Several slaps later, Jiang Han’s cheeks were swollen to an extreme, resembling a pig’s head, and even his voice had changed.

"Wanqing!" Jiang Ying glanced at Nanrong Wanqing and pinned his last hopes on her. However, Nanrong Wanqing appeared indifferent, seemingly with no intention to speak. Noticing this, Jiang Ying sighed in resignation, unwilling to waste more words, and said to Jiang Han, who bore a look of resentment, "Let’s go back."

Jiang Han opened his mouth, wanting to throw out a harsh statement, but upon meeting Ling Chen’s icy gaze, he swallowed his words, bit his teeth in fury, and followed Jiang Ying out of the living room. Qiu Wen, carrying the unconscious Qiu Wu, quickly followed suit, disappearing from the Nanrong Family’s doorstep.

"Chen, it’s still you who’s the formidable one." Nanrong Hao walked over to Ling Chen with a beaming smile, excitedly patting his shoulder hard.

"Ouch!"

Ling Chen inhaled sharply, his face turning pale from pain, and couldn’t help but curse, "Can’t you be a little gentler?"

Nanrong Hao paused, looked at his hand, and said with slight surprise, "Chen, I didn’t use much strength."

"Nonsense, who’d believe you?"

Ling Chen rubbed his shoulder, feeling as if his entire body was falling apart, with not a single place without pain. Especially his legs, which hurt beyond description—every step felt like a muscle cramp, an excruciating pain, as if two willow branches were constantly swaying.

Seeing his painful expression, Nanrong Wanqing couldn’t hide the worry in her beautiful eyes and quickly wheeled the wheelchair in front of him, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Ling Chen managed a forced smile. However, no sooner had he finished speaking than his legs seemed to disobey him, his knees buckled, and he sat down on the floor with a thud, grimacing in pain.

"Chen!" Nanrong Hao was shocked and immediately called Su Lin over to help him up from the ground and sit him down on a nearby chair.

"Ling Chen, the Nanrong Family owes you a lot for stepping in and preventing the Jiang Family from succeeding," said Nanrong Yong gratefully. "I won’t say thank you; should you have any needs in the future, the Nanrong Family will do its utmost to meet your requests."

"Old Master, I have only one request right now—could you please send me back to my room so I can lie down properly?"

If possible, it’d be even better to have two beautiful nurses take care of him. However, he didn’t dare to voice this last request, only thinking about it to himself.

Back in the bedroom, Ling Chen lay on the bed, trying to relax his body to alleviate some of the pain.

This Prajnaparamita Sutra was powerful indeed, but it was too perverse, he thought to himself. He Ziyun was right; only by breaking through could the Prajnaparamita Sutra truly show its effect.

However, this mental method was too unorthodox.

Moreover, the Prajnaparamita Sutra was clearly drawing on his potential to exert great strength in a short period, but it also brought potentially unforeseeable aftereffects to his body.

As he pondered, his thoughts involuntarily drifted to Xia Mutong, and he truly needed to thank her this time. If it wasn’t for her help, driving the police car to bring him back, he probably couldn’t have made it to the Nanrong Family in time.

...

"You two wastes of space, failing to deal with Ling Chen and still having the gall to claim yourselves as the fifth-ranked experts on the Tiger List. In my view, the so-called experts of the Tiger List are nothing but trash," In a suite at a hotel in East Sea City, Jiang Han pointed at Qiu Wen and Qiu Wu’s noses, berating them loudly, venting his anger.

Qiu Wen and his brother hung their heads low, standing obediently without a murmur of dissent, far removed from the imposing manner of a Tiger List expert. Although they too were seething inside, the mere thought of the Jiang Family’s influence sent a shiver through their bodies, fear apparent in their eyes.

"Don’t be angry anymore; it’s not their fault," Jiang Ying tried to calm the situation from the sideline.

"It’s all Ling Chen’s fault," Jiang Han hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes brimming with hatred. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to suppress his anger and said coldly, "No, we must bring that person back no matter what. This is the first time the Family Head has entrusted me with such an important task. If I mess this up, I’ll have no face to stay with the Jiang Family."

At this point, he frowned and continued, "I really don’t understand what the Family Head is thinking. Of the two Nanrong heirs, one is a good-for-nothing and the other is crippled. What use could they possibly be?"

"What do you plan to do?"

"Forget about that good-for-nothing Nanrong Hao; bringing him back is pointless. We just need to get Nanrong Wanqing back to the Jiang Family. Cousin, you have been helping the Nanrong Family for so many years; you should know them well. I still need your help with this."

Jiang Ying shook her head, "The Nanrong Family has treated me well over the years; I cannot betray them."

"Cousin, don’t forget, you have no ties to the Nanrong Family; you are ultimately a member of the Jiang Family. Don’t you wish to return to the Jiang Family?"

"Return to the Jiang Family?" Hearing these words, Jiang Ying couldn’t contain her excitement, "Really...is that possible?"

Jiang Han slightly curved the corners of his mouth, nodding, "Of course. In fact, the Family Head knows you’ve had a hard time out there. No matter what mistakes you made before, these twenty-odd years should have been enough to make amends." As he spoke, he observed Jiang Ying’s hesitant expression and continued to coax her, "Cousin, I know you have deep feelings for the Nanrong Family, but you have to understand that by helping the Nanrong Family, they just can’t appreciate your hard work. If the Nanrong Family falls out with the Jiang Family, it will be the Nanrong Family who loses out in the end."

Jiang Ying’s gaze flickered, torn with indecision. Yet, upon reflecting on Jiang Han’s words, she firmed her gaze, gave a slight nod, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Seeing her concede, Jiang Han smiled with satisfaction, "Don’t worry; I won’t ask you to do anything too difficult."

...

After resting for two days and receiving meticulous care from the Nanrong Family, Ling Chen’s health was largely restored.

Early in the morning, Ling Chen got up alone and went out to the villa’s lawn, stretched his arms, and warmed up his body by twisting his waist. After lying down for two days, it was high time to move or he’d rust.

"Brother Chen."

At this moment, Nanrong Hao came running over in a tracksuit, drenched in sweat.

Ling Chen glanced at him and asked, "Finished your training?"

Nanrong Hao nodded, his face full of yearning, "Brother Chen, how long do I need to train before I can make it onto the Tiger List?"

"Heh!" Ling Chen let out a sardonic laugh, "Give it another hundred years and you might stand a chance."

"Ah?" Nanrong Hao was taken aback, his face turning sour, "Brother Chen, is my talent really that poor?"

"It’s not about talent; it’s that you started learning too late. To truly master martial arts, one must start cultivating at the ages of five or six, strengthening the fundamental skills. Only with a solid foundation can you reach the next level. You’re already in your twenties, having missed the optimal learning age. However, as long as you persevere, even if you can’t make it to the Tiger List, you won’t be too far off."

Ling Chen did not want to dampen his enthusiasm, so he offered words of encouragement.