About an hour later, the chaotic fighting stopped. The leader of the martial arts alliance had his sword at the neck of the leader of the Lian Shan Sect, who knelt on one knee, motionless. Finally, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his posture identical to that of his daughter when she was defeated by Wu Caiwei. Truly father and daughter.
There was no need for anyone to judge this battle to know who had won or lost. The leader of the Lian Shan Sect had practiced diligently for years, never daring to slacken, hoping one day to defeat his opponent. He hadn't expected that when the opportunity arose, he would fail to seize it. Whether he had gained some unexpected advantage over the years, or his opponent had trained even harder, the outcome was not what he desired.
"You have long been far behind me. Don't ever speak of our martial arts being evenly matched again," the martial arts alliance leader said dismissively.
The leader of the Lian Shan Sect clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. Never before had he felt so humiliated.
The bloody storm in the martial world came to an end with a single match. Even the martial arts alliance leader was no match for his opponent. As for themselves, they were mere minnows and shrimp, only able to retreat and return home.
While some left in disgrace, others harbored resentment. The leader of the Lian Shan Sect was particularly bitter. Thinking of all his humiliation, which began with the rumors fabricated by the Shangguan family, he was determined not to let them off the hook. He couldn't deal with those two powerful figures, but couldn't he still teach their subordinates a lesson?
However, they had their limits. After all, the Shangguan family were officials of the court, and they didn't want to make an enemy of the government. Thus, for a period, whenever a male member of the Shangguan family went out, he would be severely beaten. When they woke up, they found themselves thrown at the gates of the Shangguan residence. Old Master Shangguan's first thought was of Shangguan Ke, so he sent people to monitor the Wu family. Yet, everyone clearly saw the couple doing business at the Wu family's shop, while their Shangguan family members continued to suffer external attacks. Unable to find the culprits, they could only report it to the authorities.
When one does too much, there are bound to be slip-ups. Upon learning that the perpetrators were martial artists, Old Master Shangguan's expression was indescribably complex, filled with a sense of wanting to cry but having no tears.
Their original plan had been well-laid: martial artists would go and attack the couple. Yes, the two had recently held a low-key wedding and officially become husband and wife. If Old Master Shangguan were to say it, it wasn't a wedding at all; there were no elders present, only the servants of the manor celebrating. They hung up red decorations, and it was no different from eloping. But he was getting sidetracked. Returning to reality, he couldn't understand why these martial artists were targeting him when the couple was doing fine.
The best method was to bribe a martial artist and inquire about the rumors in the jianghu. After this inquiry, Old Master Shangguan and his advisors were astonished. They never expected the martial arts of the couple to be so formidable, even making the martial arts alliance leader feel inferior and become their friend.
While Old Master Shangguan felt some apprehension, he also felt regret. If he had known earlier that Shangguan Ke's martial arts had reached such a level of perfection, he would never have fallen out with him. With him around, the Shangguan family would surely have reached new heights.
It was now too late to say anything more. Shangguan Ke's gaze towards him was filled with hatred, intertwined with the death of his mother. He didn't believe he could reconcile with him. Old Master Shangguan was not a fool. Having survived in the imperial court for so many years and outwitted enemy forces, he was both wise and courageous. It was just that Shangguan Ke had exceeded his control, making him somewhat embarrassed and easily provoked.
Now that he knew the opponent far exceeded his expectations, he was determined to ignore them. If they couldn't be provoked, couldn't they be avoided? He just didn't know if Shangguan Ke would retaliate.
It seemed that his previous attack on him had been merciful. With such profound martial arts, he was still alive, and for that, he should be grateful.
Sometimes, it's a matter of perspective and mindset. With this thought, Old Master Shangguan's attitude towards Shangguan Ke immediately shifted. Recalling how Shangguan Ke had looked when he first met him, standing calmly to the side, not speaking unless addressed, his mother would have called him honest and kind. Now, it seemed like he was steady and composed.
Part of the reason for his rebellion back then was his own doing; he had pushed him too hard. Talented people always had strong personalities. If he had gone along with him, he would still be the young master of the Shangguan family. Sudan Novels Network.
Unfortunately, he awoke too late. However, it wasn't sustainable for the martial artists to continue like this. His family members, without being told, were afraid to leave the house. It was fortunate that the opponents were currently showing restraint, and at least their lives were safe. If they were to attack with deadly force, they would likely be buried in the ground. Moreover, the enemy was in the dark, and they were in the light. Even Shangguan Hui wasn't causing trouble.
These martial artists had initially intended to teach them a lesson to vent their anger. They hadn't expected them to be so timid, not even leaving their homes. They decided to take the initiative.
That night, both masters and servants of the Shangguan family slept unusually soundly, not even hearing the unusual noises outside. The next day, as the sun rose high in the sky, everyone slowly woke up. However, upon seeing their master's appearance, they let out terrified screams.
Qian Han looked at them in confusion, impatiently asking, "What is it? Why all the fuss?"
"Your hair..." One of the maids pointed at her, unable to speak for a long time.
Upon hearing this, Qian Han's heart sank. She quickly went to the mirror and, seeing herself, couldn't help but scream. At some point, her head had been split in two; one side was completely bald, while the other side's hair was perfectly fine. What was she to do? How could she face anyone?
The same scene unfolded in every corner of the Shangguan residence. The male masters of the Shangguan family were a bit better off; their hair was intact. What pained them even more was that the family's gold and silver treasures had disappeared. A previous fire had already caused the Shangguan family immense losses, and this time it had driven them to the brink. Apart from selling land and houses, they couldn't think of any other way to maintain the manor's expenses.
Old Master Shangguan felt like a mute eating bitter herbs, unable to voice his suffering. The other masters of the Shangguan family were unaware of this secret and wore thick cloths wrapped around their heads. They came before Old Master Shangguan to ask for a solution, saying they couldn't always hide like this. People were bullying them in their own home, even bullying them to their faces. If they continued to be shrinking violets, they might not survive the next encounter.
"Bear with it for a while longer. I will think of a way. Judging by their series of actions, they do not intend to kill us. Everyone, do not worry," Old Master Shangguan said, comforting them as he looked at their anxious expressions.