"Manager! Manager!" A waitress from the tavern hurried over, her face etched with panic, "Something terrible has happened upstairs! Young Master Wang the Third and another table of guests are fighting—"

Before she could finish, the plump manager cut her off with a chuckle, "Wang Third Young Master’s business is none of ours." In South Mountain City, who didn't know that the most useless among the younger generation of the three great families was that Third Young Master Wang? But no matter what, he was still Young Master Wang the Third!

Even if only for the sake of face, the Wang family would never let their own young master suffer a loss!

Therefore, when Young Master Wang the Third bullied others, the staff of the Rising Sun Tavern would pretend not to see it.

"It's not that," the waitress shook her head repeatedly. "This time, it isn't the Third Young Master doing the bullying; it’s his subordinate who got hurt. The situation is very bad right now!"

"What!"

The manager was greatly alarmed. He could no longer care about anything else. His obese body moved with surprising speed as he rushed to the stairs. A string of urgent footsteps was heard, and the manager quickly ascended to the second floor of the tavern. As soon as he reached the second floor, the manager sucked in a sharp breath!

He saw the ferocious beast youth, 'Teng Beast,' his eyes faintly glowing red, still clutching a piece of bloody flesh in his left hand. Standing there, the boy looked like a man-eating ferocious beast.

"This—"

The manager's heart trembled from the sight of Teng Beast, and he quickly glanced aside. That personal attendant of Young Master Wang the Third, 'Hu Er,' was now curled up on the ground like a dead dog, a large pool of blood staining the floor and covering his body. "This has escalated too far; this is serious trouble!" the manager thought bitterly.

"Third Young Master!" the manager called out urgently.

Young Master Wang the Third, usually arrogant and overbearing, now had a flushed face, his hands trembling slightly with rage! He was looked down upon by his own father, so Young Master Wang the Third cared even more about his reputation in public! Relying on his status as the legitimate third son of the Wang family, who dared to disrespect him?

But the people at the table before him today had truly enraged him!

However, he also sensed the terrifying strength of the opposing party. Whether it was the youth clutching a piece of flesh like a wild animal, or the cold man sitting there like an iceberg, neither was easy to provoke.

"Get out of my sight!" The furious roar from earlier was still echoing in his ears.

Young Master Wang the Third wanted to explode with anger!

But he dared not! He feared that the other party would actually kill him.

"Third Young Master!" The manager called out again.

"Manager!" Young Master Wang the Third immediately glared at him, scolding angrily, "What in the blazes is going on here? Huh! My men came here to eat and drink, and now, my man is spat out, severely injured! How does your Rising Sun Tavern conduct business!"

He couldn't vent the overwhelming anger he felt towards the strange and savage Teng Qingshan and Teng Beast, so he took it out on the poor manager!

"Third Young Master!" The manager, having reached his current position after enduring countless humiliations, wouldn't care about Young Master Wang the Third's minor scolding. He smiled amiably, "Please don't be angry, Third Young Master. No matter what, the most important thing now is to save the person. Someone! Quickly move the injured to the nearest apothecary!"

A pharmacy sold medicine and also had a physician on duty.

"Yes." Two tavern strongmen immediately stepped forward to carry the injured Hu Er.

"How will this matter be resolved? Their people injured mine. Does your Rising Sun Merchant Guild have no explanation for this?" Young Master Wang the Third said coldly, glancing over at Teng Qingshan and the others. Teng Beast was still gripping the piece of shredded meat, staring at him fiercely, which made Young Master Wang the Third’s heart turn cold with fear.

At this moment, Young Master Wang the Third had few men with him and dared not confront Teng Qingshan's group head-on. He could only rely on the Rising Sun Merchant Guild to step in!

Young Master Wang the Third was well aware—

Although the Rising Sun Merchant Guild did not strive for hegemony, the power it commanded openly and secretly was astonishing.

"Third Young Master." The manager felt a flicker of annoyance but maintained his smile, "Please sit over there."

"No rush, I’ll stay nearby and watch how you resolve this." Young Master Wang the Third stood aside, glancing dismissively at Teng Qingshan’s table.

The Wang Family and the Rising Sun Merchant Guild!

These two represented formidable forces. Even a Golden Core expert of the Xiantian realm would need to reconsider confronting both of these powers. Young Master Wang the Third didn't believe... this table of people he found repulsive—except, perhaps, for the beautiful young girl—could withstand both powers.

Teng Qingshan’s expression darkened.

Li Jun, sitting nearby, also hissed coldly, "Young Master Wang the Third, we are eating here; what business is it of yours? You are jumping around like a monkey right now; it's truly annoying." Li Jun, who held a high position at Heavenly God Mountain in the Great Steppe, was also extremely irritated by Young Master Wang the Third's behavior.

"You..." Young Master Wang the Third's face changed drastically.

"Misery!" the manager lamented inwardly.

"What is all the commotion downstairs?" A dissatisfied shout echoed, and three tall men descended the stairs one after another. Each had sharp eyes and carried a distinct aura of killing intent, clearly powerful experts who had cultivated amidst life and death for years.

"Third Young Master!"

The three men were suddenly startled.

The private rooms upstairs had good soundproofing, so they only sensed the noise downstairs and were unaware that the Third Young Master was present.

"Sir, it is the Third Young Master!" One of them immediately reported upstairs.

"Oh?" A faint voice, filled with authority, drifted down.

Young Master Wang the Third's face shifted slightly. He looked up and saw a middle-aged man with a pale, clean-shaven face descending the stairs to the third floor, clad in luxurious black fur robes. His gaze, as cold as a knife, swept over those below before finally settling on the manager.

"Manager, what is happening here?" The Wang Family Patriarch asked, looking down from above.

The manager immediately bowed deeply.

The Wang Family Patriarch was akin to the emperor of a small kingdom! He was in no way comparable to a mere profligate Third Young Master.

"It's like this, the Third Young Master was dining with his attendant and had a slight conflict with these guests at this table. Thus, a fight broke out," the manager explained concisely, pointing toward Teng Qingshan's table.

The entire second floor of the tavern was now dead silent.

The other diners didn't even dare to take a full breath, much less speak! After all, the one standing at the stairs was the Wang Family Patriarch! A man whose single word could end their lives!

"Father, Hu Er was beaten nearly to death by them. He was just sent to the apothecary," Young Master Wang the Third urgently complained. "Father, I really didn't start anything this time. I just invited them for a drink, to make friends. I didn't expect them to be so ruthless! They even threatened to kill me."

"You stand aside," the Wang Family Patriarch said dismissively.

"Yes." Young Master Wang the Third stopped talking, but his heart was full of confidence. This time... he hadn't done anything excessive himself. The only point where he was at fault was Hu Er's prior sneak attack with a venomous snake! However, that was Hu Er's initiative; Young Master Wang the Third himself was blameless.

In broad daylight!

What status did the Wang Family hold? No matter what, the Wang Family Patriarch had to maintain the Wang Family's honor!

"Did you injure my Wang family members?" The Wang Family Patriarch asked calmly, looking down.

Teng Qingshan's table, however, continued eating.

"Xiao Ping, come, this fish is excellent. Here, try some." Teng Qingshan smiled, placing a piece of fish into Xiao Ping's bowl.

The Wang Family Patriarch’s expression changed slightly.

Teng Qingshan's group was completely ignoring him!

The people on the second floor of the tavern dared not utter a sound, watching the situation with extreme caution. They all knew... the Wang Family Patriarch must be furious. At the same time, they inwardly thought Teng Qingshan's group was too reckless and tactless to dare provoke the Wang family!

"Gentlemen!" The Wang Family Patriarch's voice suddenly boomed, his powerful voice resonating across the second floor like thunder exploding next to their ears.

Many patrons covered their ears, their faces turning pale.

Seeing Xiao Ping's pale face, Teng Qingshan couldn't help but frown. He turned to look at the Wang Family Patriarch standing on the stairs and said calmly, "Wang Family Patriarch, you can ask around to see who was right and who was wrong in this matter. Don't just shout without inquiring about the rights and wrongs! If you want to use words, I will use words. If you wish to use force, I will oblige!"

Teng Qingshan’s voice was level, but the immense confidence within his words made the Wang Family Patriarch’s heart tremble.

Knowing his identity... they still dared to act this way...

"Something is not right!" The Wang Family Patriarch frowned.

"Brother Wang, what's happening?" A familiar voice came from above, and a burly man in a stone-blue leather jacket, carrying a giant saber on his back, strode down the stairs. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept downward, and upon seeing Teng Qingshan's table, he jumped in fright.

"Brother Fu," the Wang Family Patriarch quickly turned his head.

"Mr. Teng!" This stout man carrying the giant saber rushed down the stairs in a few steps, cupping his hands in pleasant surprise. "I didn't expect to meet Mr. Teng here today, just a day after we parted yesterday! Had I known Mr. was dining here, I, Fu Dao, would have come down sooner. Sir, please come upstairs; how about we catch up?"

For a peerless expert and martial arts fanatic like Fu Dao!

Teng Qingshan, who had defeated him in a single move, was perceived by Fu Dao as an unfathomable, hidden supreme expert. To be defeated by one saber strike... Fu Dao felt that perhaps no one below the God of War level could be his match!

Fu Dao even believed!

Teng Qingshan was a God of War-level expert! After all, Fu Dao had never encountered anyone at the Xiantian Golden Core realm who was this terrifying. And for a God of War (Void Realm) expert, if they didn't control the power of heaven and earth, it was generally difficult to judge their level just by appearance!

In any case, whether Teng Qingshan was invincible below the God of War level or was a God of War expert himself, Fu Dao needed to treat him with utmost respect. A word of guidance from such an expert would benefit Fu Dao immensely.

"Oh, it's Fu Dao," Teng Qingshan looked up and smiled at him. "What a coincidence."

"Sir." Fu Dao's attitude was extremely humble. He then turned in surprise to the Wang Family Patriarch on the stairs. "Brother Wang, what is going on between you and Mr. Teng?"

The Wang Family Patriarch felt the world spinning before his eyes!

Mr. Teng?

The renowned Martial Saint 'Fu Dao,' the Thunder Saber, called him respectfully, 'Mr. Teng'?

"What kind of people has my ill-fated son provoked!" The Wang Family Patriarch’s heart convulsed violently several times.