Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1595 Conspiracy: This Feud Must Be Repaid
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Five more today.

……

A dozen minutes later, Gui, Fang, and Zhong rang the doorbell for the Chen family's private room, number 22.

The heavy door to the private room slid open silently, and Ma Zhibin stepped aside to make way, a hint of weakness in his eyes: "Uncle Minghao, you've arrived."

Warm light streamed in from inside the doorway.

Chen Zhang sat by the window, seemingly lost in thought.

Ning Hai (President of the Tian Dou Branch of the Liuli Chamber of Commerce) held a warm, white jade chess piece between his fingers and tapped the edge of the sandalwood chessboard lightly.

Ximen Wenming (the chief steward of Tiandou City) sat upright like a pine tree, a teacup half-suspended, steaming with white vapor.

Xue Dingshi (President of the Tiandou Branch of the Mingjing Chamber of Commerce) wore a new dark green cheongsam from the Liu family, which accentuated her graceful figure and calm gaze.

In the main seat, Yang Jingxue folded her hands on her knees, a plain brocade shawl wrapped around her shoulders, her demeanor as dignified as a mountain stream.

Gui Minghao, Fang Tingbo, and Zhong Feng entered one after another and sat down on the reserved velvet chairs.

The air was filled with the scents of aged cigars, freshly brewed pre-rain Longjing tea, and a subtle, unspoken ambiguity.

"Uncle Minghao, Uncle Tingbo, Uncle Feng," Ma Zhibin raised his hand to pour tea, his voice not loud, "Did the people upstairs just now... cause any trouble?"

Gui Minghao picked up his teacup, touched the rim of the white porcelain to his lower lip, and said in a calm tone: "Tian Dou's Zhi Xing and Bai Can Hong are just being sarcastic. They're just gossiping by the wall, making noise."

Fang Tingbo raised an eyebrow: "It's purely because you've broken down."

Ximen Wenming put down the cup lid with a soft tap, his eyes gleaming: "That child Xiaoyi... her move was a bit too astonishing."

"The meaning of life is as profound as an abyss, the control of the mind is as perfect as creation, and the tempering of the mind is also close to perfection... These three realms are fused into one, which ordinary people cannot see through, but those above, their hearts are probably rippled by the stones thrown into their lakes."

Fang Tingbo stroked the carved armrest, his fingers slowly tightening: "There may not be many who can truly see through it, but that method of instantly sealing 'Baxia'..."

He paused, as if savoring the unbelievable scene, "It was enough to make them restless."

Yang Jingxue's lips curved into a faint smile, like a crescent moon gliding across a frosty sky: "I should thank that girl for choosing this path."

Her gaze swept over Gui and Fang. "The sealing technique will not damage the vital energy of your precious Tianling. This will save you some effort in the next few tough battles."

She paused, her voice carrying an undeniable certainty, "Besides... my goddaughter has more than one way to make those tortoise shells; she has your best interests at heart."

His words clearly conveyed his approval and protection of Xiao Yi's careful planning, her merciful yet swift actions.

It not only bought the remnants of the Chang'an army a chance to catch their breath, but also demonstrated a delicate balance between skill and human relationships.

What pleased her even more was that Xiaoyi had actually used the Five Elements Restraint technique in her application of the Five Elements.

Fang Tingbo and Gui Minghao exchanged glances for a fleeting moment, then nodded almost imperceptibly.

Gui Minghao turned to Chen Zhang, a flash of concern crossing his eyes: "Jingxue is right, Zhang, about Gui Ran and Yi Rong's two children..."

Chen Zhang ran his fingertips across the cold tea in front of him and said calmly, "Uncle Minghao, don't worry. Xiaoyi left a message that those two sealing techniques will dissipate in an hour at most."

Gui Minghao let out a soft sigh, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly: "That's good."

Zhong Feng, who had been silent all along, raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Yang Jingxue's composed face before settling back on Chen Zhang: "The Chen family has been ravaged, and the Chang'an team is now reduced to wrecked remains..."

"Today on the arena, it was truly Xiao Yi who single-handedly withstood the overwhelming tide." "Your Chen family's chosen future matriarch... is a good one."

He paused, his words carrying a heavy meaning, "This strength, these methods, this demeanor—truly a phoenix emerging from a military family."

He changed the subject slightly and said in a deep voice, "But... I noticed that when she went on stage, her aura was somewhat unstable, and today she has exhausted herself... How is she now?"

Chen Zhang did not answer immediately, his gaze passing over the half-open window and landing on the empty arena below where the dust had settled.

After a long while, he looked away, his face expressionless, and uttered only three words.

"Fell asleep."

"Asleep...?" Everyone in the room stared blankly.

Ning Hai's fingers, holding the white jade chess piece, paused in mid-air for a moment, then a very soft sigh slipped from his lips, "This child... has truly had a difficult time..."

The unspoken words were mixed with tenderness, complexity, and a hint of unspoken agreement.

A brief silence fell over the room.

That sudden relaxation after a tumultuous struggle, leading to a deep slumber, silently reveals everything.

The rising steam from the tea meandered through the air, only to be silently crushed by the oppressive atmosphere.

Gui Minghao picked up the lukewarm porcelain cup, feeling the slight heat on the cup with his fingertips: "Jingxue, is today's gathering because of what happened at the Chen family mansion that night?"

“That’s right.” Yang Jingxue’s voice was like a thick piece of jade beneath the ice. “The fire set by the Crimson Church burned down the reputation of the Chen family, but at its core… it was to settle a score for the destruction of that manor on the shore of Lake Fasno.”

Her gaze slowly swept across every face present. "This is not only aimed at the Chen family, but also at the face of the entire Douhun City. It's a whip lashed out."

His words, spoken slowly and deliberately, echoed in the silent air: "Moreover, all of you here have been involved in removing the thorns in Mar-a-Lago."

"Who can guarantee... that next time that mad dog's fangs won't tear into your own backyard?"

Ma Zhibin downed the dark-colored liquor in his glass in one gulp, letting out a deep sigh: "We must fight back."

He put down his glass, the bottom of which tapped lightly against the glass tabletop. "Too many people have died or been injured... I can't swallow this."

Xue Dingshi lowered her eyelashes, her fingertips lightly tracing the patterns on her dark green cheongsam on her knees: "How do we fight back?"

Yang Jingxue's gaze finally fell on Chen Zhang: "The matter started in the territory of Tiandou City. If we're going to fight, we should keep it within the central western part of the central district. We must maintain our boundaries."

Chen Zhang straightened his back a bit: "We have some strongholds of the Black Nether Legion in the Central District."

"Several dens, several buried moles... I hope all of you uncles will also sift through the information in your respective hands."

He turned his gaze to Ximen Wenming, "Naturally, the information channels from Douhun City... should also be opened."

Ximen Wenming leaned back in his chair and gave a short laugh, which sounded like a blade scraping against a metal plate: "Okay, I'll apply. We're all on the same side, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"I'm about to retire from this old body, and I'd be more than happy to have a piece of crimson, rotten flesh to lean on!"

With Ximen Wenhua taking over as the Lord of Douhun City, Ximen Wenming, as is customary, is required to relinquish his position as the chief steward of a mega-city.

Ma Zhibin immediately followed up with, "Zhang Zi, how big is the rat hole?"

“At least… it’s no less than Mar-a-Lago,” Chen Zhang replied, leaving room for interpretation.

(End of this chapter)