Chapter 5: Compensation

Upon hearing this, Lin Kang's face turned grim as he said, "Lu Kuang, what do you mean by that?"

Lu Kuang replied coldly, "Lin Kang, are you deaf? Didn't you hear Chen'er say he wasn't interested in your trashy niece and didn't molest her?"

Lin Kang shouted angrily, "Lu Kuang, you'd better watch your mouth. It's well-known that Lu Chen, that good-for-nothing, molested Xuan'er."

Lu Kuang retorted coldly, "Even if it's well-known, it's still slander. I believe in Chen'er."

Lin Kang sneered, "Your belief is useless. If the Lu Family doesn't compensate today, the Lin Family will make you pay."

Lu Kuang scoffed, "Lin Kang, you've been losing to me since we were kids. If you want a fight, let your second brother come. You're not up to it."

Lin Kang was furious but couldn't refute, as he indeed had been no match for Lu Kuang since childhood. The only one in the Lin Family who could contend with Lu Kuang was his second brother, Lin Feng.

Just as Lin Kang was trembling with anger, Lin Xuan spoke up, "Fourth Uncle, there's no need to waste words with him. If he's unwilling to compensate, we'll have the City Lord's Manor demand it."

Lu Kuang frowned slightly and said, "What's this got to do with the City Lord's Manor?"

Lin Kang sneered, "Lu Kuang, perhaps you don't know yet, but Xuan'er is already the fiancée of Young Master Zhang Yang from the City Lord's Manor. Lu Chen, that good-for-nothing, molested his fiancée. Do you think the City Lord's Manor will let him off?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the Lu Family turned grave.

In Tianyuan City, although the Four Great Families were strong, the true authority was the City Lord's Manor, which had powerful backing from the Commandery Prince.

The Four Great Families could squabble over territory, but no one would gain much. However, if the City Lord's Manor intervened, the Lu Family could be wiped out at any moment.

In the tense atmosphere, Lu Chen's father, Lu Yi, stepped forward and asked coldly, "Lin Kang, what compensation does your Lin Family want?"

Lin Kang smiled and said, "We want ten of the Lu Family's shops."

"Lin Kang, you're asking for too much. Why don't you just rob us?"

In Tianyuan City, apart from the City Lord's Manor's properties, the remaining territory was divided among the Four Great Families.

During Lu Yi's era, the Lu Family was the most powerful among the Four Great Families, owning thirty-five shops in Tianyuan City. Now, the Lu Family had declined, with only twenty-one shops remaining.

The current income from these twenty-one shops barely supported the cultivation needs of the Lu Family members, who were already using resources sparingly.

And now, Lin Kang was demanding ten shops, cutting their assets in half. How could Lu Kuang accept this? It was clearly an attempt to destroy the Lu Family.

Lin Kang sneered, "Lu Kuang, these are the Lin Family's terms. You have to give them, whether you want to or not. Otherwise, prepare for the Lu Family to disappear from Tianyuan City."

Without the City Lord's Manor's involvement, Lu Kuang would have already acted upon hearing such words from Lin Kang. But with the City Lord's Manor backing them, he unclenched his fists.

Lu Kuang knew well the strength of the City Lord's Manor and the consequences of offending them, consequences he couldn't bear.

The expressions of the other Lu Family members turned extremely sour, casting resentful glances at Lu Chen, as he was the one who had caused their predicament.

Hearing Lin Kang use the City Lord's Manor as leverage, Lu Qian forced a smile and said, "Lin Kang, ten shops are too many. Can we reduce the number a bit?"

Lin Kang replied indifferently, "Not a single shop less. If even one is missing, we'll have the City Lord's Manor personally come to greet the Lu Family."

Hearing this, Lu Qian completely lost hope and shouted angrily at Lu Yi, "Third Brother, this is the mess your disgraceful son got us into. What do you propose we do?"

At that moment, Lu Yi seemed to age several years in an instant. He ignored Lu Qian and instead turned to Lu Kuang, saying, "Fourth Brother, how about we compensate with the shops from our third and fourth branches?"

Lu Kuang replied, "Third Brother, as long as it saves Chen'er, I have no objections."

Lu Qian said coldly, "The third branch only has two shops, and the fourth branch only six. Even combined, we're still short two shops."

Lu Kuang replied coldly, "The remaining two shops will come from your two branches."

Second Brother Lu Meng shouted angrily, "Fourth Brother, why should we pay for the trouble caused by Third Brother's disgraceful son? Neither I nor Big Brother will contribute."

"I won't either," Lu Qian chimed in.

Seeing the indifference of the two, Lu Kuang was thoroughly disappointed. He shook his head and said, "If that's the case, then let's all do nothing and let the City Lord's Manor destroy this decaying Lu Family."

Hearing this, Lu Qian and Lu Meng's expressions changed. Although they were pressuring the third and fourth branches, they didn't want the Lu Family to be destroyed.

The two exchanged glances, and Lu Qian changed his tone, "Fourth Brother, we can each contribute one shop, but as compensation, the Lu Family will no longer provide any cultivation resources to the third and fourth branches."

"Agreed!" Lu Kuang agreed without hesitation.

"In that case, Second Brother, go with Lin Kang to hand over the shops and resolve this matter as soon as possible," Lu Qian instructed Lu Meng.

"Alright, Big Brother!" Lu Meng stood up and, as he passed by Lu Chen, couldn't resist kicking him in the waist.

Lu Kuang and Lu Yi were furious inside but held back.

Seeing the matter resolved perfectly, Lin Kang mocked the sickly Lu Yi, "The once-in-a-century genius of Tianyuan City, you probably didn't expect to end up like this, did you?"

Lu Yi clenched his fists tightly, his nails unknowingly digging into his flesh, causing blood to drip from his hands.

Seeing this, Lu Chen turned to Lin Xuan, who was sneering, and asked, "Are you sure I molested you?"

Lin Xuan laughed, "Lu Chen, it's a fact you molested me, even if you didn't succeed. Otherwise, the Lu Family would already be gone."

Hearing this, Lu Chen's eyes remained calm as he said, "If that's the case, you can leave now. But remember, the wheel of fortune turns, and one day, I'll reclaim everything that belongs to me."

Hearing this, everyone who was about to leave stopped and turned to look at Lu Chen.

Looking into Lu Chen's deep and aloof eyes, for some reason, everyone felt a strange unfamiliarity and a primal fear in their hearts.

At that moment, no one understood why they feared a good-for-nothing. After a while, they all shook their heads, thinking they were overthinking it.

Lin Xuan sneered, "Lu Chen, with you and your father, the Lu Family has already exhausted its luck. From now on, just be a good-for-nothing and watch as I become a strong person you can only look up to."

To read the uncut version, go to [p𝘢wread.com].

With that, Lin Xuan turned with satisfaction and left the hall with the others.