It all happened so suddenly. A voice that sounded like the furious anger of the heavens rang out, and as the gang leader raised his head to see who it was, his hand was seized by the wrist.

With an easy movement, Shi Lan twisted the hand the other way, bending it all the way toward his ankle until the arm turned in an impossible direction.

The gang leader faltered backward, letting out a savage scream.

"Ah—Ah! Ahhhhhhh!!"

He fell on his butt and looked at the radiant man standing beside Chang’e with horror.

The man looked like a Son of Heaven. Even though he wore rags, he gave the rags brilliance. His face was almost celestial, his skin smooth like jade, and in his eyes were two pools of darkness that seemed to drink in light. His hair... his hair was silken and lustrous, flowing behind him like a dark stream.

Even in his pain, the gang leader couldn’t help but wonder where such a beautiful man had come from.

He regained his senses when the man held Chang’e by her supple waist, drew her toward himself, and glared at him.

"How dare you touch another man’s wife?"

The gang leader clutched his twisted hand, which was wracked with agonizing pain.

"Kill him! Kill that bastard, I don’t care. Kill him!!"

The other men of the gang abandoned whoever they were trying to drag and immediately surrounded Shi Lan, grinning.

"Fool, you’re outnumbered. You’re going to die today. How dare you attack our boss from behind like a rat?"

"You think it is because of your handsome face? You’re courting death, and death shall be your spouse today!"

Shi Lan looked at all of them and couldn’t help releasing a derisive sigh.

It was really insulting to his reputation to have to deal with people like this. They weren’t even cultivators, and it was a disgrace for a cultivator to engage an ordinary mortal in combat. And then it was Wei Shi Lan of all people — the Heaven-Defying Demon, the Husband of a Thousand Goddesses!

In that moment, he looked at Xia Xia’s mother with a kind and handsome smile.

She was frozen in his bosom. Even as he drew her closer and spoke, she could not resist — she did not want to resist — and felt safe in his arms.

"Xia Xia’s mother, do you want to show these fools the ruthlessness of a woman?"

Whatever Shi Lan was saying at this point, Chang’e was not quite sure she was following. She was in the hands of this handsome man, whose face sent gentle winds to caress her cheek. She felt as if she were standing in a meadow where boundless winds moved, carrying petals that grew only on divine ground.

"Focus, Xia Xia’s mother..."

Wei Shi Lan’s warm tone guided her back, and she nodded, not quite sure what she was nodding for. She was too distraught, and some strange urge within her wanted to be held more tightly than this — to be held roughly.

Shi Lan smiled and faced the gang members. Then he released his firm hold on Chang’e while giving the men a mocking smile.

"I’ll take you seriously if you can defeat this young lady." He pointed to Chang’e, laughing. "You mutts are unworthy of my blows and kicks."

The men boiled with rising fury.

"First you dare break our senior brother’s hand, then you dare mock us! All you have is an annoying face. Die today!"

They lunged toward him.

Everybody was distraught. Xia Xia and Xiao Fa were even more terrified.

They knew Shi Lan was trying to help, but he had gone and made everything worse. Their mother did not know any martial art!

"Don’t worry, Xia Xia. My cultivation base is now in the middle stage of the first level. I will help us," Xiao Fa spoke confidently.

However, Xia Xia did not answer, because what she saw made her eyes widen in surprise.

With little movement, Wei Shi Lan tapped Chang’e’s leg. It would hardly even be considered a kick — it was only a slight touch. However, Chang’e swiftly rolled, and her leg swept backward and slammed down on the head of the first man who rushed them.

The heel of her foot plummeted onto the nape of his neck and crushed him down. Wei Shi Lan sent his leg forward and, with delicate control, moved Chang’e’s leg, turning her body and guiding it with his hand as it glided across her muscles, touching only precise points.

He reached for her hand and flipped it backward while turning with her. Chang’e’s hand swung back and slapped into the face of another man. Immediately, Shi Lan pulled her forward and guided her leg backward, only applying a little Qi at the end.

Because of the Qi he applied, her leg shot out and the heel of her foot smashed into the crotch of another man.

The man’s legs twisted and his hands reached for his precious eggs. Chang’e’s legs flowed through the air after that, smashing the man’s head and sending him crashing to the ground.

At first, Chang’e was shocked. She experienced no pain even though her legs were striking hard bones. In fact, she didn’t quite feel like she was hitting anything. It only felt as though she was moving with grace, like an elegant performer — her body swaying with the wind in a flawless, flowing dance.

She felt truly elated in that moment, and an amazed smile spread across her face.

Xia Xia, who was watching her mother beat the gang men, stared with wide eyes. Every time her mother’s hand flew out, one of those men went down. She slapped them and they went flying several meters, crashing into the fence.

And then she saw her mother smiling.

"Mother is smiling."

She muttered to herself.

"Mother is happy."

Xia Xia had never seen her mother smile so warmly. Her mother was always working, always worrying about the family — she never smiled. But today, because she was dancing with Shi Lan, she felt truly happy.

Xia Xia smiled with teary eyes.

"Mother is happy... I’m so happy..."