The Spoiled Sister-in-Law and the Unexpected Calamity

The so-called Miss Tong, named Qian Tong, was the younger sister of Madam Qian Ying, Yang Xuan’s second wife. This made her the junior sister-in-law of Yang Xuan, the Grandmaster of Tianhe Gate.

Owing to this connection, her position within Tianhe Gate was far from ordinary.

Three years prior, Miss Tong had inexplicably fallen gravely ill, plunging into an unconscious state and suffering from a high fever for three consecutive days.

Although Yang Xuan had exerted all his efforts in her treatment and summoned numerous renowned physicians to her bedside, Miss Tong was eventually roused. However, her mental faculties had regressed to that of a ten-year-old child.

Consequently, Qian Ying, Yang Xuan, and the other wives treated her with immense pity and indulgence. This fostered an extremely pampered and arrogant disposition; to call her overbearing would be an understatement, as she frequently incited trouble.

If Bai Yuan’s memory served her correctly, in her previous life, Qian Tong had once caused a significant disturbance due to this very nature. At the time, Bai Yuan had been secluded within her courtyard, diligently cultivating, and thus remained largely unaware of the precise details.

She had merely overheard the maids and matrons gossiping that Miss Tong ultimately sustained severe injuries, prompting Yang Xuan himself to intervene.

Today, she had, once again, stirred up another incident.

According to Hong Xiao, as they journeyed, Madam Qian Ying, the Second Madam, had returned victorious that day. Naturally, Miss Tong intended to dress exquisitely for the evening’s celebration banquet.

Hearing that the Rouge Atelier recently stocked new goods, she had decided to pay a visit. En route, however, she was inexplicably extorted by some brazen individuals.

In a fit of pique, Miss Tong had instructed her subordinates to teach the two men a lesson. Yet, coincidentally, someone intervened to champion fairness, and the individual who struck out was remarkably skilled.

Perceiving the situation had taken a turn for the worse, Hong Xiao had intended to return to the sect for reinforcements. Unexpectedly, after walking barely two streets, she spotted Bai Yuan.

Having heard of Bai Yuan’s formerly exceptional martial arts prowess and realizing the urgency of the matter, Hong Xiao had simply ‘recruited’ her on the spot.

‘This truly is… an unexpected calamity,’ Bai Yuan thought.

Bai Yuan sighed inwardly, yet her steps remained unceasing. Following closely behind Hong Xiao, she weaved through the throngs of people like a fish, quickly navigating the winding streets until they neared the scene of the incident.

Just as they rounded the street corner, a shrill voice, laced with exasperation, echoed from the center of the street, brimming with villainous overtones.

Annoyingly, Hong Xiao, who was ahead, loudly affirmed, as if seeking praise: “Young Miss, don’t worry! I’ve called Aunt Bai over!”

‘What kind of situation is this? Bringing in the older one after the younger one has been beaten?’

‘A classic face-slapping scenario?’

Bai Yuan chuckled wryly. Instinctively, she extended her divine sense, instantly gaining a comprehensive understanding of everything unfolding in the square.

“Tianhe Gate, truly, its reputation precedes it not! You seize by trickery, plunder with force, and oppress the kind-hearted. You are all nothing but bullies who exploit your power!”

Following this somewhat childish reprimand, several burly men, clad in the outer robes of Tianhe Gate, spat blood as they were sent flying backward, crashing directly into a nearby shop.

A boy of thirteen or fourteen, dressed in white, stood with a face full of fury, pushing both palms forward, striking directly at a girl in yellow, who appeared to be fourteen or fifteen.

Those palms contained immense power; it was clear that if the strike landed, the girl would be severely wounded, if not killed outright!

The girl’s face still held traces of her previous annoyance and arrogance, yet these were now mingled with a newly dawning terror. For a moment, her expression appeared both hideous and comical.

“Stop!”

From three zhang away, Bai Yuan let out a sharp cry, dramatically flicking her long sleeve.

Amidst the howling gale, an invisible wall of qi instantly manifested between the boy and the girl.

“Hm?”

As if sensing something, the boy grunted, his brow furrowed. With a twist of his wrist, his palms, which had been preparing to withdraw their force, slammed heavily against the invisible qi wall.

All the power within his body surged forth. However, this full-force strike was like a clay ox entering the sea, vanishing instantly without a trace.

The qi wall before him remained completely unmoved.

With a slight frown, realizing the gravity of the situation, the boy was about to retreat. Yet, precisely at that moment, a surge of energy burst forth from within the qi wall.

This force—the boy knew it intimately. It was clearly his own “Nine Furious Dragon Strikes” that he had just unleashed.

Inexplicably, his opponent had ingeniously utilized his own technique, returning it in full, at this critical juncture!

“Hah!”

The boy’s pupils sharply contracted. With a fierce roar, the true qi within him surged dramatically. He pressed his five fingers together and slapped forward with all his might.

Bang!

The two identical surges of qi collided, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that scattered the surrounding shop signs, plaques, and banners onto the ground.

Thud, thud, thud…

The boy’s bare palms collided with the jade-like fist. Bai Yuan remained motionless, while the boy staggered back over ten steps. Each step was incredibly heavy, accompanied by a dull thud, leaving a deep crack on the bluestone pavement beneath his feet.

His entire body churned with turbulent qi and blood. He sharply opened his eyes, gazing forward with a hint of alarm.

‘This newcomer must be an expert!’

Bai Yuan gracefully descended into the center of the scene. Her gaze swept over the mother and daughter whom the boy had shielded, as well as the shattered stalls and scattered debris around them.

In her heart, she already had a clear understanding of the incident’s progression. She withdrew her gaze, turning to face the boy opposite her. Her beautiful face was like frozen ice, devoid of any expression, and her voice was like millennium-old profound ice, carrying a chilling frost.

“Just now, was it you who declared Tianhe Gate to be nothing but power-hungry bullies?”

“I—”

The boy straightened his back, puffing out his chest, about to speak further. Yet, at that precise moment, a surge of qi and blood welled up within him, suffocating his words in his throat. His breath was momentarily cut off.

“Very well, to be so bold and accountable at such a young age, it is clear you possess the makings of a true hero.”

Bai Yuan seemed to misunderstand the boy. Her expression remained impassive, yet she gave a slight nod, appearing somewhat approving. “However, since you have slandered the reputation of my sect with your words, I cannot simply stand by.

“So be it. I am slightly older than you. I shall only use one hand, and you will receive three of my punches. You may use any method you wish; if you can withstand them, I will consider your previous remarks as innocent childhood words and let the matter drop.

“But if you cannot, then your fate will be your own.”

No sooner had her words fallen than she stepped forward, without even asking the boy’s opinion, and spoke with a sharp intake of breath.

“First punch!”

Her slender fingers formed a fist seal, and she swung it, seemingly casually, toward the boy.

Before the boy’s eyes, however, a turbulent heavenly river seemed to materialize, countless muddy tides engulfing boundless silt, surging directly toward him!

This was a phenomenon where his spiritual energy was seized, leading to mental suppression by his opponent’s divine will, manifesting as a self-generating illusion!

The boy drew a deep breath, fully aware that the woman before him possessed extraordinary skill, her spiritual cultivation far surpassing his own.

If he were truly to fall into such an illusion, he feared he would be crushed to death by the surging tides on the spot!

Immediately, he firmly guarded his mind, completely disregarding the scene before him. Instead, the qi throughout his body surged and circulated, converging, before he pressed his five fingers together and forcefully struck forward.

Bang!

Thud, thud, thud…

Bai Yuan remained motionless, while the boy staggered back over ten steps. Each step was incredibly heavy, accompanied by a dull thud, leaving a deep crack on the bluestone pavement beneath his feet.

“Not bad!”

Bai Yuan nodded slightly, seemingly unfazed by the lack of immediate results from her attack. Instead, she clasped her hands behind her back, patiently waiting for the boy to regulate his breathing before speaking again.

“Next is, the second strike!”