Unfortunately, it was already too late. By now, Yan Duo didn’t even have the courage to take out his cell phone. He felt as if he had been suddenly stricken with a severe illness, leaving him utterly immobile and trembling.

"Spare you?" Yang Qi sneered, looking down indifferently at the elder engulfed in flames.

The elder nodded frantically. "Spare me! I can serve you! I’m a Second Rank Perfection Martial Arts Overlord! I can do many things for you!"

"Not necessary."

Yang Qi’s cold reply severed the elder’s last shred of hope, leaving him to perish in agony and regret.

Throughout this, Li Qingyan and the others could only stare, their faces numb with shock. They couldn’t comprehend how Yang Qi had made so many people vanish in just a single minute. This is too miraculous, too terrifying.

After eliminating all the Martial Artists from Sea City’s Tang Family, Yang Qi glanced at them. "Scared?"

"A little," Li Qingyan admitted with a forced smile. "But this is the kind of thing we’d have to face sooner or later. Let’s just call it a test." With that, she followed a group of employees to the restroom to vomit. It was their first time witnessing such a scene, and it was more than they could stomach.

Yang Qi just smiled, popped a piece of gum into his mouth, and strode coldly toward Yan Duo.

"You... stay away from me! Don’t come any closer!"

Terrified, Yan Duo scrambled backward, only to trip over a chair and fall in a pathetic heap. "I... I was forced!" he screamed in horror. "The Tang Family from Sea City made me do it! They came to my home and threatened to kill my father!"

"Still lying, even at death’s door?" Yang Qi sighed. "I spared you at least three times. Not only were you ungrateful, your hatred for me only grew. You ran to the Tang Family in Sea City, leaked my information, and even suggested they target Qifei Group. Did you really think I wouldn’t know?

"Your father has already pledged his allegiance to me. Your Yan Family could have had a magnificent future, but because of a fool like you, it might be completely wiped out.

"By giving birth to you, the Yan Family truly brought a calamity upon themselves.

"Why couldn’t you just be a proper young master? Why did you insist on making an enemy of me?"

Yan Duo trembled, unable to utter a single word. He was too terrified to speak. He tried to get up, but his limbs were as weak as if he’d been severely injured. The feeling was agonizingly painful.

"I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!" Yan Duo wailed, genuinely full of regret. "Please, just spare me one more time! Just once! I’ll never try to harm you again, I swear!" But his words were worthless. People like him never learned. The moment he was free, he would surely plot against Yang Qi again. Yang Qi had lost his patience.

"If you didn’t want to die, you should have been a better person!" With a flick of his finger, a spark shot out and erupted into flames. Amidst anguished screams, Yan Duo’s life of foolishly courting death came to an end. There was no need to clean up; the death was exceptionally clean.

「Meanwhile, outside the Zhao Family mansion, things were finally stirring.」

The Tang Family from Sea City had arrived. The scout posted outside was so scared he nearly pissed himself. The sheer number of people, of Martial Artists, was overwhelming. A dark, oppressive mass of them completely surrounded the Zhao estate.

Tang Zhetian stepped out of the lead vehicle. Though his hair and beard were white, he radiated a powerful aura. The elite forces of the Tang Family were fully deployed, leaving only a few people behind in Sea City. They were confident they could easily take down the Zhao Family and Yang Qi, and then return without delay. After all, who would dare make a move against their family in their absence?

To dare attack Tang Zhetian’s son! To dare kill Tang Zhetian’s grandson! They had to pay the price. The Tang Family would stop at nothing to get its revenge!

"Is Yang Qi inside?" Tang Zhetian asked.

"It seems he hasn’t arrived yet," Tang Wen Yong replied.

"Perfect. We’ll set up the wedding scene first. When he arrives, we’ll let him taste the agony of watching his loved ones die!" Tang Zhetian said coldly.

"Father, with all our elites here, taking down a mere Yang Qi should be effortless. Why did we need to ask those people in Thunder City for help?" Tang Wen Yong asked, confused.

"Wenyong, this is where you’re still lacking," Tang Zhetian advised. "We may be strong, but some people must be utilized. This time, we want to see who in Thunder City is on our side. Do you understand? No matter how high you climb, you always need minions to do your bidding."

"I understand, Father. However, it has been somewhat troublesome. Here in Thunder City, the only major families willing to help are the Wang Family, the Yan Family, and the Black Wolf Sect, along with thirty-six of their affiliated companies, families, and sects. The likes of Jingnan Royal Mansion, the Wind Control Sect, the Seven Swords Sect, the Lei Family, the Kong Family, and the Chen Family all refused. They claim to be neutral, but I suspect they’ve already sided with Yang Qi!" Tang Wen Yong said angrily.

"Hmph. A bunch of fools who don’t know what’s good for them," Tang Zhetian snorted. "Forget it. Since they refuse to help, we’ll deal with them later. The fewer people there are to share the pie, the better. Today, we’ll start by annihilating the Zhao Family to make an example of them. We’ll show everyone the price of offending us."

"Hurry back and report to the Family Head!" The guards abandoned their posts at the gate, rushing inside and barring it behind them.

"This is bad, Family Head! They’re here! The Tang Family from Sea City is here!" one guard cried out. "It’s a black tide of them, at least ten thousand Martial Artists! They have us surrounded completely! We’re trapped like turtles in a jar!"

"What do we do, Family Head? Think of something! If we try to fight them head-on, we’ll all be killed!"

"Maybe... maybe we should just surrender? If we give up Ye Qianqian’s family, the Zhao Family’s old and young might be spared!"

"He’s right! This is no time to fight them directly!"

Everyone was terrified, their panicked suggestions flying wildly. "All of you, shut up!" Zhao Haishan was pushed out in his wheelchair, his voice cold. "Do you really think surrendering will work? Looking at their formation, it’s obvious they intend to wipe out our entire Zhao Family. Surrender is useless. We’re better off mustering our courage and fighting to the death! Kill one, and we break even. Kill two, and we’ve made a profit! We, the Zhao Family of Thunder City, are not to be trifled with!"

"But Family Head, this is all because of that Yang Qi! Why hasn’t he shown up? Did he run away?"

"Exactly, Family Head! He caused this mess, and now we have to take the fall. It’s completely unfair!"

Zhao Haishan was helpless. He had no explanation for Yang Qi’s absence. He, too, thought running away was the most likely option. It’s every man for himself, after all. Yang Qi isn’t stupid. Why would he come back just to die?