute.

"Xuaner, I have something to discuss with you."

"Please speak, Grandfather!"

Pang Jihui smiled reluctantly, "I want to send you to stay at the Daqian Martial Arts Hall for a few days."

Daqian Martial Arts Hall, wasn't that Zhou You's property?

Pang Xuaner recalled the young martial arts master she had seen that day and asked subconsciously, "Grandfather, why?"

During this period, in order to open his martial arts hall, Pang Jihui had taken her to visit various families; although it was only interactions between the womenfolk, it had spread her beauty far and wide.

She knew she was a bargaining chip for her grandfather's family business to rise again, but she did not care in the slightest.

Although Pang Xuaner was vain, she also understood the principle that if the skin does not exist, the hair has nothing to attach to; if her grandfather's family business could not continue, her life of luxury as the eldest miss could not last either.

Even if she were lucky enough to marry into a good family, without a powerful maternal family to support her, she feared her life would be worse than that of a concubine or servant.

She had also seen Liu Chengen; the greed and bloodthirst in the eyes of this aristocratic young master truly frightened her.

Suddenly hearing that she was to go to the Daqian Martial Arts Hall again, Pang Xuaner thought, could it be that her grandfather was asking that person of the same age again? "Xuaner will listen to Grandfather."

Half a day later, Zhou You heard that Pang Jihui had come to visit and decisively waved his hand, "Don't see him, tell him to go back."

News traveled fast in Fucheng; by now, who didn't know that Pang Jihui had grown a tiger's gall, actually provoking the Zhengming Martial Arts Hall.

One must know that back during the most chaotic times, no matter how desperate a down-and-out martial arts master was, they would always steer clear of that place.

Pang Jihui had clearly been set up by someone, but it was also his own doing, taking the initiative to go to the door to be set up.

What good things could aristocratic families have? If they didn't peel your skin and strip your bones to eat you clean, how could they stop? "The Liu Family, Liu Chengen, a dandy of his sort, is his handiwork really this vicious?"

Zhou You was quite shocked to hear the ins and outs of this matter; the Liu Fengji and Liu Jinguo he knew were both masters of fist and martial arts, and although they were quite calculating in their actions, they were always upright.

Liu Chengen was not outstanding in his family, yet with one move, he wanted to cut off the future of Pang Jihui's entire family.

To the side, Zuo Shier said leisurely, "Hall Master, you are right not to see him; after all, in a field of melons or under a plum tree, if someone harbors malice, it would be troublesome if they implicated you in this matter."

He further reminded Zhou You, "You should also pay attention to the old residence; don't offend the Old Master and Old Madam."

This was a reminder that the other party might play the emotional card and go to cry to Zhou You's parents.

Zhou You nodded, "Go and arrange it; don't let him in the door."

At the main gate, Pang Jihui spoke with kind words, explaining to the gatekeeping Disciple that he was not there to plead for mercy.

Zuo Lv nodded with a smile, and only after a long while did he say, "Apologies, my master is not at the martial arts hall."

"Then I shall go to his home to request an audience?"

"He is not at home either; he has taken the Old Master and Old Madam out. There is no one at home to answer the door. This old master, you had better go back first; how about coming another day?"

Pang Jihui gave a bitter smile and bowed to Zuo Lv, "I understand."

How could he not understand? The person was there, but simply did not want to see him.

The feeling of being pushed by everyone when the wall is about to collapse was something Pang Jihui had already tasted on the road before he arrived.

Hearing that he had caused a great disaster and was about to face total destruction, his friends and relatives immediately turned their backs on him.

The family renting them the house didn't say a word, directly driving their whole family out, swallowing the rent, and even detaining their luggage.

With nowhere to turn for help, those peers all avoided him, fearing they would be implicated.

Zhou You's place was already his last hope, but...

"Grandfather, let's go to the residence and wait; the Old Madam is soft-hearted, let's beg her."

Pang Xuaner's voice came from the carriage; she still remembered that kind old lady and believed they could seek help from her.

Pang Jihui said bitterly, "You won't be able to see him, don't go."

He suddenly made up his mind and said to Pang Xuaner, "Xuaner, I cannot protect the others, I can only keep you alive."

"Wait at the entrance; once you see Zhou You, you must enter his household even if it means becoming a concubine or a servant."

"Do not worry, the disaster I, your grandfather, have caused, I will bear alone."

Without waiting for Pang Xuaner to ask, Pang Jihui walked up to Zuo Lv, "Help me convey a message."

Zuo Lv was slightly surprised and listened quietly as he spoke.

"Tell Zhou You that after I die, he does not need to worry about my family, I only ask that out of the friendship between our two families, he takes in my poor granddaughter."

(End of chapter)