At four o'clock in the morning, the first group of top-tier experts from the Temple of Heaven returned. After a brief meeting, they immediately set out for Qianjiang City without a moment's pause.

One by one, team by team, the top-tier experts of the Temple of Heaven returned after hours of arduous journey.

As dawn gradually broke, Xiao Tiance remained outside in the villa's courtyard instead of going back inside. He silently watched Tian Qi repeatedly knock Zhou Jie unconscious and then wake him up again, forcing him to consume disgusting slop. Xiao Tiance's gaze remained cold as he watched this scene unfold, determined to make this scum experience what it truly means to wish for death.

Shen Yuxuan, who was beside him, was utterly stunned. She now understood that there was no room for reconciliation. Indeed, Xiao Tiance’s revenge against Zhou Jie gave her a sense of satisfaction, but she also knew that Zhou Zhenghao and the entire Zhou family would not let Xiao Tiance off the hook.

Gritting her teeth, Shen Yuxuan turned and left. Her father would be back at dawn, and the only thing she could do now was to ask her father to help Xiao Tiance. As long as Xiao Tiance didn't kill Zhou Jie, there might still be a slim chance to defuse the situation.

But Xiao Tiance didn't even ask about her intentions, which made Shen Yuxuan seethe with frustration, though she could do nothing about it. She was even prepared to drag her own Shen family into this vortex!

As morning arrived at seven o'clock, Tian Yi had safely brought Gao Weiwei and Xiaoxiao to Beijiang City and arranged for them to stay at a well-appointed hotel.

Gao Weiwei was on edge, her eyes bloodshot. She hadn't dared to close her eyes all night. After all, while they had left, Xiao Tiance remained behind. Did she resent Xiao Tiance? Of course, she did. Over the past five years, she had endured far too much alone. Xiao Tiance's appearance back then had directly changed the entire course of her life, whether she wanted it or not.

But last night, when Xiao Tiance put himself in danger to get her and Xiaoxiao out, she couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of worry.

Just as Gao Weiwei was about to ask Tian Yi about Xiao Tiance, Xiaoxiao, who was lying on the bed, woke up. The first thing Xiaoxiao saw when she woke up was Gao Weiwei standing in front of her, but she didn't see Xiao Tiance, the father she had met for the first time last night.

"Mom, where's Dad?" Xiaoxiao asked, and that one question made the always-strong Gao Weiwei burst into tears.

Xiaoxiao’s expression changed, and tears started to fall from her eyes as she cried, "Mom, I want Dad! I want Dad! I want Dad!"

Xiaoxiao's mind was filled with the scene of Xiao Tiance holding her in his arms last night. She missed Xiao Tiance terribly. But now, she only saw Gao Weiwei standing with a stranger, a man who wasn't her father.

Thinking back to the moment she left, when Xiao Tiance was surrounded by hundreds of people, Gao Weiwei couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow. Could it be that after just one glimpse, her child would never see her father again? But she didn't dare tell Xiaoxiao the truth, so she wiped away her tears and said, "Xiaoxiao, Dad has some things to take care of. He’ll be back in a few days."

Xiaoxiao looked at Gao Weiwei, said nothing, then lowered her head. After a long silence, she said, "You're lying. Dad must have gone to fight those bad people. Mom, will Dad be okay? I want Dad. I want Dad." As Xiaoxiao finished speaking, her tears began to fall again.

It turned out she knew everything, understood everything.

Standing by the door, Tian Yi took a deep breath. Even he, a battle-hardened warrior, almost shed tears. After calming himself, Tian Yi walked to Xiaoxiao's bedside, squatted down, and said with a smile, "Your name is Xiaoxiao, right? Your dad is my big brother. Don’t worry, Xiaoxiao. Uncle promises that your dad will be back to see you in two or three days at most. Uncle is a soldier, you know, and soldiers never lie."

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Only then did Xiaoxiao look up at Tian Yi with innocent eyes and ask, "Uncle, don’t lie to Xiaoxiao. Will Dad really beat those bad people and come back to see Xiaoxiao? He won't leave Xiaoxiao like before, right? Uncle, tell Dad that Xiaoxiao is very good. If Dad thinks Xiaoxiao did something wrong, Xiaoxiao will change. Xiaoxiao really will."

Tian Yi looked up, clenching his teeth. This tough warrior could hardly bear to hear such mature words from such a young child. After a while, his eyes reddened, and he nodded heavily, saying, "Yes! Uncle swears, your dad will be back in two or three days at most. Uncle would never lie to Xiaoxiao."

Tian Yi repeatedly reassured Xiaoxiao, and she finally believed him, for now. Then she pulled Tian Yi over to tell her stories about Xiao Tiance. So, Tian Yi started telling stories about their time in the military, weaving them into tales for Xiaoxiao.

Xiaoxiao was still weak, so after eating a little and listening to stories for a couple of hours, she fell asleep again.

Tian Yi carefully tucked Xiaoxiao in before quietly leaving the room. He went downstairs, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag, looking up at the sky. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to slaughter everyone in the Zhou family.

“You were lying to Xiaoxiao, weren’t you? But I still thank you. You should go back. If... if he’s still alive, tell him to run. Leave Qianjiang, leave Longguo, and never come back,” Gao Weiwei said, appearing beside Tian Yi, her expression complicated.

Tian Yi quickly stubbed out his cigarette and said earnestly to Gao Weiwei, “Sister-in-law, no matter what, please believe in big brother. Believe that he will return safely. He will!!”

Gao Weiwei let out a bitter smile, turned, and went upstairs. Deep down, she didn’t believe it. After all, Zhou Jie’s father was the richest man in Qianjiang City, a figure with immense influence not just in Qianjiang but throughout the entire Zhongyu region. What did it matter if Xiao Tiance was a member of the military? Moreover, Xiao Tiance had crippled Zhou Jie, so how could Zhou Zhenghao possibly let him off?

At the same time, inside the Zhou family villa in downtown Qianjiang City, the atmosphere was extremely tense. The sky, which had been gloomy all night, finally brought rain this morning. Given that Qianjiang is located in the south and it was currently the rainy season, the downpour was especially heavy. The Zhou family estate was vast, covering a five-mile radius in the city center, all of which belonged to the Zhou family.

At this moment, the Zhou family courtyard was filled with people. From the entrance all the way to the main hall, bodyguards in black suits stood guard, the security incredibly tight. Inside the villa’s main hall, the atmosphere was even more oppressive.

Several of the Zhou family elders were seated in the hall, each one a leader in their respective industries in Qianjiang City. Even Zhou Zhenglong, who had arrived late last night, could only sit on the outermost edge. Seated in the main position was a man in a black Zhongshan suit, with slicked-back hair and deep-set eyes. His gaze was piercing, exuding a natural aura of authority. This was Zhou Zhenghao, the head of the Zhou family!

As the rain outside grew heavier, Zhou Zhenglong, who had been waiting for any sign of action from Zhou Zhenghao since he reported last night, finally couldn’t hold back. He stood up and said to Zhou Zhenghao, "Brother, let’s gather our men quickly and rescue Xiao Jie! We can’t really wait for three days, can we?"

Zhou Zhenghao, still staring at the jade ring on his thumb, lifted his head and glanced at Zhou Zhenglong, saying, "Call Xiao Jie."

Zhou Zhenglong, pleased, quickly nodded. Moments later, two subordinates set up a projection screen in the center of the hall, and Zhou Zhenglong dialed Zhou Jie’s number.

In the lakeside villa halfway up the mountain, Xiao Tiance, dressed in a black robe, continued to sit there, with Tian Qi standing behind him holding a large black umbrella. In front of Xiao Tiance was Zhou Jie, who was wailing miserably in a pigsty.

"Palace Lord, the Zhou family is calling Zhou Jie. Should I answer?" Tian Qi asked, holding Zhou Jie’s phone.

Xiao Tiance replied, "They’re not calling Zhou Jie; they’re calling me. Answer it."

The video call connected, and Zhou Zhenghao’s figure appeared before Xiao Tiance. Zhou Zhenghao looked at Xiao Tiance and said, "I’m Zhou Zhenghao. You’re the one from the military, Xiao Tiance?"

Xiao Tiance squinted and replied, "That’s right, I’m Xiao Tiance. What do you want?"

Zhou Zhenghao’s pupils contracted as he spoke in a cold, sinister tone, "This rain in Qianjiang won’t last three days, and I can’t wait three days. I’ll give you ten hours to gather your people. In ten hours, the Zhou family will pay you a visit."

Xiao Tiance smiled faintly, leaned forward, and looked at Zhou Zhenghao, saying, "I don’t know if the rain in Qianjiang will last three days, but three days is the time I’ve given your Zhou family to prepare. Since you say ten hours, then I’ll wait here for you in ten hours. And by the way, bring enough coffins." With that, Xiao Tiance ended the call.

Back in the Zhou family villa, Zhou Zhenghao’s expression turned extremely vicious, and the murderous intent within him surged uncontrollably.