"Xu Ke, you..." Li Lang wanted to say more, but Xu Ke had already hung up.

Li Lang's expression changed instantly.

Damn it... We're in control now, so how can he still be so arrogant?

A cold smile curled the corners of his mouth.

So what if you talk a big game, Xu Ke? In our initial plan, you were always doomed to fail. As soon as Chang Yi and Sun Luo are gone, Xu Yi will end up dead, her body never to be found!

...

With a cold expression, Xu Ke put on his shoes and left Junyue Residence.

Li Lang actually dares to threaten me now? If they dare to kidnap Xu Yi, then I'll dare to kidnap Sun Luo and Chang Yi.

He knew perfectly well that Lin Zhongtian and Huang Sheng had only dared to kidnap Xu Yi because they wanted the two Innate Martial Artists, Sun Luo and Chang Yi. If they harmed Xu Yi to threaten him, forcing him to cripple those two, it was a price neither of them would be willing to pay.

Xu Ke called out Tang Yingchang, who was in the apartment across the hall.

"Doctor Xu, what's wrong?" Tang Yingchang, who was also recuperating, immediately sensed trouble when he saw the dark look on Xu Ke's face.

As they waited for the elevator, Xu Ke explained, "Xu Yi was taken away by Li Lang."

Tang Yingchang's face turned grave. "Then where is she?"

"I don't know yet," Xu Ke shook his head. "First, we're going to the Martial Alliance to get Chang Yi and Sun Luo. I'm going to take them to exchange for Xu Yi."

"Their goal in taking her was to force me to release them!" Xu Ke's face was so grim that it seemed ink could be squeezed from it.

Thinking it over, he was starting to understand.

Li Lang must have been waiting for Huang Sheng at noon! And because Li Lang learned at noon that Xu Yi is my sister, he told Huang Sheng, leading to this entire situation...

Xu Ke clenched his teeth. Damn it!

He had told Wang Wu to go back and guard against Lin Zhongtian making a move on Wang Qiya, but he never imagined they would target Xu Yi, who had just returned to the country. Realistically, though, he couldn't have assigned someone to protect her. Xu Yi was a university student; having a bodyguard would be completely out of place. Moreover, he truly hadn't anticipated that the Li Family, which publicly had no connection to the Huang Family or Lin Zhongtian, would now be working with them.

"But Lin Zhongtian will probably be waiting at the Martial Alliance to stop you from taking Sun Luo and Chang Yi, won't he?" Tang Yingchang said, his expression troubled.

Since they were smart enough to use Xu Yi to force Xu Ke's hand, Lin Zhongtian was likely already at the Martial Alliance. He wouldn't just stand by and watch Xu Ke kidnap the two men right after their release.

Xu Ke took a deep breath, his expression ugly. It was true.

Just then, the elevator arrived with a DING. At the same time, a text message arrived from an unknown number. Li Lang had deliberately used a burner phone to hide his identity.

"Xu Ke, I'll tell you the address now. We're in an abandoned factory on the city outskirts."

"First, you release Sun Luo and Chang Yi, and we'll let Xu Yi go."

"Second, you can't tell the Martial Alliance. If they find out, I'll have my people at the factory kill Xu Yi immediately. This won't be traced back to me anyway."

"Third, you have one hour to get it done."

Reading the message, Xu Ke took another deep breath. "We're going to take them first."

"If that old bastard Lin Zhongtian tries to stop me, I'll kill him today!"

Kill him!

At those words, Tang Yingchang was aghast. "Absolutely not! This will have irreversible consequences. You won't be able to move an inch in any territory governed by the Martial Alliance!"

"Elder Tang, don't try to persuade me." Xu Ke's True Qi had begun to boil, and his bloodshot eyes looked utterly savage. "They can come after me. That's fine. But if they touch my family, I'll make sure they die without a grave."

Hearing the murderous intent in his voice, even Tang Yingchang, an Innate Great Perfection expert, couldn't help but shudder. He was terrified.

Is this the disciple of the Medical Saint? He hasn't even reached Innate Great Perfection, yet he's capable of instilling fear in me...

...

VROOOM!

Xu Ke's car tore out of Junyue Residence in a frenzy, roaring toward the Tianhai Martial Alliance. He drove himself this time, not letting Tang Yingchang take the wheel. He needed the insane speed to clear his head. Tang Yingchang, meanwhile, sat deliberately in the back, his hands flying as he messaged Wang Wu, telling him to notify Wong Qifu. At this point, only Wong Qifu could possibly stop Xu Ke.

...

「Tianhai Martial Alliance.」

When Xu Ke pulled up, his gaze was dark. As expected, the place was brightly lit. Peng Hetong was waiting by the entrance, a smug look on his face. The moment Li Lang had succeeded, they had come here to wait for Xu Ke to "willingly reconcile" with Chang Yi and Sun Luo.

Seeing Xu Ke emerge from the car with a grim face, Peng Hetong's lips curled into a triumphant smirk.

Now that Xu Yi is captured, let's see what you can do. If you won't reconcile voluntarily, we have ways to make you!

Xu Ke strode toward the Martial Alliance entrance, Tang Yingchang hurrying to keep up. Just then, his phone rang. It was Wong Qifu.

He hesitated.

I know Tang Yingchang must have called her to talk me down. I also know that if I do this, it'll drag the Wang Family into it. But I have to. If it really implicates them, I'll just have to declare myself separate from the family and walk this deadly path alone. I have to save Xu Yi!

Seeing Wong Qifu's call, Tang Yingchang breathed a sigh of relief. With Wong Qifu persuading him, there's finally some room to maneuver!

Xu Ke took a deep breath and answered. "Qi Fu, what's wrong?"

Wong Qifu's voice was soft, yet powerful. "Go do it. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you."

Xu Ke's eyes suddenly burned. "Alright!"

Tang Yingchang's eyes went wide.

Are these two both completely lawless?!

Xu Ke put his phone away and walked directly into the Tianhai Martial Alliance.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Peng Hetong asked condescendingly.

"Where are Chang Yi and Sun Luo?" Xu Ke stared coldly at him.

"They are under the Martial Alliance's supervision, of course," Peng Hetong replied, smiling smugly at Xu Ke.

"Release them," Xu Ke said coldly.

"So, you're saying you want to reconcile with them, is that right?" Peng Hetong pressed, deliberately rubbing salt in the wound.

"That's right. Release them." Xu Ke's cold gaze remained fixed on Peng Hetong.

"Fine!" Peng Hetong clapped his hands.

Chang Yi and Sun Luo swaggered out, their eyes full of provocation as they looked at Xu Ke.

So what if we seriously injured you, and even though you managed to get us locked up, you still have to let us go!

Seeing them walk out so easily, Xu Ke took another deep breath.

Lin Zhongtian was probably ready to release them all along, just waiting for me to come and agree to reconcile.

Looking at the two of them, Xu Ke said coldly, "Come with me."

Chang Yi and Sun Luo exchanged a look, both smirking. They ignored him.

"Come with you?"

"The nerve of you, telling us what to do."

"They are free men. Why should they listen to you?" Just then, Lin Zhongtian's figure emerged from the side.

At this moment, Lin Zhongtian was beyond smug. His entire being radiated pleasure—the pleasure of revenge. Thanks to Huang Sheng's plan, the situation was now completely under his control. This feeling allowed him, after being so stifled this morning, to fully relish the exhilaration of turning the tables.