Chapter 1846: The Struggle for the Young Master

"Come, a toast to you, thank you for saving my life!" Leng Xu raised his head and drained the cup.

Setting down the wine bowl, Leng Xu said with emotion, "That day I was dead drunk. If it weren't for you, I would have died long ago. These past few months, I've been in a daze, thinking every day of coming to find you for a drinking contest. It's just a pity you never came again. If I hadn't happened to pass by today, I wouldn't have known I'd already walked through the gates of hell!"

When Leng Xu woke up that day, he didn't remember what happened in the alley at all.

But that day's drinking contest with Ye Yuan was still fresh in his memory.

In all this time, it was the first time he'd met someone who could knock him out.

So he'd been thinking about coming back to challenge Ye Yuan to another drinking contest.

Today, Leng Xu happened to pass by and overheard Tie Ying's words.

Because of this, Leng Xu was even more moved.

Doing a good deed without expecting repayment—Ye Yuan was a friend he definitely wanted to keep!

If it were someone else, having saved the young master of the Leng family, they would have tried every way to curry favor, or at least get some benefits from the Leng family. But Ye Yuan didn't.

From this, one could see Ye Yuan's noble character.

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "That day I escorted you back to the Leng residence, Leng Hao wanted to capture me without distinguishing right from wrong. I didn't want to get involved in the disputes of your Leng family, and it happened to be a critical moment for my breakthrough, so I chose to go into seclusion. I just didn't expect that Leng Hao still wouldn't let me go."

Leng Xu smiled bitterly and said, "Leng Hao must have thought you were a helper I brought in, which is why he tried to kill you. In hindsight, it's all my fault for dragging you into this."

Ye Yuan raised his cup and downed it, smiling, "I don't like trouble, but I'm not afraid of it either. But what exactly is going on in your Leng family?"

Leng Xu downed a bowl himself upon hearing this and sighed, "Alas, brothers fighting each other has become the talk of the town. It's really shameful! Actually, I have no interest in the position of young master, but my elder brother is very persistent!"

It turned out that the day Leng Xu and Ye Yuan had the drinking contest, he had just had a big fight with Leng Hao and was in a bad mood, so he came to the tavern to drown his sorrows.

The brothers Leng Xu and Leng Hao had been close since childhood, and Leng Hao had always taken good care of Leng Xu as they grew up.

Both were highly talented and were the outstanding youths of the Leng family.

But there was one thing: Leng Hao was born to a concubine, so his status in the Leng family was far inferior to Leng Xu's.

Leng Xu was the son of the family head and was extremely talented, holding a very high position in the Leng family.

Brothers loving each other was originally something everyone envied.

Unfortunately, a few years ago, the Leng family head Leng Hongtian was suddenly killed, and the elders elected Leng Hongtian's younger brother Leng Hongxiu as the new family head.

Leng Hongxiu had no sons, only a daughter.

Thus, Leng Xu's position became awkward.

Leng Xu was by nature indifferent and carefree, and didn't care at all about the status of young master.

But Leng Hao gradually changed.

Leng Hao became calculating, currying favor with the elders in the family and marginalizing Leng Xu.

But on the surface, they hadn't fallen out and were still good brothers.

However, although Leng Xu was carefree by nature, he wasn't stupid.

Three months ago, Leng Hao found an excuse to send a very close uncle of Leng Xu away from the main family.

Leng Xu finally couldn't hold back and had a big fight with Leng Hao.

He never expected that Leng Hao would send assassins after him.

Although the Black Smoke Duo weren't very strong, they knew the ins and outs of the underworld very well.

That day, when they saw Ye Yuan and Leng Xu drinking together, they knew an opportunity had come.

They just hadn't expected Ye Yuan to be this strong.

"Alas, to be honest, I really don't care about being the young master! I told Leng Hao that I'd rather give up the position than see brothers turn against each other, but he simply didn't believe me! He simply didn't believe me! Hahaha..."

Leng Xu tipped his head back and downed a large bowl of wine, a glistening sheen of tears already welling up in his eyes.

Ye Yuan listened, sighing deeply.

Once a person becomes a slave to power, their entire being undergoes earth-shattering changes.

He could feel that Leng Xu truly didn't care about the position of young master.

But Leng Hao simply didn't believe it!

He thought Leng Xu was deliberately trying to put him off guard.

Ye Yuan raised his cup and said, "Drink today while we have wine, and forget all these unpleasant things! Come, cheers!"

Leng Xu laughed heartily. "Haha, cheers! I won't lose to you easily today!"

Ye Yuan smiled slightly. "Trying to outdrink me? You're not qualified yet!"

Amidst their banter, they downed another hundred cups.

Finally, Leng Xu, unable to hold his liquor, collapsed once more.

...

At the Leng residence, a man in black hurried to Leng Hao's private courtyard.

"Young master, something terrible has happened! Tie Ying... he's dead!"

Leng Hao's expression changed drastically. "This... how is this possible?"

The man in black was still in shock. "It's absolutely true! After Ye Yuan came out of seclusion, he killed Han Xiao right at the Juyuan Tower, then headed to Guiling Tavern. Someone saw Ye Yuan kill Tie Ying with a single sword strike! And... Leng Xu was there too!"

"One strike? He killed Tie Ying with just one strike?" Leng Hao's face was full of disbelief.

A Divine Realm first level killing a Divine Realm fourth level with one strike? How was that possible?

The man in black smiled bitterly. "Ye Yuan has already broken through to the Divine Realm second level. I didn't believe it either, but... that's the truth. And..."

Leng Hao's face darkened. "Speak quickly, what's with the suspense?"

The man in black stiffened. "Leng Xu and Ye Yuan drank too much again at Guiling Tavern. Now, Ye Yuan is sending Leng Xu back!"

Leng Hao's expression turned extremely ugly. He hadn't expected this outcome.

A Divine Realm fourth level expert was the limit of what he could mobilize.

Divine Realm fifth level experts held high status within the clan and were beyond his current ability to command.

Of course, if he became the young master, that would be a different story.

Leng Hao paced back and forth, as if digesting the news.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. "You said earlier that he killed Han Xiao?"

The man in black nodded. "As soon as Ye Yuan came out, Han Xiao's sneak attack failed, and Ye Yuan killed him with one sword strike!"

One strike!

Another one strike!

Leng Hao's face was grim. This Ye Yuan was too troublesome.

Leng Hao said darkly, "Forget about Ye Yuan! That old ghost Han Dongjun dotes on his son the most; he won't let this go! As for Leng Xu, it seems our plan needs to be set in motion. The matter of the young master can't be delayed any longer. Any news from Qianling Manor?"

The man in black said, "The eldest young lady has come out of seclusion. It's said she has broken through to the middle stage of Divine Realm fifth level!"

Leng Hao praised, "Qiu Ling is truly a genius. Her talent is awe-inspiring! It's a pity she's a woman. Alright, you don't need to worry about this anymore. I'll go find the clan head immediately. The struggle for the young master should come to a conclusion."