Urban: It turns out this is a comprehensive world

While ancestral feuds should not be so easily forgotten, it depends on the nature of the feud.

The feud they formed over a woman, out of jealousy and rivalry, is something their younger generations find shameful to talk about.

But fate is cruel; his daughter, Cheng Ying, falls in love with Xiao Guodong and insists on marrying him.

The Xiao family is one of the top families in the capital, with great power and influence. Moreover, his daughter and Xiao Guodong were in a free-love relationship and truly loved each other. As a father, he had no reason to disagree with the marriage.

Their mistake was that the timing of their falling in love and getting married was completely wrong.

At that time, although the old grudges between the Xiao family and the Luo family had faded considerably, their struggle in the officialdom remained fierce, with both sides clashing head-on and refusing to yield.

The attack on Luo Anhao and his wife was actually orchestrated by Xiao Li'ao, the head of the Xiao family at the time, who was also Xiao Chen's grandfather.

Xiao Li'ao's original intention was simply to kidnap Luo Anhao and his wife in order to blackmail the Luo family and force them to back down in the important competition in the officialdom.

To be honest, if we had successfully kidnapped that family of three without harming them...

Even if they become enemies, it won't escalate to the point of no return. At most, they'll just have to be more careful when fighting in officialdom in the future, to prevent the Luo family from retaliating in the same way.

Unfortunately, the operation went wrong. Not only did they fail to kidnap the child, but they also severely injured Luo Anhao and his wife and lost their newborn child.

This time, they have completely offended the Luo and Bai families, and the feud between the two families has reached the point of no return.

Sure enough, the retaliation came swiftly.

Not long after, his daughter Cheng Ying, son-in-law Xiao Guodong, and grandson Xiao Chen were attacked by unknown assailants.

If it weren't for the fact that the Xiao and Cheng families were always on guard...

It's probably not as simple as just the disappearance of Xiao Chen, the grandson. Xiao Guodong, Cheng Ying, and young Xiao Chen are likely already dead, having perished in that attack.

The study fell into a deathly silence once again.

Cheng Xiaotian frowned, his fingertips repeatedly stroking the edge of the table, his face full of helplessness and anxiety.

This matter involves political maneuvering, and as someone from a martial arts family, he had no good solutions.

After thinking for a long time, he could only say in a deep voice, "Call your father and ask for his opinion. Brother Xiao has been in the capital for many years, so perhaps he can help."

Xiao Guodong nodded, silently picked up his phone, his fingertips trembling slightly, and dialed his father Xiao Li'ao's number.

"Dad..." As soon as the call connected, Xiao Guodong suppressed the panic in his heart and spoke with a somewhat hoarse voice.

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Li'ao's calm and authoritative voice came from the other end of the receiver. It was completely calm, yet it exuded an undeniable aura: "I know everything. There's no need to say more."

Xiao Guodong was stunned, not expecting that his father already knew all the inside information.

However, upon closer reflection, it wasn't surprising that he had used the Xiao family's connections and resources, and that his father knew the results of his investigation.

Just as he was about to press further, Xiao Li'ao's voice rang out again: "Hold your positions for now. Is your father-in-law, Cheng Xiaotian, by your side?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiaotian immediately approached, took the phone, and spoke in a deep, resonant voice, with the confidence of a family head: "I'm here, Brother Xiao, speak your mind."

"There are some core details that are inconvenient to discuss over the phone, so as to avoid being overheard and causing unnecessary trouble."

Xiao Li'ao lowered his voice slightly, but his tone remained firm, "But for now, you must keep all the members of the Cheng family and their disciples in check, make them restrain their tempers, keep a low profile, and do not cause any trouble."

He paused, then added with more confidence, "Remember, even if the other party is a pillar of the nation."

As long as he can't find any solid evidence against the Xiao and Cheng families, he won't dare to openly do anything to us. The rules bind him; he can't act recklessly!

"But Dad, what if that Luo Lingtian..."

Xiao Guodong couldn't help but frown and interject. He understood his father's intentions perfectly well, but Luo Lingtian's identity was too terrifying.

If they were truly determined to target them, even without any leverage, they would have plenty of ways to suppress them. He was genuinely unsure and filled with worry.

However, before he could finish expressing his concerns, Xiao Li'ao interrupted him forcefully: "I know what you're worried about, I know what I'm doing!"

This is merely a stopgap measure to temporarily stabilize the situation.

"You and your father-in-law should come to the capital as soon as possible so we can discuss our strategy in person. Some things need to be clarified face-to-face to ensure everything goes smoothly."

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Guodong's worried expression eased somewhat, while Cheng Xiaotian also fell into deep thought.

Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Li'ao, on the other end of the phone, was standing by the window of the Xiao family study, gazing at the bustling night view of the capital, his expression terrifyingly solemn.

Xiao Li'ao was much more insightful than his impatient son, so he naturally understood.

"Remaining inactive and acting discreetly" can at best ensure the safety of both parties temporarily, but it is not a long-term solution.

The Xiao family has deep roots, and by restraining their ambitions and relinquishing some power, they may be able to survive for a while longer. But the Cheng family is a different story.

Over the years, relying on the family's power, the Cheng family members have become arrogant and domineering, committing all sorts of evil deeds and leaving them with a lot of dirt on them.

If Luo Lingtian were to truly harbor murderous intent, a simple investigation into the Cheng family's past would surely bring about their annihilation, leaving them no chance of recovery.

Moreover, if the Xiao family simply backs down and waits for its demise, it will ultimately be unable to escape being gradually suppressed and declining.

Therefore, they had no room to back down and had to take the initiative to find an opportunity to deal with Luo Lingtian.

However, such a plan, which concerns the life and death of both families, could not be mentioned over the phone. It was too dangerous, and if it were leaked, they would face utter ruin.

Xiao Li'ao clenched his fists, a ruthless glint in his eyes. Given the chance, Luo Lingtian must die!

Just as the Xiao and Cheng families were shrouded in gloom, racking their brains and at a loss as to how to deal with Luo Lingtian, the Luo family, and the Bai family.

In the distant city of Haishi, within the Lingtian Manor, a completely different scene unfolds.

This was the morning after Luo Lingtian and Luo Anhao's family reunion.

As dawn broke, the martial arts training ground in the manor was already bustling with activity, as the morning martial arts practice began as scheduled.

Unlike in the past, in addition to Qin Qingcheng, Dongfang Mingyue, and Song Xinyan accompanying Luo Lingtian in his cultivation as always.

Luo Anhao and his wife, Luo Xixi, and Bai Zhenbang, the patriarch of the Bai family, also joined the morning exercise group.

Even Luo Haoran and his wife were specially summoned by Luo Lingtian to cultivate together.

In Luo Lingtian's long-term plan, the Dragon Kingdom will inevitably embark on a path of universal martial arts, enhancing the strength of all its citizens and preventing crises after entering the starry sky.

Therefore, he had long planned to pass on the methods of martial arts training to Luo Haoran and his wife.

However, Luo Haoran and his wife were not enthusiastic about practicing martial arts in their daily lives and always did it perfunctorily, resulting in slow progress.

This time, Luo Lingtian also used the excuse that he and Luo Yuntian had offended someone, and that someone might use them as a pretext to severely punish the two brothers.

The couple then abandoned their laziness and began to seriously engage in their morning exercise.

As for Luo Yuntian, he and his wife Lin Ruoxue were cultivating alone on the other side of the martial arts arena.

Luo Yuntian was naturally talented, and with Luo Lingtian's personal guidance, he cultivated with exceptional diligence. Lin Ruoxue followed closely behind, unwilling to hold him back.

As dawn broke, on the martial arts field, the crowd exchanged blows, their movements steady and powerful, each strike exuding the strength and sharpness of traditional Chinese martial arts. The morning light bathed them in a golden glow.

The morning exercise didn't end until the sun was high in the sky.

The group went to the restaurant together and had a warm and harmonious breakfast. The meal was filled with laughter and joy, which contrasted sharply with the oppressive atmosphere in the Xiao and Cheng families.

After breakfast, Bai Zhenbang suggested that everyone gather in the hall. His expression gradually became serious. This time, it was no longer a simple family reunion, chatting and cultivating feelings, but a serious matter to discuss.

Once everyone was seated, Bai Zhenbang spoke first, his expression solemn, and discussed the relationships between the Xiao family, the Cheng family, and the Luo family and the Bai family.

The grudges and affections that had lasted for over a hundred years were recounted in detail, without any concealment or avoidance of Luo Haoran and his wife, and Luo Yuntian and his wife.

Bai Zhenbang knew perfectly well that the fact that Luo Lingtian was the son that Luo Anhao and his wife had lost years ago, and also the grandson of the Bai family, could not be kept from the Xiao and Cheng families.

As Luo Lingtian's closest family members, Luo Haoran and his wife, as well as Luo Yuntian and his wife, were inevitably drawn into this century-old feud and could not possibly remain uninvolved.

The shrewd and experienced Bai Zhenbang was unaware that Luo Lingtian and Xiao Chen were mortal enemies.

However, he had already seen through the intentions of the Xiao and Cheng families. After confirming that Luo Lingtian was indeed the son of Luo Anhao and his wife, and that he was a pillar of the nation, the Xiao and Cheng families would certainly not sit idly by and wait for their doom.

If it were merely a personal feud between Xiao Chen and Luo Lingtian, the Xiao and Cheng families, after weighing the pros and cons, would simply accept the loss.

They apologized, even at a cost, and tried every means to reach a reconciliation with Luo Lingtian.

However, once the century-old feud between the Luo and Bai families is involved, there is absolutely no possibility of reconciliation.

The Xiao and Cheng families knew better than anyone else that, given Luo Lingtian's status and personality...

Once he learns the truth about the attack on Luo Anhao and his wife and his own disappearance, he will definitely seek revenge on both families.

Perhaps, due to the rules of today's society, Luo Lingtian cannot, like in feudal society, simply find a reason to use his power to directly destroy the Xiao and Cheng families.

However, if he puts in a little more effort and puts more pressure on the Xiao and Cheng families, and thoroughly investigates their mistakes and weaknesses, he can make it difficult for them to move forward and develop, and eventually drag them down.

Moreover, the Xiao and Cheng families themselves are not exactly clean and upright, and they have countless flaws to their name.

Once captured by Luo Lingtian, the consequences would be unimaginable. It would be like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, slowly exhausting the strength of both families until they could not escape their fate of destruction.