Chapter 240: Chapter 114: Incident (4)
Sun Yong took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently. "They’ve gone too far!"
He whirled around to face the three behind him and said in a low voice, "There’s nothing for you to do here. Go back to the Martial Arts Hall and practice your forms. Don’t slack off."
"Yes, Master," Yang Jing and the other two replied in unison.
Sun Yong said no more. He turned and strode out of the room, his back straight, radiating a biting rage like a sharp sword about to be unsheathed.
The room fell silent once more, leaving only Lin Yue’s faint breathing and the soft sounds of Zhang Dong packing his medical kit.
Yang Jing and the other two exchanged a look, each seeing the complex emotions reflected in the others’ eyes. This storm, it seemed, was only just beginning.
...
「Inner City, Li Family Mansion.」
The study was pleasantly warm. The silver thread charcoal in the brazier burned brightly, its glow lending an extra air of might to the Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain Painting on the wall.
Li Haitao, Patriarch of the Li Family, sat upright in a Grandmaster’s Chair. Beside him, Li Mengchao stood by the window, gazing at the snow-covered courtyard. His tone carried a distinct chill. "Father, we just received word. Sun Yong has taken Lin Yue back to Jishi Medical Hall. No matter how good Zhang Dong’s medical skills are, he won’t be able to reattach his tendons or repair his major acupoints. The most he can hope for is to be bedridden for the rest of his life."
’He had acted personally last night, and with great precision. He had completely destroyed Lin Yue’s ability to practice martial arts while still leaving him alive, just as his father wanted.’
Li Haitao nodded and said lightly, "Well done."
Li Mengchao turned around, a hint of confusion on his brow. "Father, since we were going to act, why not just kill him? That would have been the end of it."
’In his view, when dealing with an enemy, one should cut them down, root and stem.’
Li Haitao looked up at his son and shook his head. "You’re still too young; you don’t understand how to weigh the pros and cons. That old fellow, Sun Yong, is no ordinary Huajin Powerhouse. He has connections in the Prefecture City. If we push things to the extreme, we’re bound to attract trouble."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Powerful as the Li Family is, it’s not worth making a mortal enemy of Sun Yong over someone like Lin Yue. Killing him would have been like grinding Sun Yong’s face into the mud; he would have gone berserk. However, by only crippling him, we’ve still slapped his face, but we’ve given him an out. After all, Lin Yue refused to learn his lesson, repeatedly meddling in the affairs of the Six Great Families and cozying up to the Xiao Family. Sun Yong can’t fault our reasoning for acting. By sparing his life, we’ve shown restraint. No matter how furious Sun Yong gets, he’ll have to think twice before doing anything."
Li Mengchao’s brow furrowed, clearly unconvinced by his father’s cautious approach. "Surely a single Sun Yong isn’t enough to make our Li Family wary? The next time I enter seclusion, I will definitely break through to the Huajin realm. Then, our family will have three Huajin Powerhouses. Why would we still need to fear him?"
Though his last attempt to break through had not been a complete success, he had touched the threshold of the Huajin realm, reaching the Cultivation of a Half-Step Huajin.
Ordinary Hidden Strength masters were no match for him, and he could even hold his own for a time against a true Huajin Powerhouse.
’He was fully confident that his next seclusion would be a success, and when that time came...’
Li Haitao saw the sharp ambition in his son’s eyes and gave a noncommittal smile. "It’s not about being afraid; it’s about it being unnecessary. If we truly had a falling out, dealing with Sun Yong wouldn’t be hard, but the Li Family would suffer losses in the process. The gains wouldn’t outweigh the cost."
His fingers tapped on the armrest. "The most important thing right now is your breakthrough. Don’t waste your energy on these trivial matters."
Though still somewhat unconvinced, Li Mengchao knew his father had his reasons, so he said no more.
Just then, there was a soft knock on the study door.
"Come in," Li Haitao called out.
The door pushed open and the butler, Li Fu, hurried in, his expression grave. "Patriarch, outside... Sun Yong is here."
"What?"
Both Li Haitao and Li Mengchao frowned, the composure on their faces vanishing instantly, replaced by a solemn gravity.
’He came so quickly?’
