My Co-renting Lady Boss
Chapter 358 - 0358: Strange Situation

Chapter 358: Chapter 0358: Strange Situation

Three martial masters, with strong demeanors, showed no interest in the delicacies spread before them on the table. After meeting, they only engaged in insincere pleasantries and superficially, each appeared more spirited than the next.

However, in reality, each of these three martial masters was suffering: one with a recurring old poison, another with a disease worsening, and the last with unrecovered severe injuries. All were unwell but were stubbornly pretending to be fine.

After some pleasantries, Elder Zhou Zhen could not sit still any longer and decisively broached the main issue:

"It has been a long time since the three of our families’ martial masters have gathered like this. Today, I have invited both of you over because there is a matter I wish to discuss."

Qin Aotian and Ma Tong slowly set down their wine glasses, smiling as they looked at Zhou Zhen. Neither spoke, thinking oddly to themselves:

"Here it comes, the fox is about to show its tail."

"Here’s the situation," Zhou Zhen cleared his throat and slowly began:

"Both of you are certainly aware of my Zhou Family’s troubles. Since a young man named Tang Ming caused a great disturbance at my birthday banquet, my family has been in continuous disarray. Additionally, I’ve heard that this Tang Ming seems to have conflicts with both the Ma and Qin families. I would like to propose that we join forces against Tang Ming. What do you think?"

"Crafty old fox!" Qin Aotian narrowed his eyes, cursing inwardly:

"You, a formidable martial master, actually want to cooperate with us against Tang Ming. It’s clear you’ve always known about Tang Ming’s strong abilities. Earlier, you even had my Qin Family’s three Nine-star Martial Artists confront him. Now that I’ve lost three men, you’re instigating me to act again, trying to corner me to death."

"Join forces?" Ma Tong scoffed inwardly.

"I’ve already been defeated by Tang Ming. If I act now, while you, Zhou Zhen, remain unscathed, it would reveal the severe decline in my strength. Then, the Zhou Family would definitely seize the opportunity to strike at my Ma Family. Do you think I’m a fool?"

"Elder Zhou, you are mistaken," Qin Aotian spoke up first, leisurely saying:

"Tang Ming is just a young man, although arrogant and presumptuous, it’s still overkill for a martial master to take action against him. It seems a bit like bullying the small. Besides, the conflict between Tang Ming and my Qin Family is merely minor friction among children. What business is it of the parents to intervene?"

"Minor friction?" Zhou Zhen was momentarily taken aback and asked doubtfully:

"But I’ve heard that your two sons were beaten by Tang Ming so badly they ended up inhuman. That doesn’t sound ’minor’ to me."

"Nonsense, though my two sons were hospitalized, they’ll recover with some care. You must have been misled by rumors," Qin Aotian retorted immediately, though a surge of murderous intent rose within him: "This old fool, bringing up the very thing he shouldn’t, as soon as support from my sect arrives, I will crush your Zhou Family first."

"Could the intelligence be wrong?" Zhou Zhen furrowed his brow, doubts creeping into his mind. With the dignity of a martial master at stake, how could he tolerate Tang Ming beating his sons into eunuchs?

"Brother Qin is right. My Ma Family also doesn’t hold any deep grudge against Tang Ming. It was just some minor conflict between my ineffectual grandsons and Tang Ming at school, nothing worth mentioning," Ma Tong also chimed in with a smile, trying his best to downplay the feud with Tang Ming.

"Really? I’ve heard that a major multi-billion investment project concerning the development of a shanty district undertaken by the Ma Family was sabotaged by Tang Ming. If Tang Ming isn’t removed, it’d be a huge loss for the Ma Family."

Zhou Zhen looked doubtfully at Ma Tong once more.

Ma Tong’s mouth twitched slightly, then he immediately said with a smile:

"It’s just a project. My Ma Family has vast enterprises; we’re too busy to manage all, and even giving up the shanty district project wouldn’t really hurt us, it’s no trouble at all."

"This..." Zhou Zhen was somewhat dumbfounded as he looked at Qin Aotian and Ma Tong’s reactions, reluctantly asking,

"What exactly is going on with you two brothers? How come I feel like you are very afraid of Tang Ming? Otherwise, why would a martial master bow to Tang Ming?"

"Are we?" Ma Tong and Qin Aotian exchanged glances. Although they did not know why the other wasn’t participating in action against Tang Ming, they themselves truly dreaded him.

"You brothers might not know – that Tang Ming is no ordinary person. He is a martial artist with decent talent. If left unchecked, and he grows stronger, he will surely become a new Martial Arts power in Songlan City. We must eradicate him before he grows stronger, otherwise, he will become a great threat in the future. Moreover, this nobody has offended our Martial Arts Family several times. If we do not act, won’t others laugh at us?"

Zhou Zhen patiently started to reason with passion and logic.

No matter how eloquently Zhou Zhen spoke, Ma Tong and Qin Aotian just smiled faintly without saying a word, completely unaffected by Zhou Zhen’s words.

Half an hour later, Zhou Zhen asked in frustration,

"What exactly is going on with you guys? I’ve said so much, don’t you want to deal with Tang Ming?"

"Hehe, Elder Zhou, you’ve said so much insincere babble. Are you just trying to provoke a conflict between us and Tang Ming?"

Qin Aotian, losing patience, laughed coldly. "Your attempt to sow discord is quite clumsy."

"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Zhen asked, frowning as he stared at Qin Aotian.

"What I mean, you know very well in your heart,"

Qin Aotian set down his wine glass and coldly said, "Since Elder Zhou, you’ve described Tang Ming as so dangerous, why don’t you take care of him yourself? Don’t forget, you’re a martial master yourself. A mere Tang Ming is hardly your match. My Qin Family has no interest in dealing with Tang Ming."

"You..." Zhou Zhen was momentarily at a loss for words. If he could have dealt with Tang Ming, he would have acted long ago.

"Enough talk, I’ve come to this banquet mostly to give you face,"

Qin Aotian interrupted Zhou Zhen abruptly, speaking in a harsh tone, "But you still want to plot against our Qin Family. Do you really think I’m a fool? I’m putting my words here - whatever the Zhou Family has done to the Qin Family, I have noted. In the future, I will return it."

As soon as his words fell, Qin Aotian rose to his feet and left, sweeping his sleeves as he went.

"Zhou brother, how did you offend the Qin Family?"

After Qin Aotian left, Ma Tong asked curiously.

"How would I know?"

Zhou Zhen muttered, his face full of perplexity. It was only at the end that he realized Qin Aotian seemed to harbor a grudge against the Zhou Family, but when had this animosity formed?

Qin Aotian thought Zhou Zhen had long been aware of Tang Ming’s strength, so he deliberately provoked the Qin Family to confront Tang Ming, resulting in both his sons becoming eunuchs; hence, Qin Aotian held this grudge against the Zhou Family.

Yet, Zhou Zhen was still unaware that Qin Aotian had already confronted Tang Ming, let alone that Tang Ming was a martial master, leaving him completely confused.

"Ma brother, Qin Aotian was afraid to confront Tang Ming, but you surely aren’t that cowardly, right?"

Zhou Zhen looked hopefully at Ma Tong.