Standing beside the road, wealthy individuals were nodding and bowing in greeting to the elderly man, who, with the aid of a walnut wood Dragon-subduing Cane and the support of a woman, slowly approached without so much as glancing at these people by the wayside.
Trailing behind the elderly man and the woman was an extremely burly man, roughly two meters tall and in his early forties, his expression fierce, emanating a presence as imposing as a mountain.
Upon seeing this elderly man, the people of the Qu Family revealed hopeful expressions and respectfully called out, "Great-Uncle!"
This elder was none other than Qu Donglin, who wielded control over the entire Qu Family and presided over the main Qu household. He was the most central figure of the vast Qu Family, holding a high position with disciples and students spread throughout both the military and political spheres.
Qu Huaxu was respectfully stepping forward to welcome him.
The Jiangzhou Qu Family was but a branch of the main Qu household.
"Hmm," Qu Donglin murmured, nodding slightly as his gaze fell upon Qiu Ya lying on the ground, displaying a hint of anger.
"Are you Mr. Lin?" Qu Donglin calmly asked Lin Mo, the elder who had experienced the trials of war and controlled a family fortune in the hundreds of billions—someone so prestigious that even presidents of small countries would personally receive him.
Lin Mo, who bore no ill will towards those who had defended the country, met his gaze steadily and nodded.
"You had a conflict with Hua Xu, killed his son, and now you've come knocking at the Qu Family's door. Do you really think our Qu Family can be bullied so easily?" Qu Donglin stated calmly. Despite his weakened voice, everyone around him dared not even breathe too loudly.
Standing beside Qu Donglin, Qu Lianyan was one of his favorite granddaughters. Her bright and curious eyes sparkled behind her glasses as she scrutinized Lin Mo, feeling surprised that he was merely a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth.
Lin Mo's expression was detached. He respected the likes of Qu Donglin, old war generals who had contributed much to Huaxia, but that did not mean Lin Mo could overlook Qu Huaxu. Lin Mo spoke indifferently, "If I were just a commoner without power or influence, could your Qu Family not trample over Die Mo Pharmaceutical at will, to butcher as you please? Out of respect for you, I address you as 'Mr. Qu'!"
Upon hearing Lin Mo's words, Qu Donglin sighed inwardly. He devoted his life to military service with a true heart, but he found it both infuriating and helpless to see his younger kin gradually taking the capitalist path. However, Qu Huaxu was indeed a descendant of the Qu Family.
"But pushing the Qu Family to this extent calls for moderation. Don't push your luck," said the middle-aged man standing behind Qu Donglin, suddenly emanating a tremendous suppressive aura.
Lin Mo glanced at him with a slightly cold glint in his eyes, "A mere High-level Martial Emperor, best stay out of this."
The middle-aged man's face darkened as he said, "I am Wu Kangding; I would like to see your strength for myself!"
With that, Wu Kangding's aura exploded, whipping up dust and debris, as he launched a punch that broke multiple spaces, its formidable force causing the onlookers to feel a surge in their blood and qi.
Lin Mo, however, just coldly snorted, clenched his fist, shimmering with golden light, and threw a casual punch that directly sent Wu Kangding, the High-level Martial Emperor, flying.
Wu Kangding spat out a mouthful of blood from his chest, looking at Lin Mo with shock and astonishment.
Qu Lianyan covered her mouth in amazement; she was very familiar with the strength of her grandfather's close guard, a High-level Martial Emperor without rival, yet he was soundly defeated by Lin Mo in one move.
"Indeed, heroes emerge from youth, but if you leave now, I will pretend as if nothing has happened. Should you insist on opposing the Qu Family, the consequences will be more than you can bear," Qu Donglin said, his voice steady, though inwardly alarmed.
"Are you trying to intimidate me? The one thing I, Lin Mo, fear the least is being suppressed by power," Lin Mo stated with his hands behind his back.
Once, he was the 'waste young master' of the Lin Family, constantly oppressed and targeted. Now, no longer the ordinary and helpless youth, Lin Mo possessed the true strength to protect his mother and those close to him. Whoever dared to suppress him was simply courting death.
"Are you truly unafraid? Our Qu Family is well-connected with certain Inner Sect alliances—they can deploy more than just three Basic-level Martial God strong persons," Qu Donglin observed sharply, his aura mountainous.
"If I were he, I'd turn around and walk away. To have cornered the Qu Family to this extent, I'd be a big shot, so why press on relentlessly?"
"I think he won't leave, Mr. Lin is a man whose Martial Arts reach the sky. I have personally witnessed him slaying three Basic-level Martial God experts at Li River. Such arrogance is beyond our comprehension," said an observer.
Qu Lianyan took pride in her confidence, slightly lifting her fair chin, her beautiful eyes behind her glasses looking at Lin Mo with a trace of pride. She didn't believe that Lin Mo would dare to go against the Qu Family, incurring a great taboo. Certainly, neither the national Emperor Group nor the Sky Group would stand by and do nothing!
"Lin Mo, do you think that with your strong Martial Arts prowess, you can run rampant across the world? If you know what's good for you, leave now," a son-in-law of the Qu Family stepped forward and commanded arrogantly.
"Nonsense."
Lin Mo struck with a palm from across the space, landing squarely on the chest of the man who spoke. His chest instantly caved in several inches, and he spat out blood, dead on the spot.
"You..." Qu Donglin was enraged, his face turning pale as he glared at Lin Mo.
Qu Lianyan was taken aback, not expecting Lin Mo to dare kill someone right in front of her and her grandfather.
The many wealthy onlookers fell silent. This guy was either crazy or a true killing demon, to commit murder right in front of the Qu Family's Old Master was akin to slapping his face fiercely.
Just then, a military green jeep arrived at the intersection. A man in his fifties, dressed in a military uniform with the rank of a general on his shoulder—a Vice Admiral from the Jiangzhou Military Region, Wu Chongshan—stepped down from the jeep.
"Mr. Qu," Wu Chongshan approached Qu Donglin, greeting him respectfully, then his gaze shifted to Lin Mo, his eyes filled with even more respect.
Qu Donglin nodded, noticing Wu Chongshan's look and said in a serious tone, "General Wu, today this fellow has trespassed the Qu Family gates and killed several of my people in front of me. Your knowing him will be no use if you do."
Wu Chongshan's expression turned solemn, his eyes glancing over the male and female bodies on the ground with a sigh before saying, "Old Master Qu, might I have a word with you aside?"
Qu Donglin stepped aside slightly, and Wu Chongshan spoke earnestly, "No disrespect to you, Mr. Qu, but this Mr. Lin's identity is no simple matter—he...is the Chief Instructor of the Sky Group!"
"What?" Qu Donglin was stunned for a moment, disbelief etched on his face, "Are you telling the truth?"
Wu Chongshan nodded gravely, "The Dragon Emperor personally instructed that you must not harm him."
"How is that possible, who exactly is he?" Qu Donglin was dumbfounded; he had only thought Lin Mo was personally powerful, but now the implications of Wu Chongshan's words were clear.
While Qu Donglin was momentarily taken aback,
Lin Mo's gaze was sharp like a knife, emitting a cold light. With a casual wave of his hand, a Wind Blade split Qu Huaxu in two: "Everyone involved in pressuring Die Mo Pharmaceutical has to die."
After speaking, Lin Mo's palm danced, and several Wind Blades swept out, leaving eight more people from the Qu Family collapsed. Eleven people lay dead on the ground.
Qu Donglin, standing aside, couldn't help but close his eyes. As the head of the Qu Family, it was natural to put the interests of the clan first. He regretted not investigating Lin Mo's background thoroughly.
The slightest branch like Qu Huaxu's line was nothing but an offshoot of the Qu Family; presented with the bigger picture, Qu Donglin could only choose to forsake Qu Huaxu's line.
"Grandfather," Qu Lianyan, seeing Lin Mo cut down people as if he were harvesting rice, turned pale. As a Heavenly Beauty full of pride, she felt horrified and chilled to the bone.
As Lin Mo had said, anyone wanting to harm his people would shake with fear.
The surrounding tycoons all felt a chill up their spine. One man came to the Qu Family's home, killed dozens, and forced the Qu Family to submit; such terror!
The cold look in Lin Mo's eyes filled everyone with shock and fear.
Qu Donglin exhaled deeply, seeming to age decades in a moment, "Lianyan, take me to the car."
"So this is what they call 'the past is like smoke'!" Lin Mo had cut down more than thirty members of the Qu Family. Then, hands clasped behind his back, his expression indifferent, he walked towards the exit, calmly speaking.