After Xiang Heng left, Xiang Chen asked Manhe to fetch a full seven portions of food, which finally filled his stomach, the amount of which was several times more than that of many people.
After eating his fill, Xiang Chen started practicing the Dragon Elephant Fist in the courtyard, each move exuding powerful energy, transforming the food in his body to replenish his qi and blood, cultivating his inner strength.
It has to be said that the food in the large family is indeed good and rich in energy. At least here, Xiang Chen does not have to worry about food and clothing. Every month, he can even receive two Qi Blood Dan that only direct disciples of the Xia family are eligible to receive. All of these were fought for by his third uncle.
Now, he cannot disappoint his third uncle's expectations. Striving to improve his own strength is the way to go.
He practiced until midnight, then finally stopped his martial arts practice when he was exhausted and couldn't move.
At night, under the light of the lantern, Manhe yawned on the side while Xiang Chen drew on a piece of paper. He was depicting human muscles and meridian patterns, delving into the inheritance of the Return to Heaven Scripture in his mind.
Many of the meridian patterns he drew were not found in the books available in the market. Medicine and alchemy are treasures passed down by people, and he naturally cannot afford to waste them without learning.
"Young Master, it's already late at night. You should rest. Your body won't be able to bear it if you continue like this," Manhe said wearily.
"Manhe, you should go to sleep first. Don't worry about me," Xiang Chen smiled.
"No, I must, I must stay with you, Young Master... *yawn*," Manhe's words trailed off as she fell asleep in her seat.
Seeing this, Xiang Chen smiled, picked up a coat and draped it over her, then carried Manhe to his bed, continuing to study medicine on his own.
Every day, he continued to study until one or two in the morning, before finally falling asleep on the desk in exhaustion.
While Xiang Chen remained low-profile in the Xia family, some members of the Xia family became more and more excessive, besides insults, some even threw things into Xiang Chen's courtyard, demanding that he leave the Xiang family. During this time, Zhou Ji came to negotiate with the Xia family. The Xia family asked for Xiang Heng to leave, and Xiang Heng directly drove Zhou Ji out.
A month passed, and on this day, what truly angered Xiang Chen was when Manhe went to get food and was assaulted and the food was withheld from being distributed to his residence.
"Xiang Chen, come out. Can you hide in this yard for the rest of your life?"
"Xiang Chen, get out of the Xiang family."
"Xiang Chen, your maid is in my hands, and you're still not coming out?"
Outside the courtyard, there were still bursts of yelling.
A young man of about eighteen or nineteen stood outside, leading five or six members of the Xia family.
This young man had a slender figure, standing at 1.85 meters tall, with handsome features and a sharp-edged mouth, giving off a very sharp aura.
Beside him was the young man Xiang Chen had previously fought, Xia Nan!
Meanwhile, Manhe was being held down, with blood flowing from her mouth, visibly injured.
"Jiang Brother, this guy really can endure," Xia Nan said to the imposing young man.
This young man was not an ordinary person, he was the highly talented Xia Mingjiang of the Xia family!
At the age of nineteen, he had already achieved the fifth level of the Divine Realm.
"Hit her!" Xia Mingjiang said coldly.
"Yes!"
The teenager beside him slapped Manhe repeatedly, causing her to cry out in pain.
And then, after a month of isolation, the doors were finally opened!
A fifteen-year-old young man in white robes and a burly man walked out from the door.
"Stop! Let her go!" Xiang Chen shouted angrily, looking at Manhe being assaulted, his face dark and grim.
"Xiang Chen, you finally dared to come out," Xia Nan sneered at Mu Feng.
"Xia Nan, weren't you taught enough during the last confrontation? Daring to come here for more humiliation?" Xiang Chen said coldly, looking at Manhe being beaten. His eyes grew even darker: "Are you trying to provoke my limits? A man like you can only vent his anger on a woman?"
"Spit, it's because you ambushed me last time, otherwise, how could I lose to a waste like you," Xia Nan said fiercely.
"Don't talk nonsense. Let her go," Xiang Chen said coldly.
"Let her go," Xia Mingjiang said lightly. He wasn't threatened by a lowlife like Xiang Chen using a maid as leverage.
"Xia Mingjiang," Xiang Chen acknowledged the older teenager.
"Xiang Chen, I didn't expect you to be so spineless, to come to my Xia family for a free meal," Xia Mingjiang taunted.
Before Xiang Wang had an accident, Xiang Chen couldn't provoke him no matter how much of a waste he was.
But it's different now, a plucked phoenix is no match for a rooster.
"None of your business, and we didn't eat at your house," Xiang Chen said coldly. "Today, for no reason, you beat my people. Do you want to give me an explanation?"
"Ha ha ha, an explanation?" Xia Mingjiang laughed scornfully. "Xiang Chen, do you still think you're the second son of the Lord? Wake up, Xiang Wang is finished, and now you're just a waste kicked out of the Xiang family. What qualifications do you have to speak to me like this?"
"Insulting the Lord and the Young Master. You're asking for death!" Zhao Mu, furious, stepped forward with a burst of powerful innate qi, pressing onto Xia Mingjiang and his people.
"Innate masters!"
Xia Mingjiang and the others' faces changed dramatically. How could Xiang Chen possibly have a master in the innate realm by his side?
"If you dare to make a move, you won't be able to leave the Xia family!" Xia Mingjiang said coldly, mustering up his courage.
"If you dare to insult the Lord again, I will fight to keep your head," Zhao Mu said coldly.
They were all loyal ministers of Xiang Wang, otherwise he wouldn't protect Xiang Chen in this way.
"Xia Mingjiang, if you have nothing else, leave behind a thousand gold coins for medical expenses, or else, I'll break a leg for each of you to leave here," Xiang Chen said coldly, and Zhao Mu sneered, snapping his wrist provocatively.
The group's faces changed slightly, and they had not expected that Xiang Chen would have an innate master by his side.
"Dream on, Xiang Chen. If you want medical expenses, come and get them yourself. What's the point of using your power to bully?" Xia Nan said coldly.
"Haha, I'm using my power to bully? It's shameful that you even have the nerve to say that," Xiang Chen scoffed.
"If you want medical expenses, defeat me and you'll have them. Last time, you assaulted me, and I want to get that back," Xia Nan said provocatively with a cold smirk.
"Since you didn't learn your lesson last time, then this time, I'll make sure you do," Xiang Chen said coldly as he stepped forward. "Today, there's no need for Uncle Mu to make a move. I, Xiang Chen, will make you regret offending me."
"You little brat, show me your fists!" Xia Nan bellowed, unleashing his internal energy as he lunged towards Xiang Chen like a fierce leopard, a punch packed with formidable force, enough to kill a water buffalo.