「The Ye Family Estate.」
Bai Shoucheng rushed in, his face grim.
"Old Ye, something's happened! The Han Family is finished! Han Jianye and his brother—both of them were killed by that kid!"
Ye Zude was stunned. Just then, one of his own men returned, bearing the same news.
Only then did he truly believe that the Han Family had really messed with the wrong person.
'I never thought this kid would be so powerful. Not even the Han Family was a match for him!'
"Old Ye, what do we do now? That kid dealt with the Han Family, so we're next. You aren't actually thinking of giving the Golden Saber back to him, are you?"
Ye Zude took a deep breath. "Absolutely not!"
That Golden Saber was the very foundation of the Ye Family's fortune.
He would never give away such a heaven-sent fortune!
"That kid went after the Han Family because they were constantly making trouble, and on top of that, they wanted to swallow up the Lin Family."
"But we haven't done anything. He has no reason to come after us."
"But…" Bai Shoucheng's mind was still in turmoil. "We've already broken the agreement. We didn't honor the marriage contract within the specified time, and we certainly haven't returned the Golden Saber."
"He only got delayed because of the Han Family. That's the only reason he hasn't come for us yet. Now that the Han Family is gone, we're definitely next!"
A vicious glint appeared in Ye Zude's eyes. "That kid just killed Han Jiancheng. The Chen Family definitely won't let him get away with it. Just you watch, the Chen Family will be here soon!"
"Still, just to be safe, we'd better employ some stalling tactics!"
Bai Shoucheng slapped his thigh. "You're right!"
「An hour later.」
「The Lin Family Estate.」
Two luxury cars pulled up, one after the other.
Bai Shoucheng and Ye Zude, bearing a host of gifts, had come to pay a personal visit.
Having been informed of the situation, Lin Aoshan made his way to the living room, his body still on the mend.
Seeing Xiao Ye, Ye Zude approached with a beaming smile. "Mr. Xiao, please, don't hold what happened last time against us."
Xiao Ye, with his legs crossed, picked up an apple from the table and took a bite. "If you have something to say, say it. If it's bullshit, spit it out."
Ye Zude frowned, displeased.
'This is the second time Xiao Ye has been so disrespectful!'
'Such a country bumpkin. Utterly uncivilized!'
But when he remembered Xiao Ye's methods, Ye Zude could only swallow his anger.
"Mr. Xiao, I've been terribly busy lately. It took me this long to finally find the time to pay you a visit."
"Indeed," Bai Shoucheng chimed in with a nod. "The Bai Family has also been swamped with business. I only just managed to squeeze out some time."
Xiao Ye gave the two a sarcastic look. "Did you just happen to have some free time, or did you just hear that the Han Family is finished?"
The color drained from both their faces. After exchanging a glance, they laughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
"You're joking, Mr. Xiao. As a token of my apology, I've brought a generous gift for you."
Ye Zude immediately produced an exquisite wooden box. Upon opening it, an emerald Jade Pendant was revealed inside.
Judging by its quality and age, it was certainly an imperial treasure of considerable value.
"Mr. Xiao, I've also prepared a gift as a small token of my sincerity."
Bai Shoucheng then presented his own lavish gift: a coral tree statue worth a fortune.
Xiao Ye glanced at the gifts without interest. "You think you can buy me off with this junk? Do you take me for a beggar?"
"No, no, not at all, Mr. Xiao. These are just small tokens of our sincerity. The Ye Family's Golden Saber isn't in Jiangcheng at the moment. Please, give me a few days. As soon as it arrives, I will present it to you with my own two hands."
"Mr. Xiao, my Bai Family also needs a few days to return the Golden Saber. As a gesture of our apology, I'm prepared to send a team of my bodyguards to protect the Lin Family!"
The two men humbled themselves completely, their faces full of fawning praise.
With the cautionary tale of the Han Family before them, they weren't stupid enough to clash head-on with Xiao Ye.
Xiao Ye was quite satisfied with their sensibility.
'I came down the mountain to collect the Sabers and get married, not to run around fighting and killing.'
'It's best to resolve this peacefully. I don't want to scare my dear little wife again.'
"Fine!"
Xiao Ye finished the last of his apple. "I can give you a few more days, but I'm warning you: don't try to pull any tricks."
"If you break the agreement, you'll not only have to return the Golden Saber, but you'll also have to hand over half of your family's assets. Not a penny less!"
"My master lent out nine Golden Sabers in total back in the day, each representing one of nine ultimates. The one the Han Family held represented power!"
"The Han Family was blinded by that power. They wanted to break the agreement and resort to murder, which is why their entire family was wiped out."
"If you're also thinking of breaking the agreement, you'll be digging your own graves!"
Bai Shoucheng shuddered inwardly. He forced a smile and said through gritted teeth, "Please rest assured, Mr. Xiao. We will absolutely do as we say!"
"The Ye Family always keeps its word. We would never have any ulterior motives."
Ye Zude carefully set down the gift box, and he and Bai Shoucheng took their leave with awkward smiles.
Watching their retreating figures, Lin Aoshan, who had been sitting to the side, suddenly felt a sense of alarm.
'Ye Zude has a daughter,' he thought. 'She's one of the hottest celebrities right now.'
'Her figure and looks are on par with Lin Chuyue's; she's even shared the title of Jiangcheng's number one beauty with her on several occasions.'
'If Ye Zude really intends to honor the marriage agreement by marrying his daughter to Xiao Ye, wouldn't Chuyue's position be in jeopardy?'
'I'll have to give Chuyue a little nudge. She needs to cherish the man in front of her and lock down this Mr. Right, Xiao Ye, for good!'
「Meanwhile, at the Han Family Estate.」
Wuwang Mountain Villa, which should have been desolate, was now packed with gawking onlookers.
They stared—some with mockery, others with contempt—at the bodies of the Han brothers sprawled on the ground.
"Who would've thought? The Han Family, arrogant and domineering for a lifetime, ending up like this."
"This is what they call reaping what you sow!"
"Tsk, tsk. Their whole family wiped out. That kid, Xiao Ye, is one crazy bastard."
"You're wrong. There's still one member of the Han Family alive. It's not a complete wipeout."
Just as the crowd was talking, a sports car screeched to a halt at the villa's entrance.
The door opened, and a woman with a fiery figure stepped out.
She had long, wavy brown hair, a slender waist, and long legs. Her tight black dress accentuated her graceful curves.
A fragrant scent trailed behind her with every step.
"The young lady of the Han Family is back!"
Someone in the crowd shouted, and a path immediately parted for her.
The thick stench of blood hit her, and Han Xue, sensing something was terribly wrong, quickened her pace in her high heels.
When she saw the bodies on the ground clearly, she stumbled forward and collapsed, kneeling beside Han Jianye's corpse.
"Dad! Dad, wake up!"
"Second Uncle! Grandpa! Wake up!"
"How… How could this have happened!"
Han Xue sank helplessly to the ground, her heart twisting in agony.
Just last night, she had been on the phone with Han Jianye. Now, they were forever separated by death.
"Who did this?! Who could be so vicious as to murder my entire family!"
Han Xue shot to her feet, her bloodshot eyes scanning the crowd of onlookers. "Tell me! Who did this!"
As she spoke, she pulled a thick wad of cash from her purse and held it high. "Whoever tells me the killer's name gets this money!"
"I know! It was Xiao Ye!"
"He's staying with the Lin Family! I think he's going to marry Lin Chuyue!"
A forest of hands shot up, everyone eager to claim the cash.
WHOOSH—
Han Xue threw the money into the air. She clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white, wishing she could grab a knife and go on a rampage right then and there.
'Xiao Ye!'
'She would remember that name.'
'This was a blood feud, an irreconcilable hatred.'
'In this life, between her and Xiao Ye, there would be no rest until one of them was dead!'