Chapter 61
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Chapter 61: The Huang Family
While Fang Lie and the others were laughing, the mother-daughter pair opposite turned pale with embarrassment.
They belonged to the Huang Family, one of the Eight-Hundred-Generation Families. The husband, Huang Tianbi, had been sworn brothers with Fang Lie’s father.
The Huang Family were Shield Experts boasting the world’s strongest defenses, while the Fang Family were Cannon Experts wielding the ultimate offensive power.
Attack and defense combined seamlessly between them. Legend said these two clans had been perfect partners since ancient times.
Beyond their complementary skills, their enduring alliance stemmed from shared personalities.
Both the explosive Cannon Experts and steadfast Shield Experts followed bold, unyielding paths – straightforward folk who tolerated no deceit.
Thus through generations, they remained ironclad allies.
When Fang Lie’s generation came, Huang Tianbi had a son named Huang Mao meant to partner with Fang Lie.
Though Huang Mao inherited his father’s Shield Expert talent – even surpassing it – he lacked Huang Tianbi’s iron will. Influenced by his mother Lady Huang Li, he became cunning and opportunistic, constantly seeking shortcuts.
For bold path practitioners, success required single-minded focus. Distractions crippled performance.
Despite matching Fang Lie’s talent and slightly better cultivation, Huang Mao suffered crushing defeats in every sparring match.
Three years old to ten – countless clashes, not one victory for Huang Mao.
Motherless Fang Lie inherited his father’s unbending nature, always fighting mercilessly at full strength. His killer instincts left Huang Mao traumatized, fleeing at the sight of him.
This shamed Huang Tianbi deeply. He and Fang Lie’s father had been evenly matched rivals since childhood. How could his son be so inferior?
Huang Tianbi constantly berated Huang Mao while praising Fang Lie, driving Huang Mao to bitter tears and burning hatred.
Avoiding Fang Lie, Huang Mao mingled with spoiled family disciples, adopting their decadent habits.
After Fang Lie’s father died leaving him an abused orphan, Huang Mao thought of his sister Huang Ying’s marriage contract. Marrying into ruin? Unthinkable.
When Huang Mao raised concerns, Lady Huang Li shared his worries but couldn’t sway her husband.
The honorable Huang Tianbi would never break sworn brother’s betrothal.
Mother and son decided to act first. Too ashamed to appear, Lady Huang Li sent her children to settle matters.
Raised by her mother with little fatherly guidance, Huang Ying had grown snobbish, despising the fallen Fang Family. Backed by her family, she eagerly agreed.
They marched into the mourning Fang household, arrogantly demanding the marriage contract’s return.
Fang Lie felt struck by lightning – his young heart first tasting life’s cruelty.
But the stubborn Fang heir refused outright. He vowed: "Want freedom? First I’ll marry Huang Ying, then divorce her!"
The Huangs couldn’t stomach this insult. Huang Mao instantly challenged Fang Lie to a duel.
Fang Lie accepted without hesitation.
Here Huang Mao saw his opportunity. Before departing, he’d obtained a top-grade second-tier treasure Shield from his mother.
Fang Lie only possessed a first-rank treasure.
Although Fang Lie was slightly stronger than Huang Mao, the gap in their treasures led to a crushing defeat—Fang Lie spat blood on the spot.
Ice Second Brother, Fang Huo, Poison, and Longxing Tianxia cursed Huang Mao for shamelessly bullying others with his treasures, only to be beaten themselves.
Treasures against no treasures meant outright suppression, leaving no room for resistance.
Huang Mao triumphantly seized the marriage contract, while Huang Ying sneered at the place as a "toad den" before leaving.
The incident carved intense hatred for the Huang Family into Fang Lie’s bones. Now, their pleas earned only his scorn.
The Baibao Zhai shopkeeper paled. Had he known of this feud, he’d never have brought them.
"Sister-in-law," he fumed, "you’ve tricked me! Why hide such bad blood with the Fang Family?"
"My daughter’s reputation was at stake," Mrs. Huang pleaded. "How could I speak freely?"
"You—" The shopkeeper scowled. "What now?"
"My own misdeeds return to haunt me." Mrs. Huang tugged Huang Ying down, kowtowing. "Nephew Fang, we wronged you, but your Uncle Huang never did! For our families’ bond, save him!"
Fang Lie remained unmoved. "You’ve mingled too long with scheming family clan wives, Madam. The Fang Family tolerates no deception. Spare us your excuses."
He turned to leave.
Mrs. Huang froze. A decade navigating noblewomen’s false courtesies had made her forget—Fang men valued blunt honesty over honeyed lies.
Huang Tianbi had known. Hadn’t he? Ten years without apology or visit proved his guilt. Fang Lie saw through her ruse.
Had she knelt in true remorse initially, hope might remain. But her deceit ignited Fang Lie’s wrath.
A fatal error. The Fang Family’s unbending will was legendary—their family rules decreed charging through walls rather than yielding. Changing Fang Lie’s mind now? Impossible.
The realization struck like physical blow. Mrs. Huang swayed, vision darkening.
"Mother!" Huang Ying caught her, weeping.
"Fang Lie!" roared a voice from above. "Enough humiliation!"
A hulking figure landed—over a zhang tall, muscles straining fabric, yellow hair wild, face tattooed and nose ringed like street trash.
Fang Lie smirked. "The yellow-haired pup Huang Mao! More worthless than ever, I see."
"Call yourself a dog?" Ice Second Brother jeered. "That nose ring makes you cattle!"
"Brothers," Fang Huo chided, "insult not loyal hounds or diligent oxen. This wretch knows neither loyalty nor honor."
"My apologies, dogs," Fang Lie intoned. "We wronged you with this comparison."
"And bulls," Ice Second Brother added. "We’ve tainted your name."
Their practiced mockery left Huang Mao crimson with rage.
The Baibao Zhai shopkeeper muffled laughter. Longxing Tianxia and Mao Mao guffawed openly.
"Fang Lie!" Huang Mao bellowed. "Your clan only yaps? Fight me! Win, and I’ll kowtow to each of you. Lose, and brew my father’s spirit pill!"
The shopkeeper blinked—perhaps the brute understood provocation. Fang Lie might actually bite.
But Fang Lie grinned. "My fee’s five hundred thousand spirit stones. You’d wager mere kowtows? How… modest."
Laughter erupted.
"Your head-thumps aren’t worth one stone!" Ice Second Brother crowed.
A decade’s Hatred poured out—memories of Huang Mao’s Second-tier treasure bullying fresh as yesterday.
"I’ll face all five!" Huang Mao roared. "No treasures. If you move me one step, I lose! Or admit your Fang cowards!"
