The Revenge of the Reborn Supreme Sovereign

Chapter 623: Chapter 593: Raising a Tiger, Inviting Trouble? (1)

Contact Hua Xiaotian!

The moment Wang Anshi uttered those words, several elders widened their eyes, a shock of disbelief instantly surfacing on their faces.

"Old Wang, what do you mean by this?" the elder closest to Wang Anshi exclaimed.

Are they planning to move against Qin Fan?

"We’ve been indulging him ever since the incident with the Qin family!" The corners of Wang Anshi’s eyes twitched wildly as he spoke, clenching his teeth. "But he has provoked our bottom line time and time again. First, he exterminated the Du Family. We turned a blind eye to that, telling ourselves they were just merchants. Then came the Qiao Family—more than twenty people, young and old, all buried alive in rubble—and we tolerated that too! After all, he wasn’t acting openly, so we could still choose to deceive ourselves. But now, he has slaughtered the Bo Family for all the world to see, using such lawless methods to intimidate the entirety of Jinling. If we continue to ignore this, it will be inexcusable! Yes, this is a difficult decision, one that may even lead to mutual destruction, but we no longer have a choice! He grows more audacious with each passing incident. Who can guarantee this will be the last time? The situation has escalated; we’re now nurturing a tiger that threatens to devour us!"

If only it were possible, he wouldn’t have wanted the situation to devolve to this point. If only it were possible, he would have hoped for Qin Fan to take a broader view toward maintaining stability and become the leader of the Guardian Institute. If only... but alas, there were no ’if onlies’.

Qin Fan had repeatedly declined the Guardian Institute’s invitations. Time and again, he had brazenly trampled the law in his quest for vengeance! Such outrageous audacity unquestionably brought the hidden threat out into the open, forcing them to consider a response. They could tolerate Qin Fan’s recklessness, but they could not accept this brand of lawlessness. The brazen massacre of the Bo Family had exceeded their expectations and became the catalyst for this decision.

"Old Wang, you must reconsider!" another elder urged. "If we tear down all pretenses now, the consequences could be unimaginable! Even Master Hua has to give Qin Fan a wide berth. One can only imagine the catastrophe we’d face if a monster like that were to go on a rampage!"

Was Wang Anshi making sense? Yes. Did they want to eliminate the threat posed by Qin Fan? Yes. But they had to consider the consequences of doing so, the potential for disaster and the far-reaching impact it could have.

"It is precisely because I have considered this from every angle that I want to contact Hua Xiaotian," Wang Anshi declared. "I know removing this thorn in our side won’t be accomplished overnight. Before we do anything, we need to gauge the true extent of Qin Fan’s power and then formulate a long-term plan. As it stands, Hua Xiaotian is the only one who truly understands his strength. Summon him."

With that, Wang Anshi stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, took a deep breath, and walked out of the office.

It was a sleepless night not only for the forbidden grounds of Beijing but even more so for Jinling, a thousand miles away.

The events in the compound, the manner of Bo Qiudong’s death, and Qin Fan’s terrifying threat swept out from that epicenter like a hurricane, engulfing all of Jinling the moment he departed.

Some rejoiced while others mourned. Those who had been at odds with the Bo Family, or had even been oppressed by their influence, were just short of popping champagne to celebrate. As for those allied with the Bo Family, while feeling a chill of self-preservation—the fox grieving for the dead rabbit—they were also terrified. With the Bo Family fallen, where would those who had been tied to their ship turn now? How would they deal with the enemies they had made while relying on the Bo Family’s backing?

Jinling was in chaos. It wasn’t just the balance of power that was in turmoil, but people’s hearts as well. Amid the upheaval, everyone knew one thing: after today, Qin Fan’s status in Jinling was now supreme. And the Chang Family, with Chang Yuanyi’s influence, had surely risen to a position second only to one!

Lost in a haze of envy and jealousy, the old patriarch of the Chang Family, who had just drifted off to sleep, was jolted awake by Qin Fan’s intimidating roar. From that moment on, sleep was impossible, and his face was etched with worry. Not long ago, he had dismissed Chang Haisheng’s concerns as excessive. Now, he had been proven wrong. He had originally assumed Qin Fan would simply make the Bo Family vanish without a trace, never imagining he would end the feud in such a fashion. Without a doubt, this had absolutely crossed the line.

"Patriarch, has he gone mad?" Chang Haisheng asked from the living room sofa, his voice trembling as he looked at the old patriarch.

The old patriarch didn’t reply at first, his eyelids twitching. Mad? He thought so too.

After a moment, he shook his head and said in a heavy, aged voice, "Be it a blessing or a curse, it is all ultimately a matter of fate. Even though only Yuan Yi is connected to Qin Fan, by now all of Jinling, and perhaps all of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, must believe the Chang Family is tied to him. Whether he’s truly mad or has his own designs, the Chang Family has no path of retreat."

"Then what should we do?" Chang Haisheng asked, his throat tight with anxiety.

"Let things take their natural course," the old patriarch sighed, his brow furrowed.

"Let things take their natural course?" Chang Haisheng could hardly believe the answer.

"Is there any other choice? Yuan Yi is Yuan Yi, and the Chang Family is the Chang Family. Yuan Yi borrows Qin Fan’s power, while our family borrows Yuan Yi’s! I know no one will believe this distinction, but as long as we stand by that fundamental truth, our family can hold its head high, even if the worst comes to pass. So for now, our situation isn’t too dire. During this transitional period, all we can do is let events unfold and pray. Pray that Qin Fan isn’t just acting on a furious impulse for a woman’s sake, but that he truly possesses absolute confidence." The old patriarch’s brow slowly unfurrowed as he sighed out the words.

"If Qin Fan falls... what will become of the Chang Family?" At the patriarch’s words, Chang Haisheng asked a question so sensitive that even he couldn’t stop himself from trembling in fear.

"In this circle," the patriarch said with heartfelt sincerity, "there is never a shortage of replacements."

With that, his stooped, elderly frame rose shakily and made its way back to the bedroom, leaving Chang Haisheng utterly frozen.

At midnight in Jinling, amidst the intellectual chess games of its various magnates, the first snow of winter began to fall. The sky that had been pouring rain just hours before was now, strangely, filled with fluttering snowflakes.

「On the way back to the Jinling Grand Hotel.」

Watching the snowflakes land on his clothes, Qin Fan couldn’t help but look up at the sky. He mused aloud, "Is this a sign that a new Chapter is beginning?"

With that, his hands in his pockets, his silhouette stretched long beneath the streetlights as he walked away.

Yes, a new beginning. After tonight, he knew the tolerance certain people had for him had reached its limit—and was likely shattered. But so what? He dared to act this way precisely because he feared nothing. Timidity and hesitation were not the way of the Heavenly Venerate!