Chapter Fifty-Four: Storming the Zhang Family

Outside Panlong City, Lin Fan stood atop a small hill, clad in white robes, his jet-black hair tied behind him. At his waist hung a snow-white scabbard, and he gazed quietly toward Panlong City.

“Has the message been sent?” Lin Fan’s voice was calm, though his face was pale, bearing the look of someone still suffering from serious wounds.

He had drawn over forty times in the lottery, yet never managed to win the Life Essence Pill. Although he had won plenty of gourmet food, nothing of practical use came his way. This left him a bit helpless, but there was nothing he could do—the system was simply infuriating.

At the moment, he couldn’t use his internal energy at all. Though his physical strength remained formidable, his body was just as badly injured inside. He was in no condition to fight.

After leaving the Four Seas Tavern, he had met Xiao Shuihan and his companions, and even enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Xiao Shuihan’s father, Xiao Jianhao. Later, Xiao Jianhao departed, and Mo Shaoyan arrived with his group, agreeing to form an alliance.

He then instructed Zhang Yi to spread word through certain channels to the Zhang family: that Lin Fan had no powerful experts by his side, and Zhang Lao Qi’s death was due to the attackers intending to kill everyone present. At that time, Xiao Shuihan and others were there, and when Zhang Lao Qi struck, not recognizing them, he was slain by the Xiao family’s experts. As for their allegiance, it was entirely due to the pressure from the Xiao family’s masters.

However, the Xiao family members who helped Lin Fan subdue them had already taken Xiao Shuihan back to their clan, choosing not to interfere further in Lin Fan’s affairs with the Zhangs—so as not to give other families an excuse for gossip.

“Young master, the message has been sent. As soon as Zhang Wangshan heard you had no experts at your side, his first reaction was to send people to kill you again. But he doesn’t know those he sent are still my people. I have already had them lie in wait within the city.”

“At the same time, I have contacted the remaining forty or so Qi Pulse experts in the Zhang family, as well as the two elders, Zhang Mobei and Zhang Monan.”

“Back then, Zhang Wangshan believed I had only won over Elder Zhang Monan. Now that I have submitted to you, he thinks Zhang Monan will naturally choose the family’s interests and withdraw his support from me.”

“But he doesn’t realize I haven’t just won over Zhang Monan—I have controlled him!”

“Both Zhang Mobei and Zhang Monan are under my control.”

Zhang Yi bowed his head, a gleam in his eyes. Over the years, he had expended countless efforts to destroy the Zhang family and regain control. Among the previous generation of elders, he had managed to control two out of three. This wasn’t mere soul oath control, but contractual control, thanks to Zhang Lao Qi, who had poisoned the elders’ food, allowing Zhang Yi to succeed.

Listening to Zhang Yi’s words, Lin Fan nodded and said, “You’ve indeed worked hard for vengeance all these years. If not for my sudden appearance, in another decade or so, the Zhang family would likely have changed hands.”

Lin Fan already knew everything about Zhang Yi, as Zhang Yi had explained it to him. The reason was simple—he hoped to personally kill Zhang Wangshan.

“Your subordinate wouldn’t dare. Now that the Zhang family will be destroyed and my revenge fulfilled, I must thank you, young master!” Zhang Yi replied, trembling with fear at Lin Fan’s words. His reverence for Lin Fan had grown especially deep.

For yesterday he had been at the peak of Qi Pulse stage, and now he had entered the Meridian stage.

He owed all of this to Lin Fan’s guidance! Furthermore, he knew that Lin Fan, despite his gentle appearance, could be ruthlessly decisive—far beyond what Zhang Yi himself could achieve.

“No need to fear. I’m merely stating the truth.” Lin Fan shook his head with a smile, surprised by how much Zhang Yi feared him. With that, he turned and walked toward the sedan chair less than two meters behind him. It was crafted from Ebony Mountain wood, adorned with golden patterns, its dark body exuding a faint, solemn aura.

The bearers were four Qi Aperture stage experts.

When Lin Fan subdued Zhang Yi and his men, there were ten in total. Excluding Zhang Yi, nine remained, though some had attempted treachery while Lin Fan was unconscious, their contracts erased, leaving eight.

Naming them proved troublesome, so Lin Fan bestowed new names upon them: Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Dragon, Serpent, Bear, Lynx, and Panther.

The men voiced no objections. They had been orphans raised by the Zhang family, and later taken in by Zhang Yi. Their original names were gifts from the Zhangs, so changing them again stirred no feelings.

The four carrying Lin Fan’s sedan were Ah Tiger, Ah Leopard, Ah Wolf, and Ah Dragon. Although all were Qi Pulse or Qi Aperture stage, they were the strongest among the eight.

As Lin Fan entered the sedan, he spoke again: “However, you should count yourself fortunate. By submitting to me, your world will not be limited to a single city!”

Zhang Yi did not reply, but in his heart, he believed his young master’s words inexplicably.

He waved his hand, and Ah Tiger and the others lifted the sedan, heading for Panlong City.

These men, all at the peak of Qi Pulse and Qi Aperture stages, possessed tremendous strength. Each stride covered dozens of meters with ease.

Soon, they arrived within Panlong City.

“You’ve got the nerve to come back, little brother! You’ve disgraced the Zhang family completely!” Zhang De stood at the gate, glaring angrily at Zhang Yi, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Hearing this, Zhang Yi grinned, his already ugly face growing more sinister. He made no effort to conceal himself as before, and replied openly, “Zhang De, don’t pretend with me. You think I don’t know the truth of what happened years ago? I knew when I was just a child. Today, I return to destroy the Zhang family!”

Zhang De was startled by Zhang Yi’s words.

He hadn’t expected Zhang Yi to know everything from back then. He and his father had thought Zhang Yi ignorant. They had hoped to exchange Yuan and Zhen for Zhang Yi’s life, then kill him afterward. Now it seemed that even if Lin Fan had not appeared, those two sons were doomed.

Realizing this, Zhang De’s expression changed, anger fading to a cold killing intent.

“So you’ve known all along. I should have killed you sooner. Nevertheless, since you’ve delivered yourself, it’s not too late. With your Qi Pulse peak strength, I won’t even need a second move to kill you!”

Zhang De sneered. He had been at the Meridian stage for eight or nine years, and felt confident that against a Qi Pulse peak, one move would suffice.

“Hahaha! I’d like to see you kill me without your second move!” Zhang Yi laughed loudly, unleashing a powerful aura.

It was the aura of the Meridian stage. He had concealed his cultivation upon arriving at the gate, letting Zhang De believe he was still at the Qi Pulse peak. Now he revealed his full strength.

Sensing Zhang Yi’s powerful presence, Zhang De was shocked: “You’ve entered the Meridian stage?!”

His face was filled with disbelief. Zhang Yi had only been a step away from the Meridian stage, but that step could take years.

How had he broken through so quickly?

“It’s thanks to the young master’s guidance!” Zhang Yi’s eyes showed reverence as he tensed, leaping into the air like a great roc, charging at Zhang De with a shout: “Enough talk—face your death!”

A natural talent, Zhang Yi was only forty-two, yet had reached the Meridian stage. Zhang De, though looking in his forties, was actually over sixty. In terms of crossing realms, Zhang Yi had no certainty, but within the same realm, even if he had entered the Meridian stage eight or nine years after Zhang De, he was confident he could defeat him.

After all, both were at the early Meridian stage. Zhang De’s advancement had been a stroke of luck, and in eight or nine years he had made no progress.

Zhang Yi, on the other hand, possessed superior talent and had accumulated far more at the Qi Pulse stage. His breakthrough meant his cultivation was at least equal, if not superior, to Zhang De’s.

Moreover, his breakthrough came with the young master's guidance, and his martial skills had received instruction as well!

Though only a day had passed, Zhang Yi was no novice, nor was he just beginning to learn martial skills. He had studied them for twenty or thirty years, reaching mastery.

Now, under Lin Fan’s guidance, he eliminated every flaw, bringing his skills to perfection.

This alone multiplied the power of his techniques several times over.

In contrast, Zhang De’s martial skills, as far as Zhang Yi knew, remained at the mastery stage, never reaching perfection—this was Zhang Yi’s greatest confidence.

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