As numerous bodyguards lunged forward, a killing intent flashed in Li Xiaotian's eyes. Just as he was preparing to counter-attack, a woman suddenly burst into the crowd, shouting.
"Stop! Everyone stop!" The woman was Fang Yuan. At the last moment, she couldn't hold back. Although she disliked Li Xiaotian's reckless actions, he was Ye Qingmei's husband after all, and she had to save him.
"Father, please, spare him. He was just confused. Qingmei and he are returning home for the first time, he doesn't understand the family rules. Ignorance is no offense."
Fang Yuan's eyes were red as she cried, pleadingly looking at Zhao Tianlong with a desperate expression.
"Presumptuous! Where is your place to speak? Get back!" Zhao Tianlong scolded upon seeing her, his face turning ashen. He glanced at Li Xiaotian dismissively.
"This beast dared to threaten me in Jiangnan before, not putting me in his eyes. Even more infuriating, he dared to say he would destroy our Zhao family right here! If I don't break his legs today, how will our Zhao family establish its rules in the future?"
Zhao Tianlong's face was filled with anger and coldness in his eyes. Seeing that Li Xiaotian was still holding his hand, he immediately cursed, "Beast! Let go now!"
"Brother Long! He is Qingmei's husband!" Fang Yuan pleaded, looking incredulous. When had her man become so heartless?
"Third Aunt, you should go down. This person is courting death and threatened to destroy our Zhao family. It's mild that I'll have the bodyguards break his legs," said Zhao Lu, the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, with a mocking tone.
"Exactly, what is he? He not only forced his way into the Zhao family but dared to say he would destroy our Zhao family in front of so many of us. Isn't he asking for death?" a Zhao family member said, their tone full of anger.
"Wife of the third son, you step down! Children don't understand rules, but don't you understand them either?" Old Master Zhao spoke, casting a displeased glance at Fang Yuan before looking at Li Xiaotian and Ye Qingmei, speaking unhurriedly.
"Ye Qingmei, the blood of my Zhao family flows in your veins. This time, you may not be severely punished, but you must kneel outside the main gate to confess your guilt!"
"As for your husband, he is just an outsider. His legs must be broken today!"
"Right! Break his legs and cripple him!" The Zhao family members chimed in.
"Ye Qingmei, aren't you going to take your daughter out to kneel? What are you standing here for?"
"Hmph! Unfilial daughter, aren't you going to obey your grandfather's orders? If you want to return to your ancestors today, you must do what your grandfather says!" Zhao Tianlong reprimanded Ye Qingmei.
Li Xiaotian frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He then looked at the assembled Zhao family members and said in a chilling tone.
"Have you forgotten me? Or do you truly believe everything is under control?"
"Shut up! Do you have the right to speak here?" Zhao Tianlong shouted loudly, then continued, "This is the Zhao family, not a place for you to show off. If you know what's good for you, obediently let our men break your legs!"
"Exactly. Once you're at the Zhao family, your fate as a nobody is no longer yours to decide," said Zhao Lu, the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, with a mocking tone.
Li Xiaotian's gaze gradually turned cold. He looked at the Zhao family members before him and scoffed.
"I think you might have misunderstood something. My wife, Ye Qingmei, is not here to acknowledge her ancestors. She merely wishes to see Aunt Fang."
"And to warn you people of the Zhao family, who are so self-important, to stop interfering with their communication from now on!"
Li Xiaotian said indifferently, then looked at Old Master Zhao with a hint of disdain in his eyes, and continued.
"Furthermore, how this matter is handled today is not for you to decide, but for me to decide!"
"Your Zhao family must give me an explanation today!"
After Li Xiaotian finished speaking, there was a moment of silence around them, which was then followed by bursts of furious shouts.
"Presumptuous! Too presumptuous!"
"How dare you! Do you really think this is a street? You dare to be so arrogant on our Zhao family's territory?"
"Young man, do you know what you are saying? Believe it or not, with just one word from me, you won't be able to leave this place today?" Old Master Zhao's face darkened, staring intently at Li Xiaotian. This young man was simply too arrogant.
Li Xiaotian raised an eyebrow, waggled his finger, and said calmly.
"I don't believe it!"
"The Zhao family? What a joke!"
"Presumptuous!!" Old Master Zhao was instantly enraged, glaring at Li Xiaotian with fury. He then turned sharply to the Zhao family bodyguards in the courtyard and shouted.
"What are you standing around for? Quickly go and break his legs!"
Following Old Master Zhao's command, the Zhao family bodyguards in the courtyard moved. At this moment, even Fang Yuan dared not intervene, for in her mind, Li Xiaotian's words were indeed too presumptuous.
Innumerable figures surged towards Li Xiaotian in the courtyard. Li Xiaotian retreated slightly, shielding his wife and daughter, then looked at the charging bodyguards with intense killing intent.
The Zhao family members were still cursing, uttering all sorts of threats. Some even suggested killing Li Xiaotian right then and there.
But the next moment, everyone in the Zhao family froze.
The Zhao family bodyguards rushing towards Li Xiaotian were sent flying backward before they even got within a meter of him, kicked by Li Xiaotian.
The Zhao family bodyguards, who were considered capable fighters by the Zhao family members on a normal day, were now like ants facing an elephant, each one vulnerable.
Li Xiaotian fought with increasing ferocity, no longer waiting for them to attack but taking the initiative, weaving through the crowd, and with a casual move, another person would fall.
"This... How is this possible?" Zhao Tianlong stared in disbelief.
"Is he even human?"
In the blink of an eye, half of the bodyguards in the courtyard were knocked down by Li Xiaotian, groaning in pain.
"Master, this young man is a master!" A middle-aged man, dark-skinned and Old Master Zhao's personal bodyguard with formidable strength, approached from behind.
"Are you his match?" Old Master Zhao asked.
The middle-aged man smiled faintly and replied, "If I make a move, he will surely die!"
"Very well, Tie Jun, kill him!" Old Master Zhao gritted his teeth, staring fixedly at Li Xiaotian. This brat had to die, otherwise, their Zhao family would truly become a laughingstock.
"Understood!" Tie Jun responded and immediately charged forward.
Concurrently, upon seeing Tie Jun charge out, all the Zhao family bodyguards stopped and retreated. Their eyes were filled with fervor as they watched Tie Jun. Their captain had made his move; how could this young man, no matter how formidable, compare to their captain?
"Young man, the Zhao family is not a place for you to run wild. Die!" Tie Jun sneered, unleashing a punch that directly targeted Li Xiaotian's temple. With this punch, the opponent would either die or be crippled!