C14 Bullying the Weak and Fearing the Strong!!

Before long, a young man clad in plain clothes approached, a long sword slung across his back, carried by a swift breeze. Ye Mohei intercepted him with success.

"Over here! Don't you dare delay in paying respects to my mistress!" Ye Mohei yanked the youth forward, forcing him into a kneeling position on the ground.

Defiantly, the young man lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across Lin Xiuxiu and her companions.

"Are you Hsu Feng?" Lin Xiuxiu asked, setting her teacup aside with a languid motion.

"That's me. If you know my name, then surely you're aware of who I am," Hsu Feng responded, striving to maintain his composure.

Regardless of the power held by those before him, he resolved to stay collected.

"Go on, then," Lin Xiuxiu gestured dismissively to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao sniffed, a smirk forming. This was his element, a scene he'd played out many times alongside Qin Hao.

"You're even more pathetic than our young lady anticipated, you worthless thing!" Lin Xiao's foot pressed down on Hsu Feng, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. "We assumed a prince like you would travel with a guard. Yet here you are, alone, without even a servant to your name. How utterly pitiful. And those tattered clothes? You really are something. Is this the new trend among princes, to be as unassuming as you?"

"Clearly, you're well-informed about who I am. I, Hsu Feng, have my reasons," Hsu Feng replied, his brow furrowed. "May I inquire as to your identities? If I've wronged you in any way, I offer my apologies here and now."

"Apologies be damned!" Lin Xiao's foot connected with Hsu Feng again with a thud. "We are of noble birth. What could someone as destitute as you possibly offer by way of compensation? Be sensible and sign this marriage document at once." He produced the document Lin Xiuxiu had prepared well in advance.

"You... you're Lin Xiuxiu?"

Realization dawned on Hsu Feng as he examined the annulment certificate. A wry smile crossed his face. "I see. I've long known of my betrothal, but to think it was to you. It's understandable that you'd look down on me."

"After all, within the empire, I'm the son the emperor cares least for, favoring only my elder brother and younger sister. I, Hsu Feng, am nothing more than a child born of a fleeting tryst with a courtesan, a child without significant talent for cultivation. I possess a spiritual root, albeit a low-grade fire spiritual root. After over twenty years of cultivation, I've only just reached the Foundation Stage..."

Lin Xiuxiu was moved by his woeful tale, finding it hard to remain indifferent to his plight.

Lin Xiao, however, was unsympathetic and delivered a swift kick. "Did I ask for your life story?!"

"You..." Hsu Feng had never encountered someone so devoid of reason. Judging by Lin Xiao's demeanor, he was clearly no one of significance—merely Lin Xiuxiu's henchman at best.

Despite his lowly state, Hsu Feng was still a prince, and yet, he had been kicked three times by such a person.

"Kneel and sign, or die!" Ye Mohei's menacing presence was so overwhelming that Hsu Feng didn't dare make a move.

Observing Hsu Feng's compliance, Ye Mohei gave Lin Xiao a smug look, as if competing for Lin Xiuxiu's favor. He implied that Lin Xiao's tactics were ineffective—that he was nothing more than trash, incapable of even coercing someone properly. It wouldn't matter if he kicked Hsu Feng ten times.

"Uncle Hei is truly formidable," Lin Xiuxiu remarked with a smile.

"Miss, you flatter me. Rest assured, with me here, you'll be free from this marriage," Ye Mohei assured her, thumping his chest confidently.

Hsu Feng stood his ground. "I cannot sign away a marriage arranged by my parents. And besides, a man's knees are not so cheaply bent—I will not kneel!"

"Then you choose death!" In a rage, Ye Mohei unleashed the full force of his Early Period Abstention cultivation, determined to assert his dominance in front of Lin Xiuxiu.

Startled, Hsu Feng dropped to his knees with a thud.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

He had pegged Hsu Feng's character from the start. He'd seen his type before—seemingly pitiable, yet only tough against the weak and craven before the strong.

They would mercilessly strike down the feeble, but when faced with someone formidable, they'd beg for time, pleading for years-long pacts to surpass their opponent. To them, they were always in the right, always the paragon of virtue. Fools!

Without witnessing true peril, without their lives hanging in the balance, people like Hsu Feng would never bend. They'd rather maintain a facade of false pride.

"Lin Xiuxiu, you can't do this to me. I may have nothing now, but the future could be a different story. You've shamed me and called off our engagement, but I swear, I'll reclaim my honor!" Hsu Feng's eyes were bloodshot as he knelt, shaking with rage.

"Where do you think you'll be tomorrow?" Lin Xiao scoffed, hurling a stone at Hsu Feng, who nearly fell apart from the blows. Groaning in agony, Hsu Feng pleaded, "Enough! I was wrong, just joking! You're going to kill me over a broken engagement? I'll sign the papers."

"Looks like Lin Xiao has the upper hand," Lin Xiuxiu observed, nodding in approval.

Ye Mohei was not pleased, his spotlight usurped by Lin Xiao. He was about to inflict more pain on Hsu Feng when a noisy disturbance nearby caught his attention.

Lin Xiao looked toward the commotion and frowned. Approaching was a familiar crowd—Lin Xiuxiu and Ye Mohei recognized them too.

"Damn, it's the Qin Family, and they've brought an extra this time?" Ye Mohei noted, spotting the middle-aged man leading the group, accompanied by an elder whose powerful presence sent chills through the onlookers.

"Commander Qin, I'm Hsu Feng, over here!" Hsu Feng called out to the middle-aged man. "Please, save me! I heard about the tragic loss of your Second Young Master and traveled far to the Green Hill Sect to pay my respects, only to encounter Lin Xiuxiu."

The middle-aged man's gaze sharpened, exchanging a glance with the elder. The Qin Family members quickly closed in.

"Uncle Hei!" Lin Xiuxiu turned to Ye Mohei, her anxiety palpable.

With a calm demeanor, Ye Mohei reassured her, "Miss, don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one can harm you. The Qin Family is responsible for the death of my disciple, Ye Chen. Today presents the perfect chance to exact our revenge."

"The Second Prince? You were visiting our Second Young Master? His body has already been returned to our clan. The Patriarch is furious and has ordered us to execute Lin Xiuxiu." The middle-aged man pulled Hsu Feng aside, his eyes fixed on Ye Mohei with intent.

"I thought he was some significant character, but he's merely an expert in the Early Period of Abstention."

Ye Mohei sneered, "Good to know you're aware. You think you can lay a hand on the young lady in my presence? You're delusional. Sure, the Qin Family might be the most powerful clan in the Grigonn Empire, second only to the royal family, but even your mightiest expert is just at the Early Period of Abstention. What threat do you pose to me?

Besides, the Qin Family wouldn't just casually deploy such a master, would they?"

"Your insight is keen, and you seem to have a grasp on the Qin Family's affairs. Yet, you're missing some pieces. Indeed, our strongest is at the Early Period of Abstention. Regrettably for you, aside from our Patriarch, two other masters of the same level have arrived today."

The middle-aged man spoke with a frosty tone, "I am Qin Fei, commander of the Qin Family's forces, and this elder here is Qin Hu, our family's steward."

Boom!

Boom!

As he finished, Qin Fei and Qin Hu erupted with their spiritual energy, both at the Early Period of Abstention!

And that wasn't all. Surrounding them were at least twenty to thirty individuals, the majority of whom were at or above the Foundation Stage. These were the cream of the crop from the Qin Family. With the Second Young Master's death, the Patriarch was enraged, determined to go to any lengths to reclaim their honor!

"Hehe..."

Ye Mohei let out a bitter chuckle, glanced at Lin Xiuxiu, and bolted.

"Uncle Hei!" Lin Xiuxiu cried out in distress, "My father sent you to protect me. I was planning to promote you later on."

"Promote me? What's the use if I'm dead? Look at them; they're desperate. My disciple is gone, and with him, my hopes. In our realm, with my spiritual root, I'm the bottom of the barrel. Otherwise, I wouldn't still be just a core disciple." Ye Mohei kept talking as he fled.

"You'll be punished by my father for this!" Lin Xiuxiu quivered with fury.

"Let him try! This is all your fault. If it weren't for Ye Chen protecting you, he'd still be alive. My talented son, gone just like that. The world is vast; I'll disappear, and what can your father possibly do to me? I only coaxed my son into serving you, never expecting your arrogance. Without your father, you're nothing! What's there to be arrogant about? You're a brainless fool, and protecting you is a disgrace!"

"Wow..."

Lin Xiuxiu sat on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

"There, there, now you know what kind of person he is, you can rest easy. Cutting someone like that out of your life is for the best. He's Ye Chen's father, and neither he nor Ye Chen mean you any good," Lin Xiao soothed.

"Wuwuwu... It's not that, he called me brainless. I think he's the foolish one. If I'm not smart, then who is?" Lin Xiuxiu wept, feeling wronged. "Lin Xiao, what do we do now? Will the Qin family have me killed?"

"So you're Lin Xiao?" Qin Hu frowned. "I've heard about you. You're the Second Young Master's underling, and now you're trailing behind someone else?"

Qin Fei stepped forward with a smirk. "Hold on, Butler Qin. I've thoroughly investigated his deeds in the Green Hill Sect. He was not only the Second Young Master's lapdog but is also inherently cowardly. The last time I ran into him and asked if he was Lin Xiao, he pointed out Lee Si to me. Without the Second Young Master to prop him up, he's obviously scrambling to find a new patron to survive, or he wouldn't last a step in the Green Hill Sect."

The Qin family members erupted into laughter.

"Lin Xiao, step aside. In consideration of your past service to the Second Young Master, we'll spare you. But Lin Xiuxiu, she has to die," Qin Fei said with a smile that quickly turned stern. Beside him, Qin Hu had caught up with Ye Mohei, and the two were locked in a struggle.

The Qin family had learned that Ye Chen was Ye Mohei's apprentice, and also his son, making him a target they couldn't afford to ignore.

"Brother Xiao, what do we do?" Lin Xiuxiu resorted to calling him 'brother' in her desperation.

This woman, always playing games and only calling 'brother' when it suits her, Lin Xiao had a certain appreciation for such craftiness. Not only was she bad, but she was also clueless.

Most importantly, her father was the sect master. If she were to die, Lin Xiao would lose his leverage against Leng Yunxian.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Qin Family, I implore you not to overlook Lin Xiao's actions. He just showed me great disrespect by kicking me three times."

Hsu Feng emerged with a mischievous grin. "I was curious about what sort of character you were. Turns out you're nothing but a flunky. You think you have the nerve to kick me?"

"Amusing." Lin Xiao's lips curled up in a faint smirk, confirming his suspicions. Hsu Feng was exactly the type of person he had pegged him for; the moment he sensed someone's vulnerability, he'd pounce, relentlessly exploiting their weakness.