Qin Chuan noticed Zhao Han's worry and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, with me here, you can eat well, sleep well, and grow up healthy and plump."
Zhao Han rolled her eyes at Qin Chuan, annoyed, "I'm not a pig..."
The atmosphere lightened after the playful banter, and Zhao Han leaned against Qin Chuan, softly saying, "The Lü family of Zhongzhou shouldn't be underestimated; they're very powerful."
"How powerful?" Qin Chuan asked.
"Our Zhao family can't even come close. Even if the Zhao family were to break off the engagement this time, some members wouldn't let us off the hook. We have to be careful." Zhao Han sighed.
Qin Chuan was taken aback: "You mean someone in the Zhao family wants to kill us?"
"I didn't know before, but now that I'm marrying into the Lü family, some of the Zhao family elders definitely know. They're afraid the Lü family will take their anger out on the Zhao family, so they'll definitely kill us to avoid embarrassing the Lü family." Zhao Han looked at Qin Chuan.
"Doesn't your father care?" Qin Chuan asked.
"He can't even if he wanted to."
"Why?" Qin Chuan asked.
"Father must give them an explanation for this. If Father says you can handle the Lü family, then they will test us."
Zhao Han continued without pausing, "If Father stops us, they will say, 'If the two of us can't even handle them, how can we handle the Lü family?'"
Qin Chuan shook his head: "Wouldn't you be upset if the Zhao family killed you?"
"No, they want us dead, so be prepared to die. This family is no longer the family I imagined." Zhao Han said slowly with his eyes closed.
Qin Chuan said nothing, offering no comfort. This is a step in everyone's growth, especially for powerful families; they must understand this.
In a large family, you have to rely on yourself. Relying on the family's protection will never make you a pillar of the family. The family can provide protection, and if you want to be an unambitious playboy, you can continue to accept protection.
But if you want freedom, to soar to the top, to break free from that constraint, you must become the strongest, surpassing your own family.
Zhao Han now has no way out except death, or becoming an untouchable force within the Zhao family, directly confronting the Lü family.
Things happened quickly. The next day, the three of them arrived outside Zhao Han and Qin Chuan's courtyard.
Although this was Chuzhou Academy, the Zhao family wielded considerable power, and since it was their own family matter, no one interfered.
The three men were middle-aged, actually the brothers of the Zhao family head—half-brothers or uncles.
Qin Chuan and Zhao Han naturally knew why they were there. The men didn't stand on ceremony. The middle-aged man in the lead said to Zhao Han, "Zhao Han, you've disgraced the Zhao family. I won't say anything else, but according to the rules, it's a capital offense. What do you have to say?"
Zhao Han frowned, and Qin Chuan immediately said, "Don't you know that meddling too much leads to a quick death? I'll ignore what you said before because you're Han'er's elder. Now get out of here. I won't bother with you. If you don't know what's good for you, I won't hesitate to kill you right here."
"Insolence! Who gave you the right to speak here? You're going to die today, you little bastard! If it weren't for you…"
*Thud!*
The man, still cursing, opened his eyes wide, clutching his neck, blood gushing out. Finally, with a few short, cursing characters, he collapsed, while Qin Chuan remained standing, now holding a bloodstained dagger.
Qin Chuan lowered the dagger, blood sliding down and dripping onto the ground, scattering in all directions. The dagger, however, regained its gleaming shine, not a drop of blood clinging to it, glistening and spotless. The scene was silent, deathly silent. It was fast, too fast. Everyone knew Qin Chuan had killed him, but they could only see his figure flash by. They couldn't even keep up with his speed; there was no way to fight like this, the speed difference between them was simply too great. In truth, Qin Chuan was also incredibly shocked, for this speed astonished even himself. Divine Path Step! Breaking through to the Immortal Emperor Realm, even his Divine Path Step had undergone a tremendous change, but Qin Chuan knew it wasn't entirely due to an increase in strength or realm. It was more about the abilities brought by the Yin-Yang Dao and this dual cultivation. With the yin and yang in harmony, Qin Chuan's previously overly yang body has now achieved true yin-yang balance, leading to a qualitative change in his abilities, including the Yin-Yang Dao. The Divine Path Step, also known as the Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Step, allows for the manipulation of yin and yang within a single step, with terrifying power and complete control. However, what surprised Qin Chuan was the sheer magnitude of the improvement; it was like transforming an arrow from a small dog into a ferocious tiger. This progress was no simple improvement; it was a leap, a substantial transformation. While his cultivation level might not have changed drastically, his combat abilities had changed. It was as if his very essence had changed—from a piece of wood to a lump of iron. This change was immense. Qin Chuan underwent a tremendous transformation, as did Zhao Han. Zhao Han originally possessed a yin-yang constitution, but her yin energy was excessive. This yin-yang fusion with Qin Chuan brought their constitutions to a balance. Her yin-yang constitution had broken through! This was an undeniable reason why Zhao Han's cultivation had improved so much. Although Zhao Han's cultivation level was higher than Qin Chuan's, she felt that Qin Chuan's combat strength was far greater than hers. Silence! It was quiet. Of the three people who had arrived, one was already dead, and the other two were pale, cold sweat dripping down their faces. They dared not move, dared not wipe it away. They were now hanging by a thread; if Qin Chuan made a move, they would have no chance of survival. Their hearts were pounding. Qin Chuan spoke, saying calmly, "This is the first time. I don't want to kill anyone, only for Han'er's sake. Take him away. Remember, next time, no matter how many come, whoever comes, I will not show mercy." The other two breathed a sigh of relief, bowed and thanked him, and left with their dead companion. Zhao Han smiled as she looked at Qin Chuan. She didn't speak, but Qin Chuan could see the relief in her eyes. The Zhao family should not cause him any more trouble, but the Lü family shouldn't come anytime soon, unless something unexpected happened. For example, someone might tell the Lü family about this. There are many powerful forces here, and many people want the Zhao family dead. If these people know this news, they will definitely spread the word. As long as the Lü family knows this news, that's enough. They don't even need to show their faces; they can remain anonymous. Therefore, Qin Chuan knew that he didn't have much time left, and he needed to prepare and solidify his strength. Hmm, the martial arts exchange was about to begin; perhaps this was a good opportunity.