Supreme Emperor of Mist

"What did you say?" the patriarch of Jiao Household slapped the table into pieces as he received the bad news about the loss of the entire corps of Night Dragon Assassins.

"Yes, patriarch... I'm worried that we really mess with somebody in Bone Reconstruction Layer this time..." his butler reported.

"Pull back the eyes we've arranged around the Qin Household. The fewer people we have over there, the better it is for now." the patriarch said. To him, losing twelve mere Flesh Refining Cultivators is hardly significant in his eyes. But losing twelve men to do the dirty works on his behalf equals declines in profit.

"Who is the one that requests the job to be done?" the patriarch continued with his question. With twelve men dead, he can't let this supervisor leave without punishment.

"It's Mister Xu from the Treasure Store." the butler whispered beside the patriarch's ear.

"It's him? Has he gone senile? If it wasn't because he contributes greatly by crippling that third young master, I would have him killed by now!" the patriarch smashed one of the armrests on his chair as he continues to speak.

"Take Mister Xu out from the list of orders. I'll leave him aside to reduce the chances of our enemies finding our fault. This Fu-Rong Town will soon fall into my hand. We can't have any mistakes right now." Jiao Cheng said.

"I'll make sure to deliver your order to Mister Xu personally. Patriarch doesn't have to worry." the butler nodded and excused himself.

...

...

Same time, Chu Household.

"Where did the explosion happen?" the patriarch of Chu Household, Chu Rongye, asked.

"In a house behind the Qin Family Manor. The family is on full alert right now because it happened so close to the residence of the third young master, Qin Lan." the butler whispered beside Chu Rongye.

"Send someone to the Qin Family Manor tomorrow to show them our concern to Qin Lan. Even if that child is now a cripple, with Qin Tian's ability, he might be able to turn this situation around."

"Furthermore, they're the ones that saved my Xiang-Er's life." Chu Rongye said. He pushed a secret mechanism that linked to a secret door within his room. A few moments later, Chu Rongye returned with a golden pill bottle that holds a few drops of some liquid inside.

"Inside this bottle is a treasured dew known as Changshen Dew. It was a naturally created treasure that formed a drop every ten years. Bring it over and present it to Qin Lan, and tell them to treat it as a gift from a friend." Chu Rongye handed the bottle to his butler unwillingly.

But for the sake of his Chu Household's safety, he has no other choice but to support the Qin Household for now.

"Your servant will immediately deliver this Changshen Dew to the third young master personally."

...

...

Also, at the same time, in the Hu Household.

"Jia-Er pay her respect to grandfather." Hu Jia greets her grandfather the moment she came into his patriarch's residence. The house was humbly built, with a pond in the middle to rear fishes that could calm its owner's mood.

On both the left and right entrances, bamboo is planted to cover the wall completely, giving it the atmosphere of a bamboo forest.

"Jia-Jia, your grandfather wants you to pay the Qin Household a visit tomorrow." Hu Yong said.

"Grandfather! I am busy preparing for the upcoming Annual Hunting Festival two weeks later! Why would you waste my time by calling me to go and find that cripple?" Hu Jia is unwilling to do as her grandfather wish and stomps the floor twice.

"That's because cripple or not, he's bound to become the next patriarch of the Qin Household! Imagine your position in the family if you're married to him!" Hu Yong said.

"I'm not interested. I don't want to get married. I will join the Cloud Plucking Sect in the next one and a half years and become a cultivator above your current achievement." Hu Jia said.

"This lass... Do you think that the cultivation of a person can be grown like a head of a vegetable? If it did, then your grandfather would have broken through the threshold between the ninth-level of the Bone Reconstruction Layer a long time ago." Hu Yong gently patted the head of his beloved granddaughter.

"A woman should find a good man to marry. Only like this can you secure the resources to cultivate and achieve what you want." Hu Yong sighed.

"I'm not going! Good night, grandfather!" Hu Jia angrily left the residence without even taking a glance at the gift Hu Yong prepared for Qin Lan.

"Ai... This granddaughter of mine... I guess the Core Replenishing Liquid will have to wait for its turn to be delivered to Qin Lan's hand. But will my decision be the correct one?" Hu Yong stares at the sky, asking if he was making the correct decision.

...

...

Qin Lan's residence.

The explosion has answered his suspicion. It seems that the possibility of Jiao House is the culprit behind this is highly likely. Qin Lan returned to his wheelchair and waited for the people from the other elders to arrive, and it did.

Qin Tian was the first to come, followed by the second elder, the fourth, and then the first and third. The five Bone Reconstruction cultivators then threaded across the walls leading outside of the Qin Lan's residence to inspect the location where the explosion takes place.

"Instruct a few servants to stop people from leaving. I want them to check each and every household for their identities so we can come down to a conclusion." Qin Tian ordered.

The servants of the Qin Household acted very quickly, even before the butler from Jiao Household could react accordingly. It forced him to personally silenced most of the dispensable members before bringing those indispensable ones away.

The next morning, the Chu Household and Hu Household both sent a representative over to deliver their concern about Qin Lan's safety. Although it was just a short visit with some gifts, their gesture was warmly received by the Qin Household.

The Chus delivered a bottle of ten drops of the rare Changshen Dew, while the Hus delivered a box with hundred-year ginseng. But what surprised Qin Lan the most is that right now, his chair was pushed by someone he expected the least.

"Lady Hu, you being here with me made my dull garden found its color once again, but it hurts my heart to get you to push my wheelchair." Qin Lan said as his head rested on the chair comfortably.

This is also the one and only time he had something to complain about.

Being unable to take advantage of Hu Jia's arousing body by rubbing his head against her made him feel sad. He wished that the headrest was not there, to begin with.

"Humph. I'm here because of my grandfather. Don't think that I've fallen for you," Hu Jia replied.

(As if... If you're not fallen for me, then what the hell are you pushing my wheelchair now? Shouldn't you just drop the gift and leave?)

Qin Lan wanted to point his finger at her and speak out what's in his mind, but he's reluctant because the maiden that stands behind his somewhat suit his taste in a woman.

"I've heard that Lady Hu is well trained in martial arts since young. What about we have a light spar with me? Without using any spiritual energy, of course. It might give you some inspiration and brings our relationship closer." Qin Lan suggested.

"You want to spar with me while sitting in a wheelchair? Don't make me laugh." Hu Jia pushed the wheelchair faster. In fact, she wanted to do that because slowly walking Qin Lan around the house bored her to death!

"Lady Hu, please, do me a favor," Qin Lan cupped his hands together and begged.

"Alright. Just this time." Hu Jia reluctantly accepted. And from the back of Qin Lan, she's now moved to facing him.

(At last... Look at how tight is that dress... Can my hand even grab the whole thing without leaving a gap in between?)

Qin Lan almost drooled as he enjoyed his view at Hu Jia while she's showing a few rounds of her usual fist, palm, and claw practice. It was firm but bouncy at the same time. It was big but not overboard.

"Lady Hu, if you may give me a stick, I have something I wanted to show you." Qin Lan suggested. He couldn't believe that for the sake of touching a maiden like Hu Jia, he would have to degrade himself to the point of desperation!

"Here, take this." Hu Jia went to the bamboo nearby and pulled a young branch off.

"Careful, I'll be slowly and considerate for you," Hu Jia smiled. So what if she's tolerating this cripple if she can move her bones slightly while satisfying her grandfather's wish.

But Qin Lan's first move surprised her.

As she was going to extend her arm out with a long fist, Qin Lan's bamboo stick nicely touched the inner part of her elbow. A single move from him is indirectly canceling her so-called Hu Family Long Fist from getting executed.

"Is this a coincidence?" Hu Jia shows an expression of disbelief.

"I've been disrespectful. I will not move if Lady Hu wanted to give me a slap." Qin Lan closed his eyes and raised his head up for her to teach him a lesson.

"Again!" Hu Jia made another step backward and prepared her stance. This time, she moved slightly faster than before and delivered a claw attack at Qin Lan's chest.

But once again, Qin Lan's bamboo stick stops her. This time, instead of the inner elbow, it was her wrist that was obstructed, making her attack missed by an inch.

"This... This!" Hu Jia was happy and shocked at the same time.

Who would have thought that having a slow spar with this cripple would show two of her flaws this obviously?

Smiling, Hu Jia decided to continue to have her fun. But Qin Lan's preparation was complete as well. He acted like his hand was too tired with the bamboo stick and rested his hand on the armrest.

And when Hu Jia turned around, it was a beautiful hit that caught her unaware on her waist. Her body bends just a little from that ticklish poke, leaving her defenseless as she lost her balance.

And Qin Lan was "unlucky" enough to be just at where she's falling, ended up being "squashed" by her voluptuous body as both of them fall onto the ground.