37 Chapter 37–Liam’s Unsparing Justice
37 Chapter 37 – Liam’s Unsparing Justice
The guards pushed through the crowd, their faces set with grim determination. Julian stood with his hand still pressed against his reddened check, his eyes burning with hatred as he watched them approach me.
“Break his arms,” Julian snarled. “Then drag him outside like the garbage he is.”
I felt surprisingly calm as the first guard reached for me. Time seemed to slow down as I sidestepped his grasp, using his momentum against him. With minimal effort, I redirected his charge, sending him stumbling into another approaching guard.
Julian’s face twisted with fury. “What are you idiots doing? He’s just a pathetic live–in
son–in–law! Take him down!”
Two more guards rushed me simultaneously. I ducked under the first punch, feeling the air whistle above my head. The jade pendant beneath my shirt burned hot against my skin, channeling energy through my entire body. I struck one guard with an open palm to the chest, sending him flying backward into a table of champagne glasses that
crashed to the floor.
Gasps erupted throughout the ballroom. Seraphina’s mouth hung open, her previous smugness replaced with utter disbelief.
“Impossible,” I heard her whisper to Gideon, whose own face had drained of color.
The remaining guards hesitated, suddenly uncertain about their opponent. Julian’s face reddened further, veins bulging at his temples.
“Are you all useless?” he shouted. “I’ll handle him myself!”
Julian strode forward, rolling up his expensive sleeves. “You know, Knight, I trained in the Eldoria Battle Zone for two years. Let me show you what real combat looks like.”
He launched himself at me with surprising speed, his fist aimed directly at my face. Six months ago, I would have been helpless against such an attack. But now, with my recently achieved Third–Layer Qi Refining advancement, his movements seemed almost laughably slow.
I caught his fist mid–strike, the impact creating a small shockwave that rippled through the surrounding air. Julian’s eyes widened in shock as I slowly tightened my
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grip, forcing him down to one knee.
“How-” he gasped, pain etched across his features. “This isn’t possible!”
“You should have left Roman alone,” I said quietly, applying more pressure to his captured hand. “You should have left me alone.”
Julian’s face contorted with pain. “Do you know who my father is? He’ll destroy you for
this!”
“I don’t care anymore, Julian.” I twisted his arm slightly, causing him to cry out. “I’ve spent too long caring what people like you think.”
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Julian Hawthorne–heir to the Hawthorne empire, trained fighter, and social elite–knelt before me, trembling with pain and
humiliation.
“I’m going to break your arm now,” I informed him calmly. “Consider it a lesson in humility.”
“Wait!” A sharp voice cut through the tension.
A white–haired young man pushed through the crowd. I recognized him immediately- Julian’s personal protector, rumored to be at the Peak of Qi Refining Stage.
“Release him,” the protector demanded, his hand already positioned for a strike. “Or I’ll make you regret it.”
I smiled slightly. “You’re welcome to try.”
He moved with impressive speed, launching a palm strike infused with spiritual energy. Six months of intensive training had sharpened my instincts. I released Julian, who collapsed to the floor gasping, and met the protector’s attack with my own palm.
Our hands collided with a thunderous crack. The protector’s eyes widened in shock as he realized I wasn’t just some ordinary opponent. His spiritual energy clashed with mine, creating visible ripples in the air between us.
“Third–Layer Qi Refining,” he murmured in disbelief. “When did you-
I didn’t give him time to finish. I pushed forward, channeling energy through my palm in a technique I’d practiced countless times in secret. The protector stumbled backward, his defense crumbling under my assault.
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“Impossible,” he gasped as I followed through with a series of precise strikes, targeting his meridian points.
With a final move, I gripped both his wrists and applied crushing pressure. The sickening crack of breaking bones echoed through the silent ballroom. The white–haired protector screamed, his hands hanging limply as he staggered back.
“Both wrists broken,” 1 announced dispassionately. “You’ll need at least three months of healing before you can channel energy through them again.”
Roman stood to the side, his eyes wide with astonishment. “Liam… what happened to
you?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I turned back to Julian, who was trying to crawl away on
his hands and knees.
“Please,” Julian whimpered as I approached. “I’m sorry–I didn’t mean-‘
I grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet. “Too late for apologies.”
“My father will kill you for this!” Julian’s voice cracked with fear and desperation. “The Hawthorne family will hunt you down!”
I looked directly into his eyes. “Tell your father exactly what happened here. Tell him I broke your arm because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut.”
With calculated precision, I placed my foot on Julian’s forearm and pressed down until I heard the bone snap. His scream pierced the ballroom, causing several guests to flinch and look away.
I released him, and he collapsed to the floor, clutching his broken arm to his chest, sobbing and whimpering.
“Remember this pain, Julian,” I said quietly. “Remember it the next time you decide to humiliate someone for your entertainment.”
I turned to leave, the crowd parting before me like water. No one dared to meet my
eyes.
Behind me, Julian’s terrified whimpers turned to screams again. “You’re dead, Knight! Dead! My father will destroy everything you care about! You hear me? EVERYTHING!” His continued threats stopped me in my tracks. I slowly turned around, walked back to
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Julian’s crumpled form, and looked down at him.
“Still threatening me?” I asked softly.
Julian’s eyes widened with renewed terror. Before he could respond, my hand lashed out in a savage slap that connected with his jaw. The crack reverberated through the ballroom, followed immediately by Julian’s gargled cry as his jaw hung at an unnatural angle.
“Now you can’t speak,” I said simply.
As I walked away, I passed Seraphina and Gideon. Seraphina’s face had turned ashen, her previous smugness completely erased. Gideon looked like he might be sick, his eyes darting between me and Julian’s broken form.
“You wanted to see me fall,” I told them quietly as I passed. “But I’m just getting
started.”
I left the ballroom without looking back, Julian’s muffled moans and the stunned silence of the crowd following me out into the night. The jade pendant against my chest had cooled, its energy spent for now. But I knew this was just the beginning—the Hawthorne family wouldn’t let this go unanswered.
And for the first time in my life, I was ready for whatever came next.
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