Chapter 36: Zhang Wenping's Apprehension

"Security! Get these troublemakers out of here!" Du Haiming, beyond caring about maintaining appearances after such an embarrassment, shouted in desperation. Realizing his uncle wouldn't let this slide, he figured he might as well go all out.

Several burly men, hearing Du Haiming's shout, rushed over and encircled Ye Tian and the female anchor.

"What are you doing? My phone is live streaming this!" The female anchor panicked, not expecting them to disregard the recording.

Under normal circumstances, Du Haiming might have considered the nightclub's reputation, but now, engulfed in rage and knowing his uncle would not spare him, he acted recklessly. The security guards, coming from the underworld themselves, scoffed:

"Bold of you to cause trouble here. Let's throw them out. We can handle a few days in jail if needed!"

The guards charged at Ye Tian, who was promptly grabbed by the terrified and anxious female anchor.

"Don't worry, I'm here," Ye Tian reassured her, holding her waist protectively. The guards hesitated to attack the female anchor but showed no such restraint towards Ye Tian, rushing at him without a second thought.

The scene made both the female anchor and the live stream viewers tense up, with many unable to watch what they presumed would be Ye Tian's imminent beating.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sounds of heavy blows and screams echoed. The female anchor, with her eyes shut tight, braced herself for the worst.

But soon, she realized the screams were not coming from Ye Tian. The arms around her waist were still strong and reassuring.

What happened?

She opened her eyes, only to be shocked. The guards were sprawled on the ground, moaning in pain.

"You... you..." Du Haiming was stunned, pointing at Ye Tian, speechless.

Ignoring Du Haiming, Ye Tian looked around and loudly called out: "Zhang Wenping, isn't it time for you to step in? Otherwise, I might have to teach your precious nephew a lesson!"

The crowd, already drawn to the commotion, was baffled. Ye Tian's boldness in summoning Zhang Wenping seemed like madness. The smarter ones would have fled the scene, but Ye Tian was calling out one of the most formidable figures in the area.

As they puzzled over his actions, an angry middle-aged voice responded:

"Brother Ye, please, feel free to discipline him. Even if you don't, I intend to break his legs and teach him a lesson he'll never forget." Zhang Wenping emerged from the crowd.

"Uncle, uncle, you must stand up for me! These two are clearly troublemakers sent by competitors."

Seeing Zhang Wenping, Du Haiming immediately played the victim.

Du Haiming's cunning, portraying Ye Tian and the anchor as competitors' agents, provided an excuse for his uncle. Zhang Wenping could easily manipulate the narrative with his influence. But he seemed to have missed how Zhang Wenping addressed Ye Tian.

Hearing Du Haiming's words, Zhang Wenping slapped him without a word.

"Uncle, why are you hitting me?" Du Haiming was stunned. In their world, face and reputation mattered greatly. Zhang Wenping, though largely retired, still valued his public image and would typically discipline privately. Du Haiming's tactic was to publicly frame Ye Tian, giving his uncle a righteous pretext.

But things didn't go as Du Haiming expected. Instead, he was the one slapped.

"Damn fool! How could my sister have given birth to such a useless thing like you? I'll make sure you spend a few months in the hospital to learn your lesson!"

After scolding, Zhang Wenping turned to Ye Tian with a forced smile:

"Brother Ye, my sister passed away early, and this nephew was spoiled by my brother-in-law. Rest assured, I will teach him a lesson he'll never forget."

Zhang Wenping's tone was filled with regret and frustration.

He now wished he had taken over his nephew's upbringing himself. He was determined to give Du Haiming a lesson he wouldn't forget, especially after offending someone like Ye Tian – a formidable ancient martial artist.

Ancient martial artists, especially those at the dark energy stage, were incredibly dangerous. They could disrupt established rules, making them nearly impossible to contend with.

For someone like Zhang Wenping, facing a dark energy martial artist head-on was feasible. However, dealing with one who is constantly plotting against you in the shadows could be a disaster.

Zhang Wenping feared not only Ye Tian's martial prowess but also the power and influence he represented.