TNIBFT -Chapter 175 No Martial Ethics

Shangguan Ning lifted her head and looked toward the distant sky. The midday sun glowed red, its light not harsh but warm.

After a moment of gazing, everything before her eyes went dark.

She had never felt so at ease.

With the princes located, His Majesty awake, and the left and right chancellors about to be taken down, His Majesty would recover more and more. Only with His Majesty well could Great Zhou prosper, and only then could she thrive.

A gentle breeze brushed her face.

After a moment’s thought, Shangguan Ning decided to go check on the three young princes and leave a signal flare. If danger arose, any Great Zhou spies left in Sifang City would come to their aid immediately.

…

At this moment, inside the hotpot restaurant.

The past few days had been turbulent. Ye Tian had sent Duan Qingshan with the eldest, and Sun Wuji followed his daughter and Xiao Jiang to see Shi Hao.

“Guests are here!”

Yuan Heipang shouted in surprise, quickly flicking the white towel from his shoulder and smiling as he went to greet them.

Ye Tian squinted, looking up toward the entrance.

A middle-aged man wearing a dark teal cotton jacket entered, head down. His steps were heavy, his aura imposing. He lacked the roughness of a wandering martial artist, yet it was clear he was a master.

Ye Tian straightened and waved to Xiao Wang at his side.

They exchanged a few quiet words. Xiao Wang’s face went pale, and he panicked, attempting to leave.

“Bang!” A loud crash.

Meng Qing slammed the door shut with a wave of his hand, directly blocking Xiao Wang’s escape.

Something was wrong!

The restaurant fell into a deadly silence. Yuan Heipang and the others looked at each other in fear. As the manager, he couldn’t just stand aside. Gritting his teeth, Yuan Heipang stepped forward, forcing a smile: “Sir, we’re closed. No business for the next few days.”

“Look…”

He bent low, trying to appease them.

Meng Qing glanced down at Yuan Heipang, then suddenly lifted his foot. Bang!

Yuan Heipang was sent flying, crashing into the tables and chairs. Wood splintered everywhere; the furniture shattered, leaving the hall in chaos.

“Damn…”

Clutching his chest, Yuan Heipang struggled on the ground: “Don’t hit a smiling man! You… you damn well have no martial ethics!”

The pain flushed his face red; blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t get up.

“What… what do you want?”

Xiao Wang stared nervously at Meng Qing.

The other employees were terrified but tried to act calm: “If you dare hit anyone else, we’ll call the city guards!”

“Yeah, do you even know who our young master is?”

“Careful, or you’ll end up in prison!”

Meng Qing tugged at the corner of his mouth, eyes cold and disdainful. Slowly, he drew the cold sword at his waist.

The sight made everyone shiver. They huddled together and retreated step by step.

Just as Meng Qing was about to strike, Ye Tian suddenly spoke: “You didn’t come here to eat. What is it you want? Let’s talk this out properly.”

Meng Qing turned his gaze to Ye Tian. His eyes flickered, then he smiled coldly, his tone sharp: “Long time no see, Ye Tian!”

Ye Tian froze.

This guy actually knew him—and claimed it had been a long time?

He had no memory of him at all.

It didn’t matter. For now, they just had to stall. Sun Wuji would return soon. In a few minutes, this guy would be sent on his way.

“You are…?”

Ye Tian’s face was full of joy, pretending to be extremely happy.

Meng Qing frowned. Has Ye Tian lost his mind? Before, when he saw him, he would shout for his death and attack without mercy. And now he could actually smile? What on earth is he up to?

“I heard you had a big, chubby son. Not bad! Did you buy a house? Does your job have the five social insurances and one housing fund?”

Ye Tian spoke. The questions left Meng Qing’s mind in a fog. Buy a house… what did that mean? And the five insurances and one housing fund… what was that about? Could there be some deeper meaning? What exactly was Ye Tian trying to say?

Meng Qing clenched the long sword in his hand, eyes narrowing. His mission was clear: kill Ye Tian and his three children. Everything else was irrelevant. If he delayed too long, Ye Tian’s men would return. Thinking this, Meng Qing coldly said, “Trying to buy time?”

“Ye Tian, today you will die. No one can save you!”

With that, Meng Qing raised his sword and swung it at Ye Tian.

“Master!”
“Master!”

The few assistants, seeing the glinting sword, were so terrified they felt their souls might leave their bodies. Yuan Heipang scrambled to his feet, grabbed a nearby bench, and shouted, “As long as I’m here, no one will hurt my master!”

“Bang!”

He smashed the bench down. The bench shattered, but Meng Qing’s head remained intact.

Seeing Meng Qing staring coldly at him, Yuan Heipang let out an awkward, silly laugh: “Heh heh…”

The next moment, the sword came straight at Yuan Heipang’s forehead.

For an instant, Yuan Heipang felt frozen, his mind blank. A metallic, bloody scent seemed to fill his nostrils.

“Clang!” A crisp sound rang out.

Meng Qing’s sword had been deflected by Old Yang using a potato. Old Yang stepped forward, cursing, and with a kick sent Yuan Heipang flying: “Fool! Still not leaving? Want to die?”

Old Yang?

Yuan Heipang broke into a cold sweat, realizing too late that he had just narrowly escaped death.

The employees in the shop finally reacted. Old Yang’s face was stern and cold, one hand holding a cleaver, eyes fiercely fixed on Meng Qing. His aura was no less imposing than Meng Qing’s.

“Old Yang?”
“Is that you?”

Several people exclaimed in disbelief and shock. Old Yang glanced at them. His dark face gradually curved into a smile. The feeling of being respected and shocking others was exhilarating. These inexperienced fools—if not for him, they would all be dead!

Meng Qing swung his sword again, leaving a trail of afterimages in the air.

Expressionless, he advanced toward Ye Tian. Old Yang refused to be outdone, raising his cleaver. “Clang!” The sword collided with the cleaver.

Meng Qing was stunned.

When he came, Gao Defu had already sent someone to investigate. Ye Tian’s chef was a master; the rest were insignificant. He had planned to strike when the chef stepped out, but unexpectedly, there was another hidden fighter in the shop.

A tiny hotpot shop, yet full of hidden talents!

The next moment, blood welled from Old Yang’s tiger mouth. His moves were practiced and precise; he could rely on muscle memory to block half of a strike, but without any internal power, he was no match for the man in front of him. He was gambling.

Gambling that Ye Tian’s luck would hold.

That Sun Wuji would return soon.

Old Yang’s entire arm trembled. Seeing this, Ye Tian delivered a kick to Meng Qing’s crotch.

Meng Qing quickly retreated, looking at Ye Tian with disdain: “Still shameless as ever. Living is embarrassing enough; might as well die now.”

Meng Qing attacked again.

Old Yang desperately lunged forward. Meng Qing’s sword pierced Old Yang’s arm, and blood gushed like a fountain, dripping all over the floor. Both of Old Yang’s arms trembled uncontrollably, seemingly crippled.

The employees in the shop were horrified.

Sadness filled the air.

They had spent countless days and nights together in the hotpot shop, eating well, keeping warm, and living happily. It had been the best time of their lives. Seeing Old Yang injured, they all shouted:

“Old Yang!”
“I’m coming to save you, Old Yang!”
“Damn it, I’ll fight you!”

They grabbed spatulas and chairs, screaming and charging at Meng Qing.