Urban Martial Saint

Hearing these words, Old Madame Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, ”It’s good that you are fine, very good. Qingyi, you have worried your grandmother to death. Once I received the message from your seventh uncle, I hurried back, fearing something might have happened to you. If the people at home don’t take good care of you, and you encounter any mishap, that would be troublesome!”

The ”people at home” mentioned by Old Madame Shen was an implicit reference to Shen San. Hearing her words, Shen San’s face turned red with embarrassment, and he was visibly uncomfortable. After a long silence, he suddenly bit his lip, stepped forward, and said, ”Old Madam, I was wrong about Qingyi’s matter, and I am willing to accept punishment. Today, I will use this arm as an apology to Qingyi!”

As he spoke, Shen San reached for his left arm, intending to forcefully break it. His move was sharp, and he had precisely grabbed the elbow joint. From the look of it, if he really managed to break it, his arm would at the very least be fractured, if not completely severed.

The Shen family was shocked, but Shen San was strong, and his action was so swift that no one had time to intervene. Just as his arm was about to be broken, Old Madame Shen suddenly raised her dragon head cane and placed it against Shen San’s elbow. The arm he had raised immediately went numb and limp. Although he held onto his left arm, he no longer had the strength to break it.

Shen San, cradling his arm, looked at Old Madame Shen powerlessly, not understanding why she had suddenly intervened to stop him.

”You haven’t even finished your sentence, and you want to break off your own arm—this is your temperament?” Old Madame Shen said coldly, ”The body, hair, and skin are all received from one’s parents, and to damage them recklessly is a great act of filial impiety. My intention in telling you all this is for you to correct your impulsive nature. Yet, not only have you not shown the slightest change, but you are still as impulsive as ever. I think that even if you break your arm today, the same problems will still arise in the future. Do I need to wait until both your arms and legs are broken for you to truly learn your lesson? We of the Shen Family are not afraid of making mistakes, but what truly disheartens me is your refusal to correct them.”

Listening to Old Madame Shen’s words, Shen San hung his head in shame and spoke softly, ”Old Madame, I understand, and I will be more tolerant in the future.”

”That’s how it should be. Taking a step back opens up a whole new world!” Old Madame Shen looked at Shen San and said, ”I hope you remember these words. Qingyi won’t blame you, and I won’t blame you either. But you must take this lesson to heart, think more deeply in the future, and avoid acting impulsively, understand?”

”Yes!” Shen San nodded and replied, ”I will keep in mind your teachings, Old Madame.”

Ye Qing was hiding under the covers; ever since Old Madame Shen and her entourage entered, his nerves had been on high alert, fearing the Shen family might suddenly discover him. It wasn’t the danger he feared, but the potential damage to Shen Qingyi’s reputation should he be found.

However, it seemed that Old Madame Shen and the others didn’t realize there was another person in the bed; they didn’t concern themselves with that, instead beginning to reprimand someone here.

Before coming to Xi Hang, Ye Qing had often heard others say that Old Madame Shen was domineering and unreasonable, one who often bullied others by abusing her power. In front of her, there was no reasoning at all. Ye Qing hadn’t really believed these claims, but after encountering Shen San and the others yesterday, he began to think there might be some truth to them.

But the words he just heard from Old Madame Shen had altered his view of her. Old Madame Shen was actually lecturing Shen San to be broad-minded, which was a far cry from the oppressive and unreasonable figure that rumors painted her to be. If she truly were such a tyrant, how could she have spoken those words?

Old Madame Shen wasn’t aware that there was someone else in the room listening to her words. Moreover, her own words were gradually changing this person’s perception of her. She gently touched Shen Qingyi’s forehead, and finding no fever, she felt somewhat reassured.

”Qingyi, get some good rest, don’t worry about anything else,” Old Madame Shen said softly.

”Mmm,” Shen Qingyi whispered her response, her heart actually in her throat. Ye Qing was lying beside her, his arms tightly embracing her, with his head also resting on her left waist. The warmth of his breath tickled her waist, causing an indescribably comforting tingling sensation. Ye Qing’s legs were also curled up next to hers, the slight friction causing an itchy tingle. Most crucially, near her buttocks, there was something hard pressing against her, leaving her quite puzzled—what on earth could Ye Qing have in his pocket that not only poked her but also emitted a warm sensation?

The inexperienced young girl, of course, had no idea what it was that was pressing against her. And Ye Qing, lying beside her, was actually very embarrassed. It was a normal physiological reaction for a man, one that he couldn’t control even if he wanted to. The most critical issue was that after pressing against Shen Qingyi, he also couldn’t move away. There were so many people from the Shen family outside, and each of their gazes was very sharp. Any movement on his part would definitely be detected by the people of the Shen family, and that would really complicate things.

Fortunately, Old Madame Shen had never imagined that there could be a man in Shen Qingyi’s room, let alone that this man would be lying next to her granddaughter, holding her tightly in his arms. Thus, she didn’t observe too closely. Seeing that Shen Qingyi was alright, she turned her attention to the other people of the Shen family.

”Tonight, the people from Slain Gate will enter Shen Family Manor!” Old Madame Shen said solemnly to those present, ”The blood debt of ten years ago must finally be repaid today. How do you all feel?”

Most of the Shen family members standing beside her lowered their heads; these were the same people who had participated in the bloodbath against Slain Gate years ago.

”Humph!” Old Madame Shen slammed her dragon head cane to the ground in anger, ”Why are you all silent now? Ten years ago, didn’t you kill with gusto? To wipe out Slain Gate, to butcher for three thousand miles, the Martial Holy Land of the Southern Six Provinces—ha, what grand titles! These ten years, you’ve all been living off your ’merits.’ Do you truly believe that the wrongs you’ve done come without a price? Huh?”

Old Madame Shen’s roar changed the expressions of those from the Shen family. Shen Da, standing beside her, sighed softly and said, ”Mother, ten years ago, the matter with Slain Gate was indeed a mistake by our Shen family. However, we did not kill that many people from their ranks; the real killers were those who seized the opportunity to attack in the chaos. Most of them had people killed by Slain Gate, which is why they took their revenge amidst the chaos. ’Butcher for three thousand miles’ is just something others have said; our Shen family was only responsible for taking down the headquarters of Slain Gate. The subsequent matters had nothing to do with us. In truth, it was those opportunists who pursued the massacre for three thousand miles, not us.”

”Indeed!” Shen Er also stepped forward, adding, ”Moreover, at that time, Slain Gate had gathered so many assassins and were robbing famous instruments left and right, which already warranted full retribution. Many families and powers approached our Shen family, asking us to uphold justice. Our initial actions were indeed to uphold fairness and justice; it was just that there were some lapses afterwards, and people eager for revenge exploited the situation, leading to the massacre of so many from Slain Gate. In fact, over the years, we have not been exterminating the people of Slain Gate without mercy. Otherwise, the Ghost-faced Judge’s teahouse, the Ghost King’s Ghost King Cave, the Demon Queen’s Blue Flower Tower, and that so-called Pig King would not have their own territories. If we really wanted to eradicate them completely, how could they have lived so peacefully for these ten years?”

Ye Qing, hiding under the blankets, was taken aback upon hearing this. He had initially thought that the Shen family’s bloodbath of Slain Gate was their biggest mistake. It turned out that the events of that year were not as Slain Gate had described them. In reality, the Shen family’s intentions were good at the start, but later, it was those seeking vengeance against Slain Gate who altered the nature of the event. If that was indeed the case, then the Shen family was not as culpable as he had believed!

”Humph, you two need not make excuses for them!” Old Madame Shen snapped back angrily, ”Ten years ago, I only ordered them to warn the people of Slain Gate not to continue senselessly killing the innocent. But what did they do? Warning turned to attacking, attacking turned to slaughtering, and after the slaughter, they took all those famed instruments—what does that amount to? Robbery, or massacre? Ten years ago, if it hadn’t been for An Ling’s issue, I would have settled accounts with you long ago. These ten years, although I have been silent, I have always had a thorn in my heart because of what you did. Today, when Slain Gate’s people have come to our door, what will you do?”

Every member of the Shen family exchanged glances, mortified by Old Madame Shen’s scolding, yet none dared to speak. In the Shen family, Old Madame Shen was the absolute authority!

”Mother, since the people from Slain Gate have come, let’s talk to them properly. Although we were also at fault for what happened ten years ago, it wasn’t us who killed so many of their people. Besides, they have also killed so many of our Shen family members; the grievances of that year should at least cancel out somewhat!” Shen Da stated, ”There is a debt to every grievance, and a head to every debt. This matter is not our fault; we should not bear the entire responsibility. If they insist on causing trouble in our Shen Family Manor, our manor isn’t so easily bullied!”

Shen Da’s words, firm yet reasonable, seemed to align with Old Madame Shen’s thoughts. She slowly nodded and then, turning her head sharply towards Shen Wu, she said in a deep voice, ”Fifth Brother, come here!”

Shen Wu shuddered, not understanding why the Old Madam had suddenly called him. He staggered toward Old Madam and before he could steady himself, she suddenly pointed her dragon head cane at his knee. Without any resistance, Shen Wu immediately fell to his knees.

”Old… Old Madam…” Shen Wu trembled as he looked up at Old Madame Shen, trying to speak, but the rest of his words wouldn’t come out. In front of the Old Madam, members of the Shen family always felt such reverence and trepidation, and he was no exception.