Chapter 43. Three days from now, I will be waiting for him at the Hong residence!

Three days from now, I will be waiting for him at the Hong family estate!

Beijiang. Within the Hong family villa.

Yu Qing sat at the head of the table, while the father-son duo, Hong Yuan and Hong Ming, along with Qin Tian, stood respectfully to the side.

Yu Qing’s expression was indifferent. "You mean to say that Xue An is currently not in Beijiang?"

Hong Ming rushed to reply, "That is correct! I have already sent people to investigate; he has been gone from Beijiang for two days now!"

"Do you know where he went?" Yu Qing asked coolly.

"This... I am not entirely sure," Hong Ming admitted.

"That little slut Qin Yu must know!" Qin Tian suddenly said, grinding his teeth.

Qin Tian’s situation was currently miserable. Not only had he been expelled from the Longtai Group by Qin Yuan, but all his savings had been frozen. Seeing him fall from the peak, his wife had also packed her bags and left. He lived in constant fear, like a stray dog.

It wasn't until that day, while he was sitting disconsolately in a dilapidated rented room, that Yu Qing had sought him out. At first, Qin Tian hadn't taken Yu Qing seriously, but he soon discovered that this man, who appeared to be only in his thirties, was terrifyingly powerful. Only then did Qin Tian learn that this man was the junior brother of Liu Shou, and he had come to Beijiang to investigate the cause of Liu Shou's death. Overjoyed, Qin Tian had led Yu Qing straight to the Hong family.

Hearing Qin Tian’s words, Yu Qing nodded slightly. "Very well. Where can I find Qin Yu?"

"She goes to the Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall every day!"

The Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall was the largest of its kind in Beijiang. Tan Dong, who presided over it, was a martial arts master with a modest reputation nationwide. As the heiress of the Longtai Group, Qin Yu held a prestigious status and naturally did not train with the common disciples. She practiced in a small courtyard at the very back of the hall, receiving personal instruction from Tan Dong.

Today, Qin Yu was practicing with single-minded focus. Tan Dong watched from the side, feeling a sense of admiration. Ever since the auction, this young lady of the Qin family had seemed stimulated by something, coming to the hall to train frantically every single day. Her progress was rapid; she had already mastered the "Roaming Dragon Palm" to a decent level.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted outside, and a disciple rushed in breathlessly. "Master, someone is challenging the school!"

Challenging the school. Such a thing had not happened at the Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall for a very long time. However, Tan Dong remained calm and nodded. "Understood, I will head over immediately..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the courtyard gate shattered, and several of Tan Dong's best disciples were sent flying inward by a single punch. Tan Dong’s expression changed instantly. Some of these disciples had been training for a decade and possessed skills second only to his own, yet they had been blasted away by a single blow. Who was this expert, and how could they be so formidable?

While he was filled with shock and suspicion, a man with an ordinary appearance but an aura as steady as an abyss or a mountain peak walked in slowly.

The man was, naturally, Yu Qing. He had been ordered by his master, the Heaven-Pointing Elder Lei Ling, to descend the mountain and investigate the death of his senior brother, Liu Shou. Upon arriving in Beijiang, he discovered that the killer was an unknown commoner who was not even in the city. To avenge his senior brother as quickly as possible, he hadn't bothered with formalities and had simply stormed the Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall. The disciples who tried to block his path could not withstand even a single punch.

Yu Qing scanned the people in the courtyard indifferently, then nodded slightly at Qin Yu. "You must be the young lady of the Qin family. May I ask where Xue An is?"

So he had come for Xue An. Qin Yu’s heart jumped into her throat. This man was clearly no ordinary person; what did he want with Xue An?

Seeming to sense Qin Yu’s question, Yu Qing smiled, revealing bright, white teeth. "The one who died at the auction was my senior brother. My name is Yu Qing."

Qin Yu felt a chill run through her, as the man’s smile looked like a tiger baring its fangs—it was terrifying.

Tan Dong stepped forward, blocking Qin Yu. "My friend, you didn't even offer a greeting and injured my disciples upon entering. Isn't that a bit lacking in manners?" Tan Dong said, filled with indignation.

"And who might you be?" Yu Qing asked.

"I am the master of this Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall, Tan Dong!" Tan Dong said in a deep voice.

Yu Qing nodded. "In that case, it seems you are unconvinced! Very well, if you can take one punch from me, I will turn around and leave! And I shall never return to Beijiang!"

"Agreed!" Tan Dong replied without hesitation. If he backed down now, the reputation of the Zhenbei Martial Arts Hall would be ruined.

A look of disdain appeared on the corner of Yu Qing’s mouth. He gave a light shout and threw a punch at Tan Dong. Tan Dong looked solemn; he took a horse stance and exerted every ounce of his strength to withstand the blow.

Boom.

The punch struck Tan Dong like a meteor. His face turned from red to white. He didn't even manage to hold his ground for a second before he was lifted into the air and slammed against the wall. He landed slowly, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was unable to speak.

"Master Tan!" Qin Yu cried out in alarm.

Tan Dong waved his hand weakly, looking at Yu Qing with a hint of fear. He said intermittently, "Is... is this the Xiaoyao Realm?"

Yu Qing pulled back his fist and stood proudly. "That is correct. This is the Xiaoyao Realm!"

Tan Dong smiled bitterly, knowing he had been utterly defeated. This man, who was only in his thirties, had actually broken through the Zhenren Realm and attained the Xiaoyao state, granting him a lifespan of up to one hundred and fifty years. The gap in their strength was as vast as heaven and earth; he had no excuses for his defeat.

Yu Qing turned to look at Qin Yu. "I will give you three days. Three days from now, I will be at the Hong family estate waiting for Xue An. If he does not show up, then all of you will die!"

After delivering this threat, Yu Qing turned and left.

Qin Yu helped Tan Dong up and watched the backs of Yu Qing and his group with a complex expression. "Master Tan, are you alright?"

Tan Dong shook his head. "Just some internal injuries. It’s nothing serious; he held back, or I would be dead. His strength is terrifyingly high!"

Qin Yu asked with concern, "Then... is Xue An a match for him?"

Tan Dong smiled bitterly. "I could see through this man, but I cannot see through Mr. Xue at all. If you say he is a martial arts expert, there is absolutely no outward sign of it!"

"Miss Qin, you had best find Mr. Xue as quickly as possible. Do not delay, because an expert like Yu Qing will definitely keep his word. By then, you will be in grave danger!"

Qin Yu nodded solemnly. "I understand. I am going to find Mr. Xue right now!"

Just as Qin Yu was rushing toward Qingmang Town, Xue An was sitting cross-legged by the edge of a pool. The spiritual energy here was much richer than in the outside world, which would help him break through to the Zhenren Realm.

In truth, with Xue An’s current strength, he could have broken through easily. However, he had suffered from an unstable foundation in his previous life, so this time, he was determined to build his foundation to be rock-solid before advancing.

As Xue An absorbed the energy, it began to form a visible vortex above his head. This phenomenon left Xue Lan stunned, while Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were somewhat accustomed to it—to them, their Daddy was omnipotent.