Chapter 227 Little Fire! Wake Up!

The terrifying aura of a Gold-rank Spirit Beast erupting from Jiang Yun was like a mixture of ice water and boiling oil poured over the heads of Su Mingxuan and the five guards, instantly plunging them from their initial arrogance into extreme shock and brief bewilderment.

Especially those five guards.

They were all capable individuals cultivated or recruited within the Su Family; reaching Gold Rank through cultivation meant they were certainly not fools.

Previously, they might have held the mindset of bullying whomever their Young Master ordered them to. But when Jiang Yun's genuine aura, at the Peak of Gold Rank Three and radiating extraordinary might, was fully revealed, their attitudes underwent a subtle yet drastic shift.

A sixteen-year-old Gold Ranker!

The genuine article!

Moreover,

his aura was so formidable.

He was definitely no ordinary Gold Rank Beast Tamer!

What made their hearts race even more was this: if this most unbelievable rumor was true, then that other, even more incredible rumor—

being exceptionally listed by the Patriarch on the Su Family Ancestral Hall's side-branch talent plaque—

could it... also be true?!

Once this thought took root,

it spread like wildfire.

They understood all too well the significance of the Su Family Ancestral Hall plaque list.

It wasn't merely about having a name carved on a plaque.

It was a form of identity verification.

An endorsement of potential.

A symbol of receiving the absolute recognition of the Family and the current Patriarch!

Anyone listed on the plaque,

regardless of being from a side branch or the main lineage, regardless of surname, under certain clauses of the Su Family rules, held a subtly different status from ordinary Family members. In certain specific occasions and matters of etiquette, they even warranted considerable respect.

In other words,

if this youth, who had just been pointed at and called a useless matrilocal son-in-law and country bumpkin by the Fourth Young Master, was truly listed on the Ancestral Hall plaque... then in a certain sense,

they, these guards, and even the Fourth Young Master himself, would have to maintain a semblance of courtesy towards him in accordance with Family rules!

They wouldn't have to treat him like an ancestor, but he was certainly not some outsider servant they could casually beat, scold, or even order to kneel!

The guards exchanged glances.

Each saw the hesitation, fear, and difficulty in the others' eyes.

Attack?

The opponent was Gold Rank.

His strength was unknown, and he might have the protection of a plaque identity. If they injured him, when the aftermath was investigated, they, the subordinates who took action, would undoubtedly be the first scapegoats!

Su Mingxuan was a main lineage Young Master.

His father, Second Master Su, would back him up. What did they have?

But not attack?

The Fourth Young Master was right there watching.

The order had already been given. If they disobeyed, given the Fourth Young Master's vindictive nature, their future days in the Su Family would be extremely difficult.

Caught between a rock and a hard place... Meanwhile,

after the initial shock and physical discomfort,

Su Mingxuan quickly forced himself to calm down.

He rubbed his chest, still feeling somewhat stifled from the aura impact, and the look of astonishment on his Face gradually gave way to a more twisted anger and jealousy.

Gold Rank!

He actually was Gold Rank!

Why?!

A country bumpkin from a border town.

How could he possess such talent?!

The immense psychological disparity and the ruthless shattering of his previously certain understanding made the fire of jealousy in Su Mingxuan's heart burn even more fiercely.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Yun,

as if trying to tear apart the Gold Rank halo surrounding the other with his gaze.

"S-so what if he's a sixteen-year-old Gold Ranker?!"

Su Mingxuan's voice was somewhat distorted with agitation.

He tried hard to make his words sound more confident.

"S-so what if he really got listed on that damn plaque?!"

He seemed to be trying to convince himself,

and also declaring something to the guards and some unseen presence.

"What damn Genius! What damn ancestor! Stop trying to bluff people!"

He spat.

That deep-seated sense of superiority resurfaced on his Face.

"No matter what status he has, it doesn't change the fact that he's just a matrilocal son-in-law from a branch Family, without a drop of Su Family Bloodline!"

He straightened his back,

attempting to use status to overwhelm the wavering confidence that had just been shaken by Jiang Yun's display of strength.

"I am a main lineage descendant of the Su Family! A genuine main lineage descendant! My third uncle is the current Patriarch! My father is the Patriarch's own second brother, Second Master Su!"

Su Mingxuan spoke louder and louder,

as if each title he announced

added a bit more courage to him.

"Even if I teach this ignorant matrilocal son-in-law a lesson today, as long as I don't kill him, do you think my third uncle or my father would really do anything to me? At most, a few reprimands and a few days of confinement!"

He sneered,

his gaze sweeping over the hesitant guards.

He shouted sharply:

"You lot, what are you still standing around for?! Didn't you hear This Young Master's order?! Get him! Teach this disrespectful, arrogant country bumpkin who doesn't know his place a proper lesson! Let him know who to listen to in the Su Family main house, who the real master is!"

Hearing Su Mingxuan issue a clear order again,

and invoking the names of the Patriarch and Second Master,

the bodies of the five guards all jolted.

Before, they might have been able to delay slightly using ignorance of the situation or the opponent's unknown strength as an excuse.

But now... with the Fourth Young Master putting it so bluntly,

his attitude so resolute,

if they still didn't act,

it would truly be disobeying a master's command.

The men quickly exchanged glances again.

In that brief eye contact, they swiftly weighed the pros and cons.

This matrilocal son-in-law Jiang Yun:

astonishing talent.

Gold Rank strength, possibly with an Ancestral Hall plaque identity, no direct, powerful backer. Perhaps a potential asset, but ultimately an outsider, a matrilocal son-in-law.

Su Mingxuan:

Fourth Young Master of the main lineage.

Biological father is the powerful Second Master.

Biological uncle is the Patriarch.

Their current, immediate superior.

Arrogant and vindictive personality.

Disobeying him would have immediate consequences.

Weighing the lesser of two evils... A flash of ruthlessness and helplessness passed through the Guard Captain's eyes.

Having worked in the Su Family for many years,

he understood one principle deeply:

Better to offend a future potential asset

than to offend the immediate superior who can make your life miserable right now!

Especially a narrow-minded Young Master like Su Mingxuan. If they embarrassed him today, he, the Guard Captain, could probably forget about keeping his position.

He might even be found an excuse to be expelled from the Su Family.

As for the consequences of beating Jiang Yun?

With the Fourth Young Master taking the lead, and Second Master's Face, would the Patriarch really severely punish his own nephew for an outsider matrilocal son-in-law?

At most, a heavy start and a light finish.

As for them, the guards carrying out the orders, while there was risk, as long as they controlled the measure, didn't actually maim or kill, and afterwards firmly claimed they were following orders and it was an accident during a spar, they could likely muddle through.

Having figured this out,

the Guard Captain took a deep breath.

The hesitation on his Face quickly faded,

replaced by a coldness of executing a task.

He gave a slight nod.

Seeing this, the other four guards understood the captain's decision, and their eyes gradually turned fierce, locking onto Jiang Yun once more.

However,

out of final caution,

or to leave themselves a way out,

the Guard Captain still took a step forward.

He spoke to Jiang Yun in a low voice,

attempting a final persuasion.

"Kid, listen to me."

His voice was low, carrying a threat.

"We're just following orders, we don't want to make things difficult for you. Things have reached this point; it won't do you any good. Be smart. Kneel down right now for our Fourth Young Master, kowtow and admit your mistake, say a few soft words to appease his anger. Then we can report the task done, and this matter will be over."

He paused,

his gaze sweeping over the four companions behind him.

His tone turned cold.

"If you force the five of us to act together... Hmph, even if you're a Prodigy at the mid-Gold stage, two fists are no match for four hands. We brothers have coordinated for years; subduing a greenhorn like you won't take much effort. When that happens, you won't avoid some physical pain. What's the point?"

These words,

seemingly persuasive, were in fact an ultimatum.

They gave Jiang Yun a step to kneel and apologize, but also It indicates the determination to act.

Hearing the Guard Captain's words,

Su Mingxuan also thought Jiang Yun might be scared.

Instantly, he regained that feeling of superiority.

He crossed his arms, lifted his chin,

looked at Jiang Yun down his nose, and sneered.

"That's right! Country bumpkin matrilocal son-in-law, did you hear that? This is the last chance This Young Master is giving you, seeing as you have some talent! Kneel down obediently, kowtow three times to me, loudly admit you were wrong, that you're a useless fool with no eyes! If This Young Master is in a good mood, maybe I'll let you off this time!"

He felt he was being extremely magnanimous and merciful.

However,

facing the Guard Captain's veiled threats and Su Mingxuan's nauseatingly arrogant posture, the expression on Jiang Yun's Face turned completely cold.

He had originally just been annoyed,

didn't want to get entangled.

So he chose to reveal his aura to intimidate,

hoping the other side would back down knowing the difficulty.

But now it seemed,

not only were they not intimidated,

but because of the arrogance of the main lineage status and the guards' aiding and abetting, they had become even more aggressive.

Kneel? Kowtow? Admit fault?

Deep in Jiang Yun's eyes,

a trace of coldness quietly condensed.

He finally understood.

Reasoning with such a spoiled, status-obsessed playboy, showing weakness, or simply displaying strength was useless.

They would only interpret your restraint as weakness, view your strength as a challenge to their authority, and then become even more frenzied in trying to crush you to prove their twisted hierarchical order.

Rather than waiting for the other side to strike first,

becoming passive, getting entangled in a fight against five coordinated Golden Guards, wasting time and possibly attracting more unnecessary attention... it was better to end this quickly.

Use the most direct, most violent method to shatter their arrogance, crush their wishful thinking, and make them thoroughly understand that some people are not to be provoked!

Jiang Yun no longer looked at the noisy Su Mingxuan.

Nor did he pay attention to the five guards who had already assumed attacking stances.

He closed his eyes slightly,

as if gathering his focus.

The next moment,

he suddenly opened his eyes!

In those clear pupils,

a flash of blazing golden-red flame seemed to pass!

He didn't assume any flashy starting posture.

Nor did he summon the portal to his Beast Taming Space.

He simply raised his head.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the barriers of reality, looking deep into his Beast Taming Space, towards the massive figure sleeping within the Spirit Crystal Mountain, digesting vast amounts of energy.

Then,

his lips parted slightly. A clear, calm, yet Soul-contract-commanding call rang out clearly in the tense atmosphere before the gates of Yunqi Courtyard.

"Little Fire!"

"Awaken!"