Chapter 36 Nearly Drowned!

The assembled guests instinctively parted, forming a path as Tang Zhenguo led his people into the hall.

Just as he was about to speak, Chen Kai scrambled over to Tang Zhenguo, dropping to his knees, banging his head on the floor while wailing in misery. “Master Tang, please uphold justice for me!”

“He knocked out my front teeth! I warned him—this is your granddaughter’s apprenticeship banquet, a Tang family event, but he showed no respect for the Tang family at all. He hit me on purpose, disrupted General Qiong’s banquet, and shamed the Tang family.”

“Master Tang, you must severely punish this man named Ye!”

Tang Zhenguo narrowed his eyes, fixing a steely gaze on Chen Kai. “Did you deliberately insult Mr. Ye just now, and pour red wine over his head?”

Chen Kai’s expression stiffened. “Master Tang, I… I’m telling the truth. Ye Tianci is a cripple, and he likes to fool people with fortune-telling.”

A muscle at the corner of Tang Zhenguo’s eye twitched violently, his gaze turning icy cold.

“Someone! Dunk this blind fool headfirst into the fish tank! Let him have a taste of being drenched!”

At Tang Zhenguo’s command, Li Chong sprang forward, grabbing Chen Kai by the ankle and hoisting him upside down. Li Chong was a bear of a man, over six foot three, while Chen Kai was barely five foot seven and scrawny; in Li Chong’s grip, he looked like a helpless chick.

“Master Tang, mercy—glug, glug—!”

Chen Kai tried to beg for his life, but Li Chong plunged his head straight into the enormous fish tank beside them. Water bubbled as Chen Kai involuntarily gulped it down.

After Chen Kai had swallowed several mouthfuls, Li Chong yanked his head up.

Gasping for air, Chen Kai, still dangling upside down, wailed, “Master Tang, why—splutter, splutter—”

His head was shoved back into the water.

This went on several times before Li Chong finally tossed Chen Kai to the ground. His belly was round and bloated; he’d drunk his fill. Soaked to the bone, he was lucky not to have drowned. He lay sprawled on the floor, gasping, casting a terrified look at Tang Zhenguo, no longer daring to protest.

Chen Bolin, his brow deeply furrowed, summoned his courage and stepped forward. “Master Tang, my son did nothing truly wrong. Why punish him so harshly? I demand an explanation.”

Tang Zhenguo stared coldly at him. “An explanation? Very well, I’ll give you one right now.”

Pointing at Chen Kai, he ordered Li Chong, “This man just insulted Mr. Ye with his words. Pull out every tooth in his mouth! Smash his mouth to pieces—give Boss Chen his explanation.”

Without hesitation, Li Chong seized Chen Kai by the collar. His palms, large as fans, rained down slap after slap like a violent storm.

“Ah!”

“Stop! Please—no more! It hurts! I can’t take it!”

Chen Kai howled in agony as, after more than a dozen slaps, every tooth in his mouth was knocked out. Both cheeks were swollen and red, his lips split and bleeding; he could barely form words, sobbing and begging for mercy.

Li Chong released him, and Chen Kai crumpled to the floor.

A pungent stench filled the air, and only then did the crowd realize Chen Kai had wet himself in terror.

Chen Bolin’s face turned ashen as he demanded, “Master Tang, is this your explanation to me?”

“Unconvinced? Would you like to be dealt with as well?” Tang Zhenguo’s icy gaze pinned Chen Bolin in place.

Panic flashed across Chen Bolin’s face. The Chen family, while a second-tier power in Shu City, was nothing compared to the Tang family.

Seeing the murderous intent in Tang Zhenguo’s eyes, Chen Bolin dared not utter another word, quickly helping his son up and slinking away in disgrace.

Tang Zhenguo’s stern gaze fell upon Li Chong. Without a hint of emotion, he declared, “Li Chong, kneel and apologize to Mr. Ye, and give yourself ten hard slaps!”

Li Chong paused only for a heartbeat, then stepped forward without a word, kneeling before the platform and addressing Ye Tianci, who sat atop the grand armchair. “Mr. Ye, I offended you just now. Please forgive me.”

Without hesitation, he slapped himself ten times, each blow fierce and unrelenting. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth by the end.

Tang Zhenguo then turned to his second son, Tang Yunhao, his voice colder still. “Yunhao, your offense against Mr. Ye was even greater. Kneel and apologize, and slap yourself twenty times.”

Tang Yunhao’s brows shot up. “You want me to kneel and apologize to an arrogant, ignorant cripple? Father, you—”

Crack!

A resounding slap stunned the entire hall. Tang Zhenguo had struck his own son across the face in front of all the guests.

Tang Yunhao was the general manager of Longxiang Grand Hotel, the second son of the Tang family, and a prominent figure in Shu City—yet now, he’d been slapped in public by his own father, his dignity utterly destroyed.

“Father! What are you doing?” Tang Yunhao clutched his face, his eyes bloodshot, barely restraining his fury.

Tang Zhenguo ignored him, waving his hand in anger. “I hereby announce: Tang Yunhao is immediately relieved of his position as general manager of Longxiang Grand Hotel! All posts revoked! All salaries suspended! Take him away and enforce family discipline!”

In the Tang family, Tang Zhenguo’s word was law.

Several bodyguards in black suits stepped forward, unceremoniously twisting Tang Yunhao’s arms behind his back and dragging him away, regardless of his status.

A stunned silence fell over the grand hall. No one dared utter a sound, all eyes filled with shock and confusion as they stared at Tang Zhenguo.

No one could comprehend what spell had come over the old man. He’d punished his own bodyguard and even his son, all to appease that troublemaker Ye Tianci at the family banquet.

Ye Tianci still sat calmly on the grand armchair.

Tang Zhenguo stepped forward and addressed Tang Qiong, who stood frozen in place. “Qiong’er, kneel before Mr. Ye at once!”

His words sent not only Tang Qiong but all the guests into even deeper shock.

A chorus of sharp intakes of breath filled the hall.

“What on earth has gotten into Old Master Tang?”

“Exactly, it’s baffling. Punishing Li Chong and Mr. Tang was one thing, but now he wants General Qiong to kneel to that kid named Ye?”

“Must’ve taken leave of his senses. Maybe he’s senile!”

“Or just lost his mind!”

“Hush, keep it down—if the old man hears you, you’ll be in trouble!”

The guests couldn’t help but murmur among themselves, bewildered.

Tang Qiong’s delicate brows knit in confusion. “Grandfather, didn’t you say my master is the head of the Heaven’s Gate Sect? This man is so young and unremarkable. He can’t possibly be the sect master. How can I kneel to him?”

Tang Zhenguo glanced at Ye Tianci and replied solemnly, “Because your master is none other than this Mr. Ye’s own teacher.”

“Mr. Ye is accepting you as a disciple on your master’s behalf. Kneeling to him is the same as kneeling to your master, the head of Heaven’s Gate.”

Tang Qiong’s willow brows arched in surprise as she studied Ye Tianci anew.

She huffed stubbornly. “Grandfather, this man is arrogant and reckless. I absolutely refuse to acknowledge him as my master! If my true master will not appear, then I, Tang Qiong, will not become anyone’s disciple!”

Ye Tianci looked at her calmly. “Are you sure you refuse?”

“Why should I bow to you?” Tang Qiong replied haughtily.

Ye Tianci beckoned her closer.

She took a step forward, and Ye Tianci spoke in a voice so low only the two of them could hear. “Because I cured you of the Five-Insect Soul-Stealing Gu.”

“Because I know exactly which sect and school your attacker belongs to, and where they came from.”

“Because I can help you reach the realm of Grandmaster within seven days.”

Tang Qiong’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Ye Tianci, then glanced at her grandfather, seeking confirmation.

Tang Zhenguo nodded solemnly.

“So the one who saved my life was actually this Ye Tianci! No wonder Grandfather was so ruthless in punishing Li Chong and my uncle. He must know everything! But who is Ye Tianci really, to dare promise I’ll become a Grandmaster within seven days? Could it be that he…”

Her mind spun with questions.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Qiong walked up to the platform, then solemnly knelt down.

A heavy thud resounded.

At that moment, half the guests below collapsed in shock.