Qin Lie instantly understood.

So, he came for this. I thought this was just a trivial, internal family matter. Who could have possibly predicted that after so many years, it would involve a top-tier powerhouse like the Zhennan Prince! It means the entire reason the Martial Guard of Hanyun Valley has their blades pointed at Qiyun Road is to back Qin Gang. They're here to ask a simple question: what right did the Qin Family have to expel him? And what right do you have to refuse his return?

It was indeed Qin Lie who had made the decision to banish Qin Gang. The family had invested heavily in his training, yet he had stalled at the Sixth Rank. It was truly a case of being disappointed that the iron couldn't be forged into steel.

At this thought, even Qin Lie, a man who had seen his share of great storms, couldn't help but tremble.

Qin Yan and the other Qin descendants all hung their heads, not daring to make a move.

If they had known this was coming, they would have revered Qin Gang like an ancestor! The man may not have had any great achievements, but he had the Zhennan Prince for a son-in-law! Look down on him? Expel him? Heh... Who did we think we were?!

"Him!" Chen Yang pointed at Qin Gang. "The reason he stopped at the Sixth Rank is that he joined our Martial Guard of Hanyun Valley!"

Don't you see? In the entire Martial Department, everyone takes pride in joining the Martial Guard of Hanyun Valley. This includes even Seventh and Eighth Rank Military Generals, with no exceptions.

It is a symbol of supreme honor!

How could Qin Lie not know this? His face turned deathly pale, and he stood frozen in place.

"Even if we put all that aside," Chen Yang continued, "as a Martial Guard, he has accompanied me into countless battles. In Wild Wolf Valley, on Eagle Ridge, he was always at the very front, leading the charge. What right do you have to expel him?"

"He threw his life on the line for this empire, shedding his blood without fear of death. When it comes to that spirit of devotion, who in your Qin Family can surpass him?"

Qin Lie was silent.

"Furthermore, he took a bullet for me. He saved my life."

At this, Chen Yang clasped his fists and bowed deeply to Qin Gang in a show of profound respect. "Without him, there would be no me. There would be no Nine Gates Admiral. You humiliated him in every way imaginable. Believe me when I say I will topple your Qin Royal Family."

SHIING!

The phalanx of several thousand men before the gate drew their war blades in unison.

The gleaming blades flashed with a cold light.

Despite the sun hanging high in the sky, the air for hundreds of meters around suddenly plummeted in temperature.

For the members of the Qin Family, it was as if they had been plunged into an ice cavern. They shivered uncontrollably, feeling as though the very blood in their veins was turning to ice.

With their blades in hand, the guards took a single step forward.

THUD!

The sound of their military boots striking the ground was as heavy as a war drum.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

As this heavy sound echoed out, the members of the Qin Family could no longer remain standing. They collapsed to their knees, their heads bowed as they shivered.

"I... I'm sorry..."

Qin Lie, clutching the ends of his robe with trembling hands, slowly bent his knees and prostrated himself on the ground.

"If Qin Gang is still willing, I will reinstate him in our family records. I will document his life in detail for future generations to admire."

Chen Yang said nothing, his gaze shifting to Qin Gang.

Ultimately, the decision was Qin Gang's to make.

Otherwise, why would Chen Yang have bothered saying so much?

The Qin Family was, after all, still Qin Gang's family.

Qin Gang remained silent.

And with his silence, the hearts of everyone in the Qin Family rose to their throats, and they held their breath.

If he shook his head and uttered a single word of resentment, the entire Qin Royal Family would likely be overthrown by this Nine Gates Admiral.

For a moment, the scene fell into an eerie silence.

After a long while, Qin Gang gave a slight nod. "Forget about recording my life's story. I only wish for my spirit tablet to enter the Qin ancestral hall after I die, and for my name to have a proper beginning and end in the family records."

Leaves return to their roots. It is, after all, a tradition that flows in the blood, one that can never be erased. This is especially true for an old man who knows his days are numbered.

"But I'm still a little angry," Chen Yang said, slowly shaking his head. "Some actions, once taken, must have consequences, don't you think?"

With that, Chen Yang lifted his right hand and flicked his wrist.

A gleaming battle blade shot from a Martial Guard's hand. It pierced through the Qin Family's lintel, tore through everything in its path, and finally embedded itself deep in the wall above the main hall's seat of honor.

The blade quivered, sending dust motes dancing in the air.

Without a backward glance, Chen Yang turned and left.

Qin Qiu, Yang Hu, and the phalanx of troops followed close behind.

PHEW!

In an instant, every member of the Qin Family, including Qin Lie, let out a huge sigh of relief. Many of them simply collapsed to the ground, their clothes soaked through with cold sweat.

Those few seconds had felt like a century to them.

It was as if they had just returned from the gates of hell.

Qin Lie turned to look at the large hole pierced through the lintel. He raised a trembling hand and instinctively wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

From this day forward, there would be a gaping hole in the Qin Family's entryway, and everyone would know it was left by the Zhennan Prince.

It was not a boast, but a warning.

A warning for Qin Lie himself, and for all future generations.

「That night.」

After dinner, Qin Qiu sat in the pavilion, her chin resting in her hand. Her limpid autumn eyes were fixed on Chen Yang as she chuckled, "So handsome, so dashing."

"Of course!" Chen Yang lifted his head proudly, though a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes. He laughed softly. "Why don't you take a picture? You might never see this side of me again."

Qin Qiu paused. It was the first time she had ever seen a trace of melancholy on his face.

"Honey, if one day I hang up this uniform and I'm no longer the Nine Gates Admiral, just an ordinary person, would you be disappointed in me?" Chen Yang asked with a smile.

Qin Qiu didn't understand why he would suddenly say such a thing. She grabbed his hand and said softly, "How could I be disappointed? It's you I want."

"Besides, I'd rather you step down," she added, a smile playing on her lips. "I don't want to live in constant fear every day. Plus, I have the Qin Corporation. I can provide for you!"

Chen Yang was left speechless.

He'd been a kept man for so long already. Did she really want him to continue?

"Please, spare me," Chen Yang said, waving his hands frantically. "I have my own two hands. I'm perfectly capable of supporting myself."

Qin Qiu stifled a laugh.

Then, she stood up and took two steps forward. Without asking for a reason, she tightly embraced the man before her. "No matter what the future holds, you still have me."

Under the cool moonlight, her dark hair brushed against his heroic frame as they embraced, their shadows merging into one.

「The next day.」

Two cars departed from the Meixin Community, one after the other.

After getting on the highway, the two cars separated, heading in different directions.

Chen Yang and Yang Hu went toward the Holy Sea, while Qin Qiu and her family traveled to Lingjin City. After such a long delay, it was time for that new medicine to be launched on the market.

Chen Yang, of course, was headed to the Yang Family of Golden Summit in the Holy Sea.

For him, his business with the Yang Family was not yet truly finished.

As he had said before, for some matters, death alone was not enough.

The Family Head of the Yang Family of Golden Summit would surely not let this rest. Since that was the case, he would just have to pay them a visit himself and settle things for good.

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