Chapter 114: Unexpected Turns and Imminent Conflict

“Leng Qing, you bastard, do you even know what you’re doing?” The man in black stormed in, furious, glaring down at Leng Qing who had collapsed onto the floor.

Without waiting for a response, he delivered a fierce whip kick so swift it left everyone breathless. Though Leng Qing reacted quickly, raising both arms to block, it was utterly ineffective. The brutal strike sent him flying, crashing heavily against the nearby wall.

The dull thud was accompanied by the sickening sound of bone scraping against stone, revealing the overwhelming force behind the seemingly effortless blow.

The man’s whip kick was terrifyingly powerful. Blood sprayed from Leng Qing’s mouth as he arced through the air in a vivid curve before splattering onto the ground, dazzlingly bright under the sunlight.

“Uncle Long, did I really do something wrong? That brat humiliated our Leng family last time, slapped me in front of everyone, didn’t even spare my eldest brother. Am I wrong for reacting?” Leng Qing whispered, clearly afraid of the newcomer, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

“Hmph. Wrong? I never said you were wrong. But before acting, you must consider the consequences. Does our Leng family not wish to crush the Lin family? Does no one want to eliminate that Lin Yang brat? But have you thought about what would happen if you did? Have you considered it with our current strength?” The man in black spoke quietly, but every word rang clear to all present.

When he entered, Leng Tang, who had been reporting to Leng Qing, shuddered involuntarily. The man’s identity was clearly no ordinary figure.

“But… but I really couldn’t bear it anymore. Not even a second longer,” Leng Qing grumbled resentfully, sitting on the floor with clenched fists so tight the joints creaked audibly.

“You’re not wrong. The fault lies in our family’s insufficient strength to shake that towering tree called the Lin family. I can only say you acted too rashly. Rash actions demand reckoning.” The man’s voice grew colder, each sentence chilling the room further.

Before Leng Qing could utter another word in defense, the man in black, as if passing judgment, said, “Luckily, that brat from the Lin family survived this time, or your life would have been forfeit. But Leng Sha and Leng Tu died because of your recklessness. You may escape death this once, but you cannot escape punishment.”

Decisive and swift, the man drew from his waist a silver-white broken blade—like a slightly longer dagger cleaved in two. About fifteen centimeters long and no more than five centimeters wide, it resembled a severed fragment of a larger weapon, similar in size to Leng Sha’s Scorpion Blade.

A flash of light streaked through the air, and the severed limb danced midair, followed by Leng Qing’s piercing scream.

The man in black caught the flying arm in a prepared preservation bag, motioned to Leng Tang to take the injured Leng Qing away for treatment, then turned and left without a shred of mercy.

Silence fell—apart from Leng Qing’s agonized cries, the bedroom was deathly still. The man in black had come and gone so swiftly, few would believe he had even been there if not for the harrowing screams.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Lin Yang was unaware of the fate that befell Leng Qing, who had masterminded the attempt to eliminate him. His injuries were minor and healing quickly, prompting Lin Yang’s firm decision to discharge himself.

No one could stop him from leaving.

“Xiao Yang, what now? You’re not thinking of causing trouble at the Leng family, are you?” Meng Hu, trailing behind Lin Yang, hesitated before asking again.

He had asked many questions during Lin Yang’s hospital stay, but Lin Yang had always feigned ignorance. Now that he was discharged, Meng Hu pressed further.

Suddenly stopping, Lin Yang turned to look at Meng Hu, furrowing his brows. Just as he prepared to speak, a small figure sprinted up from the hospital entrance.

So familiar, yet strangely distant.

The figure didn’t run fast, but upon seeing it, Lin Yang’s body involuntarily trembled. After a long day of searching, Leng Nini, who had been taken back by the Leng family, suddenly appeared—an utterly bewildering sight.

Following closely behind her was a man cloaked completely in black robes, wearing a mask that revealed only a pair of icy eyes.

Before Lin Yang could react, Leng Nini lunged fiercely into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Although she hadn’t seen the entire harrowing battle between Lin Yang, Leng Sha, and Leng Tu the night before, the deafening explosions had terrified her all night.

Had it not been for being struck in the neck and rendered unconscious while being escorted into a car by Leng Tang, she might have been tormented through the night.

“Nini? What are you doing here?” Lin Yang asked, gently pushing her away, puzzled. But when he noticed the shadowy figure behind her, he instinctively shielded her, eyes sharp and wary.

As a seasoned warrior trained in internal martial arts, Lin Yang’s senses were unparalleled—perhaps even beyond those of a battle-hardened special forces soldier. The instant the man in black appeared, Lin Yang felt an overwhelming murderous intent—clear, raw, and unmasked.

As if to test him, the man’s killing aura intensified as he approached, radiating a fierce combativeness—the primal urge of one formidable warrior challenging another.

Such lethal intent doesn’t arise lightly—it is forged through countless brushes with death. The continuous stream emanating from this man stirred in Lin Yang a fierce desire to embrace the battlefield.

Stopping roughly two meters away, the man fixed Lin Yang with a penetrating gaze, scrutinizing him from head to toe before speaking in a voice as cold and precise as machine grinding: “Not bad, young man. You’re strong.”

Concise and confident, it was a high compliment. Leng Nini, hiding behind Lin Yang, couldn’t help but steal a few more glances at the man before shifting her gaze back to Lin Yang. At that moment, she felt a strange mixture—he seemed both unfamiliar and yet intimately known. The contradiction was tangible.

“You’re strong too,” Lin Yang replied politely. Despite sensing endless hostility, he always met courtesy with courtesy. As long as the other made no move, he would not escalate. He sensed this was a test—because the man would not strike first. It was an instinct.

Before Lin Yang could grasp the connection between this mysterious man and Leng Nini’s sudden appearance, the stranger seemed to read his confusion. Reaching to his waist, he pulled off an exquisite yellow wooden box and tossed it to Lin Yang.

As the box fell, Lin Yang hesitated before catching it with lightning speed, but did not open it immediately. Cautious by nature, he raised it and asked, “What is this?”

“It’s the price paid by those who sought your demise. Consider it a token to appease your anger. The current Leng family cannot afford to offend your Lin family,” the man answered coldly and succinctly.

“Don’t beat around the bush. Speak plainly. And you should introduce yourself first—I have no interest in talking to strangers,” Lin Yang’s expression tightened, his tone icy.

“I am Leng Yitiao. One arm—Leng Qing’s arm. All this conspiracy was his doing. This is his just punishment,” the man replied emotionlessly, his voice as cold as before, devoid of any trace of feeling.

If not for the strong life force emanating from him, one might have thought he was a machine.

Lin Yang burst into a cold laugh, eyes gleaming with a deadly chill. “And if I had been killed? What would you say then?”

His tone was sharp, challenging, as if accusing.

But the man remained unmoved, finding no amusement. “Then Leng Qing would have lost more than an arm—his life. And your Lin family would have faced ruthless retribution.”

Leng Nini’s unexpected return surprised Lin Yang. Her safe homecoming was good news; he wasn’t one to stir trouble unnecessarily. Yet, to simply let it go felt uncomfortable.

“Just let it go? You don’t take my life seriously enough!” Lin Yang stepped closer to the man, demanding.

“What do you want then?” the man asked coolly, recalling the last time Leng Qing and his men were extorted by this young man.

Before Lin Yang could answer, he continued, “Money? Name your price. If it’s within reason, we’ll accept. But if you’re greedy, then it’s a fight to the death.” He then held up the silver broken blade that had severed Leng Qing’s left arm.

From his attitude and icy demeanor, Lin Yang was certain that if he pushed too far, the man would strike without hesitation—an all-out battle.