Chapter 6

In the small courtyard of the Su family, a young boy dressed in servant's clothing, with a slender and small build and slightly yellowish skin, was anxiously pacing back and forth at the gate. This young boy was Liu Gouer, a servant of the Su family.

The Su family had been stripped of their main lineage status, and many of the servants assigned by the main family had left. Only a few servants remained to serve the Su family, and Liu Gouer was one of them.

Liu Gouer would occasionally look up into the distance, his eyes filled with anxiety, and mumble, "Why hasn't Young Master come back yet?"

Suddenly, Liu Gouer's eyes lit up, and he rushed to Su Han's side, shouting anxiously, "Young Master, it's bad! It's bad! The Zhao family has come to propose a marriage!"

Su Han was taken aback. He grabbed Liu Gouer, his voice filled with anxiety, "What did you say? The Zhao family has come to propose a marriage?"

Liu Gouer shouted anxiously, "Yes! Master and Miss have been summoned to the main family. You must hurry, or it will be too late!!!"

Zhao Jun was notorious in Xiyuan Town for his despicable behavior. He was a well-known playboy, a regular visitor to brothels, and had even committed the heinous act of gang-raping young girls. If not for the Zhao family's immense power in Xiyuan Town, he would have been imprisoned long ago. If Luo Nianxiang were to marry such a person as a concubine, her life would be ruined.

Su Han's eyes turned bloodshot. He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and channeled his inner strength, dashing towards the main family's residence like a galloping horse.

Liu Gouer watched Su Han's rapidly retreating figure, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes: "Hasn't Young Master's dantian been damaged, making it impossible for him to practice? How can he still run so fast?"

In the main hall of the Su family, the family head, Su Yan, sat at the highest position. Below him were his three legitimate sons, Su Yang, Su Bai, and Su He, born to his wife, as well as the second strongest person in the Su family, Su Hong.

Below them were the six illegitimate sons born to Su Yan's concubines: Su Mingqiang, Su Jin, Su Bao, Su Yuan, Su Li, and Su Mo, who had been stripped of their main lineage status, along with some younger members of the family.

On the right side of the hall sat two people. One was a young man dressed in a brocade robe, holding a folding fan, with a handsome face, slightly dark eye circles, and a hint of malevolence in his eyes, and a white jade folding fan in his hand. The other was an old man dressed in a gray robe, with a robust build, sharp eyes, prominent temples, and white hair, exuding a terrifying aura.

The handsome young man was Zhao Jun, the legitimate son of the Zhao family in Xiyuan Town. The old man with white hair and a terrifying aura was one of the Zhao family's retainers, Gui Zha Zhu Xiong, a master at the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm.

The Zhao family in Xiyuan Town was the first family in the town, with three masters at the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm. They also had official backing, as the town mayor, Zhao Jiang, was the head of the Zhao family. Moreover, it was rumored that the Zhao family had connections with high-ranking officials in the Da Yan Dynasty, making them a deeply rooted and powerful family.

Zhao Jun's lawlessness and tyranny in Xiyuan Town were possible because of the Zhao family's backing.

Su Yan, the head of the Su family, came from humble beginnings. During his travels, he fortuitously obtained a third-grade lower-class cultivation method, the Three Yang Technique, and after countless dangers, he eventually reached the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm. He relied on his powerful strength and wisdom to establish a foothold in Xiyuan Town.

Although the Su family had established a foothold in Xiyuan Town, the Zhao family remained a formidable presence that the Su family found difficult to resist.

Gui Zha Zhu Xiong was not only a master at the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm but also a disciple of the martial arts grandmaster Zhu Tianba of Qingyang County. Zhu Tianba was a disciple of Xiangshan Jingzhai, a holy place of human martial arts, and had significant influence and power in Qingyang County and even the entire Da Yan Dynasty, far beyond what a family like the Su family could contend with.

Out of respect for the martial arts grandmaster Zhu Tianba, the Su family could not afford to be disrespectful to Zhu Xiong.

The Su family had few girls, but the few they had were all exceptionally beautiful and charming. Among them, Luo Nianxiang was the most outstanding and beautiful.

Zhao Jun's gaze, like that of a venomous snake, swept rudely over the faces and bodies of the Su family girls, finally landing on Luo Nianxiang, his eyes gleaming with greedy lust.

Luo Nianxiang seemed to sense Zhao Jun's evil gaze, her eyes flashing with fear, and her delicate body shrank back slightly.

Zhao Jun's gaze moved from Luo Nianxiang's body to Zhu Xiong beside him.

Zhu Xiong understood and looked directly at Su Yan, smiling faintly, his words carrying a domineering tone: "Head of the Su family, I am here on the orders of our family head to propose a marriage. Our young master, Zhao Jun, is willing to take your daughter, Luo Nianxiang, as a concubine. Please accept this proposal."

Upon hearing this, the Su family members' faces changed dramatically, and the younger generation glared angrily at Zhu Xiong.

Luo Nianxiang's face turned pale, devoid of any color.

The older generation of the Su family also looked displeased.

What was a concubine? Taking a concubine was essentially selling a daughter under a more pleasant name. In wealthy families, the status of a concubine was low, even lower than a favored dancer. Her children would be illegitimate and discriminated against. In the Da Yan Dynasty, it was a custom for nobles to exchange concubines as gifts, treating them like toys with no status. Even ordinary people with a sense of pride would not willingly marry their daughters as concubines.

Although the Su family was not a wealthy family, they were still respected in Xiyuan Town. Marrying their daughter as a concubine would be a great disgrace.

"Take a concubine?"

The family head, Su Yan, sitting in the main seat, his eyes flashed with a cold killing intent. The vast true qi of the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm surged, and a terrifying aura rose.

The younger generation of the Su family was oppressed by this aura, their breathing momentarily halted.

Once one reached the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm, their six senses became clear, their body agile, they could walk on snow without leaving a trace, and see in the dark. Their inner strength was continuous and inexhaustible. In the Da Yan Dynasty, they were top-tier experts, and many generals were of this level, capable of fighting a hundred men, with a tangible aura.

Feeling the overwhelming aura emitted by Su Yan, Zhu Xiong's eyes narrowed, and a similarly powerful aura of the Seventh Level of the Afterbirth Qi Realm rose from his body, countering Su Yan's aura.

The two powerful auras spread throughout the hall. Although Zhu Xiong was a beginner at the Qi Realm, his aura, while unable to match Su Yan's, protected him and Zhao Jun.

"That's right, taking a concubine. Su Yan, your family, the Su family, has offended the Yongsheng Marquis, committing a grave sin. Only our Zhao family can save you in all of Xiyuan Town. Marry Luo Nianxiang to me as a concubine, and hand over seventy percent of your assets in Xiyuan Town to our Zhao family. After the marriage, our Zhao family will naturally protect your Su family." Zhao Jun's cold eyes swept over Su Yan, sitting in the main seat, and he laughed coldly, threatening without restraint, "If you don't agree, your Su family will be our Zhao family's enemy. Offending the Yongsheng Marquis and our Zhao family, your Su family will not have a good end. A woman compared to a family, Su Yan, I believe you can weigh the importance."

Hearing Zhao Jun's arrogant and impolite threats, many young members of the Su family were so angry that their bodies trembled, their eyes filled with rage.

However, many of the older generation of the Su family, while angry, also showed a hint of worry in their eyes. In recent days, the Su family had been under pressure from the Zhao family, living in great difficulty, and had been forced to sell several properties. If this continued, the Su family would quickly decline.

Without economic power, the experts the Su family had recruited would leave one by one, and when they were weak, they might even be directly eliminated by the Zhao family.

Hearing Zhao Jun's arrogant threats, Su Yan's eyes flashed with anger, but he frowned slightly, his face expressionless, as if deep in thought.

Su Mingqiang suddenly stood up and smiled, "Father, I think Zhao Jun's proposal is excellent. Zhao Jun has an excellent family background, character, and martial arts. It would be a blessing for Nianxiang to marry him."

As soon as Su Mingqiang finished speaking, Su Yuan also chimed in, "That's right, Father. Zhao Jun is highly skilled in martial arts and has a charming personality. He and Nianxiang are a perfect match. It would be a blessing for her to marry him."

Su Xin, Su Yuan's son, suddenly turned pale with anger, "Father, you..."

Su Yuan's face darkened, and he coldly shouted, "Shut up!"

Su Xin could only remain silent, though unwillingly.

Hearing Su Mingqiang and Su Yuan's words, Luo Nianxiang's face turned pale, her body trembling, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

The older generation of the Su family glanced at Luo Nianxiang, their eyes filled with a hint of shame, but they did not dare to contradict Su Mingqiang and Su Yuan's words. They all understood the current situation. If the Zhao family joined forces with other forces to pressure the Su family, the Su family would continue to decline rapidly and eventually be destroyed. Although they all disliked Zhao Jun's arrogance and tyranny, they were powerless to do anything.

Although many of the younger generation of the Su family were very angry, they could only helplessly watch everything unfold.

"I will not agree!"