The lakeside was rather cold and damp. The cool air pervaded the area, but Qin Yun was focused on his Sword Dao.
During that battle fifteen years ago, Xiahou Zhen felt deep regret after he saw Qin Yun slice open the void. He regretted the time he wasted cultivating his body and was determined to abandon everything in order to place all his efforts on his Saber Dao. Qin Yun was inspired too. He made the firm decision to start from the beginning! He wanted to form a new Sword Dao with his thirteen Paramount realms as the foundation.
It was very difficult.
Qin Yun had spent the past fifteen years gradually forming a nascent Sword Dao. Furthermore, it was turning increasingly clear in his heart.
Every day, he might have appeared to be teaching his son swordplay or meditating by the lake but in fact, he was in constant preparation! He was waiting for the instant everything automatically culminated.
"Almost there."
"Almost there."
Qin Yun could sense that his second stepping into the Dao was approaching.
"Oh? Something happened with the Saber and Sword Duo?" Qin Yun was alarmed. "Both of them are Earth roll experts. Yet they are requesting help? None of the three kingdoms are willing to offend me. Now, which person on the Heaven or God roll is foolish enough to threaten my son?"
Qin Yun placed great importance on anything that involved his son.
Sou!
In an instant, a stream of light flashed through the night sky. He headed straight for Cloud Gathering Restaurant.
He traversed kilometers in an instant. When the Cloud Gathering Restaurant entered Qin Yun's Dao domain, he immediately saw everything clearly.
"From the looks of it, there are no Heaven or God roll experts." Qin Yun instantly determined this, however he still frowned. "Why did Huan'er vomit blood? From the way his eyes look, something isn't right. He looks to have fallen into a trance. His two female soulmates… Why is the one named Tantai Yun standing beside another youth?"
Qin Yun's Dao domain probed the situation and immediately gave him enough to guess.
"Did he encounter a setback in love?"
Swoosh.
Qin Yun flew at an astonishing speed. Within seconds, he arrived at Cloud Gathering Restaurant.
"What happened?"
"There was a fight."
"Who would dare cause trouble in Cloud Gathering Restaurant?"
Cloud Gathering Restaurant was in turmoil at that moment. As Meng Huan and the six experts fought before the Saber and Sword Duo arrived, it caused Cloud Gathering Restaurant's windows and corridor to be in shambles. Most of the damaged items had fallen into the streets outside.
"I'm trying to enjoy my alcohol. Who's causing trouble!?" A half-drunk man dressed in flowery robes had flushed red cheeks. He stumbled up to to the third floor of Cloud Gathering Restaurant where the fight had happened. He was followed by a bunch of lackeys as he continued grumbling and cursing. By the side, a manager from Cloud Gathering Restaurant immediately apologized, "Third Lord, Third Lord, it's just something trivial."
"It's none of your business. I was just having a good time with a beauty when this noisy disturbance happened below." The flowery-dressed man went on a tirade. His subordinates immediately held back the manager.
The manager was aggrieved. "Woe is me. There was fighting on the third floor, and now this Third Lord is making a scene. I wonder what could go wrong next."
In business, one strove to reduce major issues into minor ones.
Among the guests that Cloud Gathering Restaurant was entertaining today, the person that enjoyed the highest status was this flowery-dressed man! Although Cloud Gathering Restaurant had sufficiently strong backing, they did not dare provoke him. It could be said that he was practically free to do as he pleased in Sovereign Capital. No matter who it was, they would fear him.
"Oh?" The man's eyes suddenly widened despite his drunken stupor, for he saw Qin Yun reach the third floor before approaching the scene.
"Did I see wrong?" The flowery-dressed man widened his eyes as he instantly snapped out of his stupor.
"Hey."
The man rushed forward, completely aware now. He even gave a sycophantic smile, "Brother-in-law. Why are you here?"
"Shut your mouth." Qin Yun sharply but softly remarked with a frown.
"Yes, yes." The man immediately shut up as he obediently followed at Qin Yun's side. He looked like an obedient dog but with a very smug grin.
As for the man's lackeys, they were astounded.
Back when Gong Yan'er met Qin Yun with their child in tow, she wished that Qin Yun would take her family out of Centaurea Valley. However, many members of the Gong family coveted Centaurea Valley's wealth. Only Gong Yan'er's father, younger brother, and a few other family members chose to stay in Sovereign Capital.
The flowery dressed man was Gong Yan'er's younger brother, Gong Peng. He was addressed as Third Lord Gong in Sovereign Capital.
His brother-in-law was Frost Sword Meng Yiqiu, ranked first on the God roll. He naturally could do as he pleased.
"He addressed him as brother-in-law?"
"Master's brother-in-law? Isn't that…"
All the lackeys held their breaths in nervousness. They followed obediently from behind. Even the Cloud Gathering Restaurant's manager was stuttering from the shock. "A hole through the heavens!" He immediately rushed down the stairs to inform his boss.
Everyone who had powerful backing in Sovereign Capital knew that the one entity they could not offend in the entire city was actually not the imperial palace! Instead, it was the area beside Emerald Jade Lake. That place was the residence of the number one figure on the God roll, Frost Sword Meng Yiqiu, who struck fear in the three kingdoms and all factions! Powerful and wealthy families prohibited their subordinates from approaching Emerald Jade Lake, afraid that they would offend him!
The black-robed middle-aged man, Ouyang Quan, and his son were horrified. Even the wealthy elder beside them was extremely vexed. "Why I was so foolish to invite Ouyang Quan here? Now, that the Saber and Sword Duo have given the order, none of us can leave."
He was annoyed.
The Ouyang father-and-son duo was more horrified and remorseful.
"Why did I come when Old Man Tong invited me here? If I didn't come here, I wouldn't have gotten into this big trouble. And that Tantai Yun is a trouble-making vixen!" Ouyang Quan's heart was palpitating. "What background does that man have to have two experts on the Earth roll protecting him and addressing him politely as young lord? I hope he will spare my Ouyang family on account of my daughter."
"Xiao Huan, are you better?" Zhong Lin was distraught with worry.
"Sister Zhong, I'm fine." Meng Huan rubbed off the blood from the corner of his lips. However, he looked pale and in terrible shape, as though he was still in a trance.
Zhong Lin looked at the Saber and Sword Duo who were standing to the side. The Heaven, Earth, and Man rolls were sold publicly. To adventure in the world, Zhong Lin had naturally read through all three of them. She had retained detailed information and was naturally able to recognize the two of them. "Saber and Sword Duo. They are Earth roll experts! What background does Xiao Huan have to have Earth roll experts as guards?"
And on the other side.
Tantai Yun, who was standing by the colorful robed man's side, fell silent. She was no longer trying to explain herself. Instead, she was watching everything in front of her in a daze.
"Young Lord? Isn't that the Saber and Sword Duo? Why did they address Brother Huan young lord?" Tantai Yun was confused.
At that moment—
A man in ordinary robes walked over from behind. A flowery-dressed man followed him obediently.
"Huan'er." Qin Yun looked at Meng Huan.
"Master."
The Saber and Sword Duo bowed respectfully.
When Meng Huan saw Qin Yun, he became more reserved. "Dad."
Not that far away, the Ouyang father-and-son duo had pale, distraught faces. Their Ouyang family was powerful so they naturally recognized the simply-dressed man. And with Third Lord Gong standing obediently behind him, it was enough to prove who he was.
"Let me take a look." Qin Yun extended his hand to grab his son's wrist. A wisp of Quintessential Essence seeped in as Qin Yun began probing his body.
"This will be troublesome."
Qin Yun had an excellent understanding of a body's control. "This is not an injury inflicted by combat. Instead, it's an internal injury caused by a broken heart."
A broken heart could not be mended with medicine.
An injury from a broken heart had a wide range of repercussions. A minor one was a simple setback. After a few days of sadness, one would gradually forget the matter. If it was major, it was possible to even die from love. As for his son, he was more introverted! Tantai Yun was apparently his son's first love interest.
"This is quite troublesome," thought Qin Yun.
"Your name is Zhong Lin, am I right?" Qin Yun smiled at Zhong Lin who was standing to the side.
"Yes, Greetings Uncle, I'm Zhong Lin." Zhong Lin immediately bowed.
Qin Yun smiled and nodded. "I have a presumptuous request."
"Uncle, please speak," said Zhong Lin.
"Can you come to my household and stay by Huan'er's side for a few days?" requested Qin Yun. Zhong Lin was also one of his son's romantic interests! It might mend his son's broken heart if she accompanied him.
Zhong Lin was somewhat embarrassed, but she was delighted deep down. As she had always liked Meng Huan, she immediately answered, "I naturally have to accompany him now that he is injured."
"Sister Zhong." Meng Huan could not help but try to speak out.
"Alright." Qin Yun shouted with a frown. "Look at your present state. Return home."
With that said, he turned to leave with Meng Huan and Zhong Lin.
The saber-user of the Saber and Sword Duo said immediately, "Lord, that Ouyang Quan over there said to capture young lord and feed him to the dogs. He even wanted to bring Miss Zhong back and imprison her."
The Ouyang father-and-son duo, who were already shuddering in fear and hoping that Qin Yun would leave soon, fell into a daze when they heard that. Ouyang Quan even swayed and fell to the ground. The man in colorful robes beside him hurriedly held his father up.
Qin Yun shot a glance at the father-and-son duo.
Capture and feed him to the dogs?
"Gong Peng." Qin Yun spoke. "I'll leave the Ouyang family to you."
At the same time, he sent a voice transmission as an exhortation. "As for Tantai Yun, don't touch her." He decided to leave his son's affairs of the heart alone.
"Yes, yes. I understand." Gong Peng answered immediately.
"Okay."
Qin Yun nodded and departed with the rest.
Swoosh.
Soon, Qin Yun, with Meng Huan and Zhong Lin, as well as the Saber and Sword Duo directly transformed into streams of light that streaked across the sky, returning to the Meng household.
"Third Master Gong. Spare me! Spare me!"
"Third Master Gong, please spare us on account of my sister."
The Ouyang duo was begging for mercy.
Ouyang Quan's eldest daughter had married into the imperial palace. She was the most beloved consort of the reigning King Chu. It strongly uplifted Ouyang Quan's power.
"Begging for mercy?" Third Lord Gong was incensed. "How dare you? You even bullied my nephew. Do you know what status my nephew holds? Even I have to kiss up to him. I'm telling you this, Ouyang Quan. No one in this world can save you! No one!"
The Ouyang father-and-son duo was horrified.
Tantai Yun, who was to the side, did not know Meng Yiqiu by looks alone. However, she knew Third Lord Gong. "Third Lord Gong's nephew. Two Earth roll experts as guards. Could Brother Huan's father be…" The color in Tantai Yun's face drained.
"You are doomed! Ouyang Quan, you are doomed! I have to think of a way to deal with you. How shall I avenge my nephew?" Third Lord Gong had received Qin Yun's instructions and was filled with confidence. "You can request for help as much as you want now. Anyone would do. I want to see who would come to your rescue."
Third Lord Gong was usually pugnacious but he was forced to hold back. After all, he knew his brother-in-law abhorred evil acts.
Now, with Qin Yun's orders, he naturally felt like he was given free reign to let loose. Now, he could show all of Sovereign Capital how powerful he was!
"You dare bully my brother-in-law? You even wanted to feed my nephew to the dogs? Hmph!" Third Lord Gong stroked his chin as his eyes were filled with coldness.
Zhong Lin streaked across the sky with Meng Huan, Qin Yun and the Saber and Sword Duo.
As it was the night sky and they were flying very fast, Zhong Lin had no way to discern her surroundings.
"We are flying so fast. Who is Xiao Huan's father?" Zhong Lin could not help but speculate. "Is he the sect master of a particular top sect? Is he the leader of some huge faction?"