C6 Zhou Family's Visit

Zhou Yang's body was discovered the very next day. The esteemed son of the Zhou family, murdered in the streets—it was an outrage that sent shockwaves through the family. It was a blatant insult!

"Find the murderer! I want them to rue the day they were born!" Zhou Shan demanded furiously.

A palpable tension gripped Holy Mountain Town as the Zhou family's wrath was felt. Their influence was immense, and suspicion quickly fell on Menng Ya. The Zhou family was adamant; Zhou Yang had been killed after leaving Treasure Pavilion, and they expected an explanation.

"Could it be him?"

The image of Tang Yuan flickered in Menng Ya's mind, but she dismissed the thought almost immediately. Tang Yuan couldn't possibly be a match for Zhou Yang, especially since he had left only a short while before the murder. Given Zhou Yang's formidable strength, it was inconceivable that Tang Yuan could have killed him in such a brief time.

"We deeply regret Young Master Zhou's death, but we truly have no idea who the perpetrator is," Menng Ya said, shaking her head.

"Miss Menng Ya, perhaps you've forgotten that Tang Yuan appeared to have a dispute with Young Master Zhou that day?" Wang Bao interjected, a sly glint in his eye and a smile playing on his lips.

Even though Wang Bao doubted Tang Yuan's capability to slay Zhou Yang, he saw no harm in seizing the opportunity.

"The waste from the Tang family?" Zhou Shan was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. But at this point, it hardly mattered. The Zhou family had been humiliated, and now Tang Yuan was the perfect scapegoat to restore their reputation.

In recent days, Tang Yuan had been immersed in his cultivation, unexpectedly breaking through to the Seventh Heaven of the Spirit Containing Stage. His progress astonished even him, and he marveled inwardly at the formidable power of the Essence Monarch Spell.

"Tang Yuan, show yourself!" Tang Fei bellowed from the doorway, a sneer on his face and a painful wound on his chest. With the Zhou family's visit, he eagerly anticipated Tang Yuan's downfall.

Rising to his feet, Tang Yuan opened the door with an icy demeanor. The sight of Tang Yuan's gaze sent a chill through Tang Fei, causing his confidence to falter.

"Have you forgotten the pain of your wounds?" Tang Yuan asked coolly. "What do you want?"

"You've really done it now!" Tang Ling emerged with a smirk on her face. "You had the audacity to kill Zhou Yang? The Zhou family is in the living room right now, expecting an apology from you!"

Her smile was one of satisfaction, a stark contrast to the humiliation she felt at the hands of Tang Yuan previously. Now, she relished the opportunity for retribution.

Tang Yuan paid her no mind and made his way to the living room.

Inside, Zhou Shan from the Zhou family watched Tang Yuan with a frosty glare.

"Seize him!" Zhou Shan commanded coldly as Tang Yuan crossed the threshold.

"Let's see who dares!" Tang Hu's booming voice interrupted as he stepped forward from the crowd.

The onlookers were taken aback; Tang Hu was known for his dedication to martial arts and rarely involved himself in such disputes.

"What are you doing here, third brother?" Tang Zong, Tang Hsing's father, eyed Tang Hu. He had intended to use this situation to his advantage, not expecting Tang Hu to throw a wrench in his plans.

"What am I doing?" Tang Hu returned Tang Zong's cold gaze. He had long disapproved of his brother's deep-seated scheming.

Had he not arrived when he did, Tang Yuan might have already been taken. Without the young master, Tang Zong would have easily stepped into the role of Patriarch.

"With me here, I'd like to see who dares to take Tang Yuan away!" Tang Hu's icy stare swept the room, finally settling on Zhou Shan. "And it doesn't matter whether Tang Yuan killed your worthless son or not!"

With a boom, Zhou Shan unleashed a formidable Spiritual Force, manifesting an Azure Wolf, far more powerful than the one Zhou Yang had summoned before.

"You think you can take me?" Tang Hu sneered, charging forward like a wild beast. His punch sent shockwaves through the hall.

Crack!

The Azure Wolf behind Zhou Shan shattered to pieces.

"Is this the Core Formation Stage?!"

Both Tang Zong and Zhou Shan's expressions darkened as they felt the overwhelming presence of the Core Formation Stage emanating from Tang Hu.

All three men were previously matched in strength, each at the Level Nine Heaven of the Spirit Sea Stage. Yet, Tang Hu had unexpectedly reached the threshold of the Core Formation Stage first.

Silence enveloped the living room. Throughout the entire ordeal, Tang Yuan's face bore a smile, as if he were merely a spectator to the unfolding drama.

"Congratulations, Uncle, on taking that significant step!" Tang Yuan spoke with measured calmness.

"Haha, I owe it all to your help. Without you, who knows when I would have made the breakthrough!" Tang Hu was in high spirits, having just achieved a crucial milestone. Upon hearing that Tang Yuan was in trouble, he didn't hesitate to come to his defense.

Everyone was astounded by Tang Yuan's role in Tang Hu's success. Could it be that Tang Hu's breakthrough to the Core Formation Stage was all thanks to Tang Yuan?

Tang Ling was visibly skeptical. How could Tang Yuan, merely a cultivator at the Spirit Containing Stage, have assisted Tang Hu in his cultivation journey?

"It has to be a lie!" she thought, unwilling to accept the possibility.

"What are you all still doing here? Waiting for me to invite you to dinner?" Tang Hu glanced at Zhou Yang with a frosty demeanor.

"From this day forward, the Tang family will be the eternal enemy of the Zhou family!" Zhou Yang declared, shooting a venomous look at Tang Yuan before leading his group away.

"Little brother! Look at the trouble you've caused!" Tang Zong scolded Tang Hu. "The Zhou family has turned against us because of Tang Yuan, putting our family in jeopardy!"

"Exactly, Uncle. Everyone should be accountable for their own actions. Why should the Tang family bear the consequences of Tang Yuan's actions?" Tang Ling chimed in, her tone detached.

"I'm beginning to think Tang Yuan wants to ruin the Tang family!"

"Tang Yuan, leave the Tang family!"

The agitation spread like wildfire, with everyone quickly becoming outraged. The clamor filled the living room as they demanded Tang Yuan's expulsion from the family.

Tang Yuan left the room with a smile, Tang Hu swiftly following behind him.

"Father, what do we do now?" Tang Hsing asked, his face clouded with concern. He had been certain that Tang Yuan wouldn't escape this time, but to his surprise, Tang Hu had sided with him.

"Tang Yuan now seems unfathomably deep. We failed to eliminate the problem at its root last time, and now it has come back to haunt us," Tang Zong muttered under his breath. "The family competition is in two months. I'll make sure to deal with him then."

"I know," Tang Hsing said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Everything is in place. Once I get that pill, I'll be able to temporarily ascend to the Level One Heaven of the Spirit Sea Stage. I won't fail this time!"

In that moment, Tang Hu regarded Tang Yuan. His knowledge of his nephew was limited, but he was aware of his reputation as a prodigy. Now, it was clear that the young man was much more than just that.

"Did you really kill Zhou Yang?" Tang Hu couldn't contain his curiosity.

Tang Yuan offered a slight smile. "What do you think? Focus on your cultivation. The Family Competition is approaching, and it could bring significant changes to the Tang family."

"You're suggesting that Second Brother..." Tang Hu's face paled. Despite his lack of fondness for his Second Brother, he couldn't fathom him betraying their family.

"I haven't said a thing," Tang Yuan said with a smile, gently closing the door behind him.