Chapter 71

Damn, are you haunting me? Not giving up until you get what you want?

Zhang Yuanqing gritted his teeth inwardly, feeling helpless, but he wore a polite and gentle smile on his face:

"Mr. Xiahous, is there anything else?"

Xiahou Xin sat upright, slightly tilting his head, and looked at Zhang Yuanqing by the roadside, speaking gently:

"In the Public Security Bureau, there were some things we couldn't discuss openly. If you are willing to help us lure out Wang Qian, I will give you a tool as a token of gratitude. Additionally, the Xiahou family has some influence in the Five Elements Alliance. With our help, your promising future is assured."

Xiahou Tianyuan, who was sitting next to him, leaned lazily in the leather seat, playing with his phone, no longer as arrogant and irritable as he was in the office.

Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment before realizing that the father and son had only made demands without offering anything in return in the Public Security Bureau, clearly not intending to negotiate there.

Was it because Guan Ya and Li Dongze were present that they only probed? Now, by proposing to exchange a tool, they want to create a contrast and surprise me, he muttered to himself.

"Mr. Xiahou, don't put me, a mere nobody, in a difficult position. The attitude of the squad leader is my attitude. I can't afford to offend the Zisha Palace." Zhang Yuanqing politely declined.

Xiahou Xin's gaze remained unchanged as he slowly said:

"Two!"

Truly a 'Scholar' family, so wealthy, Zhang Yuanqing thought. The Xiahou family's profession is 'Scholar,' and high-level Scholars control the skill of crafting tools, much like blacksmiths in a game.

Although the creation of a tool is limited by materials and skills, making the cost enormous, the Xiahou family, with their control over the forging skill, has an unparalleled advantage over other forces.

This is why they can stand firm and extend their roots into the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance.

"Sorry!"

Zhang Yuanqing shook his head and pushed his bicycle, intending to leave.

In the next moment, the wheels seemed to be stuck by something. He looked down and saw green vines emerging from the ground, wrapping around the wheels like chains.

Xiahou Xin said calmly, "Tianyuan, take his phone."

Xiahou Tianyuan smirked, opened the car door, and placed a mesmerizing crystal ball on the roof.

Instantly, Zhang Yuanqing felt an invisible membrane enveloping the surroundings, distorting the vehicles and pedestrians outside, and blocking out external sounds.

His face changed slightly: "You—"

This is too overbearing.

Xiahou Tianyuan licked his lips and walked over slowly, saying with a sneer:

"Lord Yuanshi, I heard you've cleared two S-level spirit realms and are hailed as a genius by the official walkers. Coincidentally, I have a small stomach and can't tolerate others, especially geniuses."

As he spoke, his shoes burst into flames, and he charged over like an arrow trailing afterimages.

Too fast, Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly crossed his arms to block in front of his chest.

*Slap, slap, slap* The fierce kicks, like whips, struck Zhang Yuanqing's arms, turning his sleeves to ashes and leaving burn marks on his forearms.

Level 3? Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank. After blocking the first wave of fierce attacks, he immediately used Night Walk to enter stealth.

His figure vanished instantly, as if erased.

Xiahou Tianyuan stood proudly, his feet ablaze, like he was riding the Wind and Fire Wheels, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.

Suddenly, he saw the left side of the 'barrier' being hit hard, rippling like water.

Xiahou Tianyuan dashed over, using his left foot as an axis and sweeping his right leg. With a *whoosh* through the air, he kicked out a figure.

It was Zhang Yuanqing.

Xiahou Tianyuan grabbed a dark golden handcuff from his inventory and threw it.

*Click* The handcuff attached to Zhang Yuanqing's ankle and locked automatically.

Seeing this, Xiahou Tianyuan smirked, but in the next moment, Zhang Yuanqing's body shattered like a broken reflection and disappeared.

Illusion!

*Bang!*

Xiahou Tianyuan immediately heard a cracking sound and saw a figure outlined not far away, stomping the phone to pieces.

Seeing this, Xiahou Tianyuan's brows furrowed.

This damn kid, rather than compromise with the Xiahou family, he would rather do this?

Zhang Yuanqing exhaled, his expressionless face saying:

"If this continues, it will be a fight to the death."

Feeling the scorching heat from the flames under his feet, Xiahou Tianyuan's temper flared more than usual: "You're asking for it!"

"Enough!" Xiahou Xin, in the car, glanced at the shattered phone and said calmly, "Tianyuan, come back."

He gazed deeply at Zhang Yuanqing and apologized, "My son is combative, please don't take it personally."

Xiahou Tianyuan's forehead veins bulged. After a struggle, he suppressed his burning emotions and extinguished the flames on his shoes.

He instantly returned to his lazy posture, a stark contrast to his previous fiery state.

"Not bad, tough skin, beating you was quite satisfying."

Xiahou Tianyuan sneered, returned to the black car, retrieved the crystal ball from the roof, and got in.

The black car sped away, merging into the traffic. Xiahou Tianyuan stuck his head out the window and made a throat-slitting gesture at the kid behind.

"Dad, this kid is pretty strong, a talent," he said lazily, lying on the leather seat, "When did a low-level person dare to defy the Xiahou family? Tsk, tsk, such a hard bone, breaking it will be satisfying."

"You can use family connections to suppress him and play with him within the rules, but don't do anything stupid. He has merits." Xiahou Xin said calmly.

The young man has merits. A little trouble is fine, but if he is injured or killed, the White Tiger Army won't let it go.

Killing an official walker with merits is like declaring war on the Five Elements Alliance, a much more serious matter than involving ordinary people.

So, when the young man crushed the phone, Xiahou Xin called it off.

"I understand!" Xiahou Tianyuan's smile was cold.

"Focus on the other members of the Zisha Palace," Xiahou Xin's face was grim, "That woman has extracted too many secrets from your elder brother. She can't be left alive. This time, we must eliminate her no matter what."

Xiahou Tianyuan complained, "Elder brother is a waste, he can't move when he sees a woman. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be so passive."

At this moment, Xiahou Xin noticed blood on his son's ankle and frowned:

"Are you injured?"

Xiahou Tianyuan was taken aback, looked down, and saw that his ankle was scratched.

"It's nothing, a minor issue." He said indifferently.

"The Xiahou family is too overbearing, just for a Wang Qian, they go to such lengths? People might think I have a secret affair with the Zisha Palace leader."

Zhang Yuanqing watched the black car disappear from his sight,收回目光，忍不住抱怨。

He looked down at the vicious burn marks on his forearm, and his face darkened.

No matter how overbearing the Xiahou family is, they wouldn't dare kill him unless they want to declare war on the Five Elements Alliance. If a member with merits dies at the hands of a spirit realm family, the Five Elements Alliance will make the Xiahou family pay in blood, no matter how strong their connections are.

Otherwise, how can they maintain their authority? What would the lower and middle-level official walkers think?

So, Zhang Yuanqing decisively destroyed his phone to end the conflict.

But that doesn't mean the matter is over.

The Xiahou family is too overbearing, first trying to lure him with benefits, and then resorting to force when that failed.

If he didn't have merits and was just a regular low-level member, would the Xiahou family have stopped at just that?

Even with his merits, given the style of the Xiahou father and son, they would likely continue to find ways to strike back.

Zhang Yuanqing took out a tissue, wiped the blood from his fingernails, carefully folded it, and put it in his pocket, muttering to himself:

"There won't be a next time."

PS: I'm working on the detailed outline for the subsequent content, so this chapter is a bit shorter.