Qin Ren squinted into the dust-laden wind, took a swig of wine, and stuffed a piece of dried beef into his mouth. Through the swirling haze, his eyes locked onto a woman standing to the left of the city tower.
The moment her face came into focus, Third Young Master was struck once again by sheer astonishment.
Involuntarily, he began to recite Cao Zhi's Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River:
"Her form, as graceful as a startled swan, as lithe as a swimming dragon. Radiant like autumn chrysanthemums, flourishing like pine in spring. She is like a cloud veiling the moon, like snow swirling in the wind. From afar, she is the morning sun breaking the horizon; up close, a lotus emerging from clear waters..."
By the time he finished, he sighed dramatically. "Damn. I never thought a real-life woman could match the goddess of legend…"
Next to him, Qiao Wei blinked dumbly, a peanut and a chunk of dried beef bulging in his cheeks. His mouth hung open, drool dripping unceremoniously as he muttered, "Third Young Master, what the hell was that? I didn't catch a word. But damn—this woman's too beautiful. Let me get a piece of that and I could die happy right now."
Third Young Master scoffed. This kind of woman? You? She's not meant for lowly mortals. She should be bedded by someone of my… legendary prowess.
Looking around, he noticed that every single spectator had their jaws hanging open. Eyes glazed. Drool trickling.
As for the women?
Every last one of them was gnashing her teeth with eyes full of venom. Some were muttering under their breath:"Fall off and break your neck!""Heavens, strike her down with a dry thunderbolt!"
Qin Ren shook his head. This woman… she's dangerous. She's literally controlling the emotions of an entire city. No wonder they say beauty brings ruin.
Then he looked at the man facing her—and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
The man stood tall—nearly two meters—with a body like a beast. His long, matted hair was tangled and dusty. His once-fine robe was now riddled with holes, patched clumsily, stained with blood and mud. He looked like a wandering warrior who'd fallen from grace, yet somehow… he exuded a stillness, a depth, like a bottomless abyss.
Arms folded across his chest, a massive broadsword—still in its scabbard—rested against him. His stance was identical to the "Sunset Warrior" from that old Earth movie A Chinese Odyssey.
But that wasn't what shocked Qin Ren.
It was the man's face—rugged, bristling with unshaven stubble, weathered by wind and dirt, but undeniably handsome in a wild, magnetic way.
"Second Brother?!" Qin Ren gasped.
Qiao Wei jolted upright. "Master, your… your second brother caught an STD from that brothel trip last month?!"
"STD your ass!" Qin Ren barked, smacking Qiao Wei on the head. "That man up there is my Second Brother—Qin Lei, the Thunderblade God!"
Qiao Wei's jaw dropped. "You mean the infamous Blade Demon, Second Young Master Qin?!"
Qin Ren nodded grimly. "That's him. And judging by that woman's look… the way she's staring at him, it's obvious. She's madly in love. Dammit! Why him? With that worn-out tramp look? Why not me? Heaven, you've forsaken me!"
While he was lamenting, the man and woman atop the city tower began to speak.
"I shouldn't have come," Qin Lei said, his voice low and thunderous. Even as he tried to speak softly, it carried an aged sorrow, like distant storms echoing over the mountains.
"You're here now. Too late to regret it," the woman replied, her eyes like black jewels—burning with love and hate.
"Can't we just… make a memory?" Qin Lei said, eyes lowered, unable to meet her gaze.
"No. If anything stays—it's you," she said coldly.
Watching from below, Qin Ren sighed. "I know what comes next... Oh right! He's going to say: 'I'm already married. Fate brought us together too late. Let me go. You can have my body, but not my heart!' Ha! What a load of crap. Since when did he get married? What's this, a soap opera? Wait a second… how does he know those lines? Has he been to Earth and watched old dramas?"
Sure enough, Qin Lei said sorrowfully, "I'm already married. Fate brought us together too late. Let me go. You can have my body, but not my heart."
"I don't care!" the woman snapped. "I want your body—not your heart!"
Qin Ren clapped enthusiastically. "Now that's a woman with guts! Damn, Second Brother, stop playing hard to get. A woman like that falls for you, and you're still acting coy?"
Suddenly, the woman snapped, "What are you babbling about?! I'm talking with my Lei-ge! Mind your own business and shut your trap!"
Qin Ren immediately zipped his mouth shut, inner voice screaming: Ah… I get it now, Second Brother! That's why you're running! This woman is nuts! Who the hell wants a tigress for a wife?
Qin Lei smiled bitterly. "You can't keep me here. I've never been forced to do anything in my life."
The woman took a deep breath and said, "Then just one thing before you go—kiss me."
Qin Lei hesitated. "This…"
"Kiss her! Kiss her!" the crowd roared.
"Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!" Qiao Wei shouted, waving his wine jug.
"Second Brother! Go for it! Grope her, kiss her, grab her boobs!" Qin Ren whooped, jumping and clapping.
Whizz! Whizz!
Two pebbles shot through the air—one hit Qin Ren's left pec, the other his right, knocking him clean off the top of the cart.
Qiao Wei gasped. "Master, are you okay?!"
Qin Ren climbed back up, coughing and brushing dirt off his robe. "Thank the heavens for my Indestructible Golden Silk Armor and inner strength. Damn near killed me!"
He looked up and yelled, "Second Brother! Fine if your crazy girlfriend attacks me—but why did you hit me too?!"
Qin Lei's face was cold. "That's for running your damn mouth! Settle down before I come down there myself!"
The woman added, "Just because he's your brother, doesn't mean I won't beat you! Ever heard of 'older brother is father, older sister-in-law is mother'? I have every right to teach you a lesson!"
Qin Ren retorted, "You're not my sister-in-law yet! And besides, I still have my parents—you're not in charge!"
The woman's eyebrows arched, eyes blazing. "Still talking back? I'll give you a proper lesson right now!" And with that, she leapt from the tower like a celestial fairy, her movement graceful and swift like lightning on silk.
Qin Lei shouted, "Linglong, wait! Don't hurt my little brother!" He jumped down as well, clearly aiming to intercept her.
The crowd lost their minds—cheering, yelling, many backing the woman, while jealous women took Qin Ren's side.
"Teach that pervert a lesson!"
"Break his legs!"
"Girl, give him the old family jewels twist!"
"Handsome lad, use the Nine Yin Bone Claw to ruin her face!"
"Stud, you know the Grab-Boob Dragon Claw? Crush her chest!"
It was chaos—cheering louder than a street brawl in the capital.
Qin Lei's lightness skill was impressive, but only matched Linglong's. He couldn't intercept her in time.
Linglong descended upon Qin Ren like a storm—her twin hands weaving a net of countless strikes. "Left Sky Snare, Right Earth Web" was its name, a technique with no blind spots and no escape.
"Careful, Third Brother!" Qin Lei bellowed. "Her palms are the Sky Snare and Earth Web—once caught, you're finished! Run, dammit!"
Though Qiao Wei's knees were knocking, he bravely stood in front of Qin Ren. "Master, run! I'll hold her off!"
"Out of my way!" Qin Ren snapped, hauling Qiao Wei aside. "Trying to steal my thunder? This is my moment!"
He cracked his knuckles. "Second Brother, if she becomes my sister-in-law, my life's over. Let me kill her for you!"
Linglong's palms struck—left hand like a net from the heavens, right hand like an unbreakable cage. There was no angle left uncovered.
But Qin Ren stood unmoved. His right hand rose slowly, and suddenly, a massive vortex of force emerged. The world seemed to shrink, the sky and earth sucked inward—while his palm expanded endlessly.
One Hand to Cover the Sky!
Qin Lei shouted in panic, "He's using Heaven-Shrouding Palm?! Third Brother—don't kill her! Linglong, dodge!"