138. Kneeling and Begging for Mercy

"What did you say?" Chen Fengyun’s expression turned cold. He looked at Ye Yunlong and asked in a low voice. Those around him felt the temperature drop instantly, a sudden chill sweeping through the room.

Ye Yunlong bore the brunt of it. It felt as if he were being stared down by a giant beast; he shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering so hard he could not speak. Chen Fengyun walked toward him. Threatening him with his friends and family was something Chen Fengyun absolutely would not tolerate.

"Kid, what are you doing? His older brother is Ye Yunfeng!" Qian Qingfeng hurriedly stepped forward to block Chen Fengyun, shouting loudly at the same time.

"Ye Yunfeng is nothing. If he has the guts, let him come settle the score with me." Chen Fengyun retorted with a curse, then pushed out with his hand. The force sent Qian Qingfeng flying several meters until he slammed into the ground with a thud.

"Stop! That is a very arrogant statement. Do you dare say it again?" Just then, a commotion broke out at the stairs on the second floor, followed by an angry voice.

"I said you are nothing," Chen Fengyun replied coldly. He then swung his hand and slapped Ye Yunlong across the face. Ye Yunlong immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, along with several teeth, while half of his face swelled up instantly.

"You're courting death!" Ye Yunfeng had only seen Chen Fengyun’s back and did not recognize him. Hearing the insult and seeing the ruthless strike against his brother, he was consumed by rage. He vaulted over the railing and lunged at Chen Fengyun.

"Get lost..."

Just as Ye Yunfeng’s fist was about to strike Chen Fengyun’s back, Chen Fengyun suddenly turned around and roared. Ye Yunfeng’s body was sent flying backward, spraying blood as he crashed to the ground several meters away.

However, disregarding his injuries, he scrambled up quickly and gasped, "Mr. Chen?"

He then dropped to his knees with a thud. "Mr. Chen, I am sorry. I did not know you were here. My brother is ignorant and reckless; please, spare his life."

The room fell into an eerie silence. Everyone was stunned—including Qian Qingfeng, Ye Yunlong, Li Xiaowen, as well as Geng Chunming, Xu Dalin, Zeng Yiyue, and Qian Qingping.

"Big brother, what are you doing? Why are you kneeling to him?" Ye Yunlong, bewildered, ran over and tried to pull his brother up, shouting in confusion.

"Smack..."

To everyone’s shock, Ye Yunfeng slapped his brother. He used so much force that Ye Yunlong spat out another mouthful of blood, and the other side of his face swelled up as well.

"Get on your knees and beg Mr. Chen for mercy!" After striking his brother, Ye Yunfeng dragged him down to his knees and glared at him fiercely.

"Mr. Chen, today’s incident was the fault of the Qian family. I will report this to my grandfather and ensure those responsible for their behavior are held accountable," Qian Qingping stepped forward to Chen Fengyun’s side and bowed his head respectfully.

"Third brother, is he... is he Mr. Chen?" Qian Qingfeng, standing nearby, turned deathly pale. He pointed at Chen Fengyun and stammered, only now realizing the grave mistake he had made.

"What is going on here? Mr. Chen, I apologize. We failed to arrange things properly, and someone has offended you." A group of prominent figures descended from the second floor. At the head was Qian Yuejin, who looked at the kneeling Ye brothers before stepping forward to speak sincerely to Chen Fengyun.

He was still inwardly confused. Although he knew Chen Fengyun was formidable, he had heard that Ye Yunfeng was a powerful martial artist backed by Ye Bufan, and no one dared to provoke them. Why would they be kneeling before Chen Fengyun now? While the Qian family had influence in China, they were not a martial arts family and thus were unaware of Chen Fengyun’s reputation in that world—in this regard, they were less informed than Ye Yunfeng.

"Mr. Chen, I am sorry. I am Ye Buzhou. My son is ignorant and failed to recognize a true master. He offended you, and they deserve this punishment. I beg you, sir, to be magnanimous and spare them this time."

Even the head of the Ye family, Ye Bufan’s younger brother and the father of Ye Yunfeng and Ye Yunlong, did not dare to resist upon seeing the scene. He stepped forward to speak respectfully to Chen Fengyun. After Ye Bufan returned to the capital, he had gathered the direct members of the Ye family and strictly warned them never to provoke Mr. Chen from Rongcheng, or they risked the destruction of their family. Yet, only a few days later, his own family members had offended him.

"The Ye family descendants are indeed poorly disciplined. When you return, tell Ye Bufan that if he cannot manage them, I can do it for him. Also, Ye Yunlong had best not wander around anymore, or he will inevitably run into me, which ruins my mood."

"By the way, which family is that vixen from? Have her come over and kneel to apologize to my friends. And this young master of the Qian family—he was very arrogant earlier and didn't seem to welcome me and my friends."

Chen Fengyun was not a man of patience. In a few sentences, he sealed the fates of those involved. A senior member of the Li family, who was also present, learned of Chen Fengyun’s identity from Ye Buzhou and immediately ordered Li Xiaowen to come over and kneel in apology.

"You beast! Mr. Chen is a great benefactor to the Qian family. How dare you drive Mr. Chen and his friends away? Get out and don't ever come back!" Qian Qingfeng’s father, Qian Hongjun, stepped forward and slapped him across the face, forbidding him from returning to the Qian family thereafter.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong," Li Xiaowen sobbed, kneeling down in humiliation and apologizing through her tears.

"Mr. Chen, I am sorry. Given that today is the old man's birthday, could we leave it at this for now? After today, we will certainly give you a proper account," Qian Yuejin said, trying to save face.

"Uncle Qian, this is not the fault of your Qian family; I can distinguish right from wrong. It is the old man's birthday, and I have already delivered my gift. I won't stay any longer. I still have plans with my friends. Let brother Ping come with us," Chen Fengyun said with a smile.

"Yes, yes, of course! Qingping, you know the capital well. Take Mr. Chen and his friends out, and make sure you treat them well. I will give you full access to our credit," Qian Yuejin said, overjoyed. It was clear Chen Fengyun took a liking to his son, and he immediately gave his orders.

Amidst the bewildered, anxious, and uneasy gazes of the crowd, Chen Fengyun left with Geng Chunming, Xu Dalin, Zeng Yiyue, and Qian Qingping. Left behind in the grand hall were Ye Yunfeng, Ye Yunlong, and Li Xiaowen, still kneeling on the floor, while Qian Qingfeng stood by, his face burning with shame.

"Ugh..."

After Chen Fengyun and the others left, Ye Yunlong, overcome with rage and despair, spat out another mouthful of blood. Ye Yunfeng hurriedly channeled his internal energy to stabilize his brother before carrying him away.

"You are to stay home after we return, and you are not allowed to step out for the next six months," the Li family elder said coldly to Li Xiaowen, chilling her to the bone.