Upon returning to his home with the two youngsters in tow, Tianyu's blood runs cold when he sees the state of the wooden gate.
Running inside, he calls out for his mother, however, there's no answer.
He starts frantically searching around, trying to think what could have happened, when he is interrupted.
"Master," the voice of Yinying calls out "There is some blood on the floor outside" he informs Tianyu in a solemn tone.
Tianyu's world shakes as he rushes outside to where the young girl is.
The blood is dry, so whatever happened, it happened a while ago.
Tianyu starts to pace back and forth "Think, think, think," he is repeating to himself.
Yinying and his sister are at a loss for what they can do to help.
Tianyu knows what is most likely to have happened, the Qin Family butler showing up earlier, and now his mother has been taken. It's obviously connected.
"They took her about an hour ago" A gruff voice echoed.
Tianyu turned around to see Mister Hao standing in the gateway.
"It was the Qin Family?" Tianyu questioned.
Mister Hao nodded and explained what happened. He then let Tianyu know that he doesn't need to be so anxious. Although it looks bad, the Qin Family wouldn't do anything to hurt his mother.
"How do you know they wouldn't do anything?" Tianyu asked, clearly worrying.
"Because of you," Mister Hao explained. "If I'm not mistaken, you ascended. You are also the only son of Qin Zhao Ren."
Tianyu was a little shocked by how much information Mister Hao knew.
Mister Hao continued "The Qin Family didn't rise to the top because they are fools. They are cunning and ruthless. They know that the best way to get to you is through Li Mei."
Nodding along with this explanation, it made sense.
As much as he thought that this could be a trap, he still needed to return to the Qin Family.
"Yinying," Tianyu called him over "You and your sister stay here, I have something to do. There's food in the kitchen."
"Mister Hao, apologies in advance, but if I don't return on time, please look after these children until I do." With a nod, Tianyu leaves.
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It takes a while for Tianyu to reach the Qin Family compound.
Upon arrival, Tianyu is stopped by the guards at the gate. Tianyu isn't stupid enough to try and force his way in, instead, he explains that he was summoned by the family head.
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Once the guards confirm his identity, and report this to the family head, Tianyu is led to the main hall by one of the servants.
The Qin Family compound is magnificent and everything is crafted beautifully. The size is also quite impressive. Just walking from the main gate to the main hall took over 20 minutes of walking.
Once they got to the main hall, the guards stationed outside pushed open the large red doors, and Tianyu was brought inside.
"Xiao Tainyu," a deep voice echoed in the hall "It's good to see you, it's been many years!"
Tianyu was quite surprised. Not because of the words spoken, he knew this was nonsense, but because the person who spoke them radiated power. Tianyu was just a child before, and just a regular human on top of this. So he had no way of telling. It's different now, however. Since Tianyu is now a cultivator, he can sense the dense energy in the room. It's not just the family head, but all the elders of the family too.
Cupping his fist and slightly bowing, Tianyu greeted the family head. "Greetings, Qin Family Head"
"Arrogant!" a voice cried from a direction in the hall, many more voices echoed similar sentiments. The voice continued "How dare you not kowtow to the family head!"
Tianyu was trying his best to hold himself together, but his blood was boiling inside. "With all due respect, I was kicked out of the Qin Family, along with my mother. As I am not a member of your Qin Family, I have no obligation to kowtow."
As he finished speaking, a strong force bore down on Tianyu, trying to force him to his knees despite his protest.
As the force continued to pressure him down, Tianyu grit his teeth pushing back. His eyes turned bloodshot and his nose started to bleed.
"Enough," the family head commanded.
With the pressure on his body disappearing, Tianyu's bloodshot eyes looked at the family head.
"Where is my mother?" Tianyu asked in disdain. No longer in the mood to entertain the Qin Family any longer.
Feeling the change in demeanor, the family head was annoyed at the elder for acting out.
"I invited you and Li Mei here today so that you can rejoin the Qin Family," the family head explained.
Tianyu scoffed "Invited?" he repeated "You never invited me here. Your butler demanded for me to follow him like an obedient dog, and after I sent him away, you attacked and kidnapped my mother!" He raised his voice.
As if on cue, the force of pressure descended on Tianyu once again.
"Insolent!" an elder shouted.
The sudden force hit Tianyu hard, causing him to cough up some blood.
"I said enough!" the family head roared.
Once again, the pressure lifted.
"Heh. So this is how you do things is it?" Tianyu rebuked "As soon as something doesn't go the way you want it, you resort to force?"
The family head frowned. Clearly unhappy with how things had turned out.
"Call the butler," the family head requested from one of the servants
A few moments later, the butler was brought in before the family head.
"Explain what happened," the family head demanded.
"Sir, after my report to you earlier today, I was sent back out to request Qin Li Mei's presence. I arrived at the manor, called on Qin Li Mei, and brought her to the carriage, and came straight here." the butler reported.
Tianyu's face turned furious. "Then why was my front gate smashed open, and my mother's blood on the ground?!" he demanded answers.
The butler sneered at Tianyu, he then turned to the family head, bowed, and stated clearly that Tianyu was lying. And no such thing happened.
"Yeah?" Tianyu couldn't believe how brazen this butler was "Then bring my mother here, right now. If everything is as you say, then let her explain!"
"Unfortunately, Qin Li Mei is taking a nap right now, and doesn't wish to be disturbed" the butler retorted triumphantly.
The family head was sitting there watching this back-and-forth, he sighed in his seat and called over another servant.
"Go and fetch Qin Li Mei," he ordered.
At this point, the butler had a cold sweat.
A few minutes later, the same servant returned on his own. He went up to the family head and reported in his ear.
A huge force erupted from the man sitting in the chair, making everyone present break into a sweat.
"I have just received a report that Qin Li Mei is currently unconscious, being seen by one of the medics for a head injury, explain this," he demands to the butler.
The butler then stands there tripping over his own words, speaking nonsense, and then finally throwing the blame onto the guards which he had taken along.
Soon, the guards are also dragged into the main hall, confused and scared.
The family head then relays what the accusations were, and that the butler had put the blame on them. They both turned to the butler with hate in their eyes wanting to kill him where he stood.
Tianyu was listening to this whole ordeal, the more he listened, the more he hated the politics.
Finally, after a while of accusations being thrown back and forth, a decision was made.
"Qin Tianyu, as you are currently not a part of the Qin Family, I can not decide on their punishment" the family head begins to explain.
Hearing this, a cocky grin found its way to the butler's face.
The family head continued "Therefore, their punishment will be up to you to decide"
The butler's face froze.
The family head once again started explaining "For crimes such as this, the guards should be stripped of their rank, have their pay taken away from them for three months, as for the butler, he would be removed from his position, and thrown into the prison for a year."
As he was explaining, Tianyu was nodding along as if he was really taking in the information and deciding a fitting punishment. As soon as the family head finished speaking, however, Tianyu summoned his Halberd, and beheaded the butler, and both guards on the spot.
[You have gained 60 exp points]
Shock appeared on the faces all around, it's clear they were expecting Tianyu to take the advice of the family head.
"Nobody," Tianyu paused and looked around at the elders, and then at the family head "And I mean, nobody, gets to live if they bring harm to my mother."