Tianhai.

Inside a sky garden restaurant.

"Young Master Sheng, I have to say, that move of yours was truly vicious."

"You were sitting on that information but deliberately waited until the eve of the battle to release it. You did it just to shatter Xu Ke's composure."

"Does Wong Qifu really think she can control the narrative? With our two families making a move, the headlines will crucify her!"

"Ye Fan, I'm impressed."

"I toast this glass to you."

A man in a white shirt raised his glass and drank it down with a flourish.

Two people were seated at the dining table.

One was Huang Sheng.

The other man in the white shirt was, of course, the Ye Family's heir, Ye Fan.

"Young Master Fan, you're too kind," Huang Sheng said with a faint smile, his face showing no hint of smugness. "When playing cards, you have to play the best hand at the most opportune moment."

"Brilliant," Ye Fan said, clapping his hands in admiration. "If you'd released it two days earlier, Wong Qifu could have quickly suppressed it. If you'd released it a day later, Xu Ke's duel with Elder Shuang would have already been over."

"But by releasing it now, that country bumpkin Xu Ke is probably completely incapable of handling it! It's his first time making headlines, his first time being hounded by reporters. His composure must be completely shattered by now."

Deep scorn filled Ye Fan's eyes. Xu Ke? What a country bumpkin. Did he really think that just because he had some cultivation and had latched onto Wong Qifu, he could just transform into one of the elite? In his dreams!

"Let's hope so," Huang Sheng said with a smile.

Ye Fan spoke disdainfully, "Surely Xu Ke doesn't think that just because Elder Shuang agreed to a duel to the death, it means he has what it takes to challenge us, does he? He probably thinks our six great families are like the hicks from his little town, thinking they can just run roughshod over everyone with their fists! We'll show him the hard way that he has no right to enter our circle. Not in this lifetime!"

Ye Fan burst out laughing.

Seeing this, Huang Sheng couldn't help but chuckle. "It seems you bear quite a grudge against Xu Ke, Young Master Fan."

Ye Fan's nearly feral state was rather surprising. He never would have expected the heir of the Ye Family to hate Xu Ke so intensely.

"A grudge?" Ye Fan's laughter died, his eyes glinting with a cruel light. "It's not a grudge. It's the intent to kill. That damned bastard killed my brother. I want his entire family to accompany my brother to the grave. And Wong Qifu... I'm going to kill that bitch, too."

Ye Fan gnashed his teeth, his killing intent thick and palpable.

"Then I wish you success, Young Master Fan." Huang Sheng smiled, noncommittal, and stood to refill Ye Fan's wine glass.

The red wine flowed down the side of the glass. Even after it passed the optimal fill line, it showed no sign of stopping.

Ye Fan's expression changed. "What is the meaning of this?"

Huang Sheng said nothing and continued to pour. Under the starry sky, his pouring form was clumsy, but his focus was absolute. The entire rooftop was utterly silent, the only sound being the gurgling of the wine.

Soon, the red wine crested the rim and cascaded down, slowly soaking the tablecloth as its crimson stain spread.

Ye Fan's face turned completely grim.

Only after emptying the entire bottle of red wine did Huang Sheng finally set it down and return to his seat.

"What are you trying to say?" Ye Fan seethed.

"I just have one thing to say to you, Young Master Fan," Huang Sheng said with a smile. "To overfill is to spill."

*To overfill is to spill, to spill is to tip, and to tip is to lose everything.*

"What the hell are you trying to say?" Ye Fan had already guessed Huang Sheng's meaning, but he refused to admit it.

"What I'm saying is simple. Whether it's today's Xu Ke, tomorrow's Wong Ke, or the day-after's Zhou Ke... Surely you've seen enough stories about how pride comes before a fall?" Huang Sheng said with a faint smile. "I hope that when I take charge of the Huang Family, you'll still be around, Young Master Fan. Otherwise, my enthusiasm for cooperating with the Ye Family might diminish significantly."

Ye Fan snorted. "Cut the crap. Xu Ke is a piece of trash. Do you really think an Acquired-level Martial Artist can flip the world upside down? Let me tell you something: humility is for the strong. The weak, I despise."

After saying his piece, Ye Fan stood up abruptly, lifted the full glass of red wine, and downed it in one gulp. Wine splashed everywhere, streaming down his front and instantly staining his white shirt red.

After finishing the drink, Ye Fan hurled the glass to the floor. It shattered, sending shards flying. He sneered, "Huang Sheng, being cautious hasn't made you lose the pride of the six great families. I don't think someone as timid as a mouse is fit to be the Helmsman of the Huang Family."

Ye Fan gave a contemptuous laugh. How dare he lecture me? What gives Huang Sheng the right?

With that, he turned and stormed away.

Huang Sheng's expression remained unchanged as he quietly watched Ye Fan leave.

Shortly after Ye Fan's departure, Huang Sheng received a message from Ouyang Shuang. It contained only five words.

"Success. Tomorrow, Xu Ke dies."

Only then did a satisfied smile grace Huang Sheng's lips. He gazed at the towering skyscrapers in the distance, a smirk playing on his lips. "Xu Ke, luck can only be with you for so long. No one can defy absolute power, and you are no exception. I'm afraid there's no place for you in Tianhai's top circles. You're out."

「...」

"How dare he look down on me? I'll make sure he dies without a proper burial."

Yang Qing watched the flood of information scrolling by with smug satisfaction, smirking every time she saw a new doxxing post about Xu Ke. She smiled contentedly.

This was the power of the Ye and Huang Families.

With the two families working together, information about Xu Ke had swept across numerous media outlets in Tianhai in just a few hours. Although it was just entertainment-adjacent gossip and Wong Qifu wasn't a national superstar, it was more than enough to cause a massive sensation in Tianhai.

"SHOCKING: Wang Family Corporation's Female President Seen With a Fitness Trainer..."

"The Future of the Wang Family Corporation? Female President Obsessed with a Younger Man..."

"..."

Headlines like these popped up one after another. Various social media influencers and reporters, like vampires, latched onto the topic, determined to milk it for every last drop of popularity.

The comment sections were filled with malicious insults.

"Tsk! What a useless gigolo. Utterly shameless."

"Wong Qifu is actually into a guy like that? I predict the Wang Family Corporation will go bankrupt next year!"

"Wong Qifu hasn't been seen with any young men for years. You can tell this is true just by looking at it."

"Weren't they all lovey-dovey at the gym, too?"

"Disgusting! Don't ever let your wife go to the gym again."

The moment Yang Qing found out Xu Ke was involved with Wong Qifu, her first reaction had been shock.

Siao Jia was actually right! she thought, a pang of regret and intense jealousy striking her. She regretted not believing Siao Jia. What right did someone like Xu Ke have to get involved with one of Tianhai City's top figures?

Because of this, she had genuinely tried to seduce Xu Ke to prove that her own charm was no less than Wong Qifu's. Unfortunately, Xu Ke's merciless insults had utterly trampled her pride.

Now, seeing Xu Ke being trashed like this filled Yang Qing with immense satisfaction.

Xu Ke, you're getting exactly what you deserve!

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