Cheng Chuan's grip on the guard tightened until his knuckles turned white and the veins on the back of his hand stood out like coiling snakes. He very nearly killed the man with a single palm.
"Patriarch, calm down, please! The family rules say that in a crisis one must stay composed and never fall into disarray!" The first elder stepped up and pleaded anxiously. "We don't know the situation yet. You need him to explain it all clearly."
"Who killed Shou'er? Was it someone from the Liu Family?" Cheng Chuan flung the guard to the floor and roared.
"It... it was the outsiders staying with the Liu Family," the guard stammered, trembling.
"What about Cheng Kun? Wasn't he guarding him? Now tell me the whole story, and tell it clearly!"
"Elder Cheng Kun... he... he also died. According to the report, the Young Master coveted the other party's beauty and was killed for it. As for the other men... your subordinate is not clear on that..."
The guard repeated what had been relayed to him. Every member of the Cheng Family who had been at the scene was dead. The news had come back through the family's scouts, so the details were hazy.
Bang!
Cheng Chuan struck the guard across the face. The blow was so powerful that the man flew through the air and crashed into a shelf at the side of the Council Hall, bringing the whole shelf down.
"You know nothing! What use is it to feed a pack of useless fools like you?"
The fury on Cheng Chuan's face was almost beyond control. Shou'er was his only son, his hope, and he had doted on him all his life.
He turned, his crimson eyes falling on First Elder, who stood to one side.
First Elder's heart lurched under that gaze. He can't know that I went to find Cheng Shou, can he? And I never expected the boy to be so lecherous that he would run out that very night, before I had even made any arrangements.
"First Elder, have the identities of those four been confirmed?" Cheng Chuan's voice reached his ears.
Hearing that it was only this question, First Elder's expression eased slightly. As long as Cheng Chuan did not know he had sent Cheng Shou out, all was well. Otherwise the Patriarch might truly strike him down with a palm.
"Patriarch, we have found some information. The man and Liu Qing both came from Jia Nan Academy, according to the latest news. The man seems not to belong to any major power, and the two little girls are his daughters. We have found nothing about the woman, but of the four, the man is clearly the central figure."
At First Elder's words, Cheng Chuan's eyes flickered. Those who chose to attend Jia Nan Academy were generally not from major powers. Though the Academy's dean had a great reputation, the major powers all had their own systems of training.
A fierce killing intent flashed in his eyes, and he roared at the elders in the hall. "Gather everyone at once! I want that little beast to beg for death and be unable to die!"
"Yes!" No one in the hall dared object. They were afraid the Patriarch would use them as a sacrifice.
First Elder wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Then Cheng Chuan's voice came again. "First Elder, I heard you went to find Shou'er earlier?"
First Elder's body stiffened. He turned and said, "I only ran into him by chance and exchanged a few words."
Cheng Chuan nodded slightly. "Hm. You may go. Anyone who has not arrived within a minute will be treated as a traitor to the clan!"
When everyone had gone, Cheng Chuan stood silently in the center of the hall, his aura growing heavier and more oppressive by the moment.
Inside the Liu Family manor, all the core members of the family had gathered.
"Father, we must hurry to help Xiao Tian. Cheng Shou is dead, and knowing Cheng Chuan's temper, he will never let this go. We have to go at once. And given what Xiao Tian has done before, he might even wipe out the entire Cheng Family. We would be glad to see the Cheng Family destroyed, but if Xiao Tian takes action, he will surely clash with Burning Flame Valley."
Liu Qing said it in a low, heavy voice as he looked at his father, Liu Shan.
The Liu Family and the Cheng Family were both vassals of Burning Flame Valley. If the Liu Family destroyed the Cheng Family, it would be no more than an internal feud, and the Valley would not interfere. But if Xiao Tian destroyed the Cheng Family, it would be like slapping Burning Flame Valley in the face, and the Valley would hunt him down. Xiao Tian was already a Dou Zun, but the Valley's reputation had long been engraved in their hearts.
"What the Young Master says is reasonable. But would it not make us enemies of the Cheng Family for good?" a Liu Family elder said, stepping forward.
"The Cheng Family and ours have always been at each other's throats. Are you afraid of them? When has the Liu Family ever feared trouble?" Liu Qing looked straight at the elder.
"Enough. No more arguing. There's no time to lose, so let's go. At worst, we will give up some of our share of Tianhuang City's resources to the Cheng Family."
Liu Shan cut off the quarrel and made the final decision.
He had weighed it carefully. In his view, this was an investment that could not fail. On the surface, the Liu Family stood to lose a great deal. But besides Xiao Tian's great kindness to the family, Xiao Tian's potential alone was enough to make the risk worth taking. A Dou Zun in his twenties, given enough time, might one day be more than a match for Burning Flame Valley. When that day came, the Liu Family's standing would rise through its tie to Xiao Tian, and what it lost now would be recovered many times over.
Seeing that the Patriarch had decided, the other elders said nothing more and nodded gravely.
"Then let's go now. Fifth Elder, gather the family's experts and bring them here as quickly as you can. We may face a hard fight today."
"Yes, Patriarch!" Fifth Elder turned and hurried out.
Liu Shan glanced at the sky outside and led the way toward where Xiao Tian and the others were. Liu Qing and the Liu Family elders followed closely behind.
But as they walked out of the manor, another group came toward them, bristling with menace.
"Liu Shan, hand over the murderer who killed my son! Otherwise I will make the blood of your Liu Family flow like a river!"
It was Cheng Chuan, leading the Cheng Family. His eyes were crimson, and he spoke to Liu Shan in an icy voice.
"Old Cheng, calm down first. We are deeply sorry about what happened to your son, and we offer you our condolences. Everything can be discussed. For this matter, the Liu Family is willing to give you half of our shops and markets in the north of Tianhuang City as compensation."
Liu Shan came down to the ground and looked at the red-eyed Cheng Chuan before him.
Cheng Chuan heard him out and glared at him through clenched teeth. "Nonsense! I have only this one son, the future heir of the Cheng Family!"