Chapter Seventy-Five: Epilogue

But just as Qin Chao thought his grandfather would stand up for him, a resounding slap landed straight across his face.

Smack—

"Ah! Grandpa, why did you hit me? I—"

Qin Chaoyang acted without hesitation, sending Qin Chao flying with a slap. He strode up to Lin Feng, cupped his hands respectfully, and said, "Master Lin, it is my fault as a grandfather that the Qin family has produced such a rebellious child. I beg your pardon. As for this unfilial descendant, you may deal with him as you see fit—do not consider my feelings!"

"What!"

This time, Qin Chao was utterly undone.

"Grandpa! What are you saying? I'm your only grandson! Are you just selling me out like this?"

Qin Chao howled in disbelief, unable to accept what he was hearing.

"Please rest assured, sir," Lin Feng replied indifferently, "Qin Chao is merely arrogant and overbearing; I won't hold him to account. However, such a person is hardly fit to shoulder the future of the Qin family."

Though Lin Feng appeared magnanimous, his second sentence was a dagger to the heart—openly denying Qin Chao’s right as heir!

"You are absolutely right, Master Lin. A wanton wastrel like him would surely bring disaster upon the Qin family in the future. He is unfit to inherit the family legacy. Muyang, from this day forward, strip Qin Chao of his status as heir and expel him from the family residence!"

"Yes, Father!" Qin Muyang dared not object and agreed at once.

"Grandpa! No—you can't! I'm your only grandson. If I can't inherit the Qin family legacy, who else could possibly be worthy?"

Qin Chao stared blankly, collapsing to the floor as he questioned Qin Chaoyang.

"Who said you are my only grandson? Muyang, don't you have an illegitimate son in England? Call him back and raise him well."

"Father, you mean Qin Yunfeng? Understood. I’ll send for him immediately."

As head of a great family, it was nothing unusual for Qin Muyang to keep a few mistresses. Sending an illegitimate child abroad to avoid tainting the family name or sparking disputes among the brothers was a common tactic. That Qin Chaoyang would expose his son’s private affairs before everyone showed just how determined he was to abolish Qin Chao’s status as heir.

"Grandpa, how can you do this to me? Weren’t you always the one who loved me most? How can you let that bastard come back and steal my place? I’m begging you, Grandpa, please forgive me this once! I swear I’ll never do it again! Please, just let me off this time!"

Qin Chao knelt, clutching at Qin Chaoyang’s feet and pleading bitterly.

He had been pampered and arrogant since childhood; losing the status of heir was a fate worse than death.

“Hmph! Begging me? It’s too late!”

Qin Chaoyang, a shrewd old fox who had weathered decades, turned heartless for the sake of the family’s interests and kicked aside the groveling Qin Chao.

“Master Lin, you have the keenest insight; you saw long ago that this degenerate was unfit for great things and have helped the Qin family rid itself of this trash. My gratitude knows no bounds!”

“Not at all. I hope you won’t mind my meddling, sir.”

“Not at all, not at all! You think of my Qin family at every turn. I have little to offer in return, but in a few days, I shall have Yunfeng deliver to you several rare spiritual treasures from my collection, as a token of my appreciation!”

“Sir, you are too generous! The thought is more than enough. Here, this jade talisman nourishes the body and prolongs life. I offer it to you—please do not disdain it.”

“How could I? You are too kind, Master Lin!”

While handling Qin Chao, Qin Chaoyang also lavished praise upon Lin Feng, his words smooth and gracious. Not only had he reversed the situation and forged an alliance with Lin Feng, but he had also paved the way for the new heir, Qin Yunfeng, to establish ties with Lin Feng—a truly masterful move.

Old Tang, Old Feng, and the others could not help but give a mental thumbs-up to Qin Chaoyang. His decisiveness in crisis, his ability to turn the tide in a moment and sever all ties with the family’s disgraced heir—such boldness was truly admirable!

“Lin Feng! You pretty-faced wretch! Even if I become a ghost, I will never let you off! Mark my words!”

In a single day, Qin Chao had lost everything. All his hatred and resentment were directed at Lin Feng, his eyes bloodshot, his face twisted as he screamed impotently.

“Hurry, Muyang, get this miscreant out of here!”

Seeing Qin Chao continue to make a scene, Qin Chaoyang immediately ordered him thrown out to avoid angering Lin Feng any further.

The Qin family’s bodyguards closed in; no longer did anyone care that he had once been the favored young master. The mighty fall, and so does their tea go cold. Some even took the opportunity to kick him a few times, venting their longtime frustrations.

Qin Chao was dragged away, cursing Lin Feng with every step, his resentment boiling over.

Lin Feng, however, only smiled, unmoved. Having lived two lifetimes and survived more than a hundred thousand years, why would he care about the ravings of a ruined heir? The shrieking of ants, no matter how fierce, cannot change their nature.

After exchanging pleasantries with the upper echelons of Binhai City, Lin Feng soon took his leave and returned to his villa to cultivate.

The Demon Society, the Skull Society, the Five Provinces Martial Arts Tournament…

The coming days would only grow more perilous. To face what lay ahead, he would have to swiftly grow stronger.

…

Meanwhile, at the Tang family residence, Yao Qianqian, dressed elegantly, entered the living room where Tang Yunyun awaited her. Yao Qianqian approached, and Tang Yunyun invited her to sit beside her on the sofa, pouring her a cup of tea.

At last, after more than a month, these two women met again.

“Miss Yao, I wonder what prompted you to ask me here today?”

“The reason is simple, Miss Tang: I want to know what your relationship is with my husband, Lin Feng.”

Yao Qianqian was direct—her purpose was clear: to find out the truth about Lin Feng and Tang Yunyun, then decide how best to use this knowledge.

“What relationship? From Lin Feng’s perspective, I am merely a young lady from a prominent family seeking his acquaintance. But from my own point of view, I suppose I am his admirer.”

Tang Yunyun, raised in an illustrious family, was poised and gracious, her face adorned with a gentle smile.

“His admirer? How laughable. Lin Feng is nothing more than a live-in son-in-law of the Yao family—no education, no ability, a complete good-for-nothing. He relies on your favor to do as he likes in the Yao family, all for his so-called pride and dignity, but in truth, he’s a useless coward.”

The mention of Lin Feng’s posturing in the Yao family made Yao Qianqian seethe with anger.

“He relies on my favor, you say? When did this happen?” Tang Yunyun was puzzled. Was this really the Lin Feng she knew? It sounded like someone else entirely.

“That’s right! At my grandfather’s birthday banquet, he used your name to borrow jade artifacts worth hundreds of millions from the Tang family as a gift, only to return them in public and humiliate my grandfather. And the number one villa in Hualong Estate—that was your doing as well, wasn’t it? Just over half a month ago, he used that villa to thoroughly disgrace my grandfather. He’s utterly heartless!”

Yao Qianqian was indignant, her eyes full of disdain and contempt for Lin Feng.

This only made Tang Yunyun more intrigued.

“So, Miss Yao, this is the Lin Feng you see?” Tang Yunyun picked up her tea, taking a delicate sip.

“That’s right!”

With Yao Qianqian’s firm reply, the smile on Tang Yunyun’s lips deepened further.