“What did you say?” Henry Carter’s expression changed again, a hint of surprise appearing between his brows. Ever since his elder brother came home injured, he had been training hard, trying to make up for all the time he wasted in his youth, determined to master his martial arts and seek justice from the Carter Hall royal clan and David Carter. However… to reclaim lost time… would require ten times, even a hundred times the effort.

　　Focused on training, he simply had no time to pay attention to anything else.

　　This past year, Henry Carter felt like a machine—if he wasn’t cultivating, he was resting, and then back to cultivating again! Could it be that something really did happen this year?

　　“Brother Li, I’m not trying to speak ill of sister-in-law Ethan Lewis, it’s just…” An awkward look appeared on James Carter’s bruised and swollen face. “You know, although sister-in-law Ethan Lewis is outstanding among the younger generation of the Lu family, her parents are gone, and everything is arranged by her family head. Matthew Lewis is a formidable figure—he allies with the Yi family, and also with the Tang family. The eldest of the Tang family, Thomas Doyle, is now considered the number one young man in Lanhai. Many people are saying that the Tang and Lu families have already secretly discussed this matter several times.”

　　“That’s right! The Tang family is indeed conspiring with the Lu family.”

　　At the entrance to the secret corridor, the iron door opened, and a high-pitched, somewhat arrogant voice rang out: “If things keep developing like this, it’s very likely that William Carter will be cuckolded by Thomas Doyle!”

　　Robert Carter’s voice?

　　Henry Carter didn’t even need to look to know it was Robert Carter, the one who fought with James Carter, coming in. The steady, powerful footsteps showed not a hint of weakness—clearly, this participant in the fight hadn’t been punished by the family.

　　“But don’t worry! The Yi family doesn’t have only one William Carter; we also have Victor Carter!” Robert Carter casually dragged a wooden cart, on which sat an iron pot and several wooden bowls. The cart moved forward slowly, making a dull rumbling sound against the floor. “Big brother Victor Carter is the genius after William Carter! He’s not even twenty this year, and he’s already reached the Xunzhen stage! Big brother has already decided to go propose marriage to the Lu family in a few days! So…”

　　Robert Carter stopped, turned, opened the iron pot, poured the porridge into the wooden bowls, then straightened up and looked at James Carter, whose face he had beaten into a pig’s head, a mocking, superior smile curling at his lips. “So you don’t need to worry too much. Ethan Lewis is still our sister-in-law, she’s just leaving that useless William Carter and moving into big brother Victor Carter’s arms, that’s all.”

　　“Robert Carter! You bastard!” James Carter thrust his arms through the iron bars, trying to grab Robert Carter, but his body was blocked by the thick iron door, making a dull thudding sound as he crashed against it.

　　“You want to hit me?” Robert Carter’s sneer deepened as he handed the porridge toward the window. “What? I just beat you into a pig’s head, and you’ve already forgotten? Don’t forget, I’m at the peak of the Qi Movement stage! Doesn’t your butt hurt? Forgotten the family rules? The one who strikes first is punished. Looks like you haven’t been spanked enough. Drink up! Want another beating? When you get out, I’m always ready.”

　　James Carter knocked over the porridge that was handed to him. “You ungrateful bastard! Back when you and your brother got lost in the Lanhai Forest, wasn’t it big brother William Carter who risked his life to save you? Otherwise, you’d have been monster food long ago!”

　　“What did you say? I can’t hear you.” Robert Carter shrugged at the spilled porridge, scooped another bowl, and turned to Henry Carter, who had witnessed everything but remained silent, smiling: “James Carter, you should learn from Henry Carter. As William Carter’s own brother, he’s so calm. You need to learn from Henry Carter what it means to accept fate. Here, have a bowl…”

Chapter 9: Severed Arm

　　Henry Carter looked coldly at Robert Carter. For the sake of the family’s development, he could understand if the family really did such things—but he could never accept it! He believed his father wouldn’t accept it either!

　　For a clansman to say such vicious things! In that case…

　　Henry Carter’s right hand shot out through the iron bars to take the wooden bowl, suddenly accelerating as true qi surged into his arm. His five fingers curled like an eagle’s claw, his wrist spinning in midair, swiftly bypassing the bowl to grab Robert Carter’s wrist! Minor grappling technique—[Grabbing the Snake at Seven Inches]!

　　Fast! In the pitch-black confinement room, the poor lighting made the sudden attack even harder to detect!

　　Robert Carter heard the faint sound of a claw slicing through the air, his brows furrowing, but a smug sneer appeared on his lips. True qi also surged into his arm as he flicked his wrist upward, sending the wooden bowl flying, and his five fingers curled just like Henry Carter’s, counter-grabbing Henry Carter’s wrist pulse with even greater ferocity! Minor grappling! [Grabbing the Snake at Seven Inches]!

　　In the darkness, Henry Carter saw Robert Carter’s counterattack. His curled fingers suddenly snapped straight, transforming into a sword hand! He stabbed directly at Robert Carter’s wrist!

　　Spear-Sword Combat Technique? Robert Carter’s scalp tingled, and he hurriedly changed his grappling move! But he was still half a beat too slow! The sword fingers instantly stabbed into his wrist, and his clawed hand went numb, the true qi gathered at his wrist dissipating, his entire arm losing sensation!

　　A successful strike! Henry Carter’s fingers changed again, turning back into the minor grappling [Grabbing the Snake at Seven Inches], “biting” down on Robert Carter’s wrist, his five fingers surging with true qi and exerting force once more!