Chapter 109: Have Your Mother Keep Me Company

The yellow lump of flesh was the poison sac of a sixth-grade wild beast, the Yellow-Venom Ape. It was packed with a massive amount of venom; once exposed to the air, it would immediately turn into a toxic mist, which, if absorbed through the skin, would cause grievous injury or death.

It was impossible to defend against.

Only those wearing specialized protective gear or possessing a body overflowing with qi and blood could resist it. If this sac were to burst right in front of one's face, the resulting spray of venom would inevitably inflict significant harm even on an ordinary sixth-grade martial artist.

"Your young master is severely wounded and likely unable to walk. Shall I help you carry him home?"

Su Yang finished his sentence, hoisted Zhou Bao up, and ignored the fury of the Zhou family's sixth-grade martial artists as he began walking toward the Zhou estate.

The sixth-grade martial artists lurking in the shadows frowned deeply. Their master’s order had been to strike the moment Zhou Bao died, but since the boy was still alive, were they supposed to act or not?

According to the orders, they shouldn't. But if Zhou Bao never died, did that mean they could never act?

Watching Su Yang drag Zhou Bao step by step toward the Zhou estate, the three other sixth-grade martial artists hiding in the dark exchanged glances and ultimately suppressed their murderous intent. Only if Zhou Bao died would there be sufficient justification to kill Su Yang. Otherwise, the Assistant Magistrate Li would certainly intervene, and the situation would become dire. Surely, Assistant Magistrate Li did not want to burn bridges with Magistrate Zhou just yet; both sides would likely take a step back—the Zhou family would lose Zhou Bao, and the Li family would lose Su Yang.

"Release our young master...!"

A loyal old servant, unable to bear the sight of his master being dangled like a slaughtered chicken, his bones shattered and his body in agony, felt his qi and blood surge. He rushed toward Su Yang, determined at the very least to grant his master a quick release from his misery.

"Old dog, you’re courting death."

Su Yang tossed Zhou Bao to Bai Guanguan and said, "Hold him while I slaughter this old thief...!"

[Brute Ox Long Fist]

As his voice fell, Su Yang descended like a falling meteorite. A terrifying force of qi and blood erupted from his body, causing the air to vibrate as he threw a savage punch.

"Boom!"

With a dull, thunderous roar, Su Yang stood unmoved, while the old man was sent staggering back seven or eight paces before steadying himself. Before he could react, Su Yang’s second punch was already crashing down upon him.

Bai Guanguan held Zhou Bao in front of her with an expression of utter disgust, using her foot to pin him to the ground; she didn't even want to touch him, fearing he would soil her hands.

"So strong...!"

Feeling the sixth-grade power erupting from Su Yang, the old man’s face changed dramatically. He never imagined that Su Yang, having only broken into the sixth grade a few days ago, would be this formidable. He realized he was no match for him and could only hope to hold out for a few rounds until those hiding in the shadows inevitably intervened.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

With every dull impact, the Zhou family’s old servant grew more terrified as Su Yang’s qi and blood grew more potent. His defense was crumbling. Su Yang was carefully calibrating his strength; even without resorting to his fifth-grade power, he could finish this man off quickly.

"Steward Jing is about to collapse. I’m going to help; he’s far too impulsive."

One of the sixth-grade martial artists hidden in the darkness dashed out, moving like a leopard toward Su Yang, intent on separating him from Steward Jing.

"Wild Ox, keep a close eye on this one."

Bai Guanguan snorted, kicked Zhou Bao, who went tumbling through the air and landed heavily near Li Yeniu, a seventh-grade expert. Dressed in loose white training clothes, her seemingly delicate body erupted with terrifying power as she stood before Su Yang.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The reinforcing sixth-grade martial artist was blocked. Su Yang’s combat prowess grew increasingly fierce. Steward Jing began to falter, his body covered in wounds of varying sizes. He accidentally took a punch from Su Yang directly to the chest and vomited a mouthful of blood.

"I’ll go help; you stay here." The remaining two hidden sixth-grade martial artists gritted their teeth, and one of them lunged out, desperate to stop Su Yang from killing Steward Jing.

"Together. I’ll feign an attempt to rescue Zhou Bao to make Su Yang anxious enough to kill him first."

"Agreed!"

The two sixth-grade martial artists exchanged a look and charged from the shadows, their qi and blood boiling like a furnace.

"A mere Su family dares to challenge the authority of the Zhou family? You are truly seeking death."

A sharp shout, roaring like wind and thunder, erupted from one of the sixth-grade martial artists as he charged at Su Yang.

"Young Master Zhou, I’m here to save you...!" the other shouted, rushing toward Zhou Bao to feign a rescue, hoping to goad the enraged Su Yang into finishing the boy off. Once Zhou Bao died by Su Yang’s hand, they would have the perfect excuse to act.

[Fire Dragon Tyrant Three Spears]

A streak of red light flashed out like fire, the long spear in hand whistling through the air. A surge of raging flames erupted, tyrannical and fierce, as if capable of splitting mountains and parting rivers.

The sixth-grade martial artist, Huo Luoluo.

Just last night, Huo Luoluo had stepped into the sixth grade.

"A sixth-grade martial artist?"

The man who had been charging at Su Yang to protect Steward Jing turned pale, forced to grit his teeth and engage.

As for the other sixth-grade martial artist feigning a rescue, he met with no resistance at all. Li Yeniu, who had been stepping on Zhou Bao, even led the servants back two paces, clearly indifferent to whether the Zhou family rescued him or not!

"Damn it...!"

The sixth-grade martial artist felt a sense of being toyed with. Su Yang simply did not care whether Zhou Bao lived or died!

Seeing the scheme fail, he had no choice but to turn and charge at Su Yang to save Steward Jing, but the steward was already at the end of his rope. How could he possibly hold on?

"Boom!"

With a dull thud, Su Yang’s punch landed on Steward Jing’s chest. The terrifying power of his qi and blood instantly shattered the man’s ribs and heart. In this strike, Su Yang had even utilized fifth-grade strength, but since Steward Jing was destined to die, no one would ever know he had reached the fifth grade.

"My son...!"

Steward Jing’s body flew backward. Looking at his son, Zhou Bao, with his shattered bones, his heart felt as if it were being sliced by knives. A flash of helplessness crossed his eyes before he fell heavily to the ground and breathed his last.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Seeing Steward Jing dead, the three sixth-grade martial artists retreated, disengaging from the fight. They glared at Su Yang and shouted, "You’ve killed a martial artist of the Zhou family! Are you not going to surrender yourself immediately?"

"Ridiculous."

Su Yang sneered. He walked over to Zhou Bao, hoisted him off the ground, his anger still unquenched.

This man had dared to claim he was coming to the Su residence to take away his wife. To take away Li Qingshi.

There were some things Su Yang could endure. Even if the Zhou family brought bailiffs to extort grain and money, he could swallow his pride during the day and slaughter them at night without issue.

But wearing a green hat—cuckolding him—was an insult too far. It was no different from castrating him; it required immediate retribution on the spot.

Furthermore, now that he had revealed at least sixth-grade strength, and with three sixth-grade fighters on the Su side, as long as they squeezed the Zhou family’s weak point, the Zhou family would have no choice but to swallow their teeth and choke them down.

"Let’s go. To the Zhou estate."

As his voice fell, Su Yang ignored the gazes of the three Zhou family martial artists and began walking toward the Zhou estate, followed by Bai Guanguan and Huo Luoluo, with curious onlookers gathering along the way.

"What do we do now?" one of the Zhou family’s sixth-grade martial artists asked.

"What else can we do? We follow, obviously. The other side has three sixth-grade martial artists, and we only have three left now; it is unwise to engage."

"Steward Jing was so reckless. If it weren't for him, how could things have escalated like this?"

"Come on, follow them."

The three sixth-grade martial artists and the Zhou family servants hurried along behind Su Yang, dispatching a few fast-footed lackeys to run ahead and inform Magistrate Zhou.

At the Zhou estate.

Just as Su Yang reached the gates, he saw the man wearing the soap-green official robes.

Magistrate Zhou.

Exuding an air of officialdom, having spent years as the local magistrate—the "father and mother" official—he possessed an inherent, intimidating dignity. An ordinary person would likely tremble at a single glance.

Magistrate Zhou saw Su Yang dragging Zhou Bao, who looked like a dead dog with only a final, ragged breath left in him. A surge of fury rose in his heart. *At a time like this, couldn't he just bite his tongue and die?*

*Truly spoiled, a spineless waste.*

"Magistrate Zhou, why are you standing outside?" Su Yang walked up, dragging Zhou Bao behind him.

"Su Yang, you have kidnapped my son. What exactly are you trying to do?" Magistrate Zhou placed a heavy accusation on Su Yang, his voice stern. "Do you know that kidnapping a hostage in broad daylight and threatening an official is a grave crime?"

Behind him, the bailiffs and soldiers glared with hostility.

"Magistrate Zhou, I am not threatening you. I have come here today only to ask you to satisfy one small request. If you can grant it, perhaps your son might live. How about that?"

Su Yang asked, his tone laced with a cold sneer.

Magistrate Zhou wanted to snap back, "Do it if you have the guts," but he swallowed the words and pondered, "What request? Speak."

"Zhou Bao is dying. He wants to see his mother one last time. Surely, Magistrate Zhou can grant that, can't he?"

As Su Yang finished speaking, Magistrate Zhou frowned, unsure of Su Yang’s game, but he waved his hand to have the boy’s mother brought out. He wanted to see exactly what kind of medicine this brat was selling in his gourd.

A servant went to fetch her.

Assistant Magistrate Li, with his subordinates, had also arrived on the scene, though he remained in the shadows, not yet revealing himself.

Soon, Zhou Bao’s mother was brought out. Upon seeing her son dangling in Su Yang’s hand, near death, the beautiful, middle-aged woman let out a heart-wrenching cry and pleaded, "My lord! My lord, save your son! Please, save Abu...!"

"Su Yang, why have you kidnapped my son?" Magistrate Zhou asked, his tone silent and stern.

"Magistrate Zhou, let’s be clear. Your son wanted to kill me, but he was bested. In the end, your son attempted cold-blooded murder, but lacking the diamond drill, he still tried to handle the porcelain work."

"What... what will it take for you to release Zhou Bao?"

"Madam, if you come and keep me company for a night, I will release your son. Otherwise...!"

As Su Yang spoke, he applied more pressure, and the dangling Zhou Bao let out a pained howl.

Magistrate Zhou’s face turned grim, his eyes filled with such venomous hatred toward Su Yang that he wished he could tear him limb from limb.

Vicious. This was truly too vicious.

"Fine... I will... as long as you release Bao'er, I am willing to...!"

Zhou Bao’s mother looked at her son with a look of suicidal resolve, her heart breaking.

"Su Yang... you... you are not human...!" Zhou Bao, gasping and spitting blood, hissed with venomous resentment.

"Zhou Bao, when you brought your servants to my door and claimed you were taking my wife away, my feelings were exactly the same as yours."

"You can insult my wife, so why can't I insult your mother?"

"Wait for it. The show has only just begun."

"This is the price of offending me, Su Yang...!"

Su Yang’s inner fire burned on. If not for his lack of overwhelming strength, he would have loved to hack everyone in the Zhou family to pieces right in front of Zhou Bao.

After the mother spoke, the crowd erupted into a chaotic buzz of gossip. Many cast lewd, mocking glances toward Magistrate Zhou, whispering among themselves. Whatever they were saying, it certainly wasn't flattering.

"Madam, if you are willing to keep me company today to save your son, then take off all your clothes right now. If you do that, I will trust you."

Su Yang raised an eyebrow with a wicked smirk.

"What?"

Hearing this outrageous demand, Zhou Bao’s mother turned deathly pale. With so many people around, if she were to strip naked, wouldn't that mean...!

The green hat on Magistrate Zhou’s head would truly be layered one upon another.

"Madam, will you agree or not? If you don't, I will kill Zhou Bao right now."

Su Yang continued to press her.

"I agree... I agree... I will do as you say, just please, do not harm my son...!"

The mother wept, but she obeyed, untying her buttons. Everything was for the sake of saving her pathetic son.

*Snap.*

The next second, just as she undid the first button, Magistrate Zhou’s hand struck the back of her neck with a sharp *crack* of breaking bone. She died on the spot.

Instantly killed.

Compared to the humiliation of ruining his reputation, it was far more satisfying to simply kill the woman.

"Haha... did you see that, Zhou Bao?"

"Your father killed your mother?"

"Your father killed your mother!"

Su Yang’s voice boomed. He tossed the crippled Zhou Bao toward Magistrate Zhou like a piece of refuse.

"My son...!"

Magistrate Zhou lunged forward to catch the falling boy, his hand gently patting Zhou Bao’s back as a terrifying surge of qi and blood flooded into the boy’s body.

"Pfft...!"

The next second, Zhou Bao spat a final mouthful of blood and died on the spot.

"Su Yang, how dare you kill my son?" Magistrate Zhou’s eyes were filled with murderous intent. "Kill him! Make him pay with his life for my son...!"

"What a ruthless heart!" Su Yang looked on with a hint of admiration.

His own son, killed without a moment’s hesitation.