Just as Yang Chongren had settled on a plan, the steward, Yang Quan, came rushing in again.

"Patriarch, this is bad! The Qian Family is causing trouble at our doorstep!" Yang Quan gasped, shouting with a sob in his voice. "They brought a group of trained fighters, stormed our main shop on Jin Yu Street, and are smashing everything in sight! They’re... they’re also shouting in the street that our Yang Family’s silk clothes are shoddy goods, mixed with rotten hemp to cheat the common folk!"

"Bastards!"

Yang Chongren was livid, slamming a palm down on the pearwood table and sending the teacups rattling.

He hadn’t expected the Qian Family to be so brazen. ’They’re determined to play hardball!’

"Father!"

Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps approached. Hearing the commotion in the main hall, the two Yang sisters had cast aside their ladylike decorum and rushed over.

Yang Zhen was in the lead. Seeing her father’s face flushed red and his chest heaving violently, she quickly stepped forward. Though her voice was urgent, it was not frantic. "Father, please calm down! The Qian Family is making their move now; this must have been premeditated. They just want to see us fall into chaos. At a time like this, you must remain steady. You are the backbone of the Yang Family!"

Hearing his eldest daughter’s gentle and calm voice, the raging fire in Yang Chongren’s heart subsided slightly. He took the tea his second daughter, Yang Ai, handed him and gulped it down. The cool liquid running down his throat helped him regain a shred of his senses.

"Zhenzhen is right... We can’t lose our heads." Yang Chongren took a deep breath, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. "For the Qian Family to dare make a move in broad daylight, they must have some sort of backing."

He turned to Yang Quan, who was still kneeling on the floor, and ordered in a deep voice, "Yang Quan, take all the guards and hurry to the Celestial Essence Martial Arts Hall to find Yang Gang! Tell him to ask his martial brothers from the hall for help. Even if he has to hire people, he must go to Jin Yu Street and get the situation under control!"

"Father, I’ll go too!"

Yang Ai stepped forward. Today, she wore a practical martial arts uniform with fitted sleeves and a red silk sash at her waist. Though she had not yet reached the Martial Artist Realm, she radiated a heroic spirit that would put any man to shame.

"My brother and I will go to Jin Yu Street and keep things stable!"

Looking at his second daughter’s determined eyes, Yang Chongren felt a bit of relief and nodded firmly. "Good! Remember to protect yourselves. If the situation becomes untenable, retreat!"

"Yes!" Without another word, Yang Ai hauled Yang Quan up from the floor and stormed out of the hall like a whirlwind.

Watching his younger daughter leave, Yang Chongren turned to his eldest with a grave expression. "Zhenzhen, I’ve given it some thought. The Qian Family is acting with such fanfare because they’ve calculated that in a direct conflict, the Yang Family’s martial strength is lacking. Therefore, I must go ask the old Shopkeeper of the Brocade Workshop to step in, control the situation, and ensure things are ultimately settled according to the rules!"

A glint appeared in Yang Zhen’s lovely eyes, and she blurted out, "The arena duel rules?"

"Exactly! It’s the rule in Black Stone City. Once a dispute over interests between two families becomes irreconcilable, if someone steps in to mediate, it’s ultimately settled by an arena duel!"

As he said this, Yang Chongren’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed somewhat, and a powerful wave of relief washed over him.

’Thank goodness I planned ahead and recruited two Martial Artist Tributors. Especially Su Yu, who managed to break through to the First Acupoint and place in the top five of the Martial Examination. His strength is not to be underestimated.’

’The Qian Family’s two Tributors are both below the First Acupoint. I originally recruited our forces to match their Tributors, but now, thanks to Su Yu’s unexpected breakthrough, we actually have the upper hand.’

’If it comes down to an arena duel, the Yang Family can turn this disadvantage into an advantage!’

However, getting a Tributor to fight in an arena duel was no easy task.

"Zhen’Er, the situation is urgent, and Su Yu is crucial. I want you to go invite him over personally. If we can get him to take charge for us, we can likely resolve this crisis. Whatever he asks for, fulfill his requests as best you can..." Yang Chongren said, looking at his eldest daughter with some hesitation.

"Father, I’ll go invite Brother Su myself!" Yang Zhen replied, gritting her teeth. ’I know what Father means. He’s telling me to get Su Yu to come, no matter the cost.’

"Then you should go. I will handle Wang Nianshen and the old Shopkeeper. Let’s gather directly at the shop."

Knowing the priorities, Yang Zhen lifted her skirt and hurried toward the entrance.

...

Drunken Dream Tower. This was one of the city’s houses of pleasure.

Yang Ai grabbed her younger brother Yang Gang by the ear, scolding him in exasperation, "Our family is about to be crushed under the Qian Family’s boot! Just a moment ago, they brought people to smash our shop on Jin Yu Street, and you still have the nerve to be here carousing?"

"What?"

Yang Gang, who had been pleading for mercy a moment ago, froze. A vicious glint instantly ignited in his eyes.

He snatched the long saber from a guard’s waist, veins bulging on his neck as he roared, "Those bastards from the Qian Family? They dare to take a crap on this young master’s head? It looks like they’ve got a death wish!"

"Follow me! This young master is going to hack them to pieces! How dare they touch the Yang Family’s property? This is an outrage!"

"You’re finally showing some backbone. I’m going with you. Let’s go, quickly!"

Seeing that her brother, despite being a good-for-nothing, was fiercely protective of his own, the worried frown on Yang Ai’s face finally eased a bit.

...

「Su Mansion, Martial Arts Arena.」

"Hooo—"

Su Yu slowly relaxed his stance. The muscles of his bare upper body were sharply defined, each one seemingly brimming with explosive power. As he exhaled a long breath, a white mist of steam rose from his skin—a sign that his Qi and Blood were circulating at their peak.

"Sir, Young Lady Yang Zhen has arrived. She looks very anxious," Li Da reported, walking swiftly into the courtyard.

"Let her in."

Su Yu casually lifted a bucket of ice-cold water that had just been drawn from the well.

"SPLASH!"

The water cascaded down, pouring over his searing-hot skin and washing away his sweat.

Lifting her skirt, Yang Zhen hurried into the courtyard just in time to witness this scene.

She saw the young man’s back, as resilient and defined as carved jade, and the primal beauty of the water droplets tracing the valleys between his muscles.

When Yang Zhen remembered the purpose of her visit, a deep blush instantly colored her pretty cheeks, and her heart began to pound. She quickly lowered her head, suppressing her shyness and the fluttering in her chest, and hurried forward. "B-Brother Su, something’s happened at home. The Qian Family is fighting us over business, and the situation has escalated. I’ve come to ask you to intervene."

As he put on his shirt, Su Yu asked, "The Qian Family? The one in the silk business? Do they have any other tricks up their sleeve? How many Tributors do they have, and at what level of strength?"

Su Yu didn’t agree at once, instead asking several key questions in succession.

Yang Zhen struggled to keep her voice steady, hiding nothing. "Yes, that’s them. The Qian Family has held a grudge against us for a long time, and they came prepared. Father speculates that it will likely have to be settled with an arena duel, according to the rules."

"As for their Tributors... they are said to have two Martial Artists, both below the First Acupoint. But the Qian Family is being so aggressive, I suspect they have some other ace up their sleeve. Brother Su, if you agree to intervene, the Yang Family will definitely make you a satisfactory offer."

After speaking, Yang Zhen bit her lip and threw herself into Su Yu’s arms.

Instantly, the soft, ample curves of her bosom pressed against Su Yu’s chest without reservation.

Yang Zhen looked up at Su Yu, her eyes filled with alluring charm. "Brother Su, this arena duel will decide the life and death of the Yang Family. You must help. If you’re willing to fight for us, Zhen’Er is willing to..."

Su Yu looked down at the beauty in his arms. ’This is the first time I’ve ever seen Yang Zhen look so alluring.’ Paired with her flushed, pretty face, she was a temptation that made him want to lean down and steal a taste.

But Su Yu did not take advantage of her vulnerability. He raised a finger and pressed it to her rosy lips, stopping her from saying any more.

"Leave it to me."

Su Yu gently pushed her away, walked to the side to pick up Mo Yuan, and fastened it to his waist. His expression was placid. "Let’s go."

’The Qian Family is just a minor clan, and their Tributors are below the First Acupoint. They pose no threat to me whatsoever.’

’Even if the Qian Family has an ace up their sleeve, it would be a First Acupoint Martial Artist at best. And as a First Acupoint cultivator myself, I wonder if there’s anyone in the entire Outer City of Black Stone City who could even give me a proper fight!’

’As for using this opportunity to demand more from the Yang Family or to take advantage of Yang Zhen, the thought had never even crossed his mind.’

’I’m simply upholding our agreement: take their money, solve their problems. It’s as simple as that.’

A trace of her alluring charm still lingered in Yang Zhen’s eyes. As she gazed at Su Yu’s tall, straight back, she suddenly understood. ’Brother Su isn’t the kind of person who takes advantage of a crisis. He has his own principles and acts according to his own convictions.’

Thinking about how she had just tried to seduce him, she was overcome with a wave of shame, yet also a strange, new feeling. She couldn’t help but rub her pale legs together.

"Let’s go," Su Yu said calmly, turning back when he saw Yang Zhen still standing there in a daze.

Yang Zhen snapped back to reality. ’Right, they’re waiting anxiously over there.’

"Okay, Brother Su!"

A brilliant smile bloomed on her face as she ran to catch up with him.

In that moment, her heart was filled with a sweet sense of calm.

’Brother Su is such a good person. With him around, everything will be okay!’