Xu Ningbing glanced toward the higher ground where Ye Chen stood, then turned back to the large tree in front of her and released her Hidden Force.
Bang!
The tree shook violently, and countless leaves scattered and drifted around her.
"A person isn't like a tree — people hit back," Ye Chen said coolly as he looked in her direction.
In his eyes, a beautiful woman's foremost trait was size. The more prominent her features, the better.
If a woman's natural assets were average, what difference was there between her and a man?
"Dragon King, that seems to be Xu Ningbing," Xiao Ran said softly from behind him. "I saw her before when I was investigating the Xu family."
"Xu Mu's sister?"
Ye Chen paused, then smiled faintly.
This woman might be worth approaching.
As he spoke, he walked down the slope from the highway.
"Fighting a person and fighting an object are two completely different concepts," Ye Chen said evenly. "It's like hitting a sandbag — you could punch for an hour and not tire, but get in the ring with a real opponent, and within minutes you're gasping for air."
Xu Ningbing stopped and turned toward him.
"Come on! Attack me. I'll give you some pointers," Ye Chen said, extending a hand toward her.
Xu Ningbing's expression was cold. Without saying a word, she brushed past him and jogged up toward the road, leaving him behind.
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, then looked at her retreating back, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. "An interesting woman."
Xu Mu, meanwhile, was fully at peace with himself — the balance of yin and yang within him was steady.
That night, Ye Tong didn't fall asleep right away. She kept thinking about what Ye Yu had said.
On reflection, Ye Yu's words made sense.
They were supposed to be family — siblings. Yet Ye Chen had deliberately played the big shot, sending his subordinate to welcome them instead of coming himself.
He'd done it to make a point — that his status now was higher than theirs.
And then, before leaving, he'd stopped Xu Mu and told him to divorce her. She had to ask him about that next time they met.
Hopefully, Ye Chen had some other explanation. Otherwise, Ye Tong wouldn't forgive him.
"Honey," Ye Tong said softly, leaning against Xu Mu, "Ye Chen's changed. He wasn't like this before."
"People always change," Xu Mu murmured. "Especially when their identity and status do."
"Go to sleep. Don't dwell on it."
Ye Tong nodded gently.
The next morning, Xu Mu woke up early as usual. After washing up, he saw Ye Tong still in bed.
He gave her a playful pat on the peach of her hip and smiled before heading downstairs.
Just as he sat on the sofa, his phone rang.
He checked it — it was a call from Xu Shou.
"What's up?" Xu Mu asked with a grin.
"Two things," came Xu Shou's voice. "First, tomorrow is Nangong Ping's seventy-fifth birthday — the head of the Nangong family. I received an invitation last night. We'll go together tomorrow.
Second, our Yang Energy Pill goes on sale today."
"I'll head to the office later. Let's talk in person," Xu Mu said. Some matters were best discussed face-to-face.
"Alright." Xu Shou hung up.
"Good morning, brother-in-law!"
Ye Yu came downstairs, smiling brightly.
[Favorability +10]
"Morning," Xu Mu replied. "You seem cheerful today."
"Yesterday, Ye Chen made me furious," Ye Yu said with a laugh. "But I've decided not to care. From now on, I'll just stay away from him."
She sat down on the sofa, still smiling.
Ye Tong appeared soon after, intending to say something, but swallowed her words.
As the elder sister, she couldn't just ignore Ye Chen — she'd talk to him again later and sort things out.
After breakfast, they all went their separate ways.
Xu Mu drove to the company.
At the elevator in the underground parking lot, he spotted Xu Ningbing.
As usual, she was… impressive.
He held the elevator door open for her. "Morning, sis."
"Morning."
She glanced at him. "Find some time to spar with me. I'm not progressing fast enough training alone."
Xu Mu nodded. "Sure, but my time's valuable. No reward, no motivation."
Xu Ningbing elbowed him lightly. "What do you want now? Trying to relive your childhood again?"
"Exactly," Xu Mu said, nodding seriously. "I'm just trying to preserve my childlike innocence."
"Shameless," she said, pouting slightly, though her face reddened.
[Favorability +5]
Xu Mu shook his head with a smile. Xu Ningbing was the perfect example of someone whose mouth said one thing while her heart said another.
They entered Xu Shou's office together. Xu Shou was sitting in his executive chair, cigarette in hand, facing the window.
Hearing them come in, he turned his chair around.
"What did you want to talk about?" he asked with a smile.
"The Nangong family's birthday banquet — I think we shouldn't go," Xu Mu said, taking a seat on the sofa.
"Why not?"
Xu Shou took a puff of his cigarette, exhaling smoke. "They went out of their way to invite us. If we don't go, it looks disrespectful."
"Someone's hired assassins — top ten on the Death List. They plan to attack us at the Nangong estate."
Xu Mu's tone was calm. "It's Dai Dongyang from the Dai family. The one who paid is Chai Wang."
Both Xu Shou's and Xu Ningbing's faces turned serious.
"Xiao Mu, how did you find out?" Xu Ningbing asked, sitting beside him.
"I investigated. It's absolutely true."
Xu Mu leaned back on the sofa.
"Dad, maybe we shouldn't go. I think the Nangong family invited us for a reason — and not a good one," Xu Ningbing said earnestly.
"I have to go," Xu Shou replied with a faint smile. "When a hidden clan holds a birthday banquet, other hidden families attend too. It's a rare chance to build connections.
Don't worry — even if it's a Death List assassin, I can still get out in one piece."
"Alright, just be careful," Xu Mu said.
He planned to bring extra support — people like Meng Wanyue, Dai Xingluo, and Jiang Huihui.
All of them were strong; if a fight broke out, they'd stand with him.
Then another thought struck him — Chen Xuan.
He decided to invite that protagonist too — let the heroes fight each other.
Recently, the Xu Group's weight-loss drug had been trending nonstop online.
And when they launched their next product — the Yang Energy Pill — the results exploded even further.
It sold out instantly.
At the Chai residence.
Chai Wang sat on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.
A well-maintained woman in her forties entered, carrying a gift box — his wife, Wang Wen.
She'd once been a second-tier celebrity before marrying him.
"Honey, this is the new Yang Energy Pill from the Xu Group," she said cheerfully. "I bought a box from a scalper at a high price just for you."
Chai Wang's face darkened instantly. "What's the meaning of this? The Xu family is our enemy — why would you buy their stuff?"
He glared at her. "And what Yang Energy Pill? Do I look like I need that kind of thing?"
Wang Wen lowered her head, not daring to reply.
Even Viagra couldn't help his broken body, and he still had the nerve to act proud.
"Master! I got them for you! Three full boxes!"
Just then, the Chai family's butler rushed in carrying three more gift boxes.
Wang Wen was stunned. Didn't he just say he didn't need them?