The violent Qi swept out, causing the air to twist violently. Su Zilin stumbled back three steps before stabilizing herself, while Su Hao remained motionless, his expression calm.
"Martial Master Second Stage? How is that possible?" Su Zilin's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had seen a ghost.
She knew that Su Hao was just an ordinary good-for-nothing. Now, he displayed terrifying power comparable to a Martial Master. It was simply inconceivable.
Su Hao ignored Su Zilin's shock. He advanced step by step, the ground cracking with each stride.
Bang bang bang!
An extremely potent pressure descended, like a ten-thousand-ton boulder falling on Su Zilin, suffocating her.
"Crack crack!"
Her bones emitted cracking sounds, and her body bent into an arc.
Finally, she spat out a mouthful of blood, falling ungracefully to the ground. Her pretty face was pale, filled with horror.
"Now can you tell me who sent you?" Su Hao squatted down, staring at Su Zilin, his gaze as cold as a blade.
Su Zilin endured the pain and struggled to stand up. "No one sent me."
"Slap!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Hao raised his right hand and slapped her hard across the face, shouting, "Stop pretending!"
Su Zilin covered her cheek, both shocked and angry. "You dare hit me? You're dead!"
"Slap!"
Su Hao raised his arm and slapped her viciously again, swelling the other side of Su Zilin's face. Five clear finger marks appeared, blood trickled from her lips, and she wailed mournfully, scaring the surrounding crowd into retreating rapidly.
"Still playing dumb?" Su Hao asked coldly.
"I'm pretending to be dumb, what can you do to me? Kill me if you dare. Anyway, your father has disowned you," Su Zilin shrieked.
"My father?" Su Hao's eyebrows twitched. He and his father lived together. Although his father had a quirky temper, he treated Su Hao very well. How could he disown him?
"What? You don't believe me?"
Su Zilin glanced at Su Hao smugly and continued, "If my grandfather hadn't intervened, you would be dead by now."
"My grandfather intervened to stop you from dealing with me?" Su Hao was puzzled.
"Haha, you good-for-nothing, you don't even understand your own background, do you?" Su Zilin mocked him sarcastically. "Your father is the eldest grandson of the Su family's direct lineage, while you are just a mongrel from a collateral branch."
"Moreover, your father's status in the Su family is lower than mine, which is why you've suffered so much humiliation and disdain all these years."
"So that's how it is." Su Hao suddenly understood. No wonder his father's attitude towards him was getting worse and worse, and no wonder Su Zilin kept targeting him.
It turned out it was all because of the identity of the eldest grandson of the Su family's direct lineage.
Thinking of this, Su Hao clenched his fist, his eyes shooting out icy light. The people of the Su family had bullied him so much that the killing intent in his heart grew even stronger, with dense murderous intent permeating his body.
"Kid, you shouldn't harbor killing intent towards me. Otherwise, I will kill you without hesitation!" Su Zilin felt a chill all over her body, her pores tightening. Su Hao's murderous intent seemed capable of annihilating her.
"Scram!"
Su Hao roared and kicked out. With a dull thud, Su Zilin was sent flying tens of meters away, falling to the ground. Her cheeks were swollen, and her lips were oozing blood.
Su Zilin struggled to get up, glaring at Su Hao through gritted teeth. "Su Hao, we'll see. I will definitely surpass you and let the Su family know how lowly you, a mongrel, are."
With that, she limped away.
Su Hao shook his head and paid no further attention to Su Zilin.
...
Deep within the Su Mansion, there was an ancient and elegant courtyard. Its doors and windows were dilapidated, giving it a desolate and run-down appearance. However, the courtyard was lush with flowers and trees, very tranquil.
In a side room, Su Hong sat cross-legged on the bed, healing his injuries. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and frowned. "What's wrong? Zilin's aura is fluctuating. Is she injured?"
Swish!
Su Hong vanished from his spot.
At the same time, in an alley hundreds of feet away from the Su Mansion.
Su Hao's face was as gloomy as dark water, and boundless killing intent erupted from his eyes. Thick iron chains were wrapped around his right leg, and he knelt on the ground.
"You little brat, you dared to sneak attack me and get me imprisoned here. If not for your grandfather protecting you, I would have already broken your neck," Su Hao said through gritted teeth before closing his eyes to rest.
Su Hao was not mistreated in the Su family; on the contrary, he was quite valued. This was because Su Hong had once rescued the Su family's Old Ancestor, and the Old Ancestor owed Su Hong a great favor.
Previously, Su Hong had made outstanding contributions to the Su family and gained the Old Ancestor's favor. He was bestowed with powerful spiritual medicine, which allowed Su Hong to undergo a complete transformation, becoming a martial arts prodigy and rising rapidly in status.
Before Su Hong's rise, the Su family patriarch, Su Batian, was the pride of the Su family. Unfortunately, when Su Hao was born, a heavenly lightning tribulation descended, greatly diminishing Su Hao's aptitude and reducing him to a good-for-nothing.
The Su family's Old Ancestor also withdrew his rewards to Su Hong and even punished him, ordering him to go into seclusion for half a year.
After half a year, Su Batian announced the revocation of Su Hong's young master status and ordered Su Hong to kneel in the Su family ancestral hall and repent for three years. If he did not repent, he would be expelled from the family.
Su Batian's decision caused a huge uproar. Not only was Su Hong indignant, but many elders and younger generations of the Su family also harbored resentment towards Su Batian.
Su Hao's mother, Su Linglong, had a complete falling out with Su Batian over this matter and moved out of the Su family with Su Hao, raising him alone.
The Su family's Old Ancestor also harbored resentment towards Su Hao due to Su Hao's mother's betrayal.
Everything stemmed from Su Hong being too outstanding, making the Su family's Old Ancestor wary and vigilant, unwilling to let Su Hong grow and threaten the Su family's position.
For this reason, Su Batian secretly sent people to hunt down Su Hao's mother, causing her to be severely injured. She then fled with Su Hao, living incognito.
Even after more than twenty years, Su Hao and his mother could not escape Su Batian's pursuit. Su Zilin, relying on her identity as the eldest grandson of the Su family's direct lineage, unhesitatingly made things difficult for the mother and son.
Su Hao took a deep breath, suppressing his killing intent. He truly did not have the ability to kill Su Zilin now, let alone with Su Batian behind her.
He looked at Su Zilin, who was lying on the ground. "I don't like trouble. I hope you'll be sensible. Otherwise, your fate will be even more miserable."
He uttered these words and turned to leave.
Su Zilin glared at the departing Su Hao through gritted teeth, wishing she could pounce on him and bite the good-for-nothing to death. But she dared not act rashly, fearing that she might provoke Su Hao into actually killing her.
She took a deep breath, calmed her turbulent emotions, took out her phone, and dialed a number.
The call was connected.
"Cousin, help me teach that good-for-nothing a lesson. I'll give you money, and I'll also send your female slave to your room," Su Zilin commanded haughtily.
"Are you sure?"
The man's voice was tinged with playfulness.
"I'm sure. That little bastard dislocated my arm by stepping on it, and he even kicked me in the butt."
Su Zilin said pitifully, tears flowing down her face.
"Wait for me!"
The man hung up the phone.
"Hmph, just you wait. When I catch you and your mother, I'll make you wish you were dead." Su Zilin spat out threats, wiped the tears from her face, and quickly walked into a nearby room. She picked up the teapot on the table and smashed it fiercely onto the floor, shattering the teacups.
"Good-for-nothing, you just wait!"
Su Zilin uttered her parting words and left the room.
Night fell.
Su Hao, having eaten his fill and satisfied, prepared to sleep.