Chapter 159 — Section 161: Standoff [Second Update]

"This is the place!" Suo Guang, who knew Black Mountain City better than anyone, pointed at the Gu family compound, ablaze with lanterns and decorations, bustling with festive clamor.

The others all wore smiles steeped in mockery.

"Tsk, tsk. Looks like the little girl is really someone special—this is the setup for a grand occasion. Old Man Yu will be overjoyed when he sees such splendor." Gong Yixiu chuckled. "If we go and wreck Old Man Yu's party like this, d'you think the old man might get so angry he can't catch his breath and keels over dead?"

A smile surfaced on Yan Xia's face too, but his eyes only grew colder: "Old Wu, go knock on the door!"

Wu Nan grinned darkly and started forward. His mountain-like frame instantly drew the attention of everyone present.

"Hey! Who are you?"

"What do you think you're doing! This is the Gu family!"

...

A chorus of furious shouts pelted Wu Nan's ears. He answered with a contemptuous smirk. Before the Gu family's front gate he suddenly sank his waist, planted his stance, twisted his fist, and charged!

A mass of pitch-black fist radiance burst from his knuckles!

Like a meteor plummeting from the heavens, it slammed into the Gu family's gate.

The vermilion gate, its fresh coat of red lacquer barely dry, exploded into splinters in an instant. Fierce energy spilled in every direction, and the shockwave raged unchecked. The Gu family guards nearby were swept off their feet and sent flying.

Screams and curses erupted at once.

"Who dares make trouble at the Gu family!" Mu Lei's figure appeared in the gateway.

"Out of my way!" Wu Nan wasted no words, hurling another punch.

Mu Lei's eyes flashed hard, and without hesitation he threw a punch of his own. The two fist blasts collided with no finesse whatsoever. Mu Lei felt an astonishing force surge through him, as though a heavy hammer had struck his chest; he spat a mouthful of blood and was smashed into the courtyard.

"Uncle Mu!" Gu Xue cried out in utter panic.

Wu Nan laughed uproariously, his voice dripping with scorn and contempt: "So much for the famed Mu Lei of Skyblue. Nothing but talk!"

The four of them swaggered into the Gu family compound.

Mu Lei lay on the ground, face ashen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, forcing himself up. At the sight of him, Gu Xue nearly burst into tears. She knew this was no time to cry. Gritting her teeth, she turned and said loudly, "Yan Xia! What is the meaning of this? Does the Steward Corps think it can barge into my Gu family at will?"

"The meaning?" Gong Yixiu gave a light laugh. "We were merely paying our respects. Who'd have guessed that the illustrious Gu family couldn't even keep its front gate standing?"

Yan Xia couldn't be bothered with words: "Hand over Tang Tang."

Gu Xue's face went white in an instant. Only now did she suddenly understand—Yan Xia and his people had come for A-Tian!

A-Tian, whatever you do, don't come out...

"They're not here!" Gu Xue forced herself to stay calm and shook her head. "They left days ago!"

Yan Xia's expression darkened abruptly: "Search!"

"Hold it!" An aged voice suddenly sounded behind the group. White hair, white brows, a ruddy complexion, a steady gait, and an air of dignity that commanded respect without anger. The companions who had come with him took one look at the wreckage of the Gu family gate, and every face turned grim.

Gu Xue could scarcely believe her eyes, and joy surged through her: "Elder Yu!"

Wu Nan and the others' expressions shifted slightly. Only Yan Xia remained unruffled: "I didn't expect Elder Yu to arrive so quickly as well."

"Indeed. Had I not come quickly, I fear not a single tile of the Gu family would be left standing." Elder Yu's face darkened, his wrath almost tangible. Everyone around felt their bodies tighten, a pressure settling over them.

Yan Xia said coolly: "Is Elder Yu perhaps intending to obstruct my Steward Corps in the execution of its duties?"

Elder Yu was no less seasoned; at this he gave a cold snort: "We came here today precisely to observe how your esteemed Steward Corps carries out its duties."

Yan Xia said, "Oh?" Then: "Go search out those three stewards."

Wu Nan and the other two had barely moved when three figures flew out from behind Elder Yu and appeared before them. Wu Nan knew all three—Li Xin, Lu Qing, and Ji Tian, masters whose names shook the region.

Yan Xia's face sank, and a killing intent, almost tangible, erupted from him. Everyone present paled.

"You want to cross blows with me?"

Not a trace of fear showed in Elder Yu's eyes, and his aura gave not an inch: "Today this old man will stake his withered life if he must, but he will not let the Gu family suffer such humiliation again! Since when does the Steward Corps have the authority to barge into another's home and search it? Absurd beyond words!"

The killing intent around Yan Xia vanished without a trace, as though nothing had happened at all. He laughed softly: "It seems Elder Yu has gravely misunderstood us. Since that is so, we shall wait until the Steward arrives before speaking further."

With that, he turned to Gu Xue: "Miss Gu, we prefer a quieter courtyard. My subordinate was somewhat rash just now and struck too hard, injuring your servant. Most regrettable. Hm—here is compensation for the medicine."

He flicked a finger, and a star-coin card embedded itself in the ground beside Mu Lei.

Gu Xue's face was pale as she stared at Yan Xia, her eyes full of chill.

"Very good. I trust Steward Xu will give this old man an explanation!" Seeing Yan Xia back down, Elder Yu felt rather pleased with himself.

Gu Xue breathed a small sigh of relief. She was well aware that Elder Yu had motives of his own, but to her it mattered only that with Elder Yu and his people here, Yan Xia and the rest would not dare act recklessly.

Yet something struck her as odd—A-Tian and the others had not come out.

That was unlike them!

Given A-Tian's and Ling Yan's tempers, they would have charged out without a second thought.

She decided to go check on them in a little while. Surely nothing had happened to them.

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Tang Tang set the little girl down from his back and pulled the silk scarf out of her mouth.

"I want water!" The little girl showed not a shred of fear, saying it with perfect nonchalance.

Tang Tang was a little surprised. He fetched her water, and she gulped down several mouthfuls before stopping. Then, somewhat displeased, she said, "Hey, hurry up and untie me!"

The girl was about seven or eight, golden-haired and black-eyed, delicate and adorable, like a doll. There was no trace of terror or fear on her face—rather, a hint of excitement.

"Why should I untie you?" Tang Tang was baffled. "A captive ought to have a captive's sense of her position!"

"Do you know who I am?" The girl lifted her chin and said to Tang Tang with a face full of pride.

"Of course I know."

The gorilla before her nodded.

That made the girl smug: "Then you know, and you still won't untie me! Just you wait till I..."

"You're a captive."

To the girl's horror, the gorilla stuffed the silk scarf right back into her mouth. She struggled with all her might, but could only produce muffled whimpers.

"A captive ought to have a captive's sense of her position." Tang Tang thought the girl's head really wasn't right. Hm, even he—if he were taken captive—would never say anything so foolish.

The girl thrashed desperately in Tang Tang's grip. Though her strength was negligible to Tang Tang, he still found her a nuisance that would hinder his movements.

Without another word, he found several tough old vines and wound them around the girl's body, little by little.

Moments later, everything below the girl's head was bound tight in old vines, like a straight vine post. She could not move, nor even bend her body.

The girl's eyes fairly spat fire.

If looks could kill, Tang Tang would have died countless times over by now.