Chapter 28: A Gift

Page 1

Late at night.

The wind was cold.

Ling Qiu arrived at the entrance of a villa—the property belonging to Ling Baichuan and his father.

"Xiaoman, is this the place?"

"...Yes..."

Lan Xiaoman still trembled slightly.

"Alright." Ling Qiu nodded, then agilely vaulted over the wall into the backyard.

In the study, Ling Baichuan's father, Ling Wanlou, was berating Ling Baichuan.

"You worthless fool, do you know how much it cost me to get Master Fang to intervene?!"

Ling Baichuan sat slumped in his wheelchair, drooling and anxious, whining uncontrollably, unable to utter a word, only capable of incessant flatulence.

"Can you stop farting, damn it!" Ling Wanlou flung open the window, extinguishing his cigarette violently. "I've investigated everything. The female assassin you hired is named Long Yuelan. You, always chasing after pretty women—couldn't you have harassed anyone else? You just had to provoke a female assassin! Everything that's happened to you is your own doing!"

Pffff—

Upon hearing this, Ling Baichuan grew even more aggrieved, farting relentlessly.

Clearly, Ling Wanlou believed Ling Baichuan had brought this upon himself out of lust, provoking Long Yuelan.

From his perspective, only an assassin like Long Yuelan could have beaten all those young heirs into idiots in the KTV suite and crippled Ling Baichuan.

Outside the window, Ling Qiu watched the scene, his brows knit in displeasure.

This feeling unsettled him deeply.

Letting the Long Yuelan sisters take the blame, causing Lan Xiaoman's death without reason—this debt must be settled!

With a swift movement, Ling Qiu entered the study.

"Hmm?!"

Ling Wanlou was startled. "Who?!—Ling Qiu?!"

Upon seeing Ling Qiu, Ling Baichuan's flatulence intensified, filling the room with noise.

Enduring the stench, Ling Wanlou glared at Ling Qiu. "Ling Qiu, it seems you've forgotten my warning."

"I haven't," Ling Qiu replied, walking over and sitting with one leg crossed on the sofa. "You said if I ever set foot in the Ling family estate again, you'd break my legs."

"So you remember, yet you still came?!" Ling Wanlou, furious at the sight of Ling Qiu, recalled the old man's will, which had named this useless boy as heir, and wished he could tear Ling Qiu apart.

"That's right, I'm here. Go ahead and fulfill your promise."

Page 2

Ling Qiu pointed to his own legs. "I'll give you ten seconds—break them. I'm in a hurry, so make it quick. Besides, this room reeks; I don’t want to linger."

"Huh??"

Was this boy out of his mind?

Ling Wanlou grabbed a golf club from the wall, threatening Ling Qiu, "You think I won't touch you just because of the old man's will?"

"Oh, yes, the will," Ling Qiu said, smacking his lips. "I have no interest in inheriting the family business, but with so many heirs, I can’t bear to see the vast Ling estate end up in the hands of you two worthless father and son."

"What did you say?!" Ling Wanlou's eyes bulged. "Did you just call me…trash?!"

Ling Qiu remained silent, squinting at the clock. After a few seconds, he yawned. "Time’s up."

What?

Was he really counting down?

Before Ling Wanlou could react, his vision blurred as Ling Qiu darted forward like an arrow, landing a fierce punch—

Bang!

—right in his abdomen.

Ling Wanlou turned pale with agony, spewing blood.

Ling Qiu, not wasting words, pressed his foot onto Ling Wanlou’s head. "I’m here for two things today."

"First, to settle past grievances once and for all."

"Second, to avenge my sister, Lan Xiaoman."

Lan Xiaoman?!

At his words, Ling Wanlou’s face changed dramatically. "You…what are you talking about? I…don’t understand!"

As he spoke, Ling Wanlou’s hand discreetly reached into his pocket, pulling out a communication alarm.

Ling Qiu noticed and snatched it away.

"Trying to call for help?"

"Give me back the communicator!" Ling Wanlou shouted in terror.

He really hadn’t expected…that the once useless Ling Qiu…could suddenly possess such power!

That speed just now…even some true martial artists couldn’t match it!

He couldn’t comprehend any of this, but he knew he needed reinforcements.

"No need to panic. Want to call for help? I’ll do it for you."

Page 3

Ling Wanlou: ???

Before he could process what was happening, Ling Qiu pressed the red button on the communicator.

Beep, beep, beep—

Suddenly, a piercing alarm echoed throughout the estate.

Upon hearing it, Ling Wanlou’s face twisted into a ruthless smile, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he looked at Ling Qiu as if he were an idiot.

"You…useless fool…no matter how you secretly learned these skills, your brain remains hopelessly stupid! When all my bodyguards arrive, you won’t escape. Ling Qiu, you struck first this time, so don’t blame me for being merciless!"

Moments later, hurried footsteps rang out.

Bang!

The study door was slammed open.

A dozen tall bodyguards in black suits barged in, each wielding a rubber baton, shouting, "Mr. Ling! What happened?!"

At that moment, Ling Qiu snapped his fingers lightly, releasing a stream of wandering soul energy from the Yanluo Ring. It transformed into invisible currents, rushing toward the guards.

"Ugh!—"

The bodyguards suddenly felt something invade their minds, an overwhelming fear washing over them, freezing them in place, unable to move.

Ling Qiu felt slightly dizzy, and with a faint smile, mused to himself, "My ghost arts are a bit rusty. This Soul Seizing Immobilization Spell—given my current strength, I’d best use it sparingly."

"What…are you talking about?" Ling Wanlou was stunned, turning to his guards and shouting, "What are you doing?! Go! Seize this bastard!"

No matter how he yelled, the guards stood there, eyes vacant, motionless like statues.

"Stop shouting," Ling Qiu said calmly. "Tell me—did you send someone to kill Lan Xiaoman, then had that Taoist trap her soul, isn’t that right?"

"You…you…what are you saying?" Ling Wanlou finally sensed something was wrong. Looking at Ling Qiu, he suddenly felt as if Ling Qiu’s gaze came from the depths of the underworld, terrifying and chilling.

"Don’t want to admit it?" Ling Qiu said. "Fine, then I’ll let the victim speak for herself."

With that, Ling Qiu rotated the Yanluo Ring, releasing a mist of spirit energy. Lan Xiaoman’s soul appeared, manifesting beside him.

Ling Qiu infused a trace of energy into Ling Wanlou’s eyes.

"Ahhh!!!—"

Ling Wanlou screamed in terror, struggling desperately.

He saw—

He saw Lan Xiaoman’s departed soul.