Chapter 14: The Forsaken Son of the Huang Family

"Boom!"
With a deafening crash, Lu Ming’s fist, swift and unstoppable, struck Huang Chao square in the chest.

“Ugh—”
Blood sprayed from Huang Chao’s mouth as he was hurled backward.

“Huang Master!”
The mute-like Futuo finally broke his silence, darting to Huang Chao’s side. As he hoisted Huang Chao, his hand slipped out a dagger, his gaze fierce, locked onto Lu Ming with deadly intensity.

Futuo’s heart was shaken to its core. He knew all too well Huang Master’s strength—on the Western Capital’s roads for so many years, he had never met a match. Countless self-styled masters, before Huang Master, were nothing but clay chickens and straw dogs. Yet this man had wounded Huang Master grievously with a single punch. Just how powerful was he?

Blood, mingled with bits of flesh, gushed continually from Huang Chao’s lips. Clearly, his internal organs had been shattered; his injuries were dire.

“Huang Master, you should go first.”
Sensing the situation, Futuo made a swift decision, preparing to cover Huang Chao’s retreat, fully prepared to die. Lu Ming’s strength far surpassed Huang Master’s, and Futuo himself was no match.

Yet his life belonged to Huang Master—if it must be returned, so be it.

Huang Chao’s eyes, dull and unfocused, lingered on Lu Ming. Hearing Futuo’s words, he shook his head with a bitter smile. “No need. If we leave, he won’t pursue.”

He understood—the punch had already sealed his fate. The opponent had no need to strike again; Futuo’s sacrifice would be pointless.

Futuo realized he was no match for Lu Ming, so he helped Huang Chao up, intent on leaving the scene.

Supported by Futuo, Huang Chao struggled to stand. “Heroes rise across the land. I have witnessed it.”

Lu Ming, hands behind his back, stood coldly. “I warned you.”

“Thank you for granting me time to settle my affairs.”

With that, Huang Chao pressed his shattered chest and departed with Futuo.

After they left, Lu Ming glanced at his fist and shook his head. Ever since consuming that dragon and cultivating the Dragon Ascension Technique, his strength had grown too rapidly. He still struggled to control it.

He hadn’t intended to kill Huang Chao, only to injure him as a warning, so he would stay away in the future, and to send a message to Mu Weizhen. Yet, his punch had been too forceful—Huang Chao would not live long.

Huang Chao and Futuo exited Chaowen Alley and reached the roadside.

Coughing blood, Huang Chao said, “Hail a car—take me to Nanshan Manor.”

Futuo promptly stopped a taxi, yanked the driver out, loaded Huang Chao, and sped off amid the driver’s curses.

Futuo drove, brows knit in worry.

He saw that Huang Master’s injuries were severe and life-threatening. They needed to reach their destination swiftly; only there was someone capable of saving him. Racing through countless red lights, half an hour later, the taxi stopped at a manor at the foot of South Mountain.

Huang Chao stepped out, clutching his chest, staggering to the manor gates, spitting blood and shouting.

“Huang family outcast Huang Chao, here to seek help.”

Huang Chao was a member of the Huang family. If the martial world learned this, it would be utterly shocking.

The manor gates were tightly shut. Huang Chao knelt before them, coughing blood as he waited.

He knew, with his current status, he could not enter the Huang family openly, lest he bring trouble. He could only wait for the family to respond.

After a while, lights flickered inside. The gates opened, and an elder in his sixties, surrounded by several core family members, emerged.

The elder wore pajamas beneath a long robe, clearly having risen in haste from bed. Seeing Huang Chao’s condition, his face and those behind him grew grave.

Recognizing the patriarch and the family’s core, Huang Chao no longer hid his identity, kowtowing as he spoke.

“Huang Chao begs the patriarch for mercy and rescue.”

With these words, a torrent of blood and shredded flesh poured from his mouth—a horrifying scene.

The robed elder was Huang Zhan Yi, head of the Huang family. He frowned at Huang Chao, contemplating for a long time before he spoke.

“You have been expelled from the family and have no connection to us. Leave this place.”

With these words, Huang Zhan Yi turned and strode inside, without hesitation. The others paused, then followed.

The manor gates closed again, shutting Huang Chao out from sight—and from life.

Huang Chao was utterly stunned. He never imagined the patriarch would abandon him so coldly!

For years, he had acted in the shadows, disregarding his own reputation, committing countless acts against his conscience for the family’s wealth.

He could not believe, at the brink of death, the family would discard him so easily.

Staring at the dark gates, Huang Chao gave a bitter laugh. He knew begging was futile. As a dying man, he was but a discarded pawn—the Huang family meant to sever all ties.

“Huang Master, let’s force our way in!”
Futuo, beside him, drew his dagger, ready to storm the manor.

“Come back.”
Huang Chao mustered his strength and stopped Futuo. Panting, he said, “It’s useless. My time is short. Take me to Forget-Worry General Store.”

“Forget-Worry General Store?”
Futuo was clearly baffled by the command.

“Stop wasting time. Go quickly.”

With another order, Futuo dared not defy him, hurriedly loading Huang Chao into the car and speeding toward Chaowen Alley.

Meanwhile, inside the manor’s lounge, Huang Zhan Yi and several others sat on wicker chairs, faces deeply troubled, silent.

After a long pause, someone finally whispered, unable to contain himself.

“Patriarch, no matter what, Huang Chao has rendered great service to the family. Isn’t it improper to leave him to die?”

Huang Zhan Yi sighed.

“I knew you would question this decision.”

He rose and paced back and forth, then spoke slowly.

“I examined Huang Chao’s injuries—only the family’s ancestral treasure could possibly restore him. Even then, he’d likely be crippled.”

“You all know, our family recently produced a genius, Huang Zhen: clever, extraordinary, with the potential to become a grandmaster. I intend to reserve the ancestral treasure to aid him.”

“If someone from our family attains the level of grandmaster, what glory and prosperity! Throughout the nation, the Huang family would be first-rate—its significance immense.”

“Huang Chao is a dying man, with a criminal background. Using the ancestral treasure to save him—what weighs more?”

Huang Zhan Yi’s words left everyone speechless.

From the family’s perspective, his actions were justifiable.

Yet, leaving a man who bore infamy for the family, loyal and accomplished, to die—wasn’t it too cruel?

The thought lingered in everyone’s heart.

“I know you’ll call me heartless, cold-blooded. But remember, I do this for the family—just as Huang Chao bore disgrace for its sake. My conscience is clear. I believe Huang Chao will understand.”

...

Chaowen Alley.

Supported by Futuo, Huang Chao stumbled to the door of Forget-Worry General Store, pushed open the wooden doors, staggered forward, and collapsed before the sleeping Lu Ming.

Lu Ming rubbed his eyes, displeased, and looked at the fallen man and kneeling Futuo.

“What’s going on here?”

Huang Chao gasped like a stranded fish. “I’ve come to ask a favor.”

Lu Ming lit a cigarette and spoke lightly. “There are rules for asking favors of me.”

“I know. I’m willing to give you all my wealth and power, if you’ll destroy the Huang family, root and branch.”

As he spoke, Huang Chao’s face twisted in agony.

His heart ached! Years of devotion, repaid only with abandonment. Now, he hated the Huang family to his core. Were it not for the rage sustaining him, he’d have died already.

Lu Ming shook his head. “I don’t do massacres. Sorry.”

Huang Chao’s face fell in disappointment, then something seemed to occur to him. “You like ancient artifacts, don’t you? The Huang family possesses one—our ancestral treasure, passed down for generations. It must be of use to you.”