Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

"A simple matter," Qin Chuan nodded slightly, smiling calmly.

Zhou Cang was astonished. Despite being only at the fourth level of the Saint Realm, this man exuded a mysterious air of composure.

This composure came from self-confidence—not blind arrogance, but the kind of confidence that comes from having seen the world and standing tall above the mountains.

In an instant, Zhou Cang felt a strange sense of apprehension toward Qin Chuan. But this unease quickly transformed into friendliness under the harmonious atmosphere.

In short: This is someone to befriend, not to offend!

Immediately, Zhou Cang laughed warmly, "Hahaha! Qin brother, you are too modest. What may be a simple favor to you is a life-saving grace for me. After all, I have only this one son."

"Qin brother, please allow me to show my gratitude!" Zhou Cang said, bowing deeply toward Qin Chuan.

"Brother Zhou, you're being too kind," Qin Chuan smiled, lifting him up gently.

The mood instantly turned cordial and warm.

"Father, is the feast ready?" Zhou Mo asked with a grin.

"Have I ever let you down?" Zhou Cang glared at his son affectionately before turning to Qin Chuan and Qin Zi. "Please, come inside."

At the banquet, Zhou Cang's mother also came to offer a toast to Qin Chuan. However, from certain details, it was apparent that she wasn't his biological mother, but rather a stepmother.

It wasn't surprising that Zhou Cang had said he had only this one son—his true love was no longer with him, and even if he were to have more children, it wouldn't mean the same to him.

Thus, his gratitude to Qin Chuan was indeed genuine.

After the feast, Zhou Cang summoned one of the elders from their branch and whispered something to him.

Qin Chuan didn't catch all of it, but he faintly heard something about a "Phoenix Fire Nest."

Qin Chuan speculated it was likely some form of opportunity or hidden treasure.

It seemed Zhou Cang was not only expressing gratitude for Zhou Mo's rescue but also seizing this chance to forge deeper ties with Qin Zi by arranging for him to receive a precious opportunity.

However, Qin Chuan said nothing.

He pretended to be unaware and waited for things to unfold.

He was certain someone would come to stir up trouble.

After all, the Zhou family was a large clan, with tangled webs of interests. By using family resources to form personal connections, Zhou Cang would inevitably provoke dissatisfaction, and the opposing factions would seize any excuse to make trouble.

Of course, Zhou Cang had probably already considered this and had a plan to handle it.

But as long as his son, Qin Zi, could fan the flames quickly enough, the conflict would escalate before Zhou Cang had time to intervene!

Everyone knows that a verbal attack, when well-executed, is as deadly as any weapon, with no one able to dodge it.

Sure enough!

Before long, trouble arrived.

Boom!

The front door was kicked open with a loud bang, and a burly, red-haired elder stormed in, flanked by several middle-aged men.

He was filled with rage!

"Zhou Cang! What do you mean by this? Are you abusing your position as the family head to hand over precious family resources to outsiders?!" The red-haired elder's seniority seemed high, and his strength was formidable. He clearly didn't care about Zhou Cang's authority.

"Second Elder, the Phoenix Fire Nest slot comes from the five allocated to my branch. Why are you angry?" Zhou Cang responded calmly.

"Hmph! There are only thirty slots for the Phoenix Fire Nest, and even within the family, they are in short supply. Now you're giving one to an outsider? This is outright betrayal!" The red-haired elder scoffed.

"Qin Zi is Zhou Mo's savior. Since the opportunity has arisen, I can't overlook it. I personally made the trade for his slot—why does that concern you?" Zhou Cang's voice remained calm.

The red-haired elder was momentarily speechless, but then sneered, "Hah! A life-saving debt, how convenient! Just as the family discovered the Phoenix Fire Nest, a savior appears? And that so-called benefactor just happens to show up at our family estate?"

"Family head, if I'm not mistaken, there must be some under-the-table deal going on, isn't there?" His sharp eyes gleamed, pressing aggressively.

"You're talking nonsense!" A voice suddenly shouted in anger.

It was Qin Zi.

He glared at the red-haired elder and said coldly, "Only base people think everyone else is as low as they are! Just because you would do something so despicable doesn't mean others would!"

"And as for your so-called under-the-table deal, why don't you say that I had an under-the-table deal with your mother, and that's how you were born?!" Qin Zi's verbal assault was merciless.

He wasn't defending himself—he was standing up for Zhou Cang.

He could see that Zhou Cang was being attacked because of him, so he naturally had to step forward!

"Insolence!" The elder bellowed, unleashing a terrifying Saint Realm pressure aimed at crushing Qin Zi on the spot!

But Zhou Cang immediately stepped forward, shielding Qin Zi from the pressure.

Qin Zi, though startled, quickly composed himself and, feeling even more enraged, sneered, "Old man, you're embarrassed now? Could it be that you really are the result of some shady deal with your mother?"

"Tell me, which scoundrel under a bridge was responsible for your birth?"

"You... want to die?" The red-haired elder's face darkened completely.

He had just released his aura, and yet this brat still dared to provoke him without the slightest respect.

Unforgivable!

What infuriated him even more was that Qin Zi had hidden behind Zhou Cang, clearly relying on Zhou Cang's protection. This blatant disregard for him felt like Zhou Cang's own insult.

At that moment, the elder's hatred for Zhou Cang was transferred to Qin Zi.

And so... killing intent flashed in his eyes!

I may not be able to kill Zhou Cang, but killing you, a mere little brat in the Heaven-Tier Realm? That's easy!

Just then, Qin Chuan, who had been sipping tea and watching the show, heard a system notification.

Ding! A Saint Realm level six expert has developed killing intent toward your son. To uphold the principle of boundless fatherly love, and that fathers must always win, your cultivation level will be temporarily elevated to Saint Realm level six, with invincibility in the same tier!

Upon hearing the notification, Qin Chuan felt incredibly satisfied.

He set down his teacup, stood up, and said to Zhou Cang, "Brother Zhou, let's end this here."

"I appreciate your goodwill toward Qin Zi, but we shouldn't let this cause division within your family. Go ahead and take back the slot."

Zhou Cang hesitated slightly.

The red-haired elder, however, scoffed at Qin Chuan, "So, you're the brat's father, huh? Drop the act. You don't honestly expect me to believe you're willing to give up the slot!"

"Whether you believe it or not is none of our concern!" Qin Zi immediately retorted. "Who do you think you are? Some kind of big shot? Or just another nobody born from a turtle egg?"

"You want to die? I'll grant you that wish!" The red-haired elder sneered and released a sharp beam of golden light from his brow, aiming straight for Qin Zi.

"Break!" Zhou Cang struck out with a fist, sending out a golden fist shadow full of unyielding strength, instantly shattering the golden beam.

However, the beam of light exploded, transforming into thousands of tiny golden needles that bypassed Zhou Cang and shot toward Qin Zi.

"Not good!"

Zhou Cang hadn't expected this move. The needles were too fast, and it was already too late to intervene.

Clink! Clink! Clink!

Suddenly, a golden barrier appeared around Qin Zi, and all the needles shattered upon impact with it.

"What?!" The red-haired elder's eyes widened in shock.

At that moment, a calm and icy voice echoed through the room.

"Heh, you dare to try killing my son in front of me? Looks like you really don't take me seriously, old turtle."