Fainting Once Again

A few hours later.

At night.

Zhou Ling's Courtyard. 

Inside one of the rooms inside this quiet courtyard. Zhou Kai standing in front of a bed, his face twisted with rage looking at the unconscious Zhou Ling on the bed. Zhou Ling did not seem severely injured except for the fact that his face was incredibly swollen. Zhou Kai's seemingly frail and elderly self seemed to be shrouded in a layer of dark mist. 

Behind Zhou Kai, three figures knelt, trembling in fear. These figures were none other than the Zhou Qi trio. After leaving Zhou Yuan's courtyard, they hurriedly sought refuge in Zhou Ling's courtyard. 

Along the way, they received numerous strange looks from others. News about the incident had spread rapidly. Being the First Elder of the Clan, Zhou Kai was occupied with his duties, and by the time he received the news, it was already nightfall.

"You three were by my grandson's side when this happened. Why didn't any of you shield him!?" Zhou Kai's voice was filled with icy coldness, causing fear to grip the two individuals beside Zhou Qi. They desperately tried to explain their actions, hoping to plead for mercy.

Observing their frightened state only fueled Zhou Kai's anger further. 

"Worthless!" he exclaimed, his fury intensifying. 

A surge of boundless spiritual energy enveloped him, materializing into a colossal palm. Without giving them a chance to utter another word, the palm mercilessly crushed the two of them into a blood pool. The scent of blood permeated the air, its presence overwhelming and potent.

As Zhou Kai called for a servant to clean up the gruesome scene, Zhou Qi remained silent, determined to maintain his composure. The arrival of the servant, who showed no surprise at the blood-soaked floor, indicated that such incidents were not uncommon in this household.

Suddenly, a feeble voice echoed through the room. "Grandfather..." Zhou Kai turned his attention to Zhou Ling, who was in evident pain and struggling to rise. Reacting swiftly, Zhou Kai swiftly moved to his grandson's side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and channeling spiritual energy to alleviate his suffering.

After a few moments, Zhou Ling's pain began to subside, allowing him to regain his memories. He recalled being in Zhou Yuan's courtyard, where his offer had been rejected, leading him to lash out in anger. He vaguely remembered being knocked unconscious by a powerful fist, only to wake up in his own room.

Zhou Ling groaned, his head spinning as he struggled to recall what had transpired. His disorientation was evident as he tried to piece together the events that led to his current state.

Breaking the silence, Zhou Qi's voice trembled as he spoke.

"Young Master Ling, you were knocked unconscious by Zhou Yuan. I don't know what kind of witchcraft he used, but there was no trace of spiritual qi in his attack."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling's face turned an unhealthy shade of green, his disbelief evident. Beside him, Zhou Kai stood stupefied, struggling to comprehend the situation.

"You mean to tell me that it wasn't Zhou Jing'er who intervened, but that worthless Zhou Yuan single-handedly stopped me?" Zhou Ling's voice trembled with disbelief. 

"I, a 9th Rank Qi Refinement stage cultivator, was defeated by an 8th Rank Qi Refinement stage who couldn't even utilize his cultivation base?"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Qi also relayed the message that Zhou Yuan told him to deliver. Zhou Ling's complexion drained of color as he listened, unable to bear it any longer. 

Overwhelmed by rage, he coughed violently, spewing mouthfuls of blood, before fainting once again.

"Ling'er!" Zhou Kai rushed to support his grandson, his heart filled with a mixture of anger and hatred towards Zhou Yuan for causing this much harm to his grandson. "You bastard! Once I get my hands on you, I'll make you suffer a fate worse than death!"

Unbeknownst to Zhou Yuan, he had not only successfully defeated his enemy once but twice…