Someone dared to insult a Martial Ancestor?

Already in a foul mood from his failure at sea, Wan Yuanshan's expression darkened. "Who was it?"

A Grandmaster must not be humiliated. This was an unwritten rule in the strictly hierarchical world of the Martial Dao, and it was equally true for ordinary people.

"It was them. The woman named Ruan Lan," Wan Meirong said, pointing at Ruan Lan's group at the exit.

Her heart swelled with malicious joy. Martial Ancestor Xu Huang and the Family Head are so high and mighty; they'd never bother to verify the truth of the matter. Besides, with Xu Huang's explosive temper, he might just crush Ruan Lan with a flick of his finger. Although it deviates from my plan, the result is still excellent.

So, Wan Meirong continued to fan the flames while feigning loyalty. "Although I, Wan Meirong, am only from a side branch of the Wan Family, Martial Ancestor Xu Huang is our family's distinguished guest. How could I possibly stand by and do nothing? I immediately demanded Ruan Lan apologize, but I never expected... she would become even more vicious! She said Martial Ancestor Xu has a false reputation and called him a perverted old lecher."

CRACK!

Xu Huang's hand clenched the cruise ship's railing, snapping it clean off. His expression turned icy.

He indeed had an appreciation for beautiful women, and there had been plenty of rumors about him over the years. But all of his affairs had been consensual. The title of "perverted lecher" was simply too much!

As the Martial Ancestor's fury ignited, a domineering pressure unintentionally radiated from him.

Wan Meirong, along with Ruan Lan and her friends nearby, felt their legs give out. They nearly collapsed to the ground, crying out in shock.

On the fourth deck of the cruise ship, Martial Ancestors like Feng Lang and Niu Taishan, who were also preparing to leave, showed alarm on their faces. Who's picking a fight with Xu Huang now? They hurried over to see what was happening.

Niu Guihua, Su Daiyi, and the others followed close behind them, their faces etched with confusion.

Seeing the Martial Ancestor enraged, Wan Meirong quickly said, "Martial Ancestor Xu Huang, allow me to take you to them!"

The group moved closer.

"Ruan Lan, we meet again!" Wan Meirong said with a radiant smile.

"It's you!?" Ruan Lan exclaimed, a sudden realization dawning on her. No wonder they had been stopped from leaving; this old woman had been meddling behind the scenes. She struck a Taekwondo pose. "So you found some backup, huh? My third-dan black belt isn't just for show!"

Hu Yanjie once again shielded his girlfriend, his gaze skipping past Wan Meirong to lock onto Xu Huang. He felt an incredibly dangerous aura emanating from the man! His face looks familiar... like one of the Martial Artists who jumped from the cruise ship into the sea hours ago...

Li Li's personality was gentle. Unlike the carefree Ruan Lan and Yu Xiaoxiao, she was more meticulous and cautious. She whispered nervously, "Xiaoxiao, Lan Lan, that old man... I think he's one of the Martial Artists from earlier."

Ruan Lan was speechless. She instantly lost her nerve but stubbornly put on a brave face. "So what if he is? My brother-in-law, Xu Lai, is also a Martial Artist! He's probably way stronger than this old geezer!"

Who? The icy killing intent radiating from Xu Huang vanished in an instant. He was stunned, and asked cautiously, "Your brother-in-law... Who is he?"

"Xu Lai, obviously," Ruan Lan said, putting on a stern face to issue her threat. "My brother-in-law is incredibly powerful. Don't you dare think about helping this fat woman bully me, or he'll make you pay!"

Xu Huang sucked in a sharp breath, standing completely frozen on the spot. Did I just provoke the sister-in-law of that terrifyingly strong Martial Dao expert from the God-Passing Realm? His scalp tingled with sheer terror. I have to run. Escape to the ends of the earth where no one can find me. It's the only way I might live through this.

Failing to notice the bizarre expression on Martial Ancestor Xu Huang's face, Wan Meirong sneered, "Who the hell do you think your brother-in-law Xu Lai is? Xu Huang is a Martial Ancestor, yet you dared to insult him. You're as good as dead!"

"When did I ever insult him?" Ruan Lan was not pleased. "Your son was bullying my niece. That's a failure on your part as a parent. And now you're slandering me? Believe it or not, I'll sue you for defamation!"

"What? Slander!?" Wan Yuanshan felt like he was losing his mind. Xu Lai had suppressed Xu Huang and the other Martial Ancestors. He had aided the Su and Jiang families in securing a gambling victory of around eight hundred million, as well as the rights to Sea Temple Island for the next ten years. He was a Martial Dao master of the highest caliber! As the head of the Wan Family, Wan Yuanshan would never, ever dare to provoke such a man. How could he have possibly expected a member of a side branch to sabotage him like this!

Wan Yuanshan strode forward and fiercely slapped Wan Meirong across the face. "What exactly happened? Tell me now!" he roared.

"I..." Wan Meirong clutched her face, panicking.

She wanted to continue weaving her lies, but she was met with Xu Huang's icy glare. He said coldly, "If you lie again, I'll cut out your tongue."

"Please, don't," Wan Meirong said, her voice trembling. "It's all Ruan Lan's fault! She tried to make me kneel and apologize, so I... I had to resort to this plan. Family Head, I'm a member of the Wan Family! When she hit me, wasn't that a slap in your face? I was doing it for you..."

Wan Yuanshan was so furious he nearly fainted. For me? To hell with your "for me"!

He viciously kicked Wan Meirong in her plump stomach. "You brought this on yourself! Get out of my sight!" he bellowed.

"Family Head..." Wan Meirong cried out in pain, sobbing tearfully. "Why are you hitting me? Ruan Lan's brother-in-law is just some ordinary person. If we kill her, or give her to Martial Ancestor Xu Huang as a plaything, we..."

Give her to me? Xu Huang's blood ran cold. Are you trying to get me killed?!

Seeing Martial Ancestors like Feng Lang and Niu Taishan looking down from the second-floor staircase, Xu Huang, desperate to extricate himself from the situation, said viciously, "Wan Yuanshan, as of today, I sever all ties with the Wan Family!"

"Martial Ancestor Xu Huang, you are my granddaughter's master! You can't..."

"She is no longer my disciple!" Xu Huang declared. He then turned and bowed deeply to Ruan Lan. "I, Xu Huang, was deceived by a malicious person. As a sign of my remorse for having disturbed you, I will sever my own arm!"

As he spoke, he drew a dagger from his robes, truly intending to cut off his own arm.

Ruan Lan's face went pale. "No, don't! An apology is fine! Besides, what would I even do with your arm?"

"But... you won't tell Mr. Xu Lai, will you?" Xu Huang asked cautiously.

"I might," Ruan Lan replied nonchalantly.

"Then I'd better cut it off."

"..."

Ruan Lan had to talk him down, pleading with him until he was finally dissuaded. Any thought she'd had of taking one of these masters as a teacher vanished instantly. This guy's brain is fried from all his training. I can't take someone like that as a master...

"Miss Ruan Lan," Su Daiyi said, taking the initiative to approach them. "Are you heading back to Haitang Court? I can give you a ride."

Ruan Lan naturally accepted the offer.

After the group departed, the other heads of Wealthy Families, like Niu Guihua and Ling Chaoyang, looked at Wan Yuanshan with pity. They were all thinking of the same proverb: A small leak will sink a great ship.

We must keep our family members on a tight leash. We cannot afford to repeat this mistake, Niu Taishan thought.

After all, the Wan Family hadn't just lost their pillar of support, Xu Huang. With Feng Lang at the lead, the other ten Martial Ancestors also owed Xu Lai a favor. This indirectly put the Wan Family at odds with twelve Martial Ancestors!

The Wan Family... was on the brink of collapse!

Wan Yuanshan crumpled to the ground, crying out in anguish. "It's over! It's all over! The Wan Family is doomed!"

The clan his family had built over hundreds of years had collapsed under his watch. He didn't know how he would ever face his ancestors in the Netherworld.

"Family Head..." Wan Meirong said with a trembling voice. "Ruan Lan is just an ordinary person. Our Wan Family is still the top family in the East Sea... If we kill her, there's still a chance to turn things around."

"Idiot! Do you still not realize you've provoked the one person our family can never, ever afford to offend? You and your entire branch—get out of the Wan Family!"

Wan Yuanshan glared furiously. He turned, leaning on his cane, and staggered hunched-back down the ramp of the ship. His figure, swallowed by the darkness, seemed to have aged twenty years in a single instant.

Wan Meirong stared at the Family Head's retreating, aged back. She felt a deep sense of bewilderment, but it was overshadowed by an even greater regret. Oh, how she hated this

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